Where does “kélchí” come from?

kélchí (Navajo) comes from Navajo ké, from Proto-Athabaskan *-qeʔ — foot.

kélchí (Navajo): moccasin

Definitions

  1. moccasin

Ancestry of “kélchí”, step by step

kélchí traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Navajo ké

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Navajokéfoot, feet; shoe
2Proto-Athabaskan*-qeʔfoot

via Navajo łichííʼ

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Navajołichííʼhe/she/it is red; the colour red; a penny
Every word from Proto-Athabaskan *-qeʔ →Every word from Navajo ké →
kélchí — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer