Where does “Malebolge” come from?
Malebolge (Italian) comes from Italian bolgia, from Old French bolge, from Late Latin bulga, from Gaulish bolgā, from Proto-Celtic bolgos, from Proto-Indo-European bʰelǵʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰel-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰōl-.
Malebolge (Italian): Malebolge the eighth circle of Hell in the Divine Comedy
Definitions
- Malebolge the eighth circle of Hell in the Divine Comedy
Ancestry of “Malebolge”, step by step
Malebolge traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Italian bolgia
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Italian | bolgia | a mob or crowd; bedlam; a bag, a pouch,... |
| 2 | Old French | bolge | sack, purse |
| 3 | Late Latin | bulga | leather sack; leather bag, bellow; wallet, purse |
| 4 | Gaulish | bolgā | bag, sack |
| 5 | Proto-Celtic | bolgos | sack, bag; stomach |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰelǵʰ- | to swell |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰel- | to sound; to speak, roar, bark; shiny, white; to... |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰōl- | — |
via Italian malo
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Italian | malo | bad, evil, wicked; unfit, incompetent, inadequate |
| 2 | Latin | malus | unpleasant, distressing, painful, nasty, bad;... |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | μηλέα | apple tree |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | μῆλον | apple; any fruit from a tree; a woman's breast |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)meh₁l- | small animal”; small animal |