Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “mal” come from?

mal (Middle English) comes from Old English māl, from Old Norse mál, 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 “mal”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishmālspeech, contract, agreement; suit, case, action,...
2Old Norsemállanguage; speech; matter, affair
3Proto-Germanicmēląmeasure, measurement; time, occasion; point in...
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
Every word from Proto-Indo-European mey- →