Words for to melt and related things in Celtic languages.
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
| Proto-Celtic | *tāyo = to melt *tādeti = to melt (away) *tāmus = (?) |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | tám = plague, pestilence, stupor, swoon tinaid = to melt |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | tám, támh, tamh = plague, pestilence, swoon, stupor, unconsciousness, death tinaid = to melt, to vanish |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | támh = plague, pestilence, (aiterary), swoon, trance, stupor, rest, silence, lethargy, apathy, idleness támhach = comatose, torpid, lethagic, sluggish, inert, feeble támhán = sleepy person, sluggard támhnéal = swoon, trance |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | tàmh = dwelling, residing, inhabiting, ease, rest, repose, quieting tàmh-neul = slumber, swoon, trance, ecstasy |
| Manx (Gaelg) | taaue = idle, inert, passive, leisured taaue-neeal = coma, trance |
| Proto-Brythonic | *tọðɨd = to thaw |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | taỽd, tawd, tawdd = molten, melted, liquid todi, toddi = to melt, to liquefy, to thaw, to dissolve, to fuse, to blend todedyc, toddedig = melted, melting, molten, dissolved toddiant = solution, molten substance, a melting toddudd, todhwr = melter (of metal), founder, caster, smelter |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | tawdd [tau̯ð] = molten, melted, liquid toddi [ˈtɔðɪ / ˈtoːði] = to melt, to liquefy, to thaw, to dissolve, to fuse, to blend toddaid = melted, molten, liquid toddbot, tawddbot = melting-pot, crucible todd-dy, tawdd-dy = foundry, melting-house toddedig = melted, melting, molten, dissolved toddiant = solution, molten substance, a melting toddwr, toddydd = melter (of metal), founder, caster, smelter |
| Middle Cornish (Cernewec / Kernuak) | tedha = to melt, to thaw, to dissolve, to liquefy, to become melted |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | teudh = molten teudha, teudhi = to dissolve, to melt, to thaw teudhans = solution teudherigva = fuse box teudherik = fuse teudhji = smelting house teudhla = foundry |
| Old Breton (Brethonoc) | todint = to melt |
| Middle Breton (Brezonec) | teuz = melting, smelting teuzer = founder, foundry, smelter teuzyff, teuzi = to melt |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | teuz [ˈtøːs] = melting, smelting teuzadenn = fussion, fondant (pastry) teuzenn = fusible, fusion, molten, melting teuzer = founder, foundry, smelter, melter, foundryman teuzerc’h = melted snow teuzerezh = foundry teuziñ [ˈtøː.(z)ĩ] = to dissolve, to melt (away), to dissipate teuzus [ˈtøː.zys] = melting, fuse |
Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *teh₂- (to melt, to flow, to stream) [source]. Words from the same roots include to thaw in English, dooien (to thaw, melt) in Dutch, tauen (to digest, process) in German, töa (to thaw) in Swedish [source].
The Goidelic words may or may not be related to the Brythonic languages, but they probably all come from the same PIE root.
| Proto-Celtic | *legeti = to melt, dissolve |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | legaid [ˈl̠ʲe.ɣəðʲ] = to melt, dissolve |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | legaid, legad, legtha = to melt (away), dissolve, wear away, perish, crumble, smelt, distroy, wipe out legtha, leaghtha = molten, melted coimlega(i)d = to melt together fo-lega = to spread, blot |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | leáigh [lʲɑːɟ / l̠ʲɑː / l̠ʲeːj] = to melt, fade away leádóir = melter leádóireacht = (act of) melting leáiteach = melting, dwindling, pale, wan |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | leagh [l̪ʲɤɣ] = melt, defrost, dissolve, become liquid, liquidate leaghach [l̪ʲɤɣəx] = soluble, meltable leaghadair [l̪ʲɤɣədɪrʲ] = melter, smelter leaghagh [l̪ʲɤ.əɣ] = (act of) melting, defrosting, dissolving, liquidating leaghta [l̪ʲɤɣdə] = melted, molten, defrosted, dissolved, liquidated |
| Manx (Gaelg) | lheie = melt, smelt, fuse, dissolve, digest, liquefy lheieagh = melting, soluble, digestive lheieder = melter, smelter lheiht = melted, molten, smelted, digested |
Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *leg- (to leak) [source]. Words from the same roots include lake, leach and leak in English, lekken (to leak, be leaky) in Dutch, leka (to drip, dribble, leak) in Norwegian, lecken (to lick) in German, lækur (brook, stream) in Icelandic, llaith (damp, moist, humid) in Welsh, leyth (humid, moist) in Cornish, and leizh (humid) in Breton [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

