Words for old and related things in Celtic languages.
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
| Proto-Celtic | *senos = old |
|---|---|
| Gaulish | *senos = old |
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | sen = old, ancester, old person, sendatu = longevity, old age senóir = elder, old person, senior senórdacht = elderliness, old age sentonn = old woman sentu = old age |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | sen = old, ancient, long-standing, ancestor sendatu = old age, long life senóir, seanóir = senior, elder, old person senórdacht, senordacht = old age, seniority sentonn, sentuinne, sentain = old woman sentu = old age |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | sean [ʃanˠ] = old, aged, mature; senior, ancestor; long-established, old fashioned; great, exceeding seanaimsir = old times seanaois = old age seanársa = primitive seanda = old, aged, ancient, antique, stale seanóir = old person, senior, elder |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | sean [ʃɛn] = old, aged, elderly; former seanachd [ʃɛnəxg] = ancientness, oldness seanair [ʃɛnɪrʲ] = grandfather, elder, ancestor seanmhair [ʃɛnɛvɪrʲ] = grandmother, grandma seannda [ʃãũndə] = ancient, old-fashioned seanndaidh [ʃãũn̪ˠdɪ] = ancient, old-fashioned, infirm, frail seantaidh [ʃan̪ˠdɪ] = primeval, primitive, shanty |
| Manx (Gaelg) | shenn = old, stale, aged, former, time-fusty, inveterate, ancient, vintage, veteran, old-established, olden, antiquarian, worn, elderly, consecrated, archaic, ex, senile, long-standing shennaghys = annals, antiquity, history, story-telling, tradition shennayr, shaner = ancestor, father, forebear, grandfather shenndeeagh = ancient, historical |
| Proto-Brythonic | *hen = old |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | hen = old henadur, henadûr = alderman, elder, presbyter, (church) father, senior in rank henv, henu, hena = to grow old or decrepit, weaken, deteriorate, fail henaidd = oldish, old, aged, ancient, archaic, antiquated heneint, henaint = old age, oldness, antiquity, the aged |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | hen [heːn] = old, aged; ancient, antique, pristine, former; inveterate, chronic; original; senior, elder; stale, mouldy, musty, fusty henadur = alderman, elder, presbyter, (church) father, senior in rank henaf, henu = to grow old or decrepit, weaken, deteriorate, fail henaidd = oldish, old, aged, ancient, archaic, antiquated henaint = old age, oldness, antiquity, the aged |
| Middle Cornish (Cernewec) | hen, hén, hên = old, ancient, antique hendas = grandfather hengog = great great grandfather |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | hen [hɛ:n / he:n] = old, archaic, long-standing henavek, henavoges = elder(ly), senior, older hendas = ancestor, forefather hendedhyow = the olden days hendheskonieth = archaeology henedh = generation hengov = tradition henlavar = proverb |
| Middle Breton (Brezonec) | hen = old, ancient henaff = elder, senior henavelezh = birthright, right of primogeniture |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | hen = old, ancient henadur = = archaism henamzer = antiquity henañ = elder, senior henanded = primogeniture henavelezh = birthright, right of primogeniture |
Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *sénos (old) [source]. Words from the same PIE roots include senate and senior in English, sens (ancient, old) in Latvian, sẽnas (old) in Lithuanian [source].
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, Lexicon Cornu-britannicum: A Dictionary of the Ancient Celtic Language of Cornwall, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis, Le dictionnaire diachronique du breton, Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic
