Unknown. It does not seem probable that this word is a shortened form of μασχάλη (maskhálē, “armpit”).
μᾰ́λη • (málē) f (genitive μᾰ́λης); first declension
The word is used almost only in the expression ὑπὸ μάλης (hupò málēs, “under the armpit, secretly”).
| Case / # | Singular | Dual | Plural | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | ἡ μᾰ́λη hē málē |
τὼ μᾰ́λᾱ tṑ málā |
αἱ μᾰ́λαι hai málai | ||||||||||
| Genitive | τῆς μᾰ́λης tês málēs |
τοῖν μᾰ́λαιν toîn málain |
τῶν μᾰλῶν tôn malôn | ||||||||||
| Dative | τῇ μᾰ́λῃ têi málēi |
τοῖν μᾰ́λαιν toîn málain |
ταῖς μᾰ́λαις taîs málais | ||||||||||
| Accusative | τὴν μᾰ́λην tḕn málēn |
τὼ μᾰ́λᾱ tṑ málā |
τᾱ̀ς μᾰ́λᾱς tā̀s málās | ||||||||||
| Vocative | μᾰ́λη málē |
μᾰ́λᾱ málā |
μᾰ́λαι málai | ||||||||||
| Notes: |
| ||||||||||||