Where does “gaiety” come from?

Gaiety comes from French gaieté, derived from Old French gai, which traces through Old Occitan gai to Latin Gaius, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰengʰ-.

gaiety (English): The state of being happy or merry; Merrymaking or...

Definitions

  1. The state of being happy or merry; Merrymaking or...

Ancestry of “gaiety”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchgaietégaiety
2Frenchgaicheerful; merry; gay; homosexual
3Old Frenchgaihappy; cheerful; gay
4Old Occitangaihappy; joyous
5Proto-Germanicganhuzfast, quick
6Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰengʰ-to walk; to step
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰengʰ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic ganhuz →Every word from Old Occitan gai →