melee

¹

or mê·lée

[ mey-ley, mey-ley, mel-ey ]

noun

1. a confused hand-to-hand fight or struggle among several people.
2. confusion; turmoil; jumble:

   the melee of Christmas shopping.

adjective

1. Games. of or relating to close-range or hand-to-hand combat, especially in video games and role-playing games, but also in some other tabletop games: You can choose any melee weapon type, but most players prefer daggers since the polearm was nerfed in an expansion last year.

   I don't enjoy playing melee jobs like Monk or Warrior—I prefer to snipe from afar with an archer or even a mage.

   You can choose any melee weapon type, but most players prefer daggers since the polearm was nerfed in an expansion last year.

melee

²

[ mey-ley, mey-ley ]

noun

1. a group of diamonds, each weighing less than 0.25 carat.

melee

/ ˈmɛleɪ /

noun

1. a noisy riotous fight or brawl

Word History and Origins

Origin of melee¹

First recorded in 1640–50; from French mêlée “quarrel, mixture”; medley

Origin of melee²

First recorded in 1910–15; origin uncertain

Word History and Origins

Origin of melee¹

C17: from French mêlée. See medley

Example Sentences

Of course, Ohio State didn’t help its cause by losing the rivalry game to Michigan and having a postgame melee break out on its home field.

From Los Angeles Times

That melee started after prisoners brewed up a batch of contraband alcohol known as pruno, according to a law enforcement report reviewed by The Times.

From Los Angeles Times

Instead, they were convicted of seditious conspiracy and other felonies for organising the melee.

From BBC

By about 1:45 a.m., several mobile response squads waded into the melee to try to separate protesters and counterprotesters who’d converged near a flagpole.

From Los Angeles Times

Holly had 36 knife injuries, the blade snapping in the melee, and another boy who tried to pull MacPhail away was stabbed.

From BBC

Related Words

• brawl
• brouhaha
• clash
• fracas
• free-for-all
• ruckus
• scrimmage
• scuffle
• skirmish
• tussle