Words for ash, embers, cinders and related things in Celtic languages.
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
| Proto-Celtic | *loutus, *loutwos, *loutwis = ash (from a fire) |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | lúaith = ashes, dust lúaithred = ashes, dust |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | lúaith, luaith = ashes, dust lúaithne, luaithne = speck of ash lúaithred, luaithred = ashes, dust lúaithreda, luaitherda = dusty lúaithremail = ashen lúaithremán = creature of dust |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | luaith [l̪ˠuə(ç) / l̪ˠui̯] = ashes luaitheartha = ashen, dusty luaithghríosach = hot ashes luaithreach = ashes, dust luaithreadán = ashtray luaithreamhán = ashes, heap of ashes luaithrigh = sprinkle with ashes luaithriúil = ashy, ashen Céadaoin an Luaithrigh = Ash Wednesday |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | luath [ˈl̪ˠuə] = ash(es) luaithre [ˈl̪ˠuərʲə] = ash(es), dust luaithreach [ˈl̪ˠuərʲɪç] = ash(es), dust luaithreachadh = (act of) turning to ash luaithreadh = (act of) throwing ashes, turning to dust/ash(es), ash(es), dust luaithrich = turn to ash! |
| Manx (Gaelg) | leoie [ləːi̯] = ash, dross leoireydane = ashtray lorgaghey, shlig-leoie = to drive (on/along), to urge on, urging leoieagh = ashy leoiragh = ashy, dusty |
| Proto-Brythonic | *llʉdw = ash(es) (?) |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | lludu, llvdw, lludw, llutw, llytw = ash(es), cinders, embers lludwaw, llutwaw = to reduce to ashes, burn down, incinerate |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | llwdw, lludu [ˈɬɨ̞dʊ / ˈɬiːdu] = ash(es), cinders, embers, lava, ruins or remains, shattered hopes llwdwo, lludio = to reduce to ashes, burn down, incinerate llwdwog = full of ashes or embers, ashy llwdwol = ash-like, tending to reduce to ashes llwdw du coal dust llwdw sebonog = potash |
| Middle Cornish (Cernewec) | lusow, losow, lidzhu = ashes, or the remains of anything burnt |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | lusu = ash (from a fire) lusuegyn, lujuegyn = ashtray lusuen, lujuen = ember, piece of ash |
| Middle Breton (Brezonec) | ludu = ash |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | ludu [ˈlyːdy] = ash, fertilizer ludua = to buy / look for ash luduan, luduañ = to incinerate ludueg = ashtray, homebody luduek = covered in ash, ashen luduenn = Cinderella luduer = incinerator, ash merchant luduet = reduced to ashes |
Etymology: uncertain, possibly from from Proto-Indo-European *lewh₃- (to wash), or from PIE *lew- (dirt) [source]
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | smál, smól, smúal = ashes, ember, live coal, blemish |
|---|---|
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | smál, smól, smúal, smual = ember, glowing coal, fire, ashes, dross, blemish, taint |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | smól = live coal, ember, smouldering fire; a burnt-out or charred object smólachán = smouldering, charred, material smóladán = snuffers, lamp-scissors |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | smal [smal̪ˠ] = blemish, stain, impurity, spot, speck, smudge smòlach = ember, thrush |
Etymology: uncertain [source], possibly from Proto-Indo-European *melh₂- (to grind, crush). Words from the same roots in include melde (to announce, report, notify), молния (lightning, zip(per)), and Mjǫllnir, Mjollnir (the hammer of the Norse god Thor) [source].
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | smúr = ashes, dust, dross, rust |
|---|---|
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | smúr, smur = dust, dross, rust |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | smúr [ˈsˠmˠuːɾˠ] = ash, dross, dust, rust, soot, grime smúrabhán = soot, lampblack smúrach = dusty, sooty, grimy smúránta = dull, hazy (weather) smúrlach = snout, dirty, grimy face smúrlóg = grimy-faced girl, mudlark |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | smúr [smuːr] = dross, junk, rubbish, particle, blemish, drizzle smúrach [smuːrəx] = dross, junk, rubbish, crumbs, drizzle smúrag [smuːrag] = tiny particle, tiny bit smúran [smuːran] = small particle, mote, an iota, tiny bit (of) |
| Manx (Gaelg) | smarage = cinder, ember, live coal |
Etymology: uncertain, possibly related to smother and smoulder in English, and smeulen (to smoulder) in Dutch [source], which all ultimately come from Proto-Indo-European *(s)meld- (to burn, smoulder, smoke; tar, pitch) [source].
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, Geriafurch, TermOfis