Words for leather, hide and related things in Celtic languages.
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
| Proto-Celtic | *(ɸ)letros = leather, hide |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | lethar = leather, skin |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | lethar, leathar, lethor [ˈl͈ʲeθər] = skin, leather, hide lethrad = leather harness |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | leathar [ˈl̠ʲahəɾˠ] = skin, hide, leather leathrach = leathern, leathery |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | leathar [l̪ʲɛhər] = leather, leathery, leathern leatharach [l̪ʲɛhərəx] = leathery, like leather, coriaceous leathrachail [l̪ʲɛrəxal] = leathery |
| Manx (Gaelg) | l(h)iare (n.) = leather, leather equipment, strop l(h)iareagh (adj.) = leather, leathern |
| Proto-Brythonic | *lledr = leather |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | lledyr, lledr = leather, parchment, vellum, skin, hide lletrin = made of leather or hide, leathern |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | lledr [ɬɛdr/ˈɬeːdɛr] = leather, parchment, vellum, skin, hide lledro, lledru = to cover with leather, become leathery lledraidd = leathery, tough, coriaceous lledrin = made of leather or hide, leathern lledrwr, lledrydd = leather manufacturer, leather merchant, tanner, currier |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | ledher = leather ledhrek = leathery |
| Old Breton (Brethonoc) | ledr = leather |
| Middle Breton (Brezonec) | lezr = leather |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | lêr/ler [lɛːr] = leather lêran, lêrañ = to garnish with leather lêrek [ˈlɛːrek] = tough lêrenn = strap, belt lêrennan, lêrennañ = to garnish with strips, to tan |
Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *letrom (leather), or from PIE *pél-tro-m, from *pel- (to cover, wrap; skin, hide, cloth). Words for leather and related things in Germanic languages, such as leather in English, Leder in German, leer in Dutch, were possibly borrowed from Proto-Celtic *(ɸ)letros [source].
Words from the same PIE root include fell (skin, hide, pelt), film, pall and pelt in English; vel (skin, hide, fur, pelt) in Dutch; fjäll ([fish / reptile] scale) in Swedish; piel (skin, fur) in Spanish, and peau (skin, hide, fur) in French [source].
For other words for skin, see the Surfaces post on the Celtiadur.
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
