Words for birch (genus Betula) in Celtic languages.
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
| Proto-Celtic | *betwiyos / *betuyā = birch (tree) |
|---|---|
| Gaulish | betulla, *bitu, *betua = birch |
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | beithe = birch (tree) |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | beithe. beith = birch tree, birch wood, the letter b in Ogham (ᚁ) beithech = birch land, grove of birch beithe-luis(-nin) = Ogham alphabet (ᚁᚂᚅ) – named after the first few letters |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | beith = birch (tree), letter B in Ogham (ᚁ) beith gheal = silver birch (Betula pendula) beitheach = covered or planted with birches |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | beithe [behə] birch, the letter B in Ogham, birch wood/forest beith-gheal = silver birch beith luis nuin = ABC |
| Manx (Gaelg) | beih = birch (tree) beih argid = silver birch beihagh = birch, birchen |
| Proto-Brythonic | *bedu = birch (tree) |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | bedw, bedỽ = birch bedwen = birch tree bedwaỽt = song of the birch, song of good omen betuerỽ = birch grove, place abounding with birch trees betguos, bedwes = birch grove |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | bedw [ˈbɛdʊ / ˈbeːdu] = birch, birch grove, maypole, birch-rod bedwen = birch tree bedw arian = silver birch bedwerw = birch grove, place abounding with birch trees bedwos, bedwes = birch grove |
| Old Cornish | bedewen = birch |
| Middle Cornish (Cernewec) | bedewen = birch tree, poplar tree, aspen tree |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | besow = birches besowen = birch (tree) besow arghas = silver birch |
| Old Breton (Brethonoc) | bedu = birches beduan = birch |
| Middle Breton | bezu = birches bezuenn = birch |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | bezv [ˈbɛ(z)w] = birches bezvenn [ˈbe(z).vɛn] = birch bezveg [ˈbe(z).vɛk] = birch grove bezvenneg = birch grove bezvennek = abounding in birches |
Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *gʷetu-yo-s, from *gʷet- (resin, gum) [source]. Words from the same Proto-Celtic roots, via Gaulish *bitu/betua and Latin *betius, include betulla (birch) in Italian, bouleau (birch) in French, bedoll (birch) in Catalan, bétula (birch) in Portuguese, βετούλη (vetoúli – birch) in Greek, and abedul (birch) in Spanish. The botanical Latin name for the genus Betula (birch) also comes from the same roots [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