Etymology Explorer › Irish

Where does “il-” come from?

il- (Irish) comes from Irish il, from Old Irish il, from Proto-Celtic *ɸelus, from Proto-Indo-European pelh₁u- — many.

il- (Irish): multiple, poly-, multi-; miscellaneous; sundry

Definitions

  1. multiple, poly-, multi-; miscellaneous; sundry

Ancestry of “il-”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Irishilmany; Alternative form of oll
2Old Irishilmuch, many
3Proto-Celtic*ɸelus—
4Proto-Indo-Europeanpelh₁u-many

Words derived from “il-”

  • ilphósadh
  • iolraigh
  • iolraíoch
  • ildiach
  • ildiachaí
  • fo-iolrán
  • iolrán
  • ildiachúil
  • ildiachas
  • iolra
  • ilchineálach
  • ildaite
  • ilbhliantúil
  • fóta-iolróir
  • ilphasach
  • iolraí
  • ildánacht
  • ilchumas
  • ilréalta
  • il-neamhsháithithe
  • ilchaidreamhach
  • ilchumasach
  • iléirimiúil
  • iltonach
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pelh₁u- →