Etymology Explorer › Romanian

Where does “valah” come from?

valah (Romanian) comes from Russian волох, from Old East Slavic волохъ, from Proto-Slavic volxъ, from Proto-Germanic walhaz, from Latin Volcae, from Proto-Celtic wolkos, from Proto-Indo-European welg- — wet, damp.

valah (Romanian): Vlach, Romanian; Wallachian

Definitions

  1. Vlach, Romanian; Wallachian

Ancestry of “valah”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Russianволохa member of one of the Romanic peoples, such as...
2Old East Slavicволохъ—
3Proto-Slavicvolxъa Roman, a speaker of a Romance language
4Proto-Germanicwalhazforeigner, non-Germanic person
5LatinVolcaea Gallic tribal confederation; name of a Celtic...
6Proto-Celticwolkoshawk
7Proto-Indo-Europeanwelg-wet, damp

Words derived from “valah”

  • Wallachia
  • Wallachian
  • Valahia
  • valach
  • valaška
Every word from Proto-Indo-European welg- →