Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Celt” come from?

Celt comes from Latin Celtae, from Ancient Greek Κελτοί, from Proto-Celtic kel-to, from Proto-Indo-European kelh₂-, of unknown ultimate meaning.

Ancestry of “Celt”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinceltisa tree, considered to be the hackberry; chisel
2Latincertecertainly, surely; at any rate
3Latin-ē—
4Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
5Latincalceusshoe
6Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
7Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

Words derived from “Celt”

  • Celtomania
  • Celtophobia
  • Celtophobe
  • Celtology
  • Celtist
  • Celtomaniac
  • Celto-
  • Celto-Germanic
  • Celtophobic
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →