Etymology Explorer › Dutch

Where does “gaai” come from?

gaai (Dutch) comes from Old French gai, from Old Occitan gai, from Proto-Germanic ganhuz, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰengʰ- — to walk; to step.

gaai (Dutch): The jaybird, Garrulus glandarinus, a woodland...

Definitions

  1. The jaybird, Garrulus glandarinus, a woodland...

Ancestry of “gaai”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchgaihappy; cheerful; gay
2Old Occitangaihappy; joyous
3Proto-Germanicganhuzfast, quick
4Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰengʰ-to walk; to step
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰengʰ- →