Words for fist, palm, hand & arm in Celtic languages.
| Proto-Celtic | *ɸlāmā = palm, hand |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | lám [l͈aːṽ] = hand, arm, prowess, accomplishment, power |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | lámh [l̪ˠɑːvˠ / l̪ˠæːw] = hand, arm, handle, signature, measure (of horses) |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | làmh [l̪ˠaːv] = hand, arm, handle |
| Manx (Gaelg) | laue [læu] = hand, handful, foreleg, grasp (of oar), arm |
| Proto-Brythonic | *lọβ̃ [ˈlɔːβ̃] = palm, hand |
| Old Welsh | lau = hand |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | llaw = hand |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | llaw [ɬaːu̯ / ɬau̯] = hand; authority, control, rule, management, power; ownership, possession; influence; agency, instrumentality, part; guardianship, keeping, custody, care, protection; side, direction, position; skill, touch |
| Old Cornish | lof = hand |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | leuv [lœ:v / le:v] = hand |
| Old Breton | lom = hand |
| Middle Breton | lau = hand |
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *pl̥h₂meh₂ (palm, hand) [source].
| Proto-Celtic | *bostā = palm, fist |
|---|---|
| Gaulish | *bostyā = palm, fist |
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | bos / bas = palm |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | bos = palm (of hand); handful; slap; flat end, blade |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | bas [l̪ˠaːv] = hand, arm, handle |
| Manx (Gaelg) | bass = palm, flat of hand, blade of oar, scale pan, bass |
| Proto-Brythonic | *bos [ˈbos] = hand |
| Old Welsh | bos = palm |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | bos = palm |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | bos = palm (of the hand), unit of length |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | bas [ba:z / bæ:z] = shallow |
| Middle Breton | boz = hollow of the hand |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | boz [ˈboːs] = hollow of the hand |
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
Etymology: possibly from the Proto-Indo-European *gʷésdos (branch) [source]. The Middle Latin word bostia (small box, reliquaire was borrowed from the Gaulish *bostyā, and became bostellus (bushel), the root of the French word boisseau (bushel, hollow cylinder), and the English word bushel [source].
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | rig = forearm |
|---|---|
| Irish (Gaeilge) | rí [d̪ˠoːɾˠn̪ˠ] = forearm |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | ruighe [r̪ˠujə] = plain; forearm |
| Manx (Gaelg) | roih = arm, forearm |
Etymology: possibly from the Old Irish *reg (to stretch) [source].
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | braich [brai̯χ] = arm |
|---|---|
| Cornish (Kernewek) | bregh [brɛ:x /bre:ʰ] = arm |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | brec’h = hand |
Etymology: from Latin bracchium (hand) [source].
| Proto-Celtic | *durnos = fist |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | dorn = fist |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | dorn [d̪ˠoːɾˠn̪ˠ] = fist; punch; fistful, small quantity; handle, grip |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | dòrn [dɔːr̪ˠn̪ˠ] = fist; punch; hilt; handle |
| Manx (Gaelg) | doarn = fist, pad, sword handle, grip |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | dwrn = fist, hand, paw; hilt, handle, haft, pommel; knob |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | dorn [dɔrn] = fist, hand, handle |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | dorn [ˈdɔʁn] = hand, fist |
Etymology: probably loaned from a non-Indo-European substrate language [source].
Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, MacBain’s Dictionary, In Dúil Bélrai English – Old-Irish Glossary, teanglann.ie, On-Line Manx Dictionary, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionnaire Favereau, TermOfis
