Words for food and related things in Celtic languages.
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
| Proto-Celtic | *bētom = food |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | bíad [bʲiːa̯ð] = food banbíad = dairy products |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | biad, bíad = food, bánbiad = dairy products berbiad = to boil, cook, melt, dissolve bíadamail = nourishing, nutritive bíadmar = abounding in food |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | bia [bʲiə] = food, substance biachlár = menu biathaigh = to feed, shower bia-eolaí = dietician biamhar = abounding in food |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | biadh [biəɣ] = food, fare, repast, viand, victual, feed, a meal biadhachadh = (act of) feeding, nourishing, baiting biadhchar = fruitful, productive, wholesome, nutritious biadhmhor = nutritious biadhta = fed, nourished, baited biadhtach = feeder, grazer, hospitable person, supplier, provider, glutton biadhtachd = hospitality |
| Manx (Gaelg) | bee [biː] = diet, feed, food, nourishment, provisions beiyhaghey = feeding beaghee = nutritious beaghit = fed, maintained beaghey = to feed, nourish, nuture, maintain; food, nutrition, sustenance |
| Proto-Brythonic | *buɨd [ˈbuɨ̯d] = food |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | bvid, bwyt, bwyd = food bwydo, bwyda = to feed, nourish bwydlawn = satiated, full of food |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | bwyd [buːɨ̯d / bʊi̯d] = food, nourishment, meat, victuals, provisions bwydaf, bwydo, bwyda = to feed, nourish bwydfa = eating-house, restauarant, hotel, inn bwydlon, bwydlon = satiated, full of food bwydwr = feeder, provider |
| Old Cornish | buit = food |
| Middle Cornish (Cernewec) | buit, boys, bôs = meat, food |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | boos [ˈbɔːz] = food, meal, fare boos bestes = feed, fodder bosa = to feed bosti = restaurant |
| Middle Breton | boet, boed, bouet = food boedec, boëdecq = fleshy, soft, pulpy, fodder |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | boued = food, eat, edible, bait, flesh (of fish), marrow, pulp, substance bouetaj = (animal) feed, fodder bouedañ = to feed, supply bouedek = fleshy, soft, pulpy, fodder |
Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *gʷeyh₃tom, from *gʷeyh₃- (to live) [source].
Words from the same roots include biology, biology, hygiene, quick, vital and zoo in English [source], and words for alive and living and life in Celtic languages.
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