Where does “fáilte” come from?
fáilte (Middle Irish) comes from Old Irish fáilte, from Proto-Celtic wāletiyā, from Proto-Indo-European welh₁- — to choose; to want.
Ancestry of “fáilte”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old Irish | fáilte | joy, happiness; salute; welcome |
| 2 | Proto-Celtic | wāletiyā | — |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | welh₁- | to choose; to want |