Mahl

See also: mahl

German

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /maːl/
  • Audio(file)
  • Homophones: Mal, mal, mahl
  • Rhymes: -aːl

Etymology 1

The same word as Mal (“time”), from Middle High German māl, from Old High German māl, from Proto-West Germanic *māl.

The sense “meal” developed from “mealtime” as also in cognate English meal. Further cognate with Dutch maal, Danish mål (“goal”).

The orthographic distinction from Mal began in Early Modern German, probably in part under influence of etymology 2 below, which was then becoming obsolete. Later grammarians, at any rate, were in doubt about which of the two was the origin of the word for “meal”.

Noun

Mahl n (strong, genitive Mahles or Mahls, plural Mähler or Mahle)

  1. (higher register) meal, repast
    Synonyms: Essen, Mahlzeit
Declension
Declension of Mahl [neuter, strong]
singular plural
indef. def. noun def. noun
nominative ein das Mahl die Mähler, Mahle
genitive eines des Mahles, Mahls der Mähler, Mahle
dative einem dem Mahl, Mahle1 den Mählern, Mahlen
accusative ein das Mahl die Mähler, Mahle

1Now uncommon, see notes.

Derived terms

Etymology 2

From Middle High German mahel, from Old High German mahal, from Proto-West Germanic *maþl, from Proto-Germanic *maþlą, *mahlą. Cognate with Danish mål (“language”), Icelandic mál.

Noun

Mahl n (strong, genitive Mahles or Mahls, plural Mahle)

  1. (obsolete) a public assembly or council, especially for judicial purposes

Further reading
  • “Mahl” in Duden online
  • “Mahl” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
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