Where does “amalgam” come from?
amalgam (Polish) comes from German Amalgam, from French amalgame, from Latin amalgama, from Medieval Latin amalgama, from Arabic اَلْمَلْغَم, from Ancient Greek μάλαγμα, from Ancient Greek μαλάσσω, from Ancient Greek μαλακός — to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange.
amalgam (Polish): amalgam
Definitions
- amalgam
Ancestry of “amalgam”, step by step
amalgam traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via German Amalgam
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | Amalgam | amalgam (alloy containing mercury) |
| 2 | French | amalgame | amalgam; amalgamation; an incongruous mixture;... |
| 3 | Latin | amalgama | amalgam |
| 4 | Medieval Latin | amalgama | mercury alloy; amalgam |
| 5 | Arabic | اَلْمَلْغَم | — |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | μάλαγμα | An emollient, a cataplasm; A padding used in... |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | μαλάσσω | to soften; to make soft; soften |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | μαλακός | soft, tender; gentle; soft, mild, gentle |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | melh₂- | to grind, to crush |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | mel- | soft; tender; weak; to deceive; to rub |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | mey- | to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange |
via French amalgama
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | amalgama | third-person singular past historic of amalgamer |