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].
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
