Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “penguinese” come from?

penguinese (English) comes from English penguin, from Welsh gwyn, from Proto-Brythonic gwɨnn, from Proto-Celtic windos, from Proto-Indo-European windo-, from Proto-Indo-European weyd- — to see.

penguinese (English): The language supposedly used by penguins

Definitions

  1. The language supposedly used by penguins

Ancestry of “penguinese”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishpenguinAny of several flightless sea birds, of order...
2Welshgwynwhite; blessed
3Proto-Brythonicgwɨnnwhite
4Proto-Celticwindoswhite
5Proto-Indo-Europeanwindo-—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanweyd-to see
Every word from Proto-Indo-European weyd- →