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mael·strom

(mālstrəm)

1. A violent or turbulent situation: caught in the maelstrom of war.

2. A whirlpool of extraordinary size or violence.

[Obsolete Dutch : Dutch malen, to grind, whirl (from Middle Dutch; see melə- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots) + Dutch stroom, stream (from Middle Dutch; see sreu- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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