treabh [tro] = farming village treubh [treːv] = tribe
Proto-Brythonic
*treβ [ˈtrɛːβ] = town, settlement
Middle Welsh (Kymraec)
tref [ˈtrɛːβ] = town, settlement trefad, trevad, treuad, treuat = dwelling(-place), habitation trefan, treuan = small town or city, village, dwelling, abode, manor-house, fort
Welsh (Cymraeg)
tre(f) [treː(v)] = town; town centre; dwelling(-place), habitation, residence, home; house (and surrounding land), homestead, farm, estate, cluster of houses; township; tribe trefad = dwelling(-place), habitation, residence, home, region, domain trefaf, trefu= to dwell, live, settle trefan = small town or city, village, dwelling, abode, manor-house, fort
Middle Cornish (Cernewec)
tre, trev = dwelling place, homestead, home, town tregva, trigva = dwelling place, habitation trevedic = one from a country village, a country man, rustic
Cornish (Kernewek)
tre [trɛ:/tre:] = farmstead, home, town, village trigva = abode, address, dwelling, resdidence trigys = settled, to reside, live
Old Breton
treff, treb = town, settlement
Middle Breton (Brezonec)
tre, trev = town
Breton (Brezhoneg)
trev = town trevour = civil
Etymology: From the Proto-Indo-European *treb- (dwelling, settlement) [source].
Words from the same Proto-Celtic root (via Latin) possibly include trobo (beehive, skep) in Galician, and truébanu (beehive, barrel, basket) in Asturian [source].
This is also the root of the archaic English word thorp(e) (a group of houses standing together in the country; a hamlet; a village), which appears in place names such as Milnthorpe and Scunthorpe.
Related words in other languages include Dorf (hamlet, village, town) in German, torp (village) in Danish, torp (farm, cottage, croft) in Swedish, þorp (village, farm) in Icelandic, and trevë (country, region, village) in Albanian [source].
Etymology: possibly from Proto-Celtic *tiger (raid, raiding party) and *-inos (of, pertaining to). *Tigerno(s) may originally have meant something like “the chief of the raiding party” [source].
The name Vortigern from the same roots, as do versions in Welsh, Gwrtheyrn and Breton, Gourziern [source].
Etymology
From the Proto-Indo-European gʷowkólos, from *gʷṓws (cow) and *kʷel- (to revolve, move around, sojourn) [source]. English words from the same roots include beef, bovine, bucolic, buffalo, butter and cow [source].
cloan [klɔːn] = children, descendent, family circle plant = plant plantal = to plant
Old Welsh
plant = children, young people, offspring
Middle Welsh (Kymraec)
plant = children, young people, offspring
Welsh (Cymraeg)
plant [plant] = children, young people, offspring, progeny, descendents, followers, disciples, servants plentyn = child, young person, etc panta(f) = to beget or bear (children), procreate, breed plantaidd = childlike, innocent
Middle Cornish (Cernewec)
plans = plant plansa = to plant
Cornish (Kernewek)
plans = plant plansa = to plant, stick
Middle Breton
plantenn, planten, plantenn = plant, beautiful woman plantenniñ = to take root, to layer planter = planter planterez = planting
Breton (Brezhoneg)
plantenn = plant
Etymology: from the Latin planta (vegetable, sprout, shoot, twig, shrub), possibly from the Proto-Indo-European *pleh₂- (flat) [source]. The Old Irish word cland was borrowed from Old Welsh plant [source]. English words from the same roots include clan (via Irish and/or Scottish Gaelic) and plant (via Middle and Old English) [source].
*bėrɨd [be̝ˈrɨːd] = to flow, carry *ėrβėrɨd [be̝ˈrɨːd] = to make use of, employ, take
Middle Welsh (Kymraec)
beru = to flow
Welsh (Cymraeg)
beru = to flow, drip; drizzle arfer [ˈarvɛr] = to use, be used to, be accustomed to; custom, practice, procedure, habit
Middle Cornish (Cernewec)
berthy = to bear, carry, sustain, entertain, take perthy = to bear, carry, sustain, entertain, take porthy = to bear (with), carry, endure, sustain, suffer
Cornish (Kernewek)
perthi = to bear, endure, put up with, stand, suffer, tolerate perthyans = endurance, patience, tolerance
Middle Breton
beraff = to flow
Breton (Brezhoneg)
berañ [ˈbeːrã] = to drip, flow
Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *bʰéreti (to be carrying), from *bʰer- (to bear, carry) [source]. Words from the same roots include: barn, barrow, (to) bear, birth, broad and (to) thole (to endure) in English, bie (to bring, deliver) Albanian, բերել (berel – to bring, fetch) Armenian, and berti (to throw, strew, scatter, shed) Lithuanian [source].
Etymology: possibly from Proto-Indo-European *tak-, which is also the root of tacit (implied) in English, taire (to be/keep quiet, shut up) in French, and tiga (to keep silent, deliberately ignore) in Swedish [source].
lorg [ˈl̪ˠɔrɔg] = to trace, track, search, pursue, follow by scent or footprints air lorg = on the track of, in search of, found, located lorgadh [l̪ˠɔrɔgɪç] = (act of) discovering, finding lorgaich = track! trace! pry! ferret out! lorgadh [l̪ˠɔrɔgɛrʲə] = detective, detector, finder, tracker lorganach [l̪ˠɔrɔganəx] = sluggard, slowcoach, trail, track meur-lorg = fingerprint
Manx (Gaelg)
lorg = trace, track, trail, vestige, spoor lorgey = to trace, to track, to pursue, pursuit, tracing, trailing, urging lorgaghey = to drive (on/along), to urge on, urging
lerch, lyrch, ler = trace, vestige, footstep war lerch = after
Cornish (Kernewek)
lergh = track, trail, trace a-lergh = lately, recently war-lergh = according to, after, behind
Old Breton (Brethonoc)
lerg = trace, sequel
Middle Breton (Brezonec)
lerch = trace, sequel
Breton (Brezhoneg)
lerc’h [ˈlɛrx] = trace, sequel, continued lerc’h-ouzh-lerc’h = next, right away, successively lerc’henn = postposition dilercʼh = remainder, consequence, delay war-lercʼh = after, behind, because of
Etymology: uncertain [source] or from Proto-Indo-European *lerg- (slippery, even) [source]
Proto-Celtic
*swelos = to turn
Old Irish (Goídelc)
sel = a turn, a while, a spell dessel = sunwise, clockwise túaithbel = anticlockwise, widdershins, lefthandwise
Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg)
sel, seal = a turn, a time, a while dessel, deisell, dessiul = direction of the sun, right-hand course, sunwise, clockwise túaithbel, tuaithbil, tuaithbiul = against the sun, withershins, lefthandwise
Irish (Gaeilge)
seal [ˈʃal̪ˠ] = turn, while, spell, span sealad = turn, while, space of time sealadach = temporary, provisional sealaíocht = (act of) alternating, taking turns, alternation deiseal [ˈdʲeʃəlˠ] = righthand direction, direction of the sun, clockwise, sunwise tuathal [ˈt̪ˠuəhəl̪ˠ] = anticlockwise, counterclockwise
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
seal [ʃal̪ˠ] = while, space of time sealach [ʃal̪ˠəx] = temporary, transient, transitory sealad [ʃal̪ˠəd] = while, period of time sealadach [ʃal̪ˠədəx] = transitional, transitory, caretaker, provisional sealaidheachd [ʃal̪ʲɪjəxg] = course of time, transitoriness, relay sealan [ʃal̪ˠan] = a little/short while deiseal [dʲeʃal] = clockwise, facing south, finished, ready, poised, prepared, handy, dexterous tuathal [tuəhəl̪ˠ] = anticlockwise, counterclockwise, unlucky, ill-omened, confused, agitated, disorien(ta)ted
hoal = age, ascendancy, attractiveness hoal-vat = happiness, prosperity hoalad = career, era, epoc, period hoaladur = delectation hoalat = to seduce, to delight holc’hiñ = to search
Etymology: possibly from Proto-Indo-European *welH- (to turn, revolve). Words from the same roots in English include helicopter, helix, valve, wallow, whelk, and deiseal (clockwise, sunwise – borrowed from Irish) [source]
Words for tree, wood and related things in Celtic languages.
There are various words for tree in the modern Celtic languages. In each language the usual word for tree is different and comes from different roots. Only the Cornish and Breton words are cognate. The usual words for tree are: crann (Irish), craobh (Scottish Gaelic), billey (Manx), coeden (Welsh), gwedhen (Cornish) and gwezenn (Breton).
Proto-Celtic
*kʷresnom = tree, wood
Old Irish (Goídelc)
crann = tree crannchor = casting of lots crannda = wooden
Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg)
crann, crand = tree, wood, timber, staff, pole, plank, beam, spearshaft, mast, steering oar, lot, destiny, fate crannach, cranncha = trees, grove, wooded place crannaige, crannaigi = shaft-trimmer, spearsman crannaigid = to cast lots crannán = small spearshaft crannchor, crannchur = casting of lots crannda, cranda = wooden, made of wood, wooded cranngal, crannghal = timber, wooden structure or object, spear (shaft) crannóc, crandoc = wooden structure, wooden drinking-container; basket, wooden lake-dwelling cranntáball = sling, staff-sling
pren [prɛn] = tree, bush, shrub; timber, wood, wooden; piece of wood, wooden stick; cross, gallows, gibbet prenfol = (wooden) box, chest, coffer, case, coffin preniaf, prennaf, prenio, prennu = to bolt (a door), bar, shut (sb) out prensaer = carpenter
Old Cornish
pren = wood
Middle Cornish (Cernewec)
pren = tree, wood, timber, a piece of wood, a lot prenic = wooden, woody prenne = to fasten with a piece of wood, to bar prennyer = pieces of wood
Cornish (Kernewek)
prenn [prɛn:] = bar, beam, log, timber, (gambling) lot , wooden prenna, predna = to bar, lock prennek = wooden, woody prennlown = plywood prennweyth = woodwork
Old Breton
pren = wood
Middle Breton (Brezonec)
pren, prenn, preen = wood prennaff, prena, prenna = to close, block prennet = to lock
Breton (Brezhoneg)
prenn = wood, piece of wood, fastner prennañ = to close, fasten, shut
Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *kʷres (bush, thicket) [source]. Words from the same roots include hurst (wood, grove – used in placenames, e.g. Lyndhurst) in English, and Horst (eyrie, bush, thicket, small forest) in German [source]
Old Irish (Goídelc)
cráeb / cróeb = tree
Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg)
cráeb, craib = branch, bough, sprig, rod, wand, post, tree, bush cráebach, cræbacha = having branches, branchy, branches
Irish (Gaeilge)
craobh = branch, bough; tree craobhach = branches, branched, branching, flowing, spreading craobhaigh = to branch, ramify, expand, spread craobhóg = small branch, twig, sprig, spray, darling
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
craobh [krɯːv] = tree, bush craobhaich = woody, wooded, full of trees, branching, spreading craobhag [krɯːvag] = small tree craobhadair [krɯːvədɪrʲ] = arborist, tree specialist
Manx (Gaelg)
crouw = stock, bush, dwarf tree, stick, bunch, wide spreading tree, tributary of river
Etymology: unknown, possibly from Proto-Celtic krētros (sieve) [source].
Proto-Celtic
*belyom = tree
Gaulish
*bilia [ˈbi.liaː] = tall tree
Old Irish (Goídelc)
bile [ˈbʲilʲe] = tree, especially a large, ancient, sacred one
Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg)
bile [ˈbʲilʲe] = (large) tree (esp. an ancient and venerated one), tree trunk, mast, scion, hero bilech = abounding in trees, (well-)wooded bileóc, biléog = leaf, leaflet
Irish (Gaeilge)
bile [ˈbʲɪlʲə] = (large, sacred) tree; scion; distinguished person bileog = leaf, letter of freedom (to marry) bileogach = leafy, laminated biliúil = tree-like, stately
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
bile [bilə] = mast; plough; beam; lot (in drawing lots); tree (archaic); cluster of trees, sacred tree/grove bileach = leaf, amount of leaves, leafy tree bileag = blade (of vegetation), board, leaf, leaflet, pamphlet, ticket, label, slip (of paper) bileagach = lipped, billed, bladed, fringed, edged
Manx (Gaelg)
billey = tree, big bush billagh = tree, wooded, woody biljagh = arboreal, wooded billey
bilh, bill = a felled tree trunk, log, lumber, timber bilh-koad = chunk of wood
Breton (Brezhoneg)
bill = trunk
Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *bʰolh₃yo- (leaf), from *bʰleh₃- (blossom, flower) [source]. Words from the same Proto-Celtic root, via Gaulish, include bille (tree trunk, railway sleeper, rolling pin) and billon (a ridge in a ploughed field) in French, bilha (stem, trunk) in Provençal and possibly billa (spigot, faucet, stick) in Galician [source].
Words from the same PIE roots include folio and phyllo / fil(l)o (pastry), phyllomancy (diviniation by leaves) in English, feuille (leaf, sheet) in French, andhoja (leaf, petal, blade) in Spanish [source].
Proto-Celtic
*widus = wood, trees
Old Irish (Goídelc)
fid = tree, wood, letter in Ogham fidchell = a boardgame similar to chess fidrad = trees, a wood
Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg)
fid = tree, wood, timber fidach = wooded, abounding in trees, timber fidchell = a boardgame similar to chess fidrad = trees, a wood, letter (in Oghan)
gwedh, gweydh, gwydh = trees gwedhen, gwedhan = tree gwydhbol = chess
Cornish (Kernewek)
gwydh [gwɪ:ð] = trees gwedhen = tree gwedhek = woodland gwedhlan = arboretum, tree plantation
Old Breton
guid = trees
Middle Breton (Brezonec)
guez, guid, gwyd, gwydh = tree(s)
Breton (Brezhoneg)
gwez [ɡwe] = trees gwezenn = tree gwezeg = wooded gwezek = abounding in trees gwezboell = chess
Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *h₁weydʰh₁-. (tree, beam) [source]. Words from the same roots include wood in English, vid (firewood, wood) in Swedish, and ved (wood) in Danish [source].
coed [koːɨ̯d / kɔi̯d] = forest, wood, trees; shrubs; timber, pieces of wood coeden [koːɨ̯d / kɔi̯d] = tree coedaidd = silvan, arboraceous, woody, wooden coedallt = wooded slope, hillside coedfa = grove, woodland, forest coed(i)ach = shrubs, brushwood, underwood, withered branches coed(i)af), coed(i)o = to prop or timber a pit or shaft coed(i)og = woody, wooded, abounding with trees, silvan coed(i)ol = pertaining to wood or timber, silvan, rustic, wild coedlan = copse, grove, woodland, wooded glade coedwig = forest, wood argoed = trees, forest, surrounding forest
Old Cornish
cuit = wood, forest
Middle Cornish (Cernewec)
coys, coyd, coid = wood, forest
Cornish (Kernewek)
koos [ko:z / ku:z] = forest
Middle Breton (Brezonec)
coat, coet, coët = wood, forest
Breton (Brezhoneg)
koad [ˈkwɑːt] = wood, forest koadadur = afforestation, tree planting koadaj = panelling, woodwork koadeg = wooded, woody koader = to timber, panel, plant trees argoad = groove, copse, wooded
Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *kayt-/*ḱayt- (forest, wasteland, pasture) [source]. Words from the same roots include heath and heather in English, Heide (heath, heathland, woodland, forest) in German, hed (moor, waste land) in Swedish.
