Category: Etymology

Noses & Nostrils

By Simon

Words for nose and nostril in Celtic languages.

Proto-Celtic *srognā = nose
Gaulish *srognā = nose, nostril
Old Irish (Goídelc) srón [sroːn] = nose, nostril
Irish (Gaeilge) srón [sˠɾˠoːnˠ] = nose; sense of smell; prow, projection
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) sròn [sdrɔːn] = nose, snout, trunk; promontory; snout (of a glacier); toe (of a shoe)
Manx (Gaelg) stroin [strɛin] = nose, promontory, headland, ness, naze, nose-piece
Proto-Brythonic *froɨn = nose
Middle Welsh (Kymraec) ffroen = nostril
Welsh (Cymraeg) ffroen = nostril; muzzle of a gun, mouth of a cannon, nozzle of a pair of bellows; hole, entrance, opening (of a pipe), cock, spout
Cornish (Kernewek) frig [fri:g] = nostril
Old Breton fron = nostril
Middle Breton froan / fron = nostril
Breton (Brezhoneg) froen = nostril
fri = nose

Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *sregʰ- (snore), from *welH- (to turn, to wind) [source].

Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Teanglann.ie, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionnaire Favereau

Gaulish *trugnā = nose
Welsh (Cymraeg) trwyn [truːɨ̯n / trʊi̯n] = nose, snout; sense of smell
Old Cornish trein = nose
Cornish (Kernewek) tron [tro:n] = nose, point (of land), snout, tunnel

Sources: Wiktionary, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

Hair

By Simon

Words for hair in Celtic languages.

Proto-Celtic *woltos = hair
Old Irish (Goídelc) folt [fol͈t] = hair
Irish (Gaeilge) folt = hair, locks, tresses
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) falt [fal̪ˠd] = hair, locks, ringlets, tail
Manx (Gaelg) folt [folt̪] = hair
Proto-Brythonic *gwolt = hair
Welsh (Cymraeg) gwallt [ɡwaːɬt / ɡwaɬt] = hair
Old Cornish gols = hair
Cornish (Kernewek) gols [gɔlz] = hair
Old Breton guolt = hair

Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *woltos (hair), from *welH- (to turn, to wind) [source].

Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Teanglann.ie, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionnaire Favereau

Old Irish (Goídelc) grúac = hair
Irish (Gaeilge) gruaig [ɡɾˠuəɟ] = hair (mass), locks (of hair)
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) gruag [gruəg] = hair (esp. of female), wig, head of hair, lock of hair
Manx (Gaelg) gruag = hair

Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Teanglann.ie

Welsh (Cymraeg) blew = hair, hairs, bristles, fur; small fish bones; blade of grass
Old Cornish bleu = hair
Cornish (Kernewek) blew [blɛˑʊ] = hair
Old Breton bleuou = hair
Breton (Brezhoneg) blev = hair, bristles, fish bones

The words most commonly used for hair are: gruaig (Irish), falt (Scottish Gaelic), folt (Manx), gwallt (Welsh), gols (Cornish), blev (Breton).

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

Sources: Wiktionary, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionnaire Favereau

Fists, Palms, Hands & Arms

By Simon

Words for fist, palm, hand & arm in Celtic languages.

Proto-Celtic *ɸlāmā = palm, hand
Old Irish (Goídelc) lám [l͈aːṽ] = hand, arm, prowess, accomplishment, power
Irish (Gaeilge) lámh [l̪ˠɑːvˠ / l̪ˠæːw] = hand, arm, handle, signature, measure (of horses)
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) làmh [l̪ˠaːv] = hand, arm, handle
Manx (Gaelg) laue [læu] = hand, handful, foreleg, grasp (of oar), arm
Proto-Brythonic *lọβ̃ [ˈlɔːβ̃] = palm, hand
Old Welsh lau = hand
Middle Welsh (Kymraec) llaw = hand
Welsh (Cymraeg) llaw [ɬaːu̯ / ɬau̯] = hand; authority, control, rule, management, power; ownership, possession; influence; agency, instrumentality, part; guardianship, keeping, custody, care, protection; side, direction, position; skill, touch
Old Cornish lof = hand
Cornish (Kernewek) leuv [lœ:v / le:v] = hand
Old Breton lom = hand
Middle Breton lau = hand

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *pl̥h₂meh₂ (palm, hand) [source].

Proto-Celtic *bostā = palm, fist
Gaulish *bostyā = palm, fist
Old Irish (Goídelc) bos / bas = palm
Irish (Gaeilge) bos = palm (of hand); handful; slap; flat end, blade
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) bas [l̪ˠaːv] = hand, arm, handle
Manx (Gaelg) bass = palm, flat of hand, blade of oar, scale pan, bass
Proto-Brythonic *bos [ˈbos] = hand
Old Welsh bos = palm
Middle Welsh (Kymraec) bos = palm
Welsh (Cymraeg) bos = palm (of the hand), unit of length
Cornish (Kernewek) bas [ba:z / bæ:z] = shallow
Middle Breton boz = hollow of the hand
Breton (Brezhoneg) boz [ˈboːs] = hollow of the hand

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

Etymology: possibly from the Proto-Indo-European *gʷésdos (branch) [source]. The Middle Latin word bostia (small box, reliquaire was borrowed from the Gaulish *bostyā, and became bostellus (bushel), the root of the French word boisseau (bushel, hollow cylinder), and the English word bushel [source].

Old Irish (Goídelc) rig = forearm
Irish (Gaeilge) rí [d̪ˠoːɾˠn̪ˠ] = forearm
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) ruighe [r̪ˠujə] = plain; forearm
Manx (Gaelg) roih = arm, forearm

Etymology: possibly from the Old Irish *reg (to stretch) [source].

Welsh (Cymraeg) braich [brai̯χ] = arm
Cornish (Kernewek) bregh [brɛ:x /bre:ʰ] = arm
Breton (Brezhoneg) brec’h = hand

Etymology: from Latin bracchium (hand) [source].

Proto-Celtic *durnos = fist
Old Irish (Goídelc) dorn = fist
Irish (Gaeilge) dorn [d̪ˠoːɾˠn̪ˠ] = fist; punch; fistful, small quantity; handle, grip
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) dòrn [dɔːr̪ˠn̪ˠ] = fist; punch; hilt; handle
Manx (Gaelg) doarn = fist, pad, sword handle, grip
Welsh (Cymraeg) dwrn = fist, hand, paw; hilt, handle, haft, pommel; knob
Cornish (Kernewek) dorn [dɔrn] = fist, hand, handle
Breton (Brezhoneg) dorn [ˈdɔʁn] = hand, fist

Etymology: probably loaned from a non-Indo-European substrate language [source].

palm

Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, MacBain’s Dictionary, In Dúil Bélrai English – Old-Irish Glossary, teanglann.ie, On-Line Manx Dictionary, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionnaire Favereau, TermOfis

Bones

By Simon

Words for bones and related things in Celtic languages.

Bones

Proto-Celtic *knāmis = bone
Old Irish (Goídelc) cnáim [knaːṽʲ] = bone
Irish (Gaeilge) cnámh [knɑːvʲ / knaːvʲ] = bone; strip (in ploughing); submerged reef
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) cnàimh [krɛ̃ːv] = bone; unploughed area
Manx (Gaelg) craue [kreːw] = bone, whine, wild garlic, crow
Middle Welsh (Kymraec) knaw [knau̯] = bone, skull
Welsh (Cymraeg) cnaw [knau̯] = bone, skull

Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *kónh₂m (leg) [source]. Words from the same root include ham in English and κνήμη [ˈknimi] (shin, tibia) in Greek [source].

Proto-Celtic *astū = bone
*astn(iy)o- = rib
*astkornu = bone
Old Irish (Goídelc) asna, esna = rib
Irish (Gaeilge) easna [ˈɑsˠn̪ˠə] = rib, strake, timber
easnach = costal, ribbed
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) asna [asn̪ˠə] = rib
aisean [aʃən] = rib
Manx (Gaelg) asney [kreːw] = fin, nerve, rib, timber
Proto-Brythonic *assī = rib
Middle Welsh (Kymraec) eis / asseu / assen = rib
Welsh (Cymraeg) asen = rib, breast, bosom; bar, spar, lath
ais [ai̯s] = ribs, laths
asennog = ribbed
asgwrn = bone; mortal remains, corpse, skeleton; stone (of fruit)
Middle Cornish (Cernewec) asow, asen = rib
ascorn = bone
asgornec = bony
Cornish (Kernewek) asowen = rib
askorn [‘askɔrn / ‘æskɐrn] = bone
askornek = skinny
Breton (Brezhoneg) askorn [ˈla.ɡat] = bone
askornek = bony

Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *h₃ésth₁ (bone) [source]. Words from the same root include ossify (to transform into bone) and ossuary (a container/building for holding bones) in English, asht (bone) in Albanian, os (bone) in Latin and its descendents in Romance languages, such as os (bone) in Catalan, French and Romanian, and hueso (bone) in Spanish [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, Gerlyvyr Cernewec, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis, Le dictionnaire diachronique du breton, Geriafurch, English – ProtoCeltic WordList (PDF), Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic

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Hearing, fame & renown

By Simon

Words for hearing, fame & renown in Celtic languages.

Proto-Celtic *klowos = hearing, fame, renown
Old Irish (Goídelc) clú [kluː] = fame
Irish (Gaeilge) clú [klˠuː] = reputation, honour, renown
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) cliù [kluː] = reputation, repute, fame, renown, prestige; credit; glory, praise
Manx (Gaelg) goo = reputation, word, voice
Welsh (Cymraeg) clyw [ˈklɨu̯ / ˈklɪu̯] = hearing, earshot
Cornish (Kernewek) klew [klɛˑʊ] = hearing
Breton (Brezhoneg) klev = hearing

Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *ḱléwos (fame), from *ḱlew- (to hear) [source].

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Teanglann.ie, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionnaire Favereau

Ears

By Simon

Words for ears in Celtic languages.

Proto-Celtic *kloustā = ear
Old Irish (Goídelc) clúas = ear, hearing
Irish (Gaeilge) cluas [klˠuəsˠ] = ear; ear-shaped object; lug, handle; cleat; tab; corner, margin
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) cluas [kl̪ˠuəs] = ear, lug; handle; clew (of a sail) ; flyer bearing (of a spinning wheel)
Manx (Gaelg) cleaysh [kleːʃ] = ear, cleat, handle, lug, top corner of net, corner of sail
Proto-Brythonic *klʉst = ear
Welsh (Cymraeg) clust [klɨːst / klɪst] = ear, sense of hearing, attention, willingness to listen; handle of a vessel, tag of a boot, top part of a bell; creek or inlet; auricle (of the heart)

Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *ḱlow-steh₂, from *ḱlew- (to hear) [source].

Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Teanglann.ie, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru

Welsh (Cymraeg) ysgyfarn = ear
Old Cornish scouarn = ear
Cornish (Kernewek) skovarn [‘skɔvarn / ‘skɔvɐrn] = ear, handle (of jar)
Old Breton scobarn = ear
Breton (Brezhoneg) skouarn [skwaʁn] = ear; gills; handle (of vase); moldboard (of plow)

Sources: Wiktionary, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionnaire Favereau

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

Legs & Feet

By Simon

Words for legs and feet in Celtic languages.

Proto-Celtic *koxsā = foot, leg
Old Irish (Goídelc) cos(s) [kos] = foot, leg
Irish (Gaeilge) cos [kɔsˠ] = leg, foot; handle, shaft, stem; lower end
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) cas [kas] = foot, trotter; leg; handle, shaft shank (of a fishing hook
cos [kɔs] = foot, leg, handle, shaft
Manx (Gaelg) cass [kaːs] = leg, barrel, foot, shaft, peg, bottom, outlet, mouth of river, stalk, hilt, stem of pipe, crop of whip
Proto-Brythonic *koɨs = leg, shank, stem
Welsh (Cymraeg) coes [koːɨ̯s / kɔi̯s / koːs] = leg, shank; handle, haft, stem (of pipe); stalk, stem

Etymology
From Proto-Indo-European *koḱs- (joint) [source].

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Teanglann.ie, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru

Proto-Celtic *tregess = foot
Gaulish treide = foot
Old Irish (Goídelc) traig [traɣʲ] = foot (part of body / measurement), step
Irish (Gaeilge) troigh [t̪ˠɾˠɪɟ / t̪ˠɾˠɔ / t̪ˠɾˠiː] = foot (part of body / measurement), step
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) troigh [trɔç] = foot (part of body / measurement), sole of foot
Manx (Gaelg) trie [strɛin] = sole, twelve inches, foot
Middle Welsh (Kymraec) troet = foot
Welsh (Cymraeg) troed [troːɨ̯d / trɔi̯d] = foot; shaft, handle; bottom, base, pedestal, foundation, extremity, end; stalk; foot-joint
Old Cornish truit = foot
Middle Cornish troys / tros = foot
Cornish (Kernewek) troos [tro:z / tru:z] = foot, on foot
Old Breton troat = foot
Middle Breton troat = foot
Breton (Brezhoneg) troad = foot, handle

Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *tregʰ- (to run, walk), apparently a variant of *dʰregʰ- (to run) [source].

Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Teanglann.ie, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionnaire Favereau

Sacks, bags & stomachs

By Simon

Words for sack, bag, stomach in Celtic languages.

