multus.

From Proto-Italic *moltos, with further origin uncertain. According to De Vaan, *moltos has been connected with a possible Proto-Indo-European form *ml̥tós, from the root *melh₃- (“good, big”), which would link it to Ancient Greek μάλα (mála, “very, much”) and perhaps Latvian milns (“very many”). However, this derivation remains speculative and is not universally accepted. Alternatively, the linguist Blanca María Prósper proposes a possible derivation from Proto-Indo-European *ml̥h₃-tόs, from *melh₃-, whence also Ancient Greek βλώσκω (blṓskō). In this scenario, the term could be connected to Venetic names such as Venetic Moltisa. This theory does, however, require an unusual development, as the expected outcome of Proto-Indo-European *ml̥h₃-tόs in Latin would be *mlātus (see lātus). Such an issue, however, can be remedied provided that Prósper's proposal for a diveregent treatment of *ClHC sequences in a labial environment is accepted.