pump (Welsh)
Where does "pump" come from?
The Welsh word 'pump', meaning 'five', traces its lineage back to the ancient Proto-Indo-European term *pénkʷe. It evolved through Proto-Celtic and Proto-Brythonic stages, eventually appearing as 'pimp' in Old Welsh before settling into its modern form. This number likely shares deep historical roots with concepts related to the human hand or the act of grasping.
Full etymology tree
- pump (Welsh), 'five'
- inherited pymp (Middle Welsh)
- inherited pimp (Old Welsh)
- inherited *pɨmp (Proto-Brythonic), 'five'
- inherited *kʷenkʷe (Proto-Celtic), 'five'
- inherited *pénkʷe (Proto-Indo-European), 'five'
- inherited *kʷenkʷe (Proto-Celtic), 'five'
- inherited *pɨmp (Proto-Brythonic), 'five'
- inherited pimp (Old Welsh)
- inherited pymp (Middle Welsh)
Ancestors
- *pɨmp (Proto-Brythonic)
- *kʷenkʷe (Proto-Celtic)
- *pénkʷe (Proto-Indo-European)
Updated July 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris