Words for seal and other creatures 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.
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | rón = seal |
|---|---|
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | rón, ron = seal |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | rón = seal rón beag = harbour/common seal rón glas = grey seal rónach = seals, abounding in seals cladach rónta = shoal of seals |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | ròn [r̪ˠɔːn] = seal ròn cumanta / ròn-dubh = harbour/common seal ròn glas = grey seal rònan [r̪ˠɔːnan] = little seal rònach [r̪ˠɔːnəx] = pertaining to or abounding in seals rònanach [r̪ˠɔːnanəx] = pertaining to or abounding in little seals |
| Manx (Gaelg) | raun = seal raun beg = harbour/common seal raun glass/ghlass = grey seal raunagh = seal-like, seal hunt |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | moelronyeit, moelrawn, moelrhawn = hippopotamus, seal |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | moelrhon, moelrhawn = seal, porpoise, dophin, hippopotamus moelrhonaidd = seal-like moelrhoniwr = seal hunter |
| 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 Old English hran (whale), from Proto-Germanic *harza/harza- (a kind of fish). Incidentally, the Irish name Rónán means “little seal” [source].
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | morhwch, morwch = seal, porpoise, dolphin |
|---|---|
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | morwch, môr-hwch = seal, porpoise, dolphin |
| Old Cornish | morhoch = porpoise |
| Middle Cornish (Cernewec) | morhoch = porpoise |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | morhogh = porpoise |
| Middle Breton (Brezonec) | morhouch, mourouch, moroch = porpoise |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | morhoc’h = porpoise |
Etymology (Welsh): from môr (sea) and hwch (calf). The words in Cornish and Breton come from similar roots [source].
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | morylo = seal |
|---|---|
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | morlo [ˈmɔrlɔ] = seal, sealskin morlo cyffredin = common seal morlo llwyd = grey seal |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | leue-mor = seal |
Etymology (Welsh): from môr (sea) and llo (calf). The word in Breton come from similar roots [source].
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, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis, English – ProtoCeltic WordList (PDF), Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic
