Etymology Explorer › Middle Dutch

Where does “mālen” come from?

mālen (Middle Dutch) comes 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.

Ancestry of “mālen”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Dutchmalan—
2Proto-West Germanicmalanto grind
3Proto-Germanicmalanąto grind
4Proto-Indo-Europeanmelh₂-to grind, to crush
5Proto-Indo-Europeanmel-soft; tender; weak; to deceive; to rub
6Proto-Indo-Europeanmey-to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange

Words derived from “mālen”

  • maelstrom
  • maling
  • maelstrom
  • malen
  • male
Every word from Proto-Indo-European mey- →