Words for bread and related words in Celtic languages.
| Proto-Celtic | *ar(-akno)- = bread |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | arán [ˈaraːn] = bread, loaf of bread |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | arán [ˈaraːn] = bread |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | arán [əˈɾˠɑːn̪ˠ / ˈaɾˠanˠ] = bread arán baile = home-baked bread arán bán = white bread, baker’s bread arán coirce = oatbread, oatcake arán donn, arán rua = brown bread arán prátaí = potato cake |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | aran [aɾan] = bread, loaf; livelihood, sustenance aran-coircearan-donn, aran ruadharan-eòrnaaran milisaran-seagail |
| Manx (Gaelg) | arran = bread arran Albinagh = shortbread arran bainney = bread roll arran bane = white bread arran dhone, arran ruy = brown bread arran greddan(it) = toast arran shoggyl = rye bread |
Etymology: from the Proto-Celtic *arankā- (grain) [source].
| Proto-Celtic | *bargo / *baragenā / *barginā = cake, bread |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | barigen [ˈˈbarʲ.ɣʲən] = bread, loaf of bread |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | bairín = loaf bairín breac = barmbreac |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | bairghin = bread, cake |
| Manx (Gaelg) | berreen = cake |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | bara [ˈbara / ˈbaːra] = bread, loaf, slice; food, meal, sustenance, livelihood bara barlys = barley bread bara beunyddiol = daily bread bara brith = currant bread bara byr = buscuit bara ceirch = oat bread, oatcake bara coch = brown bread, barley bread bara drwg = bad bread, bad state, difficulties bara gwyn = white bread bara lawr = laverbread (made with edible seaweed) bara poeth = gingerbread, hot bread |
| Old Cornish | bara = bread |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | bara = bread bara byghan/bian = roll bara gwaneth = wheaten bread bara leun = wholemeal bread bara sugal = rye bread |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | bara [ˈbɑː.ra] = bread bara bis = brown bread bara brazed = wholemeal bread bara brizh = currant bread bara gwenn = white bread bara kras = toast |
Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *bʰars- (spike, prickle). Words from the same root include the English barley, the Scots bere/beir (barley), the Swedish barr (pine/fir needle), the Icelandic barr (pine needle), the Old Norse barr (corn, grain, barley), and the Latin far (spelt, coarse meal, grits), and words for flour in Romance languages, such as farine in French [source].
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
You can find the origins of the English words bread and loaf on Radio Omniglot.
Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Teanglann.ie, eDIL – Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis