Words for quick, fast and lively in Celtic languages.
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | mer = crazy |
|---|---|
| Irish (Gaeilge) | mear [mʲaɾˠ] = quick, fast, nimble, lively, spirited; precipitate, hasty, rash; quick-tempered, fiery; mad, crazy; furious, raging, angry |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | mear [mɛr] = merry, joyful; frisky, lively |
| Manx (Gaelg) | merre [mɛr] = frenzy |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | miri = merry, gay; fun, merriment, mirth; tumult, fuss, bother, predicament |
Etymology
Possibly from the Latin meretrix (prostitute), from mereō (merit, deserve) & -trīx (feminine noun suffix) = “she who earns”.
Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Teanglann.ie, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, McBain’s Dictionary, In Dúil Bélrai
I’m not sure about the IPA pronunciation shown for the Manx Gaelic word merre. I’m not an IPA expert, but this looks like what was previously shown against the word mie (good). The Manx word should sound more like the Gàidhlig version.