Etymology

From Proto-Albanian *m(e)lítā, from Proto-Indo-European *melit- ‎(“honey”). Cognate to Greek μέλισσα ‎(mélissa, “bee”)^[1]. In view of the -bl- cluster one might also consider as alternative Proto-Indo-European *mlīto 'sweet', in Gothic bleiþs ‎(bleiþs, “kind-hearted, merciful”), Old High German blīdi ‎(“merry, glad”), Hittite miliddu ‎(“sweet”). Alternatively from *mbletë, a borrowing from Greco-Latin *melettum, from Ancient Greek μέλιττα ‎(mélitta)^[2].

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbletə/