maldai

Old Prussian

Etymology

From Proto-Balto-Slavic *maldás, from Proto-Indo-European *ml̥dus (“soft, weak”). Cognates include Old Church Slavonic младъ (mladŭ, “young”), Latin mollis (“soft, weak”), Sanskrit मृदु (mṛdú, “soft, mild, weak”), Ancient Greek βλαδύς (bladús, “weak”) and ἀμαλδύνω (amaldúnō, “to weaken, destroy”).

Noun

maldai m pl

1. young ones
   • 1561, Martin Luther, translated by Abel Will & Paul Megott, Stas Likuts Catechismus [The Small Catechism], →OCLC, page 97, line 2:

     Jous Maldai ſeiti pokluſman ſteimans vraiſins / bhe powaidinneiti en ſteſmu ſtan lāuſtīngiſkan

     You Young ones, be obedient to the old / and show humility in doing so

Adjective

maldai m pl (accusative plural maldans)

1. young
   • 1561, Martin Luther, translated by Abel Will & Paul Megott, Stas Likuts Catechismus [The Small Catechism], →OCLC, page 85, line 4:

     ſtēimans maldans Warnins

     to the young ravens