Where does “níbu” come from?
níbu (Old Irish) comes from Old Irish ní, from Proto-Celtic nīs, from Proto-Indo-European ne h₁ésti — is not.
Ancestry of “níbu”, step by step
níbu traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Old Irish ní
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old Irish | ní | not; is not, isn’t; something, anything |
| 2 | Proto-Celtic | nīs | — |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | ne h₁ésti | is not |
via Old Irish bá
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old Irish | bá | first-person singular preterite absolute of... |