mild

English Online Dictionary. What means mild‎? What does mild mean?

English

Alternative forms

• milde (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English milde, from Old English milde (“mild”), from Proto-Germanic *mildijaz (“mild”), from Proto-Indo-European *melh₂- (“to beat, pound, grind”).

Cognate with Scots mild, myld (“mild”), Saterland Frisian milde (“mild”), West Frisian myld (“mild”), Dutch mild (“mild”), Low German milde (“mild”), German mild (“mild”), Danish, Swedish and Norwegian Bokmål mild (“mild”), Icelandic mildur (“mild”), Latin mollis (“soft, gentle”), Lithuanian malonus (“pleasing, pleasant, kind”), Old Norse mildr.

Pronunciation

• enPR: mīld IPA^(key): /ˈmaɪld/
• Rhymes: -aɪld

Adjective

mild (comparative milder, superlative mildest)

1. Gentle and not easily angered.

2. (of a rule or punishment) Of only moderate severity; not strict.

3. Not overly felt or seriously intended.
4. (of an illness or pain) Not serious or dangerous.
5. (of weather) Moderately warm, especially less cold than expected.

6. (of a medicine or cosmetic) Acting gently and without causing harm.

7. (of food, drink, or a drug) Not sharp or bitter; not strong in flavor.

Synonyms

• soft, gentle, bland, calm, tranquil, soothing, pleasant, placid, meek, kind, tender, indulgent, clement, mollifying, lenitive, assuasive
• See also Thesaurus:intermediate

Antonyms

• strong
• harsh, severe, irritating, violent, disagreeable

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

mild (plural milds)

1. (British) A relatively low-gravity beer, often with a dark colour; mild ale

Derived terms

• mild and bitter

Further reading

• “mild”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “mild”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• “mild”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

Danish

Etymology

From Old Norse mildr.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mil/, [milˀ]

Adjective

mild

1. mild, gentle, soft
2. light, lenient

Inflection

Dutch

Etymology

From Middle Dutch milde, from Old Dutch mildi, from Proto-Germanic *mildijaz.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mɪlt/
• Hyphenation: mild
• Rhymes: -ɪlt
• Homophones: milt, Milt

Adjective

mild (comparative milder, superlative mildst)

1. mild

Declension

German

Alternative forms

• milde (in the sense of merciful, otherwise archaic)

Etymology

From Middle High German milte, from Old High German milti. The modern consonantism is Central and Low German; compare Middle Low German milde.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mɪlt/

Adjective

mild (strong nominative masculine singular milder, comparative milder, superlative am mildesten)

1. mild (in all of its common senses)

Declension

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Old Norse mildr.

Adjective

mild (neuter singular mildt, definite singular and plural milde, comparative mildere, indefinite superlative mildest, definite superlative mildeste)

1. mild, gentle, lenient

Derived terms

• formilde
• lattermild
• mildhet

References

• “mild” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Old Norse mildr, from Proto-Germanic *mildijaz. Akin to English mild.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mɪlː/, /mɪld/

Adjective

mild (neuter mildt, definite singular and plural milde, comparative mildare, indefinite superlative mildast, definite superlative mildaste)

1. mild

   I mai er det ofte mildt i veret.

   In May, the weather is often mild

2. gentle
3. lenient

Derived terms

• formilde
• lattermild

References

• “mild” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Saterland Frisian

Etymology

From Old Frisian milde, from Proto-Germanic *mildijaz. More at mild.

Adjective

mild

1. mild; gentle

Swedish

Etymology

From Old Swedish milder, from Old Norse mildr, from Proto-Germanic *mildijaz, from Proto-Indo-European *meldʰ-.

Pronunciation

Adjective

mild (comparative mildare, superlative mildast)

1. mild
   1. gentle

   2. soft

Declension

Derived terms

Related terms

• mildra

References

• mild in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• mild in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• mild in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)
• mild in Elof Hellquist, Svensk etymologisk ordbok (1st ed., 1922)
• milder in Knut Fredrik Söderwall, Ordbok öfver svenska medeltids-språket, del 2:1: M-T