An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/-mal

by Friedrich Kluge

-mal (2.), suffix of the multiplicatives and temporal adverbs (also a noun); it is based on Middle High German and Old High German mâl, ‘period’ (Gothic mél, see the preceding word). Even in Old High German the expressions z' einemo mâle, ‘once,’ ze drin mâlen, ‘thrice,’ manigen mâlen, ‘many a time,’ were formed; hence literally ‘at one period, at two, at many periods’; so too z' andermo mâle, ‘at another time’; hence Middle High German eines mâles, ‘once,’ literally ‘at one period.’ For the Old High German and Middle High German dative plurals mâlum, mâlen (ze drin mâlen, ‘thrice’), the apocopated form mal first appears in early Modern High German.