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