Words for sweet in Celtic languages.
| Proto-Celtic | *melissis, *melisti = sweet |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | milis [ˈmʲilʲisʲ] = sweet |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | milis [ˈmʲɪlʲɪʃ] = sweet, tender, tasty, fresh (water); honeyed (words), flattering milisbhriathrach = sweet-spoken, honey-tongued milisín = sweet morsel militeach = honey-eating miliúil = honey-like, honeyed milseán = sweet, bonbon, candy; sweet dish, dessert milseog = dessert; sweetheart, darling milsigh = to sweeten uisce milis = sweet/fresh water chomh milis le míl = as sweet as honey teange mhilis = flattering tongue briathra milse = honeyed words |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | milis [milɪʃ] = sweet; melodious, musical; flattering aran-milis = gingerbread baine milis = sweet milk, condensed milk buntàta milis = sweet potato, yam coirce-milis = sweet corn, maize slaman-milis = jelly cho milis ris an t-siùcar / cho milis ris a’ mhil = as sweet as honey |
| Manx (Gaelg) | millish = sweet, darling, sugary, dulcet, honeyed, luscious, fruity, balmy bee millish = sweetmeat, sweet feddan millish = recorder, fipple flute focklyn millish = honeyed words fooillagh millish = trifle slumm millish = jelly ushtey millish = fresh water |
| Proto-Brythonic | *melɨs = sweet |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | melys [ˈmɛlɨ̞s/ˈmeːlɪs/ˈmɛlɪs] = sweet, pleasant-tasting, delicious, tasty; not salty, fresh (water); delightful, agreeable, pleasant, charming; sweet-sounding, euphonious, melodious; sweet-smelling, fragrant dant melys = sweet tooth pethau melys = sweets tatws melys = sweet potato |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | melys [‘mɛlɪs/’mɛləʃ] = very sweet, honeyed kleves melys = diabetes |
Etymology
From Proto-Indo-European *mélid (honey)), which is also the root of the English words mildew and mulch [source].
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | chwech [χweːχ/hweːχ] = sweet |
|---|---|
| Cornish (Kernewek) | hweg = sweet, dear, gentle, kind, nice, pleasant, pleasing hweg-oll = darling, delightful, sweetest ys hweg = sweetcorn, maize |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | c’hwek = delicate, tricky, sensitive, tactful, thoughtful, fussy, particular mel c’hwek = sweet honey gwin c’hwek = sweet wine |
The usual Breton word for sweet is dous, which probably comes from the Old French dous (soft, tender), form the Latin dulcis (sweet, fragrant, melodious), from the Proto-Indo-European *dl̥kú- (sweet) [source].
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Teanglann.ie, eDIL – Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis
