From French 'mêlée' (a mixing) — combat so chaotic that the fighters from both sides were mixed together indistinguishably.
A confused fight or scuffle; a chaotic mass of people.
From French 'mêlée' (a mixing, a mixed fight), from Old French 'meslee,' past participle of 'mesler' (to mix), from Latin 'miscere' (to mix). A mêlée was combat so chaotic that fighters were 'mixed together' — you couldn't tell who was on which side. Key roots: miscere (Latin: "to mix, blend").
'Melee,' 'medley,' and 'meddle' are all the same word. They all come from Old French 'mesler' (to mix). A medley is a mixture of songs, a melee is a mixture of fighters, and to meddle is to mix yourself into someone else's business. 'Pell-mell' (chaotically) comes from the same source — 'pesle-mesle,' mixing with a pestle.