Where does “Pwllheli” come from?
Pwllheli (Welsh) comes from Welsh heli, from Proto-Brythonic *hal, from Proto-Celtic *sālos, from Proto-Indo-European *sḗh₂l — salt.
Ancestry of “Pwllheli”, step by step
Pwllheli traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Welsh heli
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Welsh | heli | salt water, brine, saline |
| 2 | Proto-Brythonic | *hal | — |
| 3 | Proto-Celtic | *sālos | saltwater |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | *sḗh₂l | salt |
via Welsh pwll
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Welsh | pwll | pool, pond, puddle, pit |