Ingeldaz

Ingeldaz is a reconstructed Proto-Germanic term, generally understood to mean "Ing's day" or "day of Ing". It is the proposed etymological source for the English weekday name "Wednesday."

The term is derived from Ing, a Germanic god associated with fertility, kingship, and heroic qualities. Ing is thought to be connected to the Norse god Freyr, with Ing being a likely older or variant name. The suffix -daz is a Proto-Germanic suffix denoting "day."

Therefore, Ingeldaz represents the day dedicated to or associated with the god Ing.

The connection between Ingeldaz and "Wednesday" stems from the interpretatio Romana, a practice where Germanic deities were associated with Roman gods. In this case, Ing was associated with the Roman god Mercury. Mercury's day, dies Mercurii, was subsequently translated into various Germanic languages using the native god most closely resembling Mercury. In Old English, this resulted in Wōdnesdæg (Woden's day), associating Mercury with the god Woden (Odin). However, earlier continental Germanic influences and potential alternative interpretations suggest that in some dialects or at some point in linguistic development, Ing was the deity used in the translation, leading to Ingeldaz as a precursor to some modern Germanic forms of "Wednesday."

While the direct linguistic pathway from Ingeldaz to "Wednesday" in English is not explicitly documented in surviving texts, the reconstructed term provides valuable insight into the potential religious and linguistic history surrounding the naming of weekdays in Germanic cultures. The reconstruction is largely based on comparative linguistics and our understanding of Proto-Germanic morphology and religious beliefs.