Backs & Ridges

Words for back, ridge and related things in Celtic languages.

View from Snowdon

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

Proto-Celtic *drosman =
Old Irish (Goídelc) druimm [ˈd̪ɾumʲ] = back, ridge
druimm tar ais = backwards, upside down
druimm tar druimm = topsy-turvy, upside down
Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) druim(m) = back, surface, ridge, hill
druimne = back, elevation, ridge, hill
drumman = humped, back, hillock
Irish (Gaeilge) droim [d̪ˠɾˠiːmʲ / d̪ˠɾˠɪmʲ] = back, ridge, carapace, wave
droimeann = white-backed, white-backed cow
droimfhada = long-backed, long-ridged
droimín = low ridge, slight elevation, saddle, arch (in back)
droimíneach = tiny humpbacked person
droiminne = white colour, white streak, on back
droimne = ridge
droimeach = black-backed gull, ridged, undulating, arched, convex
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) druim [drɯim] = back, ridge, keel, backline, camber
druimeag [drɯmag] = small ridge, small load, lump, hump
druimean [drɯman] = (mountain) saddle
druimneach [drɯimnəx] = dorsal, pertaining to backs, ridged
Manx (Gaelg) dreeym = back, ridge, hillside, down, terrace, shed, camber, saddle, fret, arch, edge
dreeymagh = ridged
drommey = dorsal, spinal

Etymology: possibly from Proto-Indo-European (end, boundry), which is also the root of the English word tram, or related to Latin dorsum (back, ridge) [source].

Proto-Celtic *kebno- = back
Gaulish Cebenna [keˈben.na] = ridge, height, and name of the mountins now known as the Cévennes
Old Welsh (Kembraec) ceng, cemn, kewin = back, ridge
Middle Welsh (Kymraec) keuen, kefneu, kefyn, cefn, cefen [ˈke.ven] = back, ridge
kein, cain, ceing = back, ridge
cefnai, kefnu, kefnv, cevnu = to turn one’s back upon
Welsh (Cymraeg) cefn [kɛvn / ˈkeːvɛn] = back, support, ridge, middle, center
cefnaf, cefnu = to turn one’s back upon, to forsake, to withdraw, to give way, to finish, to accomplish, to settle, to overcome, to back, to support
cefnog = valiant, stout, brave, strong, wealthy, backed, ridged
cefnogaeth = support, encouragement, backing
cefnogi = to encourage, support, back, strengthen
Middle Cornish (Cernewec / Kernuak) cein, chein, keyn = back, ridge
Cornish (Kernewek) keyn [kɛɪn / kəɪn] = back, keel, ridge
keynek = convex
keyner = full back
Middle Breton (Brezonec) queyn, quein = back
Breton (Brezhoneg) kein [ˈkɛjn] = back, keel, binding, convexity
keinañ = to lean back, to support, to connect, to put a keel on
keineg = having a good back, important, mackerel
keinek = having a back
keinel = dorsal
keinet = backed

Etymology: possibly related to Proto-Celtic *kambos (crooked, bent) [source].

Old Irish (Goídelc) escir = ridge, elevation
Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) e(i)scir = ridge, elevation
Irish (Gaeilge) eiscir [ˈeʃcəɾʲ] = glacial ridge, esker (a long, narrow, sinuous ridge created by deposits from a stream running beneath a glacier)
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) aisgeir = rocky mountain, ridge of high mountains
Manx (Gaelg) sker = ridge, crag, rockface, skerry, sea rock
Old Welsh (Kembraec) escier = limb
Middle Welsh (Kymraec) eskeir, esgeir, ysgeir, esgair = leg, shank, ridge, mountain spur
Welsh (Cymraeg) esgair, ysgair = leg, shank, limb, ridge, mountain spur
Old Cornish (el)escher = the shank, shin bone
Middle Cornish (Cernewec / Kernuak) elesc(h)er = the shank, shin bone
Cornish (Kernewek) esker = esker (long hill of outwash formed at glacier snout)
el esker = shin
Breton (Brezhoneg) esker = (carpenter’s) leg, knee

Etymology: unknown [source].

Sources: Wiktionary, Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic, In Dúil Bélrai English – Old Irish glossary, eDIL – Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language, Teanglann.ie, Am Faclair Beag, An etymological dictionary of the Gaelic language, Fockleyreen: Manx – English Dictionary, Online Manx Dictionary, Gaelg Corpus, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Lexicon cornu-britannicum : a dictionary of the ancient Celtic language of Cornwall, Gerlyver Kernewek, Devri : Le dictionaire diachronique du breton, Geriafurch, TermOfis




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