Where does “welich” come from?
welich (Middle High German) comes from Old English wēlisċ, from Proto-Germanic walhiskaz, from Proto-Germanic walhaz, from Latin Volcae, from Proto-Celtic wolkos, from Proto-Indo-European welg- — wet, damp.
Ancestry of “welich”, step by step
welich traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Old English wēlisċ
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | wēlisċ | — |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | walhiskaz | foreign, non-Germanic |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | walhaz | foreigner, non-Germanic person |
| 4 | Latin | Volcae | a Gallic tribal confederation; name of a Celtic... |
| 5 | Proto-Celtic | wolkos | hawk |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | welg- | wet, damp |