Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Wallachian” come from?

Wallachian (English) comes from English Wallachia, from Romanian Valahia, from Romanian valah, from Russian волох, from Old East Slavic волохъ, from Proto-Slavic volxъ, from Proto-Germanic walhaz, from Latin Volcae — wet, damp.

Wallachian (English): A person from Wallachia or of Wallachian descent;...

Definitions

  1. A person from Wallachia or of Wallachian descent;...

Ancestry of “Wallachian”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishWallachiaprincipality in southern Romania
2RomanianValahia—
3RomanianvalahVlach, Romanian; Wallachian
4Russianволохa member of one of the Romanic peoples, such as...
5Old East Slavicволохъ—
6Proto-Slavicvolxъa Roman, a speaker of a Romance language
7Proto-Germanicwalhazforeigner, non-Germanic person
8LatinVolcaea Gallic tribal confederation; name of a Celtic...
9Proto-Celticwolkoshawk
10Proto-Indo-Europeanwelg-wet, damp
Every word from Proto-Indo-European welg- →