milch

Etymology

Comes from Middle English milche, melche, from Old English *melċe, *milċe (attested in þrimilċe, þrimilċemōnaþ), from Proto-Germanic *milkijaz, *melkijaz, from Proto-Germanic *melkaz ("milky, milk-giving"), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂melǵ- ("to wipe, wipe off, milk"). It is cognate with Saterland Frisian meelk ("milch"), Low German melke ("milch"), German melk ("milk-giving, milch"), Alemannic German mëlch ("milch, milkable") and Icelandic milkur, mjólkur ("milk-giving"). See also milk, and compare milchig.