Words for frost, ice, cold and related words in Celtic languages.
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
| Proto-Celtic | *ɸreswos = frost |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | réúd [r͈ʲeːu̯ð] = frost |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | reód = frost |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | reo [ɾˠoː / ɾˠɔː] = frost reodóg = icicle reoigh = to freeze, congeal, solidify reoiteach = frosty, chilling reoiteacht = frostiness reoiteog, uachtar reoite = ice cream reomhar = frigid |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | reòth [r̪ˠɔː] = frost, freeze, become frozen, congeal reòite [r̪ˠɔːdʲə] = frozen, frosty, icy reòthtach [r̪ˠɔːhdəx] = freezing, frosty reòthadh = freeze reòthadair [r̪ˠɔ.ədɪrʲ] = deep-freeze, freezer stob reòta, caisean-reòta, boidean-reòthaidh = icicle |
| Manx (Gaelg) | rio = frost, freezing, ice riojey = to freeze, ice up rioeeagh = freezing, frosty rioeeaght = frostiness rioghar, bwoid rioee, kibbin rioee = icicle riojag, key riojey, key riojit = ice-cream rio-stroo, awin rioee = glacier |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | rew, reo, rev = frost rewlyt, rewlyd, rewllid = icy, freezing, frozen |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | rhew [r̥eːu̯ / r̥ɛu̯] = (hoar-) frost, ice rhewaidd = freezing, frosty, icy rhewedig = frozen, icy, extremely cold rhewi = to freeze, preserve; anaesthetize, make numb rhewiadur = refrigerator rhewin = frosty weather rhewllyd, rhewlyd = icy, freezing, frozen, very cold, frigid rhew bargod = icicle rhew du = black ice gwŷn rhew = frost-bite rhedlif rhew = glacier |
| Old Cornish | reu = ice, frost |
| Middle Cornish (Cernewec) | rew, reu = frost, ice |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | rew = ice, frost rewer = freezer rewi = to freeze rewys = frozen downrewi = deep-freeze, freezer dehen rew = ice cream furvell rew = ice tray kub rew = ice cube skes rew = ice skate |
| Middle Breton (Brezonec) | reau, reo, réau, rëu = frost, frozen |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | rev = frost, freezing, freeze rev du = black ice rev noz = night frost |
Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *prews- (to freeze, frost), which is also the root of the word frost in English [source].
| Proto-Celtic | *yegis = ice |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | aigred = ice aigretta = icy, frozen |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | aig = ice aigide = icy |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | oighear [əiɾʲ] = ice oighear dubh = black ice oighreach = glacial leac oighir = (sheet of) ice |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | eigh [ej] = ice eigh-bheinn = iceberg eigh-shruth = glacier leac-eighe = ice-floe linn-eighe = ice age pac-eigh = pack ice taigh-eighe = ice house |
| Proto-Brythonic | *jaɣ = ice |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | ia, ya = ice, frost |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | iâ [jaː] = ice, (hoar-) frost iaaidd = glacical, icy iaënnol = glacical, icy iaeth, iaaeth = iciness, frost, cold, severe winter weather ialyd = icy, freezing, very cold iaog = icy, freezing, frozen iain = very cold, freezing, icy |
| Old Cornish | iein = ice |
| Middle Cornish (Cernewec) | iein, iên, yein, yeyn, yên = cold (as ice), frigid ieinder, iender, yender, yeinder = frigidity, coolness |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | yey = ice yeyn = cold yeynder = cold yeynell, yeyner = fridge yeynhe = to chill, become cold |
| Middle Breton (Brezoneg) | yen = cold |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | yen = cold yenaat = to cool down, relax yenadur = coolness, cooling, chill yenañ = to cool, refrigerate, detach yender = cold, coolness |
Etymology from the Proto-Indo-European *h₁yeg- (ice, frost), which is also the root of the English word icicle [source].
| Proto-Celtic | *ougros = cold |
|---|---|
| Gaulish | Ogronnios = personal name |
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | úar [uːa̯rʲ] = cold úacht = cold, coldness |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | úar = cold, cool. refreshing, unfriendly ind(ḟ)úar = very cold, chilly, cool, refreshing, pleasing, entertaining úacht, ócht, ocht = cold, coldness, numbness |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | fuar [fˠuəɾˠ] = cold, apathetic, raw, uncooked fuaraigh = to cool, make cold, chill, relieve, pass (away) fuaráil = coolness, indifference, reserve fuaraíocht = coldness, chilliness fuarálach = cold, indifferent, reserved fuacht = cold, chill, apathy fuachtán = chilblain |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | fuar [fuər] = cold fuarachd [fuərəxg] = coldness, chilliness, chilblain, mildew, dampness fuarachdainn [fuərəxgɪn̪ʲ] = cooling, easing, relieving fuaradair [fuərədɪrʲ] = fridge, refrigerator fuaraichte [fuərɪçdʲə] = cooled, refrigerated, eased, relieved fuarail [fuəral] = chilly, chilling fuaralachd [fuərəl̪ˠəxg] = coldness, frigidity |
| Manx (Gaelg) | feayr = chill, cold, cool, frigid, frosty, ice, distant (of person) feayght = chill, cold, exposure feayraghey = chill, cool, refrigerate, alienation feayraght = chill, cold, coldness feayrit = chilled, cooled, refrigerated |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | oir, oer = cold, cool oerai, oeri = to make/become/grow cold or cool oyrder = cold(ness), cool(ness), chill, indifference, apathy oered = coldness, chill oervel, oeruel = cold(ness), chill |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | oer [jaː] = cold, cool, sad, dejected, miserable, coldness, child, cold vegetables, fruit and salad oeraf, oeri = to make/become/grow cold or cool, lose zeal, become depressed oeraidd = rater cold, coolish, coldish, chilly, unenthusiastic, apathetic, indifferent oerder = cold(ness), cool(ness), chill, indifference, apathy oeredd = coldness, chill oerfa = cool place, shade oerfel = cold(ness), chill oergell = refrigerator, freezer, cold cell |
| Middle Cornish (Cernewec) | oir = cold, frigid |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | oor = bitterly cold, glacial, icy |
Etymology from the Proto-Indo-European *h₃ewǵ- (cold), which is also the root of the Lithuanian word aušti (cold) [source].
Another word for ice in Breton is skorn – etymology unknown.
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, Gerlyvyr Cernewec, Lexicon Cornu-britannicum: A Dictionary of the Ancient Celtic Language of Cornwall, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis, Le dictionnaire diachronique du breton, Geriafurch, English – ProtoCeltic WordList (PDF), Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic
Welsh would usually use rhewlif for glacier, has rhewlifiant for glaciation as well as other constructions such as rhewlifiad (gelifluction), rhewlifeg (glaciology) etc. In everyday language there tends to be a North-South split between rhew (North) and iâ (South).