Where does “-māle” come from?
-māle (Middle High German) comes from Old High German -mālun, from Proto-Germanic mēlamiz, 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 “-māle”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old High German | -mālun | — |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | mēlamiz | — |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | mēlą | measure, measurement; time, occasion; point in... |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | melh₂- | to grind, to crush |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | mel- | soft; tender; weak; to deceive; to rub |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | mey- | to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange |