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.

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
Every word from Proto-Indo-European widʰu- →