Where does “waɪ” come from?
waɪ (English) comes from English why, from Middle English why, from Old English hwȳ, from Proto-Germanic hwī, from Proto-Indo-European kʷey, from Proto-Indo-European kʷis — interrogative, relative stem; who, what;...
waɪ (English): A Thai greeting wherein the palms are brought together in front of the face or chest, sometimes accompanied with a bow
Definitions
- A Thai greeting wherein the palms are brought together in front of the face or chest, sometimes accompanied with a bow
Ancestry of “waɪ”, step by step
waɪ traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English why
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | why | For what cause, reason, or purpose; For which... |
| 2 | Middle English | why | — |
| 3 | Old English | hwȳ | why |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | hwī | how, with what, by what means; instrumental of... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷey | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷis | interrogative, relative stem; who, what;... |
via Thai ไหว้
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thai | ไหว้ | "wai", an expression of respect or reverence by... |