melee

¹ American  

[may-lay, may-lay, mel-ay] / ˈmeɪ leɪ, meɪˈleɪ, ˈmɛl eɪ /

Or mêlée

noun

1. a confused hand-to-hand fight or struggle among several people.

2. confusion; turmoil; jumble.

   the melee of Christmas shopping.

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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 American  

[may-lay, may-lay] / ˈmeɪ leɪ, meɪˈleɪ /

noun

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

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melee British  

/ ˈmɛleɪ /

noun

1. a noisy riotous fight or brawl

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Etymology

Origin of melee¹

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

Origin of melee²

First recorded in 1910–15; origin uncertain

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Explanation

A melee is a noisy free-for-all or rowdy fight — a no holds barred, battle royal, if you will. It's what pro wrestlers engage in every night, and shoppers endure at the toy store every holiday season. If you think melee sounds like a fancy French way to say "crazy bar brawl," you're right: It comes from the French mêlée which means "confused fight or mixture.” What makes a melee different than any other fight is that element of chaos or confusion — so don't jump into a brewing melee unless you're really ready to bring the ruckus.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

melee

Didn’t think to correct or coach up Stephens, because he didn’t notice how the junior’s reaction fueled the melee between the teams.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2026

After going close through more slick attacking play, England dismantled Argentina's scrum, allowing Earl to dot down before another melee broke out during the celebrations.

From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026

Indeed, what has been grievously missed in the melee is that this is not really a press story at all—it is a story about court transparency and hubris.

From Slate ● Jul. 2, 2026

And here in the melee in the ring, in his great moment, Rocky doesn’t boast or dance, turns away from the mics being thrust in his face.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 11, 2026

Factions formed around each son, leading to a melee.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

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Related Words

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

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