Words for trees, wood(s) & forests in Celtic languages.
| Proto-Celtic |
*kʷresnom = tree, wood |
| Gaulish |
prenne = big tree |
| Old Irish (Goídelc) |
crann = tree |
| Irish (Gaeilge) |
crann [kɾˠaun̪ˠ / kɾˠan̪ˠ] = tree; mast, boom, pole; stock, handle; shaft, beam; stick |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) |
crann [kraun̪ˠ] = mast; plough; beam; lot (in drawing lots); tree (archaic) |
| Manx (Gaelg) |
croan = boom, mast, flag pole |
| Proto-Brythonic |
prenn [ˈprenː] = wood, tree |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) |
prenn = wood, tree |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) |
pren [prɛn] = tree, bush, shrub; timber, wood, wooden; piece of wood, wooden stick; cross, gallows, gibbet |
| Old Cornish |
pren = wood |
| Cornish (Kernewek) |
prenn [prɛn:] = bar, beam, log, timber, lot (gambling) |
| Old Breton |
pren = wood |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) |
prenn = wood, piece of wood, antler |
Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *kʷres (bush, thicket) [source].
Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, teanglann.ie, On-Line Manx Dictionary, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionnaire Favereau
| Old Irish (Goídelc) |
cráeb / cróeb = tree |
| Irish (Gaeilge) |
craobh = branch, bough; tree |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) |
craobh [krɯːv] = tree, bush |
| Manx (Gaelg) |
crouw = stock, bush, dwarf tree, stick, bunch, wide spreading tree, tributary of river |
Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, teanglann.ie, On-Line Manx Dictionary
| Proto-Celtic |
*belyom = tree |
| Old Irish (Goídelc) |
bile [ˈbʲilʲe] = tree, especially a large, ancient, sacred one |
| Irish (Gaeilge) |
bile [ˈbʲɪlʲə] = (large, sacred) tree; scion; distinguished person |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) |
bile [kraun̪ˠ] = mast; plough; beam; lot (in drawing lots); tree (archaic) |
| Manx (Gaelg) |
billey = tree, big bush |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) |
pill [bɪɬ] = (tree) trunk, stock, log, branch, pole, stake, post; fortress, castle, stronghold, refuge, sanctuary, safety, strength, force; snatch of song, verse |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) |
bil = trunk |
Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *bʰolyo- (leaf) [source].
Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, teanglann.ie, On-Line Manx Dictionary
| Proto-Celtic |
*widus = wood, trees |
| Old Irish (Goídelc) |
fid = tree |
| Irish (Gaeilge) |
fiodh = tree, wood, timber |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) |
fiodh [fjɤɣ] = wood, timber, wooden, made of wood |
| Manx (Gaelg) |
fuygh = timber, wood |
| Proto-Brythonic |
*gwɨð [ˈɡwɨːð] = wood, trees |
| Old Welsh |
guid = tree |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) |
gwydd = tree |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) |
gwŷdd [ɡwɨːð / ɡwiːð] = tree(s), branches, twigs; forest, woods, shrub(s); lineage, genealogical tree, stock; stem |
| Cornish (Kernewek) |
gwydh [gwɪ:ð] = trees
gwedhen = tree |
| Old Breton |
guid = trees |
| Middle Breton |
guez = trees |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) |
gwez [ɡwe] = trees
gwezenn = tree |
Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *widʰu- (tree, beam) [source].
Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, teanglann.ie, On-Line Manx Dictionary, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionnaire Favereau
| Proto-Celtic |
*kaitos = wood, forest |
| Proto-Brythonic |
*koɨd [ˈkoɨ̯d] = wood, forest |
| Old Welsh |
coit = wood, forest |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) |
coed [koːɨ̯d / kɔi̯d] = forest, wood, trees; shrubs; timber, pieces of wood
coeden [koːɨ̯d / kɔi̯d] = tree |
| Old Cornish |
cuit = wood, forest |
| Middle Cornish |
coys = wood, forest |
| Cornish (Kernewek) |
koos [ko:z / ku:z] = forest |
| Middle Breton |
coat = wood, forest |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) |
koad [ˈkwɑːt] = wood, forest |
Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *widʰu- (tree, beam) [source].
Sources: Wiktionary, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionnaire Favereau
The usual words for tree in the modern Celtic languages are: crann (Irish), craobh (Scottish Gaelic), billey (Manx), coeden (Welsh), gwedhen (Cornish), gwezenn (Breton).
