mollis.

From earlier *molvis, from *mollvis, from *molduis, itself from Proto-Italic *moldus, from Proto-Indo-European *ml̥dus (“soft, weak”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)meld- (“to soften, melt”). According to De Vaan, the term was likely remade from a u-stem to an i-stem. However, De Vaan suggests that the original u-stem is present in terms such as Latin molluscus, which he explains as a derivation from *moldusko-, from *mldu-sko-. Cognates include Latin mola, blandus, mortārium, Old Prussian maldai (“boys”), Welsh blydd (“soft”), Old Church Slavonic младъ (mladŭ, “young”), Sanskrit मृदु (mṛdú, “soft, mild, weak”), Old Armenian մեղկ (mełk, “soft, weak”), Ancient Greek βλαδύς (bladús, “weak”) and ἀμαλδύνω (amaldúnō, “to weaken, destroy”). More at mild. An alternative hypothesis derives it from the Proto-Indo-European root *melh₂- (“to grind, crush, pulverize, mill”) via *mol-n-is; more at malleus.