Words for woman / wife in Celtic languages.
| Proto-Celtic | *benā = woman |
|---|---|
| Gaulish | benā = woman, wife |
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | ben [bʲen] = woman |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | bean [bʲanˠ] = woman, wife |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | bean [bɛn] = woman, wife |
| Manx (Gaelg) | ben = woman, lady, wife |
| Proto-Brythonic | *ben = woman |
| Old Welsh | ben = woman |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | benyw = female, girl, woman, feminine menyw = woman, female, feminine |
| Old Cornish | benen = woman |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | benyn [‘bɛnɪn / ‘bɛnən] = woman |
| Old Breton | ban = woman |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | e-ben = woman |
Etymology
From the Proto-Indo-European *gʷḗn (woman) [source], which is also the root of the English words queen and gynecology, words for woman in some other Germanic languages, such as kvinna in Swedish, and words for woman / wife in Slavic languages, such as žena in Czech.
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, teanglann.ie, On-Line Manx Dictionary, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionnaire Favereau
| Proto-Celtic | *wrakkā = woman |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | frac = woman |
| Proto-Brythonic | *gwrėg [ˈɡwre̝ːɡ] = woman, (human) female, wife |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | gureic, gwreic = wife, woman |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | gwraig [ɡuˈrai̯ɡ] = wife, woman, (human) female |
| Old Cornish | greg, grueg = wife |
| Middle Cornish | gurek = wife |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | gwreg [gwrɛ:g / gwre:g] = wife |
| Middle Breton | gruec = wife |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | gwreg [ˈɡwʁɛːk] = wife |
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
Sources: Wiktionary, Proto-Celtic English Word List, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionnaire Favereau