Etymology Explorer › French

Where does “bienvenue” come from?

bienvenue (French) comes from Old French bienvenue, from Proto-Germanic *wiljakwemô, from Proto-Germanic wiljaną, from Proto-Indo-European wélyoyt, from Proto-Indo-European wélyeti, from Proto-Indo-European welh₁- — to choose; to want.

bienvenue (French): welcome; welcome!; you're welcome

Definitions

  1. welcome; welcome!; you're welcome

Ancestry of “bienvenue”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchbienvenue—
2Proto-Germanic*wiljakwemô—
3Proto-Germanicwiljanąto want
4Proto-Indo-Europeanwélyoyt—
5Proto-Indo-Europeanwélyeti—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwelh₁-to choose; to want

Words derived from “bienvenue”

  • byenvini
Every word from Proto-Indo-European welh₁- →