Words for shield and related things in Celtic languages.
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
| Proto-Celtic | *skētos = shield |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | scíath [skaːθ] = shield |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | scíath, sciath, sgéithe = shield, buckler, fighting-man, warrior, protection, defence, safeguard, protector, guardian |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | sciath = shield, protection, cover, protector, screen sciathach = having/bearing a shield, left-handed sciathbhrat = (safety) screen sciathóg = shield-shaped basket, container or lid made of plaited osiers or straw |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | sgiath [sgʲiə] = shield sgiathach [sgʲiəhəx] = abounding in shields sgiathag [sgʲiəhag] = little shield sgiathachan [sgʲiə.əxan] = lid |
| Manx (Gaelg) | skaa, skae = shield |
| Proto-Brythonic | *skuïd = shield (?) |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | ysgwyt, ysgwyd, yscwyd, yscwyt, ysgỽyt = shield, buckler, escutcheon, defender, protection, refuge yscwydaỽc = (one) bearing a shield |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | ysgwyd = shield, buckler, escutcheon, defender, protection, refuge (y)sgwydog = (one) bearing a shield |
| Middle Cornish (Cernewec) | scos = shield |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | skoos = shadow, reflection |
| Middle Breton (Brezonec) | scoet = shield, escutcheon, badge |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | skoed [ˈskweːt] = shield, escutcheon, badge skoedad = shield strike skeudus = rich in coins |
Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *skeyt-, from *skey- (to cut separate) [source]. Words from the same root include escutcheon (a coat of arms) in English, shqyt (shield) in Albanian, écu (shield) in French, щит (shield, sluice-gate, panel, tortoise-shell) in Russian, and escudo (shield, old Portuguese currency) in Portuguese [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