Words for strawberries and related words, in Celtic languages.
| Proto-Celtic | *subhī = strawberries |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | sub = strawberry sub craéb = raspberry |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | sú [sˠuː] = (red) berry sú craobh = raspberry sú talún = strawberry |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | sùbh [suː] = berry, soft fruit sùbh-craobh = raspberry sùbh-craobh ruiteach = salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis) sùbh-làir fiadhain = wild / Alpine strawberry (Fragaria vesca) sùbh nam ban-sìthe = stone bramble (Rubus saxatilis) sùbh-thalmhainn = strawberry |
| Manx (Gaelg) | soo [suː] = berry soo crouw = raspberry soo thallooin = strawberry |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | yssyui / syui / syvi = strawberries |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | syfi(en) [ˈsəvi] = (wild) strawberries syfi coch/gwyllt/bach = wild strawberries syfi gardd = cultivated strawberries) syfïa = to gather (wild) strawberries |
| Old Cornish | syvyen = strawberry |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | sevi(en) = strawberries |
| Old Breton | s(u)iuy = strawberries |
| Middle Breton | siuy = strawberries |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | sivi(enn) = strawberries sivia = to pick strawberries sivi-garzh = wild strawberries |
Etmology: possibly from a non-Indo-European substrate [source]
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | ymevvs / mefys / mefvs / mevys = strawberries |
|---|---|
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | mefus(en) [ˈmɛvɨ̞s / ˈmeːvɪs] = strawberries mefus y goedwig / mefus y coed = wild strawberries |
Etmology: from the Vulgar Latin majusa (“mayberry”), or from the Basque mart (blackberry, bramble), or from the Gaulish *majoþa [source]
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Teanglann.ie, eDIL – Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language, In Dúil Bélrai English – Old Irish glossary, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis, English – ProtoCeltic WordList (PDF)










