Where does “pingwin” come from?

pingwin (Maltese) comes from Italian pinguino, from French pingouin, from Dutch pinguïn, from English penguin, from Welsh gwyn, from Proto-Brythonic gwɨnn, from Proto-Celtic windos, from Proto-Indo-European windo- — to see.

pingwin (Maltese): penguin

Definitions

  1. penguin

Ancestry of “pingwin”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Italianpinguinopenguin
2Frenchpingouinauk, razorbill; penguin
3DutchpinguïnA penguin, flightless marine bird of the order...
4EnglishpenguinAny of several flightless sea birds, of order...
5Welshgwynwhite; blessed
6Proto-Brythonicgwɨnnwhite
7Proto-Celticwindoswhite
8Proto-Indo-Europeanwindo-
9Proto-Indo-Europeanweyd-to see
Every word from Proto-Indo-European weyd-Every word from Proto-Indo-European windo-Every word from Proto-Celtic windos
pingwin — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer