Steps

Words for steps and related words in Celtic languages.

Medieval Estella.

Proto-Celtic *kanxsman = step, act of stepping
Gaulish *kamman = step
Old Irish (Goídelc) céimm [ˈkʲeːmʲ] = step; rank (in a hierarchy)
Irish (Gaeilge) céim [ceːmʲ] = step, degree, rank, pass, ravine, difficulty
céimnigh = to step, grade, graduate
céimniú = stepping, tread, grading, graduation
aischéim = backward step
ardchéim = high rank, dignity, higher degree
bunchéim = primary degree, positive (degree)
coiscéim = footstep, pace
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) ceum [kʲeːm] = step, footstep, pace, tread, path, degree, measure
cois-cheum = step, pace
ceum-coise = footstep, footpath
Manx (Gaelg) keim = phase, step, degree, stage, standard, stile, grade
keimagh = postgraduate
keimee = to graduate, promote
Proto-Brythonic *kamman = step
Old Welsh cemmein = step
Middle Welsh (Kymraec) cam, camm, kam = step
Welsh (Cymraeg) cam [kam] = step, stride, pace, leap, foot-fall, footprint, trace, progress
camu, camaf = to step over, take a stride, take strides, pace
camâd = stile
Cornish (Kernewek) kamm = pace, step, track
Middle Breton cam = step
Breton (Brezhoneg) kamm = pace, walk tread, (foot)step
kammed = step

Etymology: from the Proto-Celtic *kengeti (to step), from the Proto-Indo-European *(s)keng- (to limp, walk lamely) [source]

Words from the same Gaulish root (*kamman) include: cammīnus (way) in Latin, camino (track, path, road, way, route, journey) and caminar (to walk, stroll, travel) in Spanish, caminho (way, road, path) in Portugese, cammino (walk, path, way) and camminare (to walk, work (function)) in Italian, and chemin (path, way, pathway) in French [source].

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Teanglann.ie, eDIL – Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language, logainm.ie, In Dúil Bélrai English – Old Irish glossary, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis, Le dictionnaire diachronique du breton, Geriafurch, English – ProtoCeltic WordList (PDF), Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic

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