Where does “møll” come from?

møll (Norwegian Nynorsk) comes from German Moll, from Medieval Latin molle, from Latin mollis, from Latin molduis, from Proto-Italic moldus, from Proto-Indo-European *ml̥dus, from Proto-Indo-European (s)meld- — to soften, to melt.

møll (Norwegian Nynorsk): a moth

Definitions

  1. a moth

Ancestry of “møll”, step by step

møll traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German Moll

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanMollminor
2Medieval Latinmolle
3Latinmollissoft, delicate to the touch; pliant, flexible,...
4Latinmolduis
5Proto-Italicmoldus
6Proto-Indo-European*ml̥dussoft, weak
7Proto-Indo-European(s)meld-to soften, to melt

via Old Norse mǫlr

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Norsemǫlrmoth
2Proto-Germanicmalwan
3Proto-Indo-EuropeanmolH-(y)o-
4Proto-Indo-Europeanmelh₂to grind, crush
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)meld-Every word from Proto-Indo-European *ml̥dusEvery word from Proto-Italic moldus