Words for black and related things in Celtic languages.
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
| Proto-Celtic | *dubus = black |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | dub [duv] = black; morally dark, dire, gloomy, melancholy |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | dub = black, swarthy, dark, dire, gloomy, melancholy dubach = ink dubachas = gloom, heaviness, grief dubaid = to grow dark, turn black or discoloured, blacken |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | dubh [d̪ˠʊvˠ / d̪ˠʊw] = black; evil; darkness; sable; black-hearted dubhach = dismal, gloomy, melancholy, sorrowful, black, dark dubhachas = gloom, sorrow dubhaigh = to blacken, darken, blight, sadden, oppress dúchan = blackening, darkening, sadness |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | dubh [duh] = black, dark, sad, inky, blackness, darkness dubhach [du.əx] = ink, blackening, alum dubhachadh [du.əxəɣ] = (act of) blackening, darkening, blackout, tarnishing dubhachas [du.əxəs] = sadness, sorrow dubhaich = blacken, darken, tarnish |
| Manx (Gaelg) | doo = black, black-haired, black headed, inky, dark, ink, dirty, sable, bold dooey = blacker, black doo(a)ghey = to black, darken, ink dooid = blackness, darkness |
| Proto-Brythonic | *duβ = black |
| MIddle Welsh (Kymraec) | du = black, dark; sad, gloomy duaw, duo = to turn black, darken, eclipse, obscure |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | du [dɨː / diː] = black, sable, dark; sad, gloomy; angry; bitter; lowering; calamitous; wicked, villainous, infernal duad = a blackening, a darkening duaf, duo = to turn black, darken, eclipse, obscure duaidd = blackish, dark, swarthy duair = sarcasm duder = blackness, darkness, gloominess |
| Middle Cornish (Cernewec) | du = black, sable, dark, gloomy |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | du [dy:/diˑʊ] = black, dark duhe = blacken duik = blackish |
| Old Breton (Brethonoc) | du = black |
| Middle Breton (Brezonec) | du = black, swollen, starved duat = black, charcoal duaff = to blacken |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | du [dyː] = black, swollen, starved duaat = to become or make blacker duad = black, charcoal duadenn = darkness, nimbus (cloud) duadur = blackening duañ [dyːã] = to blacken, dirty, waste away duder [ˈdyː.dɛr] = darkness, tan, wickedness |
Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *dʰewbʰ- (hazy, unclear, dark, deep) [source]. Words from the same roots include deaf, deep and dumb in English [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