Where does “mala-” come from?

mala- (Malay) comes from Old Javanese mala-, from Sanskrit मल, from Proto-Indo-European melh₂-, from Proto-Indo-European mel-, from Proto-Indo-European mey- — to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange.

mala- (Malay): mal-: bad, abnormal

Definitions

  1. mal-: bad, abnormal

Ancestry of “mala-”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Javanesemala-—
2Sanskritमलdirty; niggardly?; unbelieving, godless
3Proto-Indo-Europeanmelh₂-to grind, to crush
4Proto-Indo-Europeanmel-soft; tender; weak; to deceive; to rub
5Proto-Indo-Europeanmey-to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange

Words derived from “mala-”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European mey- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European mel- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European melh₂- →