Where does “male” come from?
male (Middle English) comes from Anglo-Norman male, from Old French male, from Medieval Latin mala, from Proto-Italic smakslā, from Proto-Indo-European smēk-, from Proto-Indo-European smē- — to rub; smear.
male (Middle English): rent, tribute
Ancestry of “male”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Anglo-Norman | male | pack, bag |
| 2 | Old French | male | pack, bag |
| 3 | Medieval Latin | mala | cheekbone, jaw; cheek; bundle, bag |
| 4 | Proto-Italic | smakslā | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | smēk- | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | smē- | to rub; smear |
Words derived from “male”