Where does “Welsch” come from?
Welsch (English) comes from German welsch, from Middle High German welsch, from Old High German walahisc, from Proto-Germanic *walhisk, from Proto-Germanic walhiskaz, from Proto-Germanic walhaz, from Latin Volcae, from Proto-Celtic wolkos — wet, damp.
Ancestry of “Welsch”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | German | welsch | pertaining to the Romance-speaking areas and... |
| 2 | Middle High German | welsch | — |
| 3 | Old High German | walahisc | Roman |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | *walhisk | — |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | walhiskaz | foreign, non-Germanic |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | walhaz | foreigner, non-Germanic person |
| 7 | Latin | Volcae | a Gallic tribal confederation; name of a Celtic... |
| 8 | Proto-Celtic | wolkos | hawk |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | welg- | wet, damp |