Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *weh₁y-? Proto-Indo-European *-ō? Proto-Indo-European *wéyh₁ō Proto-Italic *wīnom Latin vīnum Proto-Indo-European *swel-der.? Ancient Greek ῡ̔́λη (hū́lē)der. Frenchder. English -yl English vinyl From Latin vīnum (“wine”) + -yl. Derived from Latin vīnum because ethyl alcohol is the ordinary alcohol present in wine.