MELEE Meaning and
Definition
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Melee, noun [mey-ley]
1. A chaotic and violent physical altercation or fight involving a group of people. It is typically characterized by intense confusion and disorderly hand-to-hand combat. In a melee, participants may engage in aggressive actions such as striking, grappling, or throwing weapons, and the lack of rules and structure often leads to unpredictable outcomes. Often occurring in crowded or confined spaces, like battlefields, riots, or bars, a melee is marked by a flurry of blows and the absence of individual focus or specific targets. The participants may include combatants, bystanders, or even law enforcement officers attempting to restore order.
2. An intense or heated clash or confrontation, usually occurring in a figurative sense. Similar to the physical sense, a melee in this context refers to an emotionally charged encounter involving multiple individuals or groups. It often involves contentious arguments, aggressive exchanges of opinions, or fierce competition. The absence of rules and order creates an atmosphere of confusion and disarray.
Derived from the Old French word "mêlée," meaning "to mingle or mix," melee refers to a state of disorderly mingling or mixing, whether it's in a physical or metaphorical sense. In both contexts, a melee signifies the absence of control, order, or predetermined outcomes, resulting in a tumultuous and often tumultuous situation.
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A crowding and confused fighting; a scuffle between a number of persons; a confused debate.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
Top Common Misspellings for MELEE *
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
Other Common Misspellings for MELEE
Etymology of MELEE
The word "melee" originated from the French term "mêlée", which means a confused mass or a mixture. It was first recorded in English in the early 17th century and was used to refer to a confused hand-to-hand fight or a skirmish in military contexts. The French word "mêlée" is derived from the Old French "mesler" or "meslerie", which meant to mix, mingle, or jumble. The root of these words can be traced back to the Latin word "misculare", meaning to mix or blend. Over time, the term "melee" expanded its meaning to describe any disorderly or chaotic situation beyond just military combat.
Similar spelling words for MELEE
- mellow,
- Mell,
- meal,
- Mele,
- Mello,
- Melle,
- Meola,
- mealy,
- Mellie,
- Mella,
- mealey,
- mealie,
- Meahl,
- mewl,
- Mel,
- mehl.
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