English
medley
Medley comes from Anglo-Norman medlee, from Medieval Latin misculō ‘to mix’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *meyḱ-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*meyḱ-‘to mix’root as named
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500misculō‘to mix’
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400medlee
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500medle‘the fruit of the common medlar’
- Englishearliest quotation 1485medley
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*meyḱ-‘to mix’root as named
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500misculō‘to mix’
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400medlee
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500medle‘the fruit of the common medlar’
- Englishearliest quotation 1485medley
Earliest quotation: 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, lxxj: “Thenne came the kyng of Irland and the kynge…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *meyḱ- ‘to mix’
mixture, miscellaneous, melee, miscellany, mell, meddle, 10 more
Today it means
noun Combat, fighting; a battle.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *meyḱ- / medley