Today we’re looking at the words for waterfall and related things in Celtic languages.
| Proto-Celtic | *riyatros = waterfall |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | ríathor = torrent |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | riathar = torrent (literary) |
| Old Welsh | réátir = torrent |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | raeadyr, raiader, rhaiadr = cataract, waterfall |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | rhaeadr [ˈr̥ʰeɨ̯.adr̩ / ˈr̥ʰei̯.adr̩] = waterfall, cataract, cascade, torrent rhaeadru = to fall or pour in a cascade or waterfall, fall steeply, gush, flow, stream rhaeadraidd = like a waterfall rhaeadriad = the act of falling or flowing like a waterfall |
Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *h₃reiH- (to flow) [source].
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | ess = rapids, waterfall |
|---|---|
| Irish (Gaeilge) | eas = waterfall, cascade, cataract; swift current, rapid easach = having, abounding in waterfalls, cascading |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | eas [es] = waterfall, cataract, cascade easach [esəx] = abounding in waterfalls easachan [esəxan] = small waterfall easan [esan] = small waterfall; thin gruel easgraich [esgrɪç] = torrent easraich [esrɪç] = plunge pool, waterfall lake; bustle, commotion eas muilinn = mill-race con-eas = multiple waterfalls poll-easa = plunge pool |
| Manx (Gaelg) | eas = cascade, cataract, chute, shoot, waterfall easan = small waterfall, small cataract mwyllin roie’n eas = water mill |
Etymology: unknown [source].
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | ysgwt, ysgwd, ysgŵd = waterfall, cataract, cascade |
|---|---|
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | sgwd [skuːd] = waterfall, cataract, cascade, chute, millstream, mill-race, sluice, floodgate (South Wales) |
Etymology: unknown [source].
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | pistill = waterfall, cataract, cascade |
|---|---|
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | pistyll = waterfall, cataract, cascade, chute, millstream, mill-race, sluice, floodgate (South Wales) pistyll yr ysgyfaint = trachea |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | pistyl = little waterfall pistylla = to spout |
Etymology: possibly from the Latin pistillum (pestle), which is also the root of the English word pestle [source].
| Cornish (Kernewek) | dowrlam = waterfall |
|---|---|
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | lamm-dour = waterfall |
Etymology: from dowr / dour (water) and lam / lamm (leap).
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
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, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis, Le dictionnaire diachronique du breton, Geriafurch, English – ProtoCeltic WordList (PDF), Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic
