Where does “fan” come from?
fan (Scottish Gaelic) comes from Old Irish fanaid, from Old Irish anaid, from Proto-Celtic anati, from Proto-Indo-European h₂énh₁ti, from Proto-Indo-European h₂enh₁- — to breathe.
fan (Scottish Gaelic): stay, remain; wait
Ancestry of “fan”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old Irish | fanaid | stays, remains, abides |
| 2 | Old Irish | anaid | to stay, remain; to wait; to resist, to withstand |
| 3 | Proto-Celtic | anati | to pause; to remain |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂énh₁ti | to breathe |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂enh₁- | to breathe |