Where does “pen-blwydd” come from?

pen-blwydd (Welsh) comes from Welsh blwydd, from Middle Welsh blwyddyn, from Old Welsh bloidin, from Proto-Celtic blēdanī, from Proto-Indo-European bʰloyd- — pale.

pen-blwydd (Welsh): birthday; anniversary

Definitions

  1. birthday; anniversary

Ancestry of “pen-blwydd”, step by step

pen-blwydd traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Welsh blwydd

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Welshblwyddyear
2Middle Welshblwyddyn—
3Old Welshbloidin—
4Proto-Celticblēdanīyear
5Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰloyd-pale

via Welsh pen

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Welshpenhead; chief; top, apex
2Proto-Brythonicpennhead
3Proto-Celtickʷennomhead
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰloyd- →Every word from Proto-Celtic blēdanī →Every word from Old Welsh bloidin →