1
Stage 1 of 4
miscere
Latin · ancient
"to mix"
the basic verb of mixing
2
Stage 2 of 4
mesler
Old French · 1100s
"to mix, mingle"
kept the sense of mixing and mingling
3
Stage 3 of 4
meslee
Old French · 1200s
"a brawl, a confused fight"
the feminine past participle named a chaotic mixing of combatants
4
Stage 4 of 4
melee
English · 1640s
"confused conflict among many persons"
borrowed (a second time, after an earlier loan had faded) for confused hand-to-hand combat
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