An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Melde

by Friedrich Kluge

Melde (Bavarian molten), feminine, ‘orache’ (a plant), from the equivalent Middle High German and Middle Low German mëlde, and with a different gradation mulde, molte, feminine, Old High German mola, mulda (muolhta is incorrectly written for molta), feminine; of obscure origin. The derivation from the root mal, ‘to grind,’ to which Mehl is allied, does not give a suitable sense. Greek βλίτον (for *μλίτον), ‘orache,’ should rather be compared with the German word.