Where does “Mahlwerk” come from?

Mahlwerk (German) comes from German mahlen, from Middle High German mālen, from Old High German mālōn, from Old High German māl, from Proto-West Germanic māl, from Proto-Germanic mēlą, from Proto-Indo-European melh₂-, from Proto-Indo-European mel- — to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange.

Mahlwerk (German): grinder, grinding mill, grinding gear, burr functional unit of an apparatus that breaks solid materials into smaller pieces

Definitions

  1. grinder, grinding mill, grinding gear, burr functional unit of an apparatus that breaks solid materials into smaller pieces

Ancestry of “Mahlwerk”, step by step

Mahlwerk traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German mahlen

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanmahlento grind
2Middle High Germanmālen
3Old High Germanmālōnto paint, to draw
4Old High Germanmāla time; spot, stain
5Proto-West Germanicmāltime, occasion; mealtime
6Proto-Germanicmēląmeasure, measurement; time, occasion; point in...
7Proto-Indo-Europeanmelh₂-to grind, to crush
8Proto-Indo-Europeanmel-soft; tender; weak; to deceive; to rub
9Proto-Indo-Europeanmey-to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange

via German werk

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanwerkwork, achievement the result of working
2Middle High Germanwercwork
3Old High Germanwercwork
4Proto-West Germanicwerkwork
5Proto-Germanicwerkąwork
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwérǵomwork
7Proto-Indo-Europeanwerǵ-to make
Every word from Proto-Indo-European mey-Every word from Proto-Indo-European mel-Every word from Proto-Indo-European melh₂-