milse

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*(s)mel-“to beat, grind”
2. Proto-Germanic · derived from*mildijaz“mild”
3. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*mildisjō“kindness”
4. Old English · inherited frommiltsian“to compassionate, pity, show mercy, soften, make merciful”
5. Middle English · inherited frommilsen
6. English todaymilse

From Middle English milsen, milcen, milcien, from Old English miltsian (“to compassionate, pity, show mercy, soften, make merciful”), from Proto-Germanic *mildisjō (“kindness”), from Proto-Germanic *mildijaz (“mild”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)mel- (“to beat, grind”). Related to Old English milts (“mercy, compassion, benevolence, kindness, favor, joy”), Old English milde (“mild, merciful, kind, generous, gentle, meek”). More at mild.

Words from the same roots