Reconstruction:Latin/molliare

This Latin entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Latin

Etymology

From mollis (“soft”) +‎ -iāre (causative verb-forming suffix).

Compare the Classical mollīre (“soften”), which it mostly displaced in Romance. For the sense development from "soften" to "soak", compare German einweichen.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /moˈlʲare/

Verb

*molliāre (Proto-Romance)

1. soak, drench

Descendants

• Balkan Romance:
  • Aromanian: muljari
  • Romanian: muia
• Italo-Romance:
  • Sicilian: muḍḍiari
• North Italian:
  • Emilian: mujà
  • Lombard: mojà
  • Piedmontese: mujé
  • Venetan: mojar, mogiar
• Gallo-Romance:
  • Catalan: mullar
  • Old French: moillier, muillier
    • French: mouiller
    • → English: moil
  • Occitan: molhar
• Ibero-Romance:
  • Asturian: moyar
  • Old Galician-Portuguese: mollar
    • Galician: mollar
    • Portuguese: molhar
  • Spanish: mojar

References

• Walther von Wartburg (1928–2002) “*mŏlliare”, in Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, volumes 6/3: Mobilis–Myxa, page 43

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