Belly up

Proto-Celtic *bolgos = sack, bag, stomach
Gaulish *bolgā = sack, bag, stomach
Old Irish (Goídelc) bolc = belly, stomach; bag, satchel; bellows
Irish (Gaeilge) bolg [ˈbˠɔlˠəɡ] = belly, stomach, abdomen; bag; bulge, broad part, middle; bellows
bolgach = big-bellied, bulging
bolgadán = corpulent person or animal
bolgán = bubble, bulb, air-bladder (of fish), puff-ball, windbag (of person)
bolgchaint = ventriloquism
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) bolg [bɔl̪ˠɔg] = blister, bulge, (light) bulb
bolgach = abounding in bags/blisters, bellied, bulging, jutting, knobby
bolgadh = billowing, puffing up/out, ballooning, swelling
bolgan = (plant) bulb, lightbulb
Manx (Gaelg) bolg [bolɡ] = stomach, abdomen, belly, tummy, corporation, bilge, bowl (of lamp)
bolgagh = abdominal, bellied, billowy, blisterm bulging, puffy
bolgan = bladder, blister, sac, vesicle, bubble
Proto-Brythonic *bolɣ = sack, bag, stomach
Old Welsh bolg = belly, stomach
Middle Welsh (Kymraec) bol, boly = belly, stomach
Welsh (Cymraeg) bol = belly, paunch, abdomen, stomach, bowels; tripe; appetite, desire, gluttony, liking; womb; swelling, bulge, surface, side
bolio = to gorge, belly, swell, bulge, swagger
boliog = (big-)bellied, corpulent, swollen, bulging, pregnant
Cornish (Kernewek) bolgh [bɔlx] = breach, gap, opening
bolghen = boll, capsule
Middle Breton bolc’h = flax pod
Breton (Brezhoneg) bolc’h = flax pod

Etymology
From Proto-Indo-European *bʰólǵʰ-os (skin bag, bolster), from *bʰelǵʰ- (to swell) [source].

English words from the same PIE root include bellows, belly, and bolster, via Old English and Proto-Germanic, billow via Old Norse and Proto-Germanic, foolish and folly via Old French and Latin [source], and bulge, budge and budget via Old French, Latin and Gaulish [source].

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Teanglann.ie, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionnaire Favereau

Lips, Mouths & Throats

By Simon

Words for lip, mouth & throat in Celtic languages.

Proto-Celtic *wewlos = lip
Old Irish (Goídelc) bél [bʲeːl] = lip, mouth, opening
Irish (Gaeilge) béal [bʲia̯l̪ˠ / bʲeːlˠ] = mouth, opening, entrance, lip, edge, sound, front, face, beginning
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) beul [bial̪ˠ] = mouth, beginning, opening, edge, gunwale, oral
Manx (Gaelg) beeal [ˈbiəl] = mouth, muzzle, rictus, flue, outlet, orifice, cone, crater, rim, approach, passage
Proto-Brythonic *gweβl = lip
Welsh (Cymraeg) gwefl = lip (of an animal), jaws, chaps
Cornish (Kernewek) gwevel = lip
Breton (Brezhoneg) guefl = lip

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Teanglann.ie, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Dictionnaire Favereau

Proto-Celtic *moniklo- = neck
Old Irish (Goídelc) muinél = neck, narrow part
Irish (Gaeilge) muineál [ˈmˠɪnɑːl] = neck
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) muineal [mun̪ʲəl̪ˠ] = neck
Manx (Gaelg) mwannal [ˈmonal] = neck
Welsh (Cymraeg) mwnwgl = neck

Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Teanglann.ie, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru

Welsh (Cymraeg) gwddf [ɡʊðv / ˈɡuːðu] = neck, crag; throat
gwddw [ˈɡʊðʊ / ˈɡuːðu] = neck, crag; throat
gwddwg [ˈɡuːðu / ˈɡuːðuɡ] = neck, crag; throat
Old Breton guodoc = throat, neck
Breton (Brezhoneg) gouzoug = throat, neck

Sources: Wiktionary, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Dictionnaire Favereau

Welsh (Cymraeg) ceg [keːɡ] = throat, gullet, windpipe, neck; mouth, opening, entrance; roup, pip; thrush

Sources: Wiktionary, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru

Heavy

By Simon

Words for heavy in Celtic languages.

Proto-Celtic *trummos = heavy
Old Irish (Goídelc) trom = heavy, severe, grievous, difficult; sad, sorrowful; great, vast, powerful, mighty
Irish (Gaeilge) trom [t̪ˠɾˠuːmˠ] = heavy; stodgy, hard to digest; dense, thick; abundant; laborious; weight, burden, oppression; bulk, preponderance; importantance; blame, censure
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) trom [trɔum] = heavy; weighty, ponderous; pregnant; deep, profound; oppressive (mood); mournful, melancholic; burden, weight
Manx (Gaelg) trome [t̪roːm] = heavy, difficult, grave, substantial, weighty, deep, sweated, emphatic, hard, gruelling, harsh, high pressure, sledge-hammer, rough of sea, steep, expectant, ponderous, severe, expecting, bold, close (oppressive), intense, grievous, pregnant, stodgy, heavyweight, with child, dense
Proto-Brythonic *trumm = heavy
Welsh (Cymraeg) trwm [trʊm] = heavy, solid, bulky, large, thick; (heavily) pregnant; intense, severe, hard, excessive; extensive, plentiful; boring, abstruse; close, muggy, oppressive, lowering (weather)

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

Etymology
From Proto-Indo-European *trewd– (thrust, press) [source]

Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Teanglann.ie, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru