Bishops

26th February 2025 By Simon

A post about words for bishop in Celtic languages.

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

Old Irish (Goídelc)	epscop [ˈebskob] = bishop
Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg)	epscop, espoc, escop = bishop, episcopus, overseer
Irish (Gaeilge)	easpag [ˈɑsˠpˠəɡ / ˈæsˠpˠəɡ / ˈɑsˠpˠək] = bishop easpagóideach = episcopal easpagóideacht = bishopric, episcopacy ardeaspag = archbishop ardeaspagóideacht = archbishopric
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig)	easbaig [esbɪgʲ] = bishop easbaigeach [esbɪgʲəx] = episcopal easbaigeachd [esbɪgʲəx] = episcopacy, bishop’s see, bishopric àrd-easbaig / prìomh-easbaig [aːr̪ˠd esbɪgʲ] = archbishop
Manx (Gaelg)	aspick, aspit = bishop, prelate aspickagh = bishop, diocesan, Episcopalian aspickys = bishopric, diocese, see ard-aspick = archbishop, primate fo-aspick = suffragan
Proto-Brythonic	*eskob = bishop
Old Welsh (Kembraec)	escop = bishop
Middle Welsh (Kymraec)	esgob, escip, escyp, esgyb = bishop, prelate, overseer escobaeth, escopaeth = diocese, see, bishopric, episcopate esgobaut, escobot, esgobot, esgobavt = bishopric, diocese, see, episcopacy, episcopate escopty, esgobty = bishop’s residence or palace, cathedral church, bishopric, diocese archescyp, archescop, archescyb, archesgyb, archescob = archbishop
Welsh (Cymraeg)	esgob [ˈɛskɔb] = bishop esgob(i)aeth = diocese, see, bishopric, episcopate esgobaethu = to perform the duties of a bishop esgob(i)aethol = pertaining to a bishopric, diocesan, containing a cathedral, episcopal, episcopalian esgobaidd = bishop-like, episcopal esgobawd, esgobod = bishopric, diocese, see, episcopacy, episcopate esgobty = bishop’s residence or palace, cathedral church, bishopric, diocese archesgob = archbishop, primate, metropolitan
Old Cornish	escop = bishop
Middle Cornish (Cernewec)	escop, epscop = bishop
Cornish (Kernewek)	epskop, epskobes = bishop epskobeth = bishopric arghepskop = archbishop
Middle Breton (Brezonec)	eskop = bishop
Breton (Brezhoneg)	eskob [ˈeskop] = bishop, plough pin eskobaj = episcopate eskobel = episcopal eskobelezh = episcopacy eskopti [esˈkop.ti] = bishopric, diocese, episcopal palace arc’heskob [arˈɣeskop] = archbishop

Etymology: from Latin episcopus (bishop, overseer), from Ancient Greek ἐπίσκοπος (epískopos – overseer), from ἐπί (epí – over) and σκοπός (skopós – watcher, lookout, guardian). Words from the same roots include episcopal in English, évêque (bishop) in French, episcopo (bishop) in Italian, epíscopo (bishop) in Portuguese, peshkop (bishop, bookworm) in Albanian, and piskopos (bishop) in Turkish [source].

The English word bishop also comes from same roots, via Middle English bischop (bishop), Old English bisċop (bishop) from Proto-West-Germanic *biskop (bishop), from Vulgar Latin (e)biscopus (bishop), from Latin episcopus (bishop, overseer), etc. [source].

Sources: Wiktionary, Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic, In Dúil Bélrai English – Old Irish glossary, eDIL – Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language, Teanglann.ie, Am Faclair Beag, An etymological dictionary of the Gaelic language, Fockleyreen: Manx – English Dictionary, Online Manx Dictionary, Gaelg Corpus, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Lexicon cornu-britannicum : a dictionary of the ancient Celtic language of Cornwall, Gerlyver Kernewek, Devri : Le dictionaire diachronique du breton, Dictionnaires bilingues de Francis Favereau / Edition Skol Vreizh, TermOfis

Bottles

19th February 202519th February 2025 By Simon

Words for bottle and related things in Celtic languages.

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg)	buidél, buidel = bottle
Irish (Gaeilge)	buidéal [bˠɪˈdʲeːl̪ˠ / ˈbˠʊdʲeːlˠ / ˈbˠɪdʲalˠ] = bottle buidéalaí = bottler buidéalaigh = to bottle
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig)	buideal [budʲəl̪ˠ] = bottle buidealair [budʲəl̪ʲɛrʲ] = butler buidealaireachd [budʲəl̪ʲɪrʲəxg] = occupation of a butler boicheal [bɔçəl̪ˠ] = bottle botal [bɔhdəl̪ˠ] = bottle botalaichte [bɔhdəl̪ʲɪçdʲə] = bottled botalaich [bɔhdəl̪ʲɪç] = bottle!
Manx (Gaelg)	boteil = bottle boteilagh = to bottle, bottlelike boteilaghey = bottle, bottling
Middle Welsh (Kymraec)	potel(l), botel(l) = bottle, wineskin, bottleful, drink, medicine
Welsh (Cymraeg)	potel [ˈpɔtal / ˈpɔtɛl] = bottle, wineskin, bottleful, drink, medicine potelaf, potelu = to bottle potelaid = bottleful potelog = characterized by the sound of clinking bottles, pertaining to bottles
Cornish (Kernewek)	botel = abbot botella, botla = to bottle botellas = bottleful boteller = butler
Middle Breton (Brezonec)	boutaill = bottle boutaillat = bottled, bottleful boutoiller = bottler, sommelier
Breton (Brezhoneg)	boutailh [ˈbutːaʎ / ˈbutːalj] = bottle boutailhad [bu.ˈta.ʎ:at] = bottled, bottleful boutailher = bottler, sommelier boutailherezh = office of a sommelier

Etymology from Middle English botel (bottle), from Old French botele (bottle), from Late Latin butticula (bottle, flask), a diminutive of buttis (cask), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *bew-(to swell) [source].

The Welsh and Cornish words come via Middle English, while the words in the other languages come directly from Old French [source].

Words from the same roots include boot, butt (cask, barrel), and butler in English, botte (barrel, cask) in Italian, botte (boot, oppression) in French, botija (jug, vessel) in Spanish, butoi (barrel, cask) in Romanian, and buta (butt, cask, stock, stocky person) in Irish [source].

Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg)	putraic, potraic, puitric = a vessel or bottle for containing liquor
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig)	puitric† = bottle

Etymology maybe from Latin pōtiō (drinking, drink draught, potion), from pōtō (to drink), from Proto-Italic *pōtos (drunk), from Proto-Indo-European *ph₃tós (having been drunk, having drunk), from *peh₃- (to drink) [source].

Words from the same roots include beverage, bibacious, bibulous, imbibe, poison, potable, potion and symposium in English, boire (to drink) in French, potabile (drinkable, potable) in Italian, and beber (to drink, draw from) in Spanish [source].

Irish (Gaeilge)	searróg = stone bottle (of hay or straw)
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig)	searrag = bottle, flask, phial, stoup, cup, bundle of hay soireag [sɔrʲag] = small vessel, small flask/bottle, small vase, small sack
Welsh (Cymraeg)	jar, jâr = jar, hot water bottle
Cornish (Kernewek)	jarrik = jar
Breton (Brezhoneg)	jarl = (clay, earthenware) jar

Etymology possibly from English jar [source], from Middle English jarre (jar), from Medieval Latin jarra (jar), or from Middle French jarre (liquid measure), or from Spanish jarra, jarro (jug, pitcher, mug, stein), all from Arabic جَرَّة (jarra – jar, amphora) [source].

Manx (Gaelg)	costrayl = bottle, jar, leather bottle
Middle Welsh (Kymraec)	costrel, kostrele = flagon, bottle, costrel, skin bottle, keg costreleit, costreled = bottleful, flagonful
Welsh (Cymraeg)	costrel [ˈkʰɔstrɛl] = flagon, bottle, costrel, skin bottle, keg, measure of two quarts costrel win = wine bottle, wine flagon costrelau’r nefoedd = the bottles of heaven, the clouds costrelu, costrelo = to bottle, preserve, treasure costrelaid = bottleful, flagonful costrelan = phial, ampulla, flask costreliad = a bottling costrelig = small costrel, phial, flask costrelwr, costrelydd = one who carries wine or water in bottles, bottle-maker and seller

Etymology from Middle English costrel(le) (any small container or means of storage for liquids; a costrel), from Old French costerel (container for a liquid), from costeret, from costerez, from Latin costa (rib, side, wall), Proto-Italic *ko(n/r)stā- (rib), of uncertain origin. Possibly from Proto-Indo-European *kost- [source]. The French word cotret (bundle of sticks, stick, rod) comes from the same roots [source].

Abbots

14th February 202515th February 2025 By Simon

Words for abbot and related things in Celtic languages.

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

Old Irish (Goídelc)	ap [ab] = abbot, leader, lord
Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg)	ap, abb, abbadh, apid = abbot, pope, lord apdaine = status or office of an abbot or pope
Irish (Gaeilge)	ab [abˠ] = abbot banab, máthairab = abbess abdaine = abbacy
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig)	aba [abə] = abbot ban-aba [ban abə] = abbes abachd [abəxg] = abbey abaid [abɪdʲ] = abbey, abbot abaideachd [abɪdʲəxg] = abbacy
Manx (Gaelg)	abb = abbot, abbey abb-voir, ben abb, moir abb = abbess abbaght = abbacy abban = abbey
Proto-Brythonic	*abad = abbot
Middle Welsh (Kymraec)	abad, abat = abbot abad(i)aeth = abbotship, abbotship, abaty abadaidd = abbatial abades = abbess abbatyr = abbey demesne albate, abattia, abatty = abbey, monastry, priory
Welsh (Cymraeg)	âb [ab] = abbot abad [ˈabad] = abbot abadwr = abbot abad(i)aeth = abbotship, abbotship, abaty abadaidd, abadol = abbatial abades = abbess abadesty = abbey for nuns, convent, nunnery abatir = abbey demesne abaty = abbey, monastry, priory
Middle Cornish (Cernewec)	abat, abbas = abbot
Cornish (Kernewek)	abas [ˈabas / ˈæbɐz] = abbot abasel = abbatial abases = abbess abatti = abbey
Middle Breton (Brezonec)	abat, abbat = abbot abades = abbess
Breton (Brezhoneg)	abad [ˈɑː.bat] = abbot abadez = abbess abadiezh = abbot’s office abati [aˈbatː.i] = abbey abatiaj = the benefit of an abbey

Etymology: from Ecclesiastical Latin abbās (abbot), from Ancient Greek ἀββᾶ(ς) (abbâ(s) – father, abbot), from Aramaic אַבָּא (’abbā – father, ancestor, progenitor, teacher, chief, leader, author, originator), from Proto-Semitic *ʔabw- (father), from Proto-Afroasiatic *ʔab (?) – ultimately an onomatopoeic nursery word [source].

Words from the same roots include abbot in English, abate (abbot) in Italian, abad (abbot) in Spanish, Abat (abbot) in German, opat (abbot) in Czech, ùbā (father, head, leader, patron) in Hausa, abbá (father, chief, director) in Afar, and אַבָּא (ába – dad, papa) in Hebrew [source].

Cressy

7th February 2025 By Simon

Words for cress, watercress, and related things in Celtic languages.

Watercress is a perennial European herb, Nasturtium officinale, that grows in freshwater streams; used in salads and as a garnish, or a similar plant, Nasturtium microphyllum [source].

Cress is a plant of various species, chiefly cruciferous. The leaves have a moderately pungent taste, and are used as a salad and antiscorbutic. [source].

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

Proto-Celtic	*beruros = watercress
Gaulish	berula = cress
Old Irish (Goídelc)	birar = watercress
Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg)	birar, biror, bilar, bilur = watercress biolar Mhuire = brooklime biolar tragha = scurvy-grass birarán = clean-topped cress
Irish (Gaeilge)	biolar [ˈbʲul̪ˠəɾˠ/ˈbʲɨlˠəɾˠ] = cress, watercress biolrach = cressy
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig)	biolair [bjul̪ʲɪrʲ] = cress, especially watercress biolaireach = pertaining to or abouding in watercress
Manx (Gaelg)	burley = cress, watercress
Proto-Brythonic	*berur = cress (?)
Middle Welsh (Kymraec)	berwr, berỽr, berw = cress, watercress
Welsh (Cymraeg)	berwr, berw = cress, watercress
Old Cornish	beler = watercress
Middle Cornish (Cernewec)	beler = watercress
Cornish (Kerneweg)	beleren = cress beleren dhowr = watercress
Old Breton (Brethonog)	beror = cress, watercress
Middle Breton (Brezonec)	beler = cress, watercress
Breton (Brezhoneg)	beler [ˈbeː.lɛr] = cress, watercress belereg / belerid = watercress bed belerek = abounding in watercress

Etymology: from Proto-Celtic berus (spring, well), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰrewh₁- (to boil, brew), or from PIE *bʰréh₁wr̥ (spring, source). Words from the same Proto-Celtic roots, via Gaulish *berulā and Latin berula (a herb: bittercress or waterparsnip) include berle (water parsnip) in French, Berle (water parsnip) in German, and berro (cress, watercress) in Spanish and Galician [source].

Celtiadur

Exploring connections between Celtic languages

Month: February 2025

Bishops

Bottles

Abbots

Cressy