English
formelt
Formelt comes from Old English formeltan ‘to melt away, dissolve, liquefy, burn up’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *(s)meld-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)meld-‘to soften, melt’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*meltaną‘to dissolve, to melt’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*meltan‘to dissolve, to melt’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150meltan‘to melt’
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150formeltan‘to melt away, dissolve, liquefy, burn up’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500formelten
- Englishearliest quotation 1606formelt
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)meld-‘to soften, melt’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*meltaną‘to dissolve, to melt’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*meltan‘to dissolve, to melt’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150meltan‘to melt’
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150formeltan‘to melt away, dissolve, liquefy, burn up’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500formelten
- Englishearliest quotation 1606formelt
Earliest quotation: 1606, Gentleman Vsher: “Loue's vshering fire Foremelting beautie, and loue's flame itselfe.”
Proto-Indo-European *pro- ‘before, in front of’
Proto-Germanic *fra- ‘off, away’
Proto-West Germanic *fra- ‘forms verbs with the sense of "away from" or…’
English for-
Proto-Indo-European *(s)meld- ‘to soften, melt’
Proto-Germanic *meltaną ‘to dissolve, to melt’
Proto-West Germanic *meltan ‘to dissolve, to melt’
Old English meltan ‘to melt’
Middle English melten ‘to blend or fuse’
English melt
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *(s)meld- ‘to soften, melt’
email, mojo, enamel, moll, mojito, milt, smelt, schmaltz, 18 more
through Proto-Germanic *meltaną ‘to dissolve, to melt’
through Old English meltan ‘to melt’
Today it means
verb To melt; melt away; dissolve.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *(s)meld- / formelt