Words for deceit, treachery, conspiracy and related things in Celtic languages.
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
| Proto-Celtic | *mratrom = deceit, betrayal, treachery |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | mrath [ˈmr͈aθ] = deceiving, betraying marnaid [ˈmar͈n͈ɨðʲ] = to betray, deceive, delude |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | brath = mairnid = to betray, deceive, delude |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | brath [bˠɾˠɑh/bˠɾˠah] = perception, feeling, detection, spying, betrayal, expectation, intention, dependence, reliance braith [bˠɾˠa/bˠɾˠaç] = to perceive, feel, spy out, note, betray, sense, intend, expect, depend on braiteach = perceptive, alert, wary, sensitive, treacherous braistint = perception braiteoir = sensor brathadóir = betrayer, spy, informer |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | brath [brah] = betraying, giving away, betrayal, knowledge brathadair [brahədɪrʲ] = betrayer, informer, traitor brathadh = betraying, giving away, betrayal, treason, informing on brathach [brahəx] = traitorous brathaich = (to) betray, inform on |
| Manx (Gaelg) | brah = betray, disclose, betrayal, disclosure brahder = detector, traitor, betrayer, informer braheyder = betrayer, traitor |
| Proto-Brythonic | *brad = treachery, betrayal, deceit |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | brat, brad = treachery, betrayal, deceit, guile, ruse, conspiracy, treason bradu = to commit treachery, betray, deceive, plot, conspire bradedic = treacherous, deceitful bradaỽc, bradouc, bradog, bradoc = treacherous, deceitful, guileful, false bratwr, bradỽr, bradwr = traitor, betrayer bradychu, bredychu = to betray, be disloyal, deceive |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | brad [braːd] = treachery, betrayal, deceit, guile, ruse, conspiracy, treason bradaf, bradu = to commit treachery, betray, deceive, plot, conspire bradedig = treacherous, deceitful bradog = treacherous, deceitful, guileful, false, traitor, deserter bradwr, bradydd = traitor, betrayer bradwriad = conspiracy bradychu = to betray, be disloyal, deceive, reveal unintentionally |
| Middle Cornish (Cernewec) | bras = conspiracy, plot (?) |
| Cornish (Kerneweg) | bras = conspiracy, plot brasa = to conspire, plot braser, brasores = conspirator, plotter |
| Old Breton (Brethonog) | brat = deception, betrayal |
| Middle Breton (Brezonec) | barat = deception, betrayal |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | barad [ˈbɑː.rat] = deception, betrayal, perfidy baradañ = to betray barader = traitor baraderezh = treachery |
Etymology: from Proto-Celtic marnati (to betray), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *mr̥-né-h₂-ti from *merh₂- (to crumble, destroy), which is also the root of merja (to squash, crush, bruise) in Icelandic [source].
| Proto-Celtic | *brenkā = lie |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | bréc [bʲrʲeːɡ] = lie, falsehood, deception, exaggeration brécach [ˈbʲrʲeːɡax] = lying, false, deceitful brécaid = to deceive, entice, seduce brécairecht = cunning, deceit, deception |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | bréc, brég = falsehood, lie, deception brécach, brégach = lying, deceitful, counterfeit, false, entice, coax brécaid, bréicid = to deceive, lead astray, entice, seduce, decoy brécaire = liar, deceiver, flatterer, hypocrite brécán = plaything, toy |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | bréag [bʲɾʲeːɡ] = lie, falsehood, false; to cajole, coax bréagach [ˈbʲɾʲeːɡəx] = liar, lying, false bréagadh = coaxing, cajolery bréagadóir = liar, deceiver, cajoler, wheedler bréagadóireacht = falsehood, deceit, cajolery, wheedling bréagán [ˈbʲɾʲeːɡɑːnˠ] = toy, plaything bréagchéadfa = hallucination |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | breug [brʲiag] = falsehood, lie, untruth, deceiving, artificial, fake, false breugach [brʲiagəx] = deceitful, dishonest, false, lying breugadair [brʲiagədɪrʲ] = liar breugadh [brʲiəgəɣ] = coaxing, cajoling, enticing, soothing breugag [brʲiagag] = little lie, lying woman breugaireachd [brʲiəgɛrʲəxg] = habit of lying, mendacity |
| Manx (Gaelg) | breag = lie, fallacy, sham, fiction, invention, untruth breagagh = lying, false, imitation, extravagant, fictious, spurious breageraght = equivocation, lying breagerey = liar, romancer, storyteller, dissembler breageyder = fabler, fibber, leg-puller breagerys = lying breigey = to beguile, cajole, coax, entice, decoy, lure, persuade, seduce, wheedle |
Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European bʰrenḱ- from *merh₂- (to deviate, corrupt) [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, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis, English – ProtoCeltic WordList (PDF), Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic
