Etymology Explorer › Italian

Where does “amalgama” come from?

amalgama (Italian) comes from Medieval Latin amalgama, from Arabic اَلْمَلْغَم, from Ancient Greek μάλαγμα, from Ancient Greek μαλάσσω, from Ancient Greek μαλακός, from Proto-Indo-European melh₂-, from Proto-Indo-European mel-, from Proto-Indo-European mey- — to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange.

amalgama (Italian): amalgam; third-person singular present indicative...

Definitions

  1. amalgam; third-person singular present indicative...

Ancestry of “amalgama”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Medieval Latinamalgamamercury alloy; amalgam
2Arabicاَلْمَلْغَم—
3Ancient GreekμάλαγμαAn emollient, a cataplasm; A padding used in...
4Ancient Greekμαλάσσωto soften; to make soft; soften
5Ancient Greekμαλακόςsoft, tender; gentle; soft, mild, gentle
6Proto-Indo-Europeanmelh₂-to grind, to crush
7Proto-Indo-Europeanmel-soft; tender; weak; to deceive; to rub
8Proto-Indo-Europeanmey-to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange
Every word from Proto-Indo-European mey- →