Etymology Explorer › Irish

Where does “Gaeilge” come from?

Gaeilge (Irish) comes from Irish Gaedhilge, from Irish Gaedhealg, from Old Irish Goídelc, from Old Irish Goídel, from Old Welsh Guoidel, from Proto-Brythonic guɨðel, from Proto-Celtic wēdus, from Proto-Indo-European widʰu- — forest, wood; tree, beam.

Gaeilge (Irish): the Irish language

Definitions

  1. the Irish language

Ancestry of “Gaeilge”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1IrishGaedhilgeObsolete spelling of Gaeilge
2IrishGaedhealg—
3Old IrishGoídelc—
4Old IrishGoídelGael
5Old WelshGuoidelwild man, warrior
6Proto-Brythonicguɨðelsavage, woodsman
7Proto-Celticwēduswild
8Proto-Indo-Europeanwidʰu-forest, wood; tree, beam

Words derived from “Gaeilge”

  • Nua-Ghaeilge
  • Gaeilgeoir
  • Meán-Ghaeilge
  • Gaeilgeoireacht
Every word from Proto-Indo-European widʰu- →