# mæle
## Danish
### Etymology

From Old Norse mæli (“speech”) and mæla (“to speak”), both from mál (“language, speech, matter, affair”).

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈmɛːlə/, [ˈmeːlə]

### Noun

mæle n (singular definite mælet, not used in plural form)
* speech, voice

### Verb

mæle (imperative mæl, present mæler, past mælte or mælede, past participle mælet or mælt)
* utter (to say)

### References

* “mæle” in Den Danske Ordbog
* “mæle,2” in Den Danske Ordbog

## Norwegian Bokmål
### Etymology 1

From Old Norse mæli (“speech”) and mæla (“for the verb, to speak”), both from mál (“language, speech, matter, affair”).

#### Noun

mæle n (definite singular mælet, indefinite plural mæler, definite plural mæla or mælene)
* speech, voice

##### Derived terms

* ettermæle

#### Verb

mæle (imperative mæl, present mæler, past mælte, past participle mælt)
* to utter (to say)

### Etymology 2

Uncertain.

#### Verb

mæle (imperative mæl, present mæler, past mælte, past participle mælt)
* to punch, throw or kick something or someone hard and without purpose or aim

### References

* “mæle” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

## Norwegian Nynorsk
### Etymology 1

From Old Norse mæli n (“utterance”). Related to mæle in Etymology 2, deriving ultimately from Proto-Germanic *maþlą.

#### Alternative forms

* Mæle (obsolete capitalization)

#### Pronunciation

* IPA: /²meːlə/

#### Noun

mæle n (definite singular mælet, indefinite plural mæle, definite plural mæla)
* voice
* ability to speak
* (in compounds) speak, words

##### Derived terms

* einmæle
* ettermæle
* motmæle

### Etymology 2

From Old Norse mæla (“to say, utter”), from Proto-Germanic *maþlijaną (“to speak”).

#### Alternative forms

* mæla (a-infinitive)

#### Pronunciation

* IPA: /²meːlə/

#### Verb

mæle (present tense mæler, past tense mælte, past participle mælt, passive infinitive mælast, present participle mælande, imperative mæl)
* to say, utter

### Etymology 3

Unknown.

#### Alternative forms

* mæla (a-infinitive)

#### Verb

mæle (present tense mæler, past tense mælte, past participle mælt, passive infinitive mælast, present participle mælande, imperative mæl)
* (transitive, colloquial) to kick, throw, or beat (a ball) forcefully and aimlessly

### Etymology 4

From Old Norse mæla (“to measure”), from Proto-Germanic *mēlijaną (“to mark, stain, paint”).

#### Alternative forms

* mæla (a-infinitive)

#### Verb

mæle (present tense mæler, past tense mælte, past participle mælt, passive infinitive mælast, present participle mælande, imperative mæl)
* to measure ((pre-2012) alternative form of måla)

### Etymology 5

From Old Norse mælir m (“measure”).

#### Alternative forms

* Mæle (obsolete capitalization)

#### Noun

mæle m (definite singular mælen, indefinite plural mælar, definite plural mælane)
* an old unit of measure

### References

* 1 2 3 4 “mæle” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.
* 1 2 Ivar Aasen (1850) “Mæle”, in Ordbog over det norske Folkesprog‎ (in Danish), Oslo: Samlaget, published 2000
* ↑ “mæle_4” in Det Norske Akademis ordbok (NAOB).
* ↑ “måle” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.
* ↑ "Innstilling til ny rettskriving for det nynorske skriftmålet" (in Norwegian) p. 55

## Old English
### Noun

mǣle
* dative singular of mǣl