Where does “male” come from?
male (German) comes from German malen, 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.
male (German): inflection of malen: ## first-person singular...
Definitions
- inflection of malen: ## first-person singular...
Ancestry of “male”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | malen | to paint; to draw, depict |
| 2 | Middle High German | mālen | — |
| 3 | Old High German | mālōn | to paint, to draw |
| 4 | Old High German | māl | a time; spot, stain |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | māl | time, occasion; mealtime |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | mēlą | measure, measurement; time, occasion; point in... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | melh₂- | to grind, to crush |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | mel- | soft; tender; weak; to deceive; to rub |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | mey- | to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange |