Etymograph

English

smelt

Smelt comes from Middle English smelt ‘smelt (fish)’, from Proto-Germanic *smeltaną ‘to melt’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)meld-.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)meld-‘to soften, melt’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)méldeti‘to soften, melt’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*smeltaną‘to melt’reconstructed
  4. Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*smeltaz‘smelt (fish)’reconstructed
  5. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*smelt‘smelt (fish)’reconstructed
  6. Old Englishc. 450–1150smelt‘smelt (a fish)’
  7. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form‘smelt (fish)’
  8. Englishearliest quotation c. 1615–1616same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)meld-‘to soften, melt’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)méldeti‘to soften, melt’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*smeltaną‘to melt’reconstructed
  4. Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*smeltaz‘smelt (fish)’reconstructed
  5. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*smelt‘smelt (fish)’reconstructed
  6. Old Englishc. 450–1150smelt‘smelt (a fish)’
  7. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form‘smelt (fish)’
  8. Englishearliest quotation c. 1615–1616same form

Earliest quotation: c. 1615–1616, Francis Beaumont, Loves Pilgramage, a Comedy: “These direct Men, they are no Men of fashion,…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *(s)meld- ‘to soften, melt’

email, mojo, molten, moll, mojito, milt, molt, 19 more

through Proto-Germanic *smeltaną ‘to melt’

enamel, schmaltz, 1 more

Another origin of smelt

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)meld-‘to melt, smelt’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)méldeti‘to soften, melt’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*smeltaną‘to melt’reconstructed
  4. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*smeltan‘to melt, become liquid’reconstructed
  5. Middle Dutchc. 1150–1500smelten‘to melt’uncertain
  6. Englishtodaysmelt

Today it means

noun Any small anadromous fish of the family Osmeridae, found in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and in lakes in North America and northern part of Europe.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *(s)meld- / smelt

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