Words for sky and heaven in Celtic languages.
| Proto-Celtic | *nemos = sky, heaven |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | nem [n͈ʲeṽ] = heaven, sky, radiance |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | neamh [nʲavˠ / n̠ʲavˠ / n̠ʲaw] = heaven, sky, firmament neamhaí [n̪ʲial̪ˠ] = heavenly, celestial; droning, monotonous, apathetic |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | nèamh [n̪ʲɛ̃ːv] = heaven; firmament, the skies nèamhaidh [n̪ʲɛːvɪ] = heavenly, celestial |
| Manx (Gaelg) | niau = heaven niauagh = heavenly, celestial niauoil = divine, heavenly |
| Proto-Brythonic | *neβ̃ [ˈnɛːβ̃] = heaven, sky |
| Old Welsh | nem = heaven |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | new, nym, nef = heaven |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | nef [neːv] = heaven, paradise; God, providence; sky, firmament nef a daear = heaven and earth |
| Old Cornish | nef = heaven |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | nev = heaven |
| Old Breton | nem = heaven |
| Middle Breton | neff = heaven |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | neñv [ˈnẽ(w)] = sky, heaven |
Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *nébʰos (cloud, mist, moisture) [source].
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | spéir [ˈsˠkamˠəl̪ˠ] = sky, |
|---|---|
| Irish (Gaeilge) | spéir [spʲeːɾʲ] = sky, air; airiness, brightness, light; sphere, circle, orbit spéirbhean = beautiful woman, fair lady (‘sky-woman’) spéirghealach = ‘sky-brightness’, starry light spéirghlan = clear-skied spéirghorm = sky-blue spéirléas = skylight |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | speur [sbiər] = the sky, firmament, heavens, heights speur-bhean = beautiful woman (usually in myths) speur glan = clear skies speur-eòlas = star-gazery speur-shiubhal = space travel bàta-speur = airship bun-speura = skyline sgoil-speur = astronomy |
| Manx (Gaelg) | speyr = sky, climate speyr-ghorrym = sky-blue, cerulean speyr-oaylleeaght = aerology speyr voorjeenagh =angry (sky) speyr vreck = mackerel sky corpane speyr(ey) = heavenly body |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | sffêr [neːv] = sphere, ball, globe, heavely body, sphere (of the sky) |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | sphère, sfer = sphere, globe |
Etymology from the Latin sphēra / sphaera (ball, globe, sphere), from the Ancient Greek σφαῖρα (sphaîra – ball, globe) [source].
- Another word for sky, and air, in Welsh is awyr [ˈau̯.ɨ̞r / ˈau̯.ɪr], from the Latin āēr (air)
- The Cornish word sky is ebron
- Another word for sky, and heavens, in Breton is oabl [ˈwɑːpl]
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Teanglann.ie, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionaire Favereau
