Words for hen, chicken and related things in Celtic languages:
| Proto-Celtic | *kerkā = hen |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | cerc [kʲerk] = hen, female bird |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | cerc [kʲerk] = hen, female bird |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | cearc [kaɾˠk] = hen, female bird cearcach = gallinaceous (relating to, or resembling the domestic fowl) |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | cearc [kʲɛrxg] = hen, chicken; poultry; female crab or lobster cearc-uisge = moorhen cearc-Fhrangach = turkey cearc-fhraoich = female red grouse, moorhen cearcach = of, or belonging to a hen or hens |
| Manx (Gaelg) | kiark = fowl, hen, hen bird, female bird kiark |
Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *ḱer- (to grow, nourish) [source]. These words are possibly related to words for heron and crane in Celtic languages.
English words from the same root include cereal, create, increase, creature, crew and crescent [source].
| Proto-Celtic | *yarā = chicken |
|---|---|
| Gaulish | Iaros = personal name |
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | eirín = pullet, young hen |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | eréne, éirín(e) = chicken, chick, pullet |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | eireog = pullet, chicken; young girl, tiny woman |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | eireag [erʲag] = pullet, young chick(en) (between 8 months and 1 year old) |
| Manx (Gaelg) | earrag = pullet, poult |
| Old Welsh | iar = hen |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | yar = hen yeyr, yeir = domestic fowls, chickens yares = flock of chichens ieirdy = hen-house, hen-coop |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | iâr [jaːr] = hen, hen-bird ieir = domestic fowls, chickens iarbren = perch for hens, hen-roost iardy, ieirdy = hen-house, hen-coop iares = flock of chichens iargyw = chichen, young fowl ieirwr = poulterer |
| Middle Cornish (Cernewec) | iar, yar = hen, female bird |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | yar = chicken, hen yar frankres = free-range hen yar gowellys = battery hen yar Gyni = turkey bregh/brygh yar = chicken pox yarji = chichen coop, hen house |
| Middle Breton (Brezonec) | yar, iar = chicken, hen |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | yar = chicken, hen |
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, Gerlyvyr Cernewec, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis, Le dictionnaire diachronique du breton, Geriafurch, English – ProtoCeltic WordList (PDF), Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic
