English
morale
Morale comes from Latin mōrāli, from mōs ‘way or manner (of behaving)’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *meh₁- ‘to measure’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*meh₁-‘to measure’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*mōsreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmōs‘way or manner (of behaving)’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEmōrāli
- Frenchc. 1600–presentmorale
- Englishearliest quotation 2012same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*meh₁-‘to measure’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*mōsreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmōs‘way or manner (of behaving)’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEmōrāli
- Frenchc. 1600–presentmorale
- Englishearliest quotation 2012same form
Earliest quotation: 2012, Ken Belson, New York Times: “Proponents of the race — notably Mayor Michael R.…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *meh₁- ‘to measure’
month, measure, moon, meal, meter, sunny, dimension, immense, metric, metre, meta, mesa, moody, menstrual, asymmetry, commensurate, mensa, madder, metrology, mete, metis, menses, firman, metra, moodiness, 64 more
through Latin mōs ‘way or manner (of behaving)’
through French morale
Today it means
noun The mental and emotional state of a person or group, especially their level of confidence, enthusiasm, and loyalty with regard to a function or task.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *meh₁- / morale