Where does “penwan” come from?

penwan (Welsh) comes from Welsh pen, from Proto-Brythonic penn, from Proto-Celtic kʷennom — head.

penwan (Welsh): silly, foolish, softheaded, feeble-minded, senseless

Definitions

  1. silly, foolish, softheaded, feeble-minded, senseless

Ancestry of “penwan”, step by step

penwan traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Welsh pen

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Welshpenhead; chief; top, apex
2Proto-Brythonicpennhead
3Proto-Celtickʷennomhead

via Welsh gwân

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Welshgwânguan (any bird of genera Penelope or Aburria)
2EnglishguanAny of several species of birds in the genera...
3Chinese Mandarin關—
Every word from Proto-Celtic kʷennom →Every word from Proto-Brythonic penn →Every word from Welsh pen →