Where does “Gaeilge” come from?
Gaeilge (Scottish Gaelic) comes from Irish gaeilge, from Irish Gaedhilge, from Irish Gaedhealg, from Old Irish Goídelc, from Old Irish Goídel, from Old Welsh Guoidel, from Proto-Brythonic guɨðel, from Proto-Celtic wēdus — forest, wood; tree, beam.
Gaeilge (Scottish Gaelic): the Irish Gaelic language
Definitions
- the Irish Gaelic language
Ancestry of “Gaeilge”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Irish | gaeilge | any Gaelic language |
| 2 | Irish | Gaedhilge | Obsolete spelling of Gaeilge |
| 3 | Irish | Gaedhealg | — |
| 4 | Old Irish | Goídelc | the Old Irish language |
| 5 | Old Irish | Goídel | Gael |
| 6 | Old Welsh | Guoidel | wild man, warrior |
| 7 | Proto-Brythonic | guɨðel | savage, woodsman |
| 8 | Proto-Celtic | wēdus | wild |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | widʰu- | forest, wood; tree, beam |