Where does “celt” come from?
celt (Romanian) comes from French celte, from Latin Celtae, from Ancient Greek Κελτοί, from Proto-Celtic kel-to, from Proto-Indo-European ḱelh₂- — to pierce, strike; to stick; prick; stab.
celt (Romanian): Celt; Celtic
Ancestry of “celt”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | French | celte | Celtic |
| 2 | Latin | Celtae | the Celts |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | Κελτοί | the Celts |
| 4 | Proto-Celtic | kel-to | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱelh₂- | to pierce, strike; to stick; prick; stab |