Where does “betha” come from?
betha (Middle Irish) comes from Old Irish bethu, from Proto-Celtic biwotūts, from Proto-Celtic biwos, from Proto-Indo-European gʷih₃wós, from Proto-Indo-European gʷeih₃w- — to live.
betha (Middle Irish): life
Ancestry of “betha”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old Irish | bethu | life |
| 2 | Proto-Celtic | biwotūts | — |
| 3 | Proto-Celtic | biwos | alive, living; mortal |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷih₃wós | alive, living |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷeih₃w- | to live |
Words derived from “betha”