Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “mel” come from?

mel (Middle English) comes from Old English mǣl, from Proto-West 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.

mel (Middle English): A time, occasion or event; The occasion when a...

Definitions

  1. A time, occasion or event; The occasion when a...

Ancestry of “mel”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishmǣltime, measure; speech, talk, conversation;...
2Proto-West Germanicmāltime, occasion; mealtime
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

Words derived from “mel”

  • meal
  • cornmeal
  • mealy
  • wholemeal
  • fishmeal
  • mealworm
  • premeal
  • mealiness
  • bloodmeal
  • mealman
  • postmeal
  • barleymeal
  • wheatmeal
  • peameal
  • mealer
  • maizemeal
  • midmeal
  • intermeal
  • peasemeal
  • ryemeal
  • beanmeal
  • mealmonger
  • ricemeal
  • nonmeal
Every word from Proto-Indo-European mey- →