amalgam

The story

1. Ancient Greek · derived fromμάλαγμα“emollient; malleable material”
2. Arabic · derived fromاَلْمَلْغَم“emollient poultice or unguent for sores”
3. Medieval Latin · borrowed fromamalgama“mercury alloy”
4. English todayamalgam

From Medieval Latin amalgama (“mercury alloy”), from Arabic اَلْمَلْغَم (al-malḡam, “emollient poultice or unguent for sores”), from Ancient Greek μάλαγμα (málagma, “emollient; malleable material”), from μαλάσσω (malássō, “to soften”), from μαλακός (malakós, “soft”). Doublet of malagma. For the verb, compare French amalgamer.