In this post we’re looking at words for secret and mystery, and related words, in Celtic languages.
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
| Proto-Celtic | *rūnā = secret, mystery, magic |
|---|---|
| Gaulish | Cobrunus = personal name |
| Leptonic | Runatis = personal name |
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | rún [r͈uːn] = mystery, secret rúnde [ˈr͈uːn͈de] = mysterious, mystical |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | rún [ɾˠuːnˠ] = mystery, secret, intention, purpose, resolution, love, affection rúnach = darling, sweetheart; runic, secret, mysterious rúnaí = secretary, confidant, secretary-bird rúnchara = confidant(e) rúnda = mystical, mysterious, secret, confidential rúndacht = secrecy rúnmhar = close, secretive rúnscríbhin = runic script, secret writing, cipher |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | rùn [r̪ˠuːn] = secret, intention, design, resolution, motive, purpose, desire, love rùnach = secretarial, mysterious, mystical, beloved, runic rùnag = small secret, dearie, sweetie rùnaire = secretary rùinean = small secret, quietly |
| Manx (Gaelg) | roon = confidence, obstinacy, viciousness, malice, spite, resentment, rune roonagh = stubborn, secret, vindictive, perverse, malicious, malignant, vicious, ill intentioned, runic |
| Proto-Brythonic | *rrin = mystery |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | rin = mystery, charm |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | rhin [r̥iːn] = secret, mystery, miracle; privacy, intimacy, intercourse; enchanment, magic spell, charm, sorcery, witchcraft, rune; virtue, attribute, property, quality, essence; secret, private, mysterious, occult rhin(i)af / rhin(i)o = to whisper, speak secretly, charm, enchant, secrete rhiniwr = charmer, enchanter, sorcerer, magician rhinaidd = obscure, profound, enchanting rhinwedd = virtue, rectitude, moral excellence, nature, quality cyfrin = mysterious, esoteric; mystic, mystery, secret. cyfrinach = secret, mystery, deliberation |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | rin = mystery kevrin(ek) = secret |
| Middle Breton | rin = secret, wisdom |
Etymology: possibly from the Proto-Indo-European *rewHn-, from *rewH-/*rēwH- (to roar, grumble, murmur, mumble, whisper). The Proto-Germanic word *rūnō (secret, mystery, rune) and related words in modern Germanic languages, including rune in English and Dutch, and runa (rune) in Swedish, possibly come from the same Proto-Celtic root, or from the same PIE root [source].
| Proto-Celtic | *kowdo- = hiding place, concealment *koudeti = hide |
|---|---|
| Proto-Brythonic | *kʉðɨd = to hide |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | cud = concealment, covering, hidden |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | cudd [kɨð/kɪð] = concealment, hiding-place, secrecy, covering, veil; concealed, hidden, dark, hiding cuddedig = hidden, concealed, unknown, covered,mysterious, secret, dark cuddfa = hiding-place, retreat, hoard cuddiad = a hiding, concealment, secret cuddio = to hide, conceal, bury, cover |
| Middle Cornish (CerneweC) | cudhe, cidha, citha, cudhb = to hide, conceal, cover cudhygyc = one that conceals himself, bashful, ashamed |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | kudh = concealed, hidden, secret kudha (rag) = to conceal, hide (from) kudhlen = cover, veil kudhoberys = underhand kudhva = hideout, lair kudhys = veiled |
| Middle Breton | cuzaff = secret, confidential |
| Breton (Brezhoneg | kuzh = secret, confidential kuzh(iadell) / toull-kuzh = hiding place kuzhat = to hide (oneself) kuzhet = masked kuzhadur = eclipse, blanking, concealment kuzhuter = confidant(e) |
Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *(s)kewdʰ- from *(s)kewH- (to hide, cover, wrap). Words from the same roots include custodian, hide, house, hut and sky in English [source].
| Proto-Celtic | *sanestos = secret (advice), whisper, counsel, history |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | sana(i)s = advice, counsel, whisper, privacy |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | sanas [ˈsˠanˠasˠ] = whisper, hint, suggestion, gloss, glossary sanasaí = etymologist sanasaíocht = etymology |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | sanas [ˈsanəs] = notice, sign, signal, warning, hint, cue, whisper sanasach = warning, hinting |
| Manx (Gaelg) | sannish = whisper, hint, allusion, suggestion sansheraght = to whisper, annunciate, speak under breath, whispering |
| Proto-Brythonic | *hanes = history, secret |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | hanes = history, secret |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | hanes [ˈhanɛs/ˈhanas] = history, chronicle, tale, account, narrative, record, report, intelligence; secret, mystery, whisper, murmur hanesaf / hanesu = to narrate/write history hanesydd = historian, historiographer, chronicler |
Etymology: unknown [source].
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, Lexicon Cornu-britannicum: A Dictionary of the Ancient Celtic Language of Cornwall, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis, Le dictionnaire diachronique du breton, Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic