Where does “male” come from?
male (Limburgish) comes from Middle Dutch mālen, from Old Dutch malan, from Proto-West Germanic malan, from Proto-Germanic malaną, from Proto-Indo-European melh₂-, from Proto-Indo-European mel-, from Proto-Indo-European mey- — to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange.
male (Limburgish): to mill
Ancestry of “male”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle Dutch | mālen | — |
| 2 | Old Dutch | malan | — |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | malan | to grind |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | malaną | to grind |
| 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 |