Where does “wale” come from?

wale (Scots) comes from Middle English wāle, from Old English wealh, from Old English īeġ, from Proto-West Germanic auwju, from Proto-Germanic awjō, from Proto-Germanic agwjō, from Proto-Indo-European h₂ékʷeh₂ — water.

wale (Scots): choice, selection; to choose

Definitions

  1. choice, selection; to choose

Ancestry of “wale”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishwāleAn outsider; a guest; one from an unfamiliar land
2Old Englishwealhforeigner; Briton or Welshman; slave
3Old Englishīeġisland
4Proto-West Germanicauwjufloodplain; meadow; island
5Proto-Germanicawjōfloodplain; meadow; island
6Proto-Germanicagwjō
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ékʷeh₂water
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂ékʷeh₂Every word from Proto-Germanic agwjōEvery word from Proto-Germanic awjō