Where does “māl” come from?
māl (German) comes from Middle High German māl, from Old High German māl, from Proto-West Germanic māl, from Proto-Germanic mēlą, from Proto-Indo-European melh₂-, from Proto-Indo-European mel-, from Proto-Indo-European mey- — to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange.
Ancestry of “māl”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle High German | māl | — |
| 2 | Old High German | māl | a time; spot, stain |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | māl | time, occasion; mealtime |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | mēlą | measure, measurement; time, occasion; point in... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | melh₂- | to grind, to crush |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | mel- | soft; tender; weak; to deceive; to rub |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | mey- | to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange |