Worms & Maggots

Today we’re looking at the words for worm, maggot and related things in Celtic languages.

Earth Worm

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

Proto-Celtic *kʷrimis = worm
Old Irish (Goídelc) cruim [kruṽʲ] = maggot, worm
crumdoma = maggot heap
Middle Irish (Gaoidhleag) cruim, crúim = worm, maggot
crumach = full of reptiles
crumdoma = dunghill
cromóc = maggot
Irish (Gaeilge) cruimh = maggot, larva, grub, tiny insect, worm
crumhóg = maggot
cruimheach = maggoty
cruimheachán = venemous person
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) cnuimh [krɯ̃ĩv] = maggot, grub, worm
cnuimheach [krɯ̃ĩvəx] = maggoty
cnuimheag [krɯ̃ĩvag] = maggot, grub, worm
cnuimhneag [krɯ̃ĩvn̪ˠʲag] = maggot, worm
Manx (Gaelg) crooag = (flesh) worm, grub, maggot, worm
crooagagh = maggoty, wormy
Proto-Brythonic *prɨβ̃ [ˈprɨβ̃] = worm
Old Welsh prem = insect, fly, larva, maggot, grub, worm
Middle Welsh (Kymraec) pryuet, pryf = insect, fly, larva, maggot, grub, worm
pryuyedic = abounding in / infested with worms or maggots
Welsh (Cymraeg) pryf [prɨːv/priːv] = insect, fly, larva, maggot, grub, worm
pryfedaf, pryfedu, pryfedo = to breed worms of maggots, to become infested with worms or maggots
pryfediad = worm or maggot infestation
pryfedig = wormeaten, maggoty
pryfeteg = entomology
pryfiedig = abounding in / infested with worms or maggots
Middle Cornish (Cernewec) pref, prêv, pryf = any small animal, a vermin, an insect, a worm, a reptile
Cornish (Kernewek) pryv, prev = crawling animal, grub, insect, worm, weevil
pryv del = caterpillar
pryv prenn woodworm
pryvladher = insecticide
Middle Breton (Brezonec) preff, preuet, prenvv = worm
Breton (Brezhoneg) preñv = worm
preñvedik = vermiculated
preñvek = vermicular, wormlike, wormy
eneppreñveg, eneppreñvek = wormable

Etymology: from PIE *kʷŕ̥mis (worm) [source]. Words from the same root include cirmenis (maggot, grub) in Latvian, kirmis (worm) in Lithuanian, käärme (snake) in Finnish, کرم (kerm – worm) in Persian, and červ (worm, maggot) in Czech and Slovak [source].

Old Irish (Goídelc) dorb = worm, larva
Middle Irish (Gaoidhleag) dorb = small insect or worm
Irish (Gaeilge) doirb [kɑbʲ/kabʲ] = water beelte
doirbeach = infested with water beetles
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) doirb [dɤrʲɤb] = unspecific term for a small/tiny/insignificant creature (e.g. minnow, worm, leech, small person)
Manx (Gaelg) durrag = cabbage worm, larva of cabbage moth

Etymology: unknown

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, Lexicon Cornu-britannicum: A Dictionary of the Ancient Celtic Language of Cornwall, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis, Le dictionnaire diachronique du breton, Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic

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Water

Words for water and related words in Celtic languages.

Afon Ogwen River

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

Proto-Celtic *dubros = water, dark
*dubrokū = otter (“water dog”)
*dubro-jarā = water-hen
Gaulish Dubra, Uerno-dubrum = names of rivers
Old Irish (Goídelc) dobur [ˈdovur] = water, river
doburchú [ˈdovurˌxuː] = otter (“water dog”)
Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) dobrán = water
Irish (Gaeilge) dobhar = water; flood, torrent; darkness, dullness, obscurity
dobhartha = watery, wet; dull, gloomy.
dobharchú = otter (“water dog”)
dobharchlog = water clock
dobhardhroim = watershed
dobhareach = hippopotamus
dobharlí = water-colour
dobhrán = otter; dull-witted, stupid, person
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) dobhar [do.ər] = water (archaic)
dobhar-chù [do.ərxu] = otter, beaver (“water dog”)
dobhar-lus [r̪ˠɔːhdəx] = (water)cress
dòbhran [dɔːran] = otter
Manx (Gaelg) dooarchoo = otter, beaver (“water dog”)
doour = reservoir, dam
Proto-Brythonic *duβr = water
*düβrgi = otter
Middle Welsh (Kymraec) dwfyr [ˈduvər] = water
Welsh (Cymraeg) dŵr [duːr], dwfr [dʊvr] = water; urine; pus
dyfrgi, dwrgi = otter (“water dog”)
dyfrgiad = watering, irrigation, urination
dyfrio, dyfru = to water, to irrigate, to run, to urinate
dyfrig = dripping, foaming (of a horse)
dyfraidd = aqueous, waterish, aquatic
Cornish (Kernewek) dowr [doʊɹ] = water; river
dowrgi = otter (“water dog”)
dowra = to water
dowrhe = to irrigate
dowrvagh = hippopotamus
dowrliw = water-colour
Middle Breton dour = water
Breton (Brezhoneg) dour [ˈduːr] = water; rain, tears, sweat, saliva
dourgi = otter (“water dog”)
douraerouant = hydra
dourliv, dourlivadur = water-colour
dournijerez = seaplane, flying boat, hydroplane

Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *dʰubrós (dark) from *dʰewb- (deep). The River Douro in Portugual, which is called the Duero in Spain, gets its names from the same Proto-Celtic root, via the Latin Dūrius. The River Dubra in Galicia in the northwest of Spain also gets its name from Proto-Celtic *dubros, as does the English town Dover, and French towns such as Douvres-la-Délivrande in the department of Calvados in Normandy, and Douvres in the department of Ain in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region [source].

Words from the same PIE roots include deep, dip, dope and possibly abyss in English, dubra (puddle) in Latvian, debra (gorge, ravine) in Slovak, debrza (dell, dingle) in Polish, and döpa (to baptize, name, christen) in Swedish [source].

Proto-Celtic *udenskyos = water
Old Irish (Goídelc) uisce [ˈusʲkʲe] = water
Irish (Gaeilge) uisce [ˈɪʃk̟ɪ] = water; rain, tears, saliva
uisceadán = aquarium
uiscebhealach = waterway
uiscedhath = watercolour
uiscedhíonach = waterproof
uisce-obach = watertight
uiscerian = aqueduct
uiscigh = to water, irrigate
uisciú = irrigation
uisce beatha = (Irish) whiskey
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) uisge [ɯʃgʲə] = water; rain; river (in place names)
uisgeadan [ɯʃgʲədan] = aquarium; body of water
uisge-dhath, dath-uisge = watercolour
uisge-dhìonach = waterproof, impervious; watertight
uisgrian = aqueduct
fuar-uisge = cold rain, cold water
slighe-uisge = waterway
uisgich [ɯʃgʲɪç] = to water, irrigate
uisgeachadh [ɯʃgʲəxəɣ] = watering, irrigation
uisge-beatha = (Scottish) whisky
Manx (Gaelg) ushtey [ˈuʃtʲə] = water
ushteydane = aquarium
bollagh ushtey, coorse ushtey, raad ushtey = waterway
ammyr ushtey, droghad ushtey = aqueduct
ushtaghey = to water, irrigate, steep, watering irrigation
ushtey bea = whisk(e)y

Etymology from the Proto-Indo-European *udén, from *wódr̥ (water). The English word whiskey comes from Irish uisce beatha (whiskey), and whisky comes from Scottish Gaelic uisge-beatha (whisky): the former is used in Ireland, England and the USA, while the latter is used in Scotland, Canada and Australia [source].

Words from the same PIE root include water, undulation, inundation and vodka in English, Wasser (water) in German, onda (wave) in Spanish, vanduõ (water, current, flow) in Lithuanian, and woda (water, flood) in Polish [source].

Slieve League / Sliabh Liag

Proto-Celtic *sālos = saltwater
*saleinos = salt
Old Irish (Goídelc) sál [saːl], sáile [ˈsaːlʲe] = salt water, brine, seawater; sea, ocean (poetic)
Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) sál, sal, sāil = the sea, ocean, seawater, brine
Irish (Gaeilge) sáile [ˈsˠɑːlʲə] = sea water, sea, salt water, brine
loch sáile = sea-water loch, lagoon
thar sáile = overseas
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) sàl, sàile = the sea, sea water, salt water
Manx (Gaelg) sailley = salt water
Proto-Brythonic *salī = salt, sea water
Middle Welsh (Kymraec) hely, heli = brine, salt water, pickle, sea-water, sea
Welsh (Cymraeg) hâl [haːl] = salt, salty, saline, akaline
heli = brine, salt water, pickle, sea-water, sea
helïad = a salting, seasoning
helïo = to salt, preserve, pickle, season
helïaidd = salty, briny, saline, brackish
Middle Cornish (Cernewec) hyly = brine, salt water, sea water
Cornish (Kernewek) hyli = salt water
Middle Breton (Brezonec) hili, hyli = brine
Breton (Brezhoneg) hal = salt water, salt
hili = brine, strong sauce

Etymology from the Proto-Indo-European *séh₂ls (salt) [source]. Words from the same PIE root include salt, saline (containing salt, salty) and salad in English, sel (salt) in French, sal (salt) in Spanish, sůl (salt) in Czech, and suola (salt) in Finnish [source].

Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) bùrn [buːr̪ˠn̪ˠ] = (fresh) water, amount of water, (act of) raining
bùrn-éirigh = spring water
bùrn-iarainn = mineral water
bùrn mìn = fine drizzle

Etymology from the Scots burn (a small river), from the Middle English bourne (small stream), from the Old English burne, burna (spring, fountain), from Proto-Germanic *brunnô (stream, brook). the Proto-Indo-European *bʰrun- (a bubbling forth; a fountain, wellspring, source) [source].
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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, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis

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