Words for high and related things in Celtic languages.
| Proto-Celtic | *ardwos = high |
|---|---|
| Gaulish | *arduenna = high |
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | ard [ar͈d] = high, height |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | ard = high, elevated, lofty, noble, distinguished, great, proud, difficult, laborious, arduous, height ardach = hilly ardae, airde = height, high place, greatness, nobility, loudness ardaid = rises (against), to rebel ardán = pride, arrogance ardrí = high king |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | ard [ɑːɾˠd̪ˠ / æːɾˠd̪ˠ] = height, hillock, top, high part; high, tall; loud; ambitious; chief, excellent, noble, advanced ardaigh = to raise, elevate, ascend, carry ardán = small height, platform, stage, stand, terrace, uplift ardrí = high king ardscoil = high school ardú = elevation, increase, exaltation, excitement |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | àrd [aːr̪ˠd] = high, lofty, tall; great; loud; chief, eminent, superior, supreme àrd-cheann = superior, chief àrd-chùirt = high court àrd-chiallach = intellectual àrd-ollamh = professor àrd-sgoil = secondary school, high school àrdchadh = raising, elevating, promoting, advancing, raise, elevation, promotion, advancement àrdaichte = raised, upgraded àrdan = arrogance, haughtiness, pride, elevation, eminence, height |
| Manx (Gaelg) | ard = high, towering, tall, big, loud, height, high place, fell, incline, district, region, direction, compass point, pole ardan = platform, stage, stand ard-chione = head, principal, superior, supremo ardys = exaltation, greatness, height |
| Proto-Brythonic | *arð = high |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | ard, art = hill, highland, top; high, upland |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | ardd [arð] = hill, highland, top; high, upland ardd-tir = high ground |
| Middle Cornish (Cernewec) | ard, arth = height, high place arthelath = lordship |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | ardh = height, high place |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | arz = high, elevated |
Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *h₃r̥dʰwós, from *h₃erdʰ- (to increase, grow; upright, high) and *-wós (creates adjectives from verbs) [source].
The Ardennes, a region of forests and hills in mainly in Belgium, Luxembourg, and also in France and Germany, was known as Arduenna Silva in Latin. The first part of the Latin name probably comes from the Gaulish *arduenna, or from the Latin arduus (lofty, high, steep, tall), which comes from the same PIE root [source].
Other words from the same PIE roots include arbor, arduous, orthodox and orthography in English, arbre (tree) in French, árbol (tree, mast) in Spanish, and рост [rost] (growth, increase, rise, height, stature) in Russian [source].
| Proto-Celtic | *ouxselos = high, elevated |
|---|---|
| Gaulish | *uxelos = high |
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | úasal = high |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | úasal = high, lofty, noble, honourable, noble |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | uasal [ˈuəsˠəlˠ] = noble, high-born; gentle, gentlemanly; precious, fine; (of place) sacred to the dead; hallowed; enchanted, inhabited by fairies |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | uasal [uəsəl̻ˠ] = noble, highminded, genteel |
| Manx (Gaelg) | ooasle = aristocratic, lofty, illustrious, esteemed, gentlemanly, patrician, honourable, dignified, lordly, magnificent, classy, respected |
| Proto-Brythonic | *ʉxel [ʉˈxɛːl] = high, elevated |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | vchel, uchel = high, tall |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | uchel [ˈɨ̞χɛl / ˈiːχɛl /ˈɪχɛl] = hill, tall; high(-ranking), exalted, important, solemn, sublime, splendid, excellent, noble, stately, respectable, commendable; proud, haughty, arrogant, presumptuous, snobbish uchelaf, uchelu = to raise, heighten, exalt, increase uchelaidd = exalted ucheldeb = highness uchelder = high place, height, tallness, altitude, climax ucheldir = highland, upland, high place, the Highlands ucheldra = highness, height, glory, majesty, authority ucheledig = elevated, sublime, noble |
| Middle Cornish (Cernewec) | uchel = high, lofty, towering uchelder = height, highness, loftiness uchelle = to make high, exalt, hallow, sanctify |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | ughel [‘ʏhɛl / ‘ɪʍɐl] = high, grand, loud, tall ugheldas = patriarch ughelder = height, loudness, tallness, volume ughella = higher, superlative ughelor = noble ughelvam = matriarch |
| Old Breton | uchel, uhel = high |
| Middle Breton | vhel, uhel, uc’hel = high uhelaat = to raise, elevate uheladur = raising, heightening uhelañ = highest, summit uheldad = patriarch uhelded = height, greatness, loftiness uhelegezh = ambition, pride |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | uhel = high, upstream, uphill uhelaat = raising uhelder = altitude uhelded = height, greatness uheldiad = dignitary uhelvrud = prestige |
Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *h₃ewps- (height) [source].
Words from the same PIE root include subtle and supine (lying on its back) in English, sotto (down, underneath, below) in Italian, arduous, orthodox and orthography in English, arbre (tree) in French, árbol in Spanish, and рост [rost] (growth, increase, rise, height, stature) [source].
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Teanglann.ie, eDIL – Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language, In Dúil Bélrai English – Old Irish glossary, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Gerlyvyr Cernewec, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis, Le dictionnaire diachronique du breton, Geriafurch, English – ProtoCeltic WordList (PDF), Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic
