Words for lamentation and related things in Celtic languages:
| Proto-Celtic | *kiyeti = to fall, cry |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | caí = weeping, lamentation ciïd [ˈkʲi.ɨðʲ] = to lament, weep caínid [ˈkoːi̯nʲiðʲ] = to lament, mourn, keen, regret, deplore |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | caí = weeping, wailing, lamentation ciïd = to cry, weep, lament, mourn caínid = lament |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | caí = lament, lamentation caoin [kiːnʲ] = to keen, lament, cry, weep caoineadh = to keen, lament, crying weeping, elegy caoineachán = crying, mewling, lamentation caointeach = plaintive, mournful caointeachán = whimperer, crier caointeoir = mourner, crier caointeoireacht = lamenting, crying, lamentation |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | caoidh [kɤj] = lamenting, bewailing, lamentation, mourning, grieving caoin [kɯːn̪ʲ] = to weep, wail, deplore, howl, regret caoineach = mournful, mourning caoineadh = weeping for, mourning, crying, lamenting, wailing caoineag, caointeach = wailing women (foretells death) caoineadh cù Chaluim = crocodile tears |
| Manx (Gaelg) | coe = weep, mourn, weeping, woe keayney = weep. weeping, cry, crying, greet, keening, lament, lamentation, mourn, mourning, wail, wailing, deplore keaynoil = lamentable, mournful |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | kwyn, cwyn, cŵyn = complaint, greivance, lament |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | cwyn [kuːɨ̯n/kʊi̯n] = complaint, greivance, lament, grief; sympathy, commiseration cwyno [ˈkʊɨ̯nɔ / ˈkʊi̯nɔ] = to complain, lament, bemoan, mourn, condole with, pity, take legal action cwynfannu = to complain, lament, moan, groan, mourn for; lamentation, groan, moan, mourning cwynfanllyd = moanful, querulous, grumbling, peevish |
| Middle Cornish (Cernewec) | cyny, kyny = to mourn, lament, weep |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | kyni = to lament, moan, mourn, wail kynvan = lament, lamentation, moan, mourning |
| Middle Breton (Brezonec) | keinal, keinat, keiniñ = to complain |
| Breton (Brezoneg) | keuziañ = to deplore, bemoan keuziadenn = lament |
Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *gʷey- (to lament, complain) [source]. Words from the same root include ween (to weep, wail) in Scots, wenen (to cry, weep) in Dutch, weinen (to weep, cry) in German, and kveina (to wail, cry, lament) in Icelandic, via the Proto-Germanic *kwainōną (to lament) [source].
The English word keen (to mourn, utter with a loud wailing voice or wordless cry) was borrowed from the Irish caoin [source].
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
