Words for frost and ice and related words in Celtic languages.
| 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 |
| 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 rhew bargod = icicle rhew du = black ice gwŷn rhew = frost-bite rhedlif rhew = glacier |
| Old Cornish | reu = ice, frost |
| 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 |
| 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) | aig [ˈaɣʲ] = ice |
| 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 |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | iâ [jaː] = ice, (hoar-) frost hufen iâ = ice cream glaw iâ = frozen rain Gwlad yr Iâ = Iceland llen iâ = ice sheet mynydd (o) iâ = iceberg, ice-mountain, ice-hill |
| Old Cornish | iein = ice |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | yey = ice |
| Middle Breton | yen = ice |
Etymology from the Proto-Indo-European *h₁yeg- (ice, frost), which is also the root of the English word icicle [source].
Another word for ice in Breton is skorn – etymology unknown.
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Teanglann.ie, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionaire Favereau
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).