Melee
（重定向自Meele）
![Naval melee at the Battle of Sluys 1340 (BNF Fr. 2643, 15th century)](/Images/godic/202501/26/BattleofSluys5955.jpeg")
![Battle of Lützen by Carl Wahlbom depicting a melee in which King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden was killed on 16 November 1632.](/Images/godic/202501/26/Battle_of_Lutzen5955.jpg")
Melee (/ˈmeɪleɪ/ or /ˈmɛleɪ/, French: mêlée [mɛle]; the French spelling is also quite frequent in English writing), generally refers to disorganized close combat in battles fought at abnormally close range with little central control once it starts.
The French term was first used in English in c. 1640 (a re-borrowing of a lost Middle English melle, but the Old French borrowing survives in medley and meddle).