Words for bone marrow, pith and related things in Celtic languages.
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
| Proto-Celtic | *smerus = marrow |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | smir = marrow |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | smir, smiur = marrow smirammair = marrow-tub, apparently a bath of marrow from crushed bones used in the treatment of wounded warriors smirchomairt = marrow-mash, a mixture or extract of pounded marrow smirde = belonging to the marrow |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | smior [ˈsˠmʲɪɾˠ / ˈsˠmʲɛɾʲ] = marrow, pith, essential part, quintessence smiorúil = marrowy, medullary, lively, spirited, manly smiorúlacht = liveliness, spiritedness, manliness |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | smior [smir] = marrow, pith, best part (of anything), the stuff of, stamina, vigour smior cnàmha = bone marrow smiorach [smirəx] = lively person, lad, young man; pertaining to or abounding in marrow, pithy smiorail [smiral] = mettlesome, plucky, hardy, vigorous, smart smioralachd [smirəl̪ˠəxg] = briskness, liveliness, courage, manliness smiorsadh [smir̪ˠsəɣ] = vim, pep |
| Manx (Gaelg) | smuir = marrow, medulla smuirr = fat, marrow smuiragh = greasy, marrowy smuirragh = marrowy, medullary |
| Proto-Brythonic | *mer = marrow (?) |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | mêr, mer = (bone) marrow, fibers or pith (of plant), sap, hemp, best or essential part, quintessence, essence, soul, heart, centre, middle, depth, (source of) strength |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | mêr [meːr] = (bone) marrow, fibers or pith (of plant), sap, hemp, best or essential part, quintessence, essence, soul, heart, centre, middle, depth, (source of) strength meraidd = marrowy, medullar(y), merbys = marrowfat peas |
| Middle Cornish (Cernewec) | maru = marrow |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | mer = marrow |
| Middle Breton (Brezonec) | mel = marrow |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | mel [meːl] = marrow, sap mel-penn = brain |
Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *smérus (grease), from *smer- (to anoint) [source]. Words from the same roots include medulla (pith, marrow) and smear in English, moelle (marrow, pith, spinal cord) in French, smeer (smear) in Dutch, smör (butter) in Swedish [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, Geriafurch, TermOfis