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⇱ melee - WordReference.com Dictionary of English


melee

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UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈmɛleɪ/

US:USA pronunciation: IPAUSA pronunciation: IPA/ˈmeɪleɪ, meɪˈleɪ, ˈmɛleɪ/

US:USA pronunciation: respellingUSA pronunciation: respelling(mālā, mā lā, melā)



WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
me•lee1 or mê•lée /ˈmeɪleɪ, meɪˈleɪ, ˈmɛleɪ/USA pronunciation   n. [countable]
  1. a confused hand-to-hand fight:waded into the melee and started hitting.
  2. a state of confusion:a wild melee of shouting and screaming.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
me•lee1  (mālā, mā lā, melā),USA pronunciation n. 
  1. a confused hand-to-hand fight or struggle among several people.
  2. confusion;
    turmoil;
    jumble:the melee of Christmas shopping.
Also, lée. 
  • French mêlée. See medley
  • 1640–50

me•lee2  (mālā, mā lā),USA pronunciation n. 
  1. Jewelrya group of diamonds, each weighing less than 0.25 carat.
  • origin, originally uncertain 1910–15

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
melee, mêlée /ˈmɛleɪ/ n
  1. a noisy riotous fight or brawl
Etymology: 17th Century: from French mêlée. See medley
'melee' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):

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