Etymology Explorer › Welsh

Where does “Gwenhwyfar” come from?

Gwenhwyfar (Welsh) comes from English Guinevere, from Middle English Gwenyver, from Middle Welsh Gwenhwyfar, from Old Welsh Guinhuimar, from Proto-Brythonic Gwɨnnohuɨβar, from Proto-Brythonic gwɨnn, from Proto-Celtic windos, from Proto-Indo-European windo- — to see.

Ancestry of “Gwenhwyfar”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishGuinevere—
2Middle EnglishGwenyver—
3Middle WelshGwenhwyfar—
4Old WelshGuinhuimar—
5Proto-BrythonicGwɨnnohuɨβar—
6Proto-Brythonicgwɨnnwhite
7Proto-Celticwindoswhite
8Proto-Indo-Europeanwindo-—
9Proto-Indo-Europeanweyd-to see

Words derived from “Gwenhwyfar”

  • Guinevere
  • Gwenhwyfar
Every word from Proto-Indo-European weyd- →