The form is a مِفْعال (mifʕāl) from the verb أَنَى (ʔanā, “to draw near”). Nevertheless, it is predominantly considered a loanword. Perhaps from Egyptian mjnwt (“harbor”) or mjnt (“mooring post”), related to Egyptian mjnj (“to moor”). Alternatively from Ancient Greek λιμήν (limḗn, “harbour”), whence also Hebrew נמל (nāmēl), with l- reinterpreted as the Arabic article.