Where does “mael” come from?
mael (Middle Dutch) comes from Old Dutch māl, from Proto-Germanic *māl, from Proto-Germanic mēlą, from Proto-Indo-European melh₂-, from Proto-Indo-European mel-, from Proto-Indo-European mey- — to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange.
Ancestry of “mael”, step by step
mael traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Old Dutch māl
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old Dutch | māl | spot, stain |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | *māl | — |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | mēlą | measure, measurement; time, occasion; point in... |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | melh₂- | to grind, to crush |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | mel- | soft; tender; weak; to deceive; to rub |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | mey- | to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange |
via Proto-West Germanic māl
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proto-West Germanic | māl | time, occasion; mealtime |