melt
UK[mɛlt]US[mɛlt]
v
(of a solid substance) to become liquid, especially as a result of heating.
v
to disappear or dissolve gradually.
v
(of a person, feelings, or behavior) to become more tender or loving.
Etymology
The verb 'melt' descends from the Old English 'meltan', meaning "to become liquid, to burn up, to digest," which itself has Proto-Germanic origins. This Germanic root is further traced back to the Proto-Indo-European (PIE) root meld-, meaning "soft," a concept that beautifully underlies the core idea of softening from a solid to a liquid state. The semantic journey from the ancient sense of "softness" to the modern physical process of liquefaction is direct and logical. Over centuries, the word's meaning expanded metaphorically to describe the gradual disappearance of things or the softening of a person's demeanor, maintaining the core concept of a transition from a harder to a softer state.
Analysis
The word 'melt' is a simplex word of Germanic origin. It functions as a single, indivisible root morpheme in modern English.
Examples
The sun was so strong it began to melt the ice on the pavement.
Her anger seemed to melt away when she saw his sincere apology.
He has a stern exterior, but it melts when he's with his grandchildren.