Etymology Explorer › French

Where does “valable” come from?

valable (French) comes from French valoir, from Middle French valoir, from Old French valoir, from Latin valeō, from Proto-Italic walēō, from Proto-Indo-European h₂wl̥h₁éh₁yeti, from Proto-Indo-European h₂welh₁- — to rule; strong, powerful; hair; wool.

valable (French): valid, acceptable

Definitions

  1. valid, acceptable

Ancestry of “valable”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchvaloirto be worth; to earn, to win, to bring; To be...
2Middle Frenchvaloirto be worth; to have a certain value; to have...
3Old Frenchvaloirto have value; to be worth
4Latinvaleō—
5Proto-Italicwalēōto be strong
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂wl̥h₁éh₁yeti—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂welh₁-to rule; strong, powerful; hair; wool

Words derived from “valable”

  • invalable
  • invalablement
  • valablement
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂welh₁- →