Here are some words for knee and related things in Celtic languages, as well as related words in other languages.
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
| Proto-Celtic | *glūnos = knee |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | glún [ɡluːn] = knee |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | glún, glun, glūn = knee, generation, pedigree glúnmar, glunmár = big-kneed |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | glúin [ɡl̪ˠuːnʲ / ɡlˠuːnʲ] = knee, generation, step (in a series), node glúineach = (big-)kneed, noded, nodulous, branching, proliferous glúinfheacadh = genuflection glúiníneach = swelling in knees glúinteas = housemaid’s knee bean ghlúine = midwife |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | glùin [ɡl̪ˠuːn̪ʲ] = knee, generation, lap glùn [gl̪ˠuːn] = knee, generation glùineach [ɡl̪ˠuːn̪ʲəx] = pertaining to knees, kneed, jointed; large-kneed woman glùineachan [ɡl̪ˠuːn̪ʲəxan] = garter glùineag [ɡl̪ˠuːn̪ʲag] = (act of) kneeing bean-ghlùine = midwife |
| Manx (Gaelg) | glioon [ɡlʲuːnʲ] = joint, knee crooked timber glioon-lhoobey = genuflect, genuflection glioonagh = jointed, kneed gliooney = to kneel, kneeling glioon(i)t = kneed, kneeled |
| Proto-Brythonic | *glin = knee |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | glin = knee pen y lin, penn glin = knee |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | glin [ɡliːn] = knee pen (g)lin [pɛnˈ(ɡ)liːn] = knee glingam = knock-kneed, bow-legged gliniadur = laptop (computer) glinio = to kneel, knee, pod gliniog = kneed, jointed, knotty |
| Middle Cornish (Cernewec) | glin = knee penglin, penclin, pedn glin = knee |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | glin [ˈɡliːn] = knee penn glin / pedn glin = kneecap |
| Middle Breton (Brezonec) | glin = knee |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | glin [ɡlĩːn] = knee penn-glin = knee (penn)glinañ = to kneel down, worship, bow one’s knee glinad = knee pain glineg = strong knees glinwisk = knee brace |
Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *ǵónu (knee) [source]. Words from the same roots include genuflect (to bend the knee, grovel), knee and jeans in English; genou (knee, lap) in French; and knie (knee) in Dutch [source].
From the Proto-Celtic word *glūnos we also get the Proto-Celtic word *genwā ((river) bend), which is the root of the names Geneva, Genoa.
Sources: Wiktionary, Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic, In Dúil Bélrai English – Old Irish glossary, eDIL – Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language, Teanglann.ie, Am Faclair Beag, An etymological dictionary of the Gaelic language, Fockleyreen: Manx – English Dictionary, Online Manx Dictionary, Gaelg Corpus, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Lexicon cornu-britannicum : a dictionary of the ancient Celtic language of Cornwall, Gerlyver Kernewek, Devri : Le dictionaire diachronique du breton, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis
