Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “wellaway” come from?

wellaway (English) comes from Middle English weylawey, from Old English wā lā wā, from Old Norse vei, from Proto-Germanic wai, from Proto-Indo-European wai — oh!; woe!.

wellaway (English): Expression of sadness, regret, remorse, etc.,...

Definitions

  1. Expression of sadness, regret, remorse, etc.,...

Ancestry of “wellaway”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishweylaweyalack, alas, lackaday
2Old Englishwā lā wā—
3Old Norseveiwoe
4Proto-Germanicwaiwoe! alas!
5Proto-Indo-Europeanwaioh!; woe!
Every word from Proto-Indo-European wai →