Where does “balain” come from?
balain (Middle Breton) comes from Gaulish balano-, from Latin balanus, from Ancient Greek βάλανος, from Proto-Hellenic gʷə́lanos, from Proto-Indo-European gʷelh₂- — acorn.
Ancestry of “balain”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Gaulish | balano- | broom, broom plant |
| 2 | Latin | balanus | an acorn; a fruit or other object similar in form... |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | βάλανος | acorn; the tree that bears acorns, the oak;... |
| 4 | Proto-Hellenic | gʷə́lanos | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷelh₂- | acorn |