Where does “malléable” come from?
malléable (Middle French) comes from Late Latin malleabilis, from Latin malleo, from Latin malleus, from Proto-Indo-European melh₂-no-, from Proto-Indo-European melh₂-, from Proto-Indo-European mel-, from Proto-Indo-European mey- — to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange.
Ancestry of “malléable”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Late Latin | malleabilis | — |
| 2 | Latin | malleo | I hammer; dative singular of malleus; ablative... |
| 3 | Latin | malleus | hammer, mallet; a disease of animals; the... |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | melh₂-no- | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | melh₂- | to grind, to crush |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | mel- | soft; tender; weak; to deceive; to rub |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | mey- | to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange |