Etymograph

English

molinillo

Molinillo comes from Spanish molino ‘mill’, from Proto-Italic *melō ‘to grind’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *melh₂-.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*melh₂-1reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*mélh₂ti1reconstructedderived within Proto-Indo-European
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*melō1‘to grind’reconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmolō1‘to grind or mill’
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmolīnus1‘mill’
  6. Late Latinmodernmolīnum1
  7. Spanishc. 1500–presentmolino1‘mill’
  8. Spanishc. 1500–presentmolinillo1
  9. Englishtodaymolinillo1

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, English molinillo

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*melh₂-Wiktionary, English molinilloreconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*mélh₂tiWiktionary, English molinilloreconstructedderived within Proto-Indo-European
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*melōWiktionary, English molinillo‘to grind’reconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmolōWiktionary, English molinillo‘to grind or mill’
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmolīnusWiktionary, English molinillo‘mill’
  6. Late LatinmodernmolīnumWiktionary, English molinillo
  7. Spanishc. 1500–presentmolinoWiktionary, English molinillo‘mill’
  8. Spanishc. 1500–presentmolinilloWiktionary, English molinillo
  9. EnglishtodaymolinilloWiktionary, English molinillo

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *melh₂-

meal, mild, mule, mold, mould, mole, bonanza, camo, amalgam, mullet, mull, maelstrom, malleable, melatonin, millet, martel, molar, malm, amyl, 38 more

through Latin molō ‘to grind or mill’

mill, moulin, 8 more

through Latin molīnus ‘mill’

miller, muller

Today it means

noun A traditional Mexican wood whisk that is twirled between the palms in order to stir hot beverages such as hot chocolate or cacao.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “molinillo”. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *melh₂- / molinillo