Where does “fáil” come from?

fáil (Irish) comes from Old Irish foil, from Proto-Celtic wali-, from Proto-Indo-European wēl- — to see, perceive.

fáil (Irish): verbal noun of faigh; possession; receipt,...

Definitions

  1. verbal noun of faigh; possession; receipt,...

Ancestry of “fáil”, step by step

fáil traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Old Irish foil

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Irishfoilsty
2Proto-Celticwali-—
3Proto-Indo-Europeanwēl-to see, perceive

via Irish fál

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Irishfálhedge thicket of bushes planted in a row, fence barrier
2Old Irishfálfence, hedge, enclosure
3Indo-European*wel-—

Words derived from “fáil”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European wēl- →Every word from Proto-Celtic wali- →Every word from Old Irish foil →
fáil — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer