Words for seal in Celtic languages.
Species of seals that may be found around the Celtic lands include the common or harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) and the grey seal (Halichoerus grypus). Other species are available.
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | rón = seal |
|---|---|
| Irish (Gaeilge) | rón = seal rón beag = harbour/common seal rón glas = grey seal |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | ròn [r̪ˠɔːn], morlo = seal ròn cumanta / ròn-dubh = harbour/common seal ròn glas = grey seal |
| Manx (Gaelg) | raun = seal raun beg = harbour/common seal raun glass/ghlass = grey seal |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | moelrhon/moelrhawn = seal, porpoise, dophin, hippopotamus morlo = seal, sealskin morlo cyffredin = harbour/common seal morlo llwyd = grey seal |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | reun = seal reun kemmyn = harbour/common seal reun loos = grey seal |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | reunig = seal reunig morleue = harbour/common seal reunig gris = grey seal |
Etymology: possibly from the Anglo-Saxon hron/hrón/hrán (whale, mussel), from the Proto-Germanic *harza/harza- (a kind of fish).
The Welsh word morlo comes from môr (sea) and llo (calf). The similar words in other languages have similar meanings.
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