Etymology Explorer › Swedish

Where does “mala” come from?

mala (Swedish) comes from Old Swedish māla, from Old Norse mála, from Middle Low German mālen, from Old Saxon *mālōn, from Proto-West Germanic *mālēn, from Proto-Albanian melana, from Proto-Indo-European melh₂-n-, from Proto-Indo-European melh₂- — to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange.

mala (Swedish): to paint; to score

Definitions

  1. to paint; to score

Ancestry of “mala”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Swedishmālato paint
2Old Norsemála—
3Middle Low Germanmālento draw, paint; to paint
4Old Saxon*mālōn—
5Proto-West Germanic*mālēn—
6Proto-Albanianmelanablack
7Proto-Indo-Europeanmelh₂-n-dull black
8Proto-Indo-Europeanmelh₂-to grind, to crush
9Proto-Indo-Europeanmel-soft; tender; weak; to deceive; to rub
10Proto-Indo-Europeanmey-to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange

Words derived from “mala”

  • automaalari
  • katumaalari
  • maalari
  • maalarinteippi
  • maisemamaalari
  • ikonimaalari
  • målare
  • akvarellmålare
Every word from Proto-Indo-European mey- →