mail

mail · noun, verb¹

1. Proto-Indo-European*molko-der.?
2. Proto-Germanic*malhō
3. Frankish*malha
4. Medieval Latinmala
5. Anglo-Normanmale
6. Old Frenchmale
7. Middle Englishmale
8. English todaymail

From Middle English male, from Anglo-Norman male, Old French male (“bag, wallet”), from Frankish *malha (“bag”), from Proto-Germanic *malhō (“bag, pouch”), from Proto-Indo-European *molko- (“leather pouch”). Compare Dutch maal.

mail · noun, verb²

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*smh₁-tleh₂
2. Latin · derived frommacula“blemish, mesh”
3. Vulgar Latin · derived from*macla
4. Old French · derived frommaille“loop, stitch”
5. Middle English · inherited frommayle“mail armor”
6. English todaymail

From Middle English mayle (“mail armor”), borrowed from Old French maille (“loop, stitch”), from Vulgar Latin *macla, from Latin macula (“blemish, mesh”), probably from Proto-Indo-European *smh₁-tleh₂, from *smeh₁- (“smear, rub”). Compare maillot.

mail · noun³

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*meh₂d-“to encounter, come”
2. Old Norse · derived frommál“agreement, speech, lawsuit”
3. Old English · inherited frommāl“speech, contract, agreement”
4. Middle English · inherited frommal
5. English todaymail

From Middle English mal, male from Old English māl (“speech, contract, agreement”) from Old Norse mál (“agreement, speech, lawsuit”). Akin to Old English mǣl (“speech”). Related to Old English mǣlan (mell), maþelian (“to speak out, declare”). From *maþlą (“meeting-place”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *meh₂d- (“to encounter, come”), if so, related to meet, and moot.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 13ᵗʰc. A bag or wallet.
• from 17ᵗʰc. The (physical) material conveyed by the postal service.
• from 17ᵗʰc. The letters, parcels, etc. delivered to a particular address or person.
• from 17ᵗʰc. The postal service or system in general.
• from 20ᵗʰc. Electronic mail, e-mail: a computer network–based service for sending, storing, and forwarding electronic messages.