Words for white in Celtic languages.
| Proto-Celtic | *windos [ˈwin.dos] = white |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | finn [fʲin͈] = white, bright, blessed |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | fionn = white; fair-haired, blond, bright, clear |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | fionn [fjũːn̪ˠ] = white, fair, pale; sincere, true, certain; small; fine, pleasant; wan; lilac; resplendent, bright; prudent |
| Manx (Gaelg) | fynn = blond(e), fair (hair, skin), pure white, sprite; cataract |
| Proto-Brythonic | *gwinn [ˈɡwɨnː] = white (m) *gwenn = white (f) |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | gwynn = white (m) gwen = white (f) |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | gwyn [ɡwɨ̞n / ɡwɪn] = white (m), greyish-white, pale; light, shining, bright; brilliant, white-hot; silver; amber-coloured; fair-haired, fair-faced, of fair complexion; holy, blessed, beatific, good, happy; splendid, excellent, beautiful, fair, pleasant; favourite, darling, white-headed gwen = white (f) |
| Old Cornish | guyn = white |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | gwynn [gwɪn:] = white, fair, blessed |
| Old/Middle Breton | guinn = white |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | gwenn = white, pale, pure |
| Proto-Celtic | *banos = white |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | bán [baːn] = white, pure |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | bán [bˠɑːn̪ˠ / bˠæːn̪ˠ] = white, white-headed, fair, pale, blank, empty, idle, wild crazy |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | bàn [baːn] = fair(-haired), white (haired); blank, empty, unoccupied, vacant; pallid, pale; fallow |
| Manx (Gaelg) | bane = white, blank, fair, blond(e), pallid; fallow, unbroken (ground) |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | bân [baːn] = white, whitish, grey, pale |
Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂- (to shine) [source], or from *bhā (shine) [source]
| Proto-Celtic | *gelos = shining, white |
|---|---|
| Gaulish | *gelā |
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | gel = bright, clear, white |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | geal [ɟalˠ] = white, bright |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | geal [gʲal̪ˠ] = white, fine |
| Manx (Gaelg) | gial = bright, clear, white, shining, snowy, light-coloured, fulgent |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | gell = bay, brown, auburn, orange, yellow, tawny-coloured |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | gell [gɛl:] = (light) brown |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | gell = bay, brown |
Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰelh₂os, from *ǵʰelh₂- (to shine) [source]
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Teanglann.ie, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionnaire Favereau
