Words for pride, arrogance, vanity and related things in Celtic languages.
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
| Proto-Celtic | *auberos = vain |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | úabar = pride, arrogance úabrige = pride, arrogance |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | úabar = pride, arrogance, vanity, confidence úabrach = proud, haughty úabrigidir = to treat insolently, profane, mock óbar = vain-glory anúabar, anuabhar = inordinate pride comúabar = great pride |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | uabhar = pride, arrogance, spiritedness, exuberance, frolicking, frolicsomeness, rankness, luxuriance, eeriness, feeling of loneliness anuabhar = overweening pride, excess (of grief, weeping) aingeal an uabhair = fallen angel |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | uabhar [uəvər̪] = pride, insolence uabharra [uəvər̪ˠə] = proud, haughty uaibhreach [uəivr̪ʲəx] = haughty, proud, arrogant an-uaibhreach = humble uaibhreas = arrogance, haughtiness uaibhridh = haughty, proud, arrogant ro sgrios thig uabhar = pride goes/comes before a fall |
| Proto-Brythonic | *ọβer = vain (?) |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | ofer, ouer = worthless, vain, useless ofêra, ouera, ofera = to behave frivolously overaidd = vain, frivolous oferbeth, obherbeth = worthless or pointless thing ofered, oferedd = vanity, unsubstantiality, emptiness, vainglory ofergoel, ofer-goel = superstition, vain belief overwr, ouerwr, oferwr = good-for-nothing, waster, idler |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | ofer [ˈɔvɛr / ˈoːvɛr] = worthless, vain, useless, unnecessary, futile, wasteful, prodigal, unprofitable, frivolous ofera(f) = to behave frivolously, live dissolutely, trifle, idle, laze, loiter, waste, squander oferaidd = vain, frivolous, unprofitable, worthless oferbeth = worthless or pointless thing, trifle, bauble oferdod = vanity, dissipation, frivolousness oferedd = vanity, unsubstantiality, emptiness, vainglory ofergoel = superstition, vain belief, false religion oferwr = good-for-nothing, waster, idler |
| Middle Cornish (Cernewec) | evereth, ufereth = vanity, idleness, frivolity |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | euver = valueless, worthless euvergryjyk = superstitious |
| Middle Breton (Brezonec) | euver = bland, insipid, flavourless |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | euver = bland, spineless(ness), damage |
Etymology: from Proto-Celtic *aw- and *ber-o- (to carry), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰéreti (to carry, bear, flow), *bʰer- (to bear, carry) [source].
Words from the same PIE roots include beir (to bear, give birth to, lay, bring, take) in Irish, beir (to bear, give birth to) in Scottish Gaelic, behr (to bear, give birth to) in Manx, bairn (child) in Scots, and bear (to carry), bier, birth, burden, ferret, and fortune in English [source].
| Proto-Celtic | *balkos = strong |
|---|---|
| Gaulish | balco- = strong (?) |
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | balc = robust, strong, sturdy |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | balc, bailc = stout, strength, sturdy, firm, vigorous, powerful, strength, firmness, vigour |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | bailc = strong, stout bailcbhéim = strong, heavy, blow |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | bailc [balçgʲ] = strong, bold, daring bailc uisge = sudden, heavy shower bailceach [balçgʲəx] = stout/strong person bailceata [balçgʲən̪ˠdə] = stout, strong, boastful |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | balch, bỽlch, beilch = proud, glad, pleased, dignified, splendid, imposing, fine, strong, brave balchav = to grow proud or arrogant, pride oneself bylchdaidd = proud, conceited, arrogant, haughty, vain strong>ualchder, balchder = pride, pleasure, fineness, glory, dignity ualchdet, balchet = pride, arrogance |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | balch [balχ] = proud, glad, pleased, dignified, splendid, imposing, fine, strong, brave, conceited, arrogant, haughty, vain, pompous balchâf, balcháu = to grow proud or arrogant, pride oneself balchdaidd = proud, conceited, arrogant, haughty, vain balchder = pride, pleasure, fineness, glory, dignity balchded = pride, arrogance balchus = proud, vain balchwedd = pride, conceit, lofty belchyn = proud, pompous or self-important person, prig |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | balgh = arrogant |
| Middle Breton (Brezonec) | balc’h = haughty, proud, arrogant |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | balc’h [ˈbalx] = haughty, proud, arrogant ambalc’h = reserved, timid balc’haat = to make or become haughty balc’hded = superb, arrogance balc’hder = = pride, arrogance, audacity |
Etymology: possibly from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (to blow, swell, inflate). A word from the same Proto-Celtic root is balca (bulrush, cattail) in Catalan and Occitan [source].
Words from the same PIE root include bold in English, boud (bold, brave) in Dutch, and bald (soon, almost) in German [source].
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | gwrth [ɡʊrθχ] = opposition, objection, resistance, contast, opposite gwrthâd = taunt, light censure, upbraiding, remorse, conviction |
|---|---|
| Middle Cornish (Cernewec) | goth = pride gothus, gothys = proud |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | gooth = pride gothus = proud, arrogant gorth = obstinate, perverse, stubborn, uppity gorthus = proud |
Etymology: unknown
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | blad = fame, renown bladach = famous, renowned, splendid |
|---|---|
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | blad, bladh, blath = fame, renown, glories, triumphs bladach, bladaig = famous, renowned, splendid bladaigid = praises, extols |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | bláth = pride |
| Manx (Gaelg) | blaa = heyday, pride |
Etymology: unknown
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | borr = huge, large, proud, swollen, thick, vast borrfadach = bold, high-spirited, proud |
|---|---|
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | borr, bórr = big, large, great, vast, mighty, strong, puffed-up, proud borrach = a proud, pretentious person borra(i)d = swelling, maturing, blooming, springing, swells, becomes swollen, bloated |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | borr = puffed (up with), proud, luxuriant; to swell, grow borrach = proud, arrogant person; swollen, proud, arrogant borrachas = pride, arrogance borradh = swelling, growth, surge, expansion |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | bòrr [bɔːr̪ˠ] = puffed up, swollen, grand, splendid, haughty borrail = swaggering, boastful borranachadh = swelling up, puffing up, frothing at the mouth borraganta = swelling, fierce |
Etymology: unknown
| Manx (Gaelg) | sturd = pride, haughtiness; angry look, menacing look styrdalys = stateliness styrdalaght = pride, stateliness |
|---|
Etymology: unknown
| Manx (Gaelg) | moyrn = pomp, pride, self-conceit moyrnagh = haughty, proud, vain, pompous moyrnee = proud |
|---|
Etymology: unknown
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, Lexicon Cornu-britannicum: A Dictionary of the Ancient Celtic Language of Cornwall, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis, Le dictionnaire diachronique du breton, Geriafurch, English – ProtoCeltic WordList (PDF), Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic