Words for shame, disgrace and related things in Celtic languages.
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
| Proto-Celtic | *meblā = shame, disgrace |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | mebal, mebul [ˈmʲe.βal / ˈmʲe.βul] = shame, disgrace |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | mebal, mebul, meabhal = (a cause of) shame, a disgrace, deciet, guile, treachery |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | meabhal = shame, disgrace, deceit, treachery meabhlach = shameful, disgraceful, deceitful, treacherous, deceptive, illusory, seductive, beguiling meabhlaigh = to shame disgrace, deceive, betray, seduce meabhlaire = deceitful, guileful person, deceiver, betrayer, seducer meabhlaireacht = (act of) deceiving, deceptiong, treachery meabhlú = deception, betrayal, seduction |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | meabhal = perfidy, shame, reproach, fraud, deceit (archaic) meabhalach = deceitful, treacherous, fraudulent, shameful (archaic) |
| Proto-Brythonic | *meβl = shame, disgrace |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | mefyl, mewil, meuil, meuel, meuyl, mefl = shame, disgrace, dishonour, reproach, insult meuyluethyant = shameful failing or fault meuylhaet = reproach, abuse mefylwr = scoundrel, rascal meuyllwryayth, mefylwryaeth = (cause of) shame, disgrace, dishonour |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | mefl = shame, disgrace, dishonour, reproach, insult, blemish, blot, fault, flaw meflu = to disgrace, put to shame, stain, spoil, soil, foul meflfethiant = shameful failing or fault meflhau = to disgrace, put to shame meflus = faulty, imperfect meflwriaeth = (cause of) shame, disgrace, dishonour |
| Middle Cornish (Cernewec) | meul, meaul = mischief, bad luck |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | mewl = bad luck, misfortune |
Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *mebʰ- (to blame). Words from the same root include αξιόμεμπτος (axiómemptos – reprehensible, blameworthy) and άμεμπτος (ámemptos – spotless, unblemished) in Greek [source].
| Proto-Celtic | *metom = blight, decay, shame, failure, error |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | meth = blight, decay, decline, wasting |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | meth, meath = decay, blight, wasting, failure |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | meath = decline, decay, fail, deteriorate, to waste, fritter away meathán = weakling, sickly person, coward meathlaigh = to decline, decay, fail, deteriorate, degenerate meatacht = decline, decay, craveness, cowardice meathlaigh = to decline, decay, fail, deteriorate, degenerate meathlaíocht = decline, decay, failure |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | meath [mɛ] = fading (away), degenerating, degeneration, taunting, jeering, jibing meathach [mɛ.əx] = degenerate meathaichte [mɛ.ɪçdʲə] = degenerate, decayed |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | meth = failure , failing, deficiency, fault, defect, error, mistake methyant, methiant = failure, mistake, error, failing, defect methu, methy = to fail, be unsuccessful, be mistaken |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | meth [meːθ] = failure , failing, deficiency, fault, defect, error, mistake methadwy = faillible, perishable methfodd = failing, fault methiad = failure, insolvency methiant = failure, mistake, error, failing, defect methu = to fail, be unsuccessful, be mistaken |
| Middle Cornish (Cernewec) | medh, mêdh = shame, bashfulness medha = to be ashamed |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | meth = shame perthi meth = to be ashamed (of) methardak = stalemate methek = ashamed, bashful, shy methus = embarrassing, shameful |
| Old Breton (Brethonoc) | meplaom = to be ashamed |
| Middle Breton | mezz, mez = shame mezeguez = confusion mezus = ashamed, shameful, disgraceful |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | mezh [ˈmeːs] = shame mezhadenn = affront, insult, slight mezhañ = to intimidate, bully, cow mezhata = to confuse, confound, embarras mezhegezh = confusion mezhek [ˈmeː.zɛk] = ashamed, shameful, disgraceful mezhekadenn = humiliation mezhekaat = to humiliate mezhus [ˈmeː.zys] = ashamed, shameful, disgraceful |
Etymology: uncertain – possibly from a non-Indo-European language, or related to maoth (tender, soft, weak) in Irish, which comes from Proto-Celtic *moytos (tender), from Proto-Indo-European *meyh₁- (mild, soft), from which we get mite (mild, moderate, meek) in Italian, and mitigation in English [source].
| Proto-Celtic | *nāryā = modesty, magnanimity |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | náire [ˈn̪aː.ɾʲe] = shame, shyness, reluctance |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | náire, náre, naire = shamefacedness, bashfulness, diffidence, backwardness, reluctance, modesty, generosity náirech = diffident, shy, modest náiríne = shame, affronted modesty innáire [ˈin͈aːrʲə] = modesty, generosity |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | náire [ˈn̪ˠɑːɾʲə / ˈn̪ˠaːɾʲə] = shame, sense of shame, decency, modesty náireach [ˈn̪ˠɑːɾʲəx] = shameful, bashful, modest, diffident náireachán = bashful, diffident, person náirigh = to shame náiriú = shame, disgrace |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | nàire [n̪ˠaːrʲə] = embarrassment, shame, disgrace, ignominy, bashfulness nàireach [n̪ˠaːrʲəx] = shameful, bashful, coy, modest nàireachadh [n̪ˠaːrʲəxəɣ] = (act of) shaming nàireil [n̪ˠaːrʲal] = disgraceful, shameful nàirich [n̪ˠaːrʲɪç] = shame, make ashamed! |
| Manx (Gaelg) | nearey = disgrace, shame nearaghey, naaraghey = to abash, disgrace, shame naareydagh = shameful, scandalous |
Etymology: possibly related to Proto-Celtic *nāro- (noble, great-hearted), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂enr (manly strength) [source].
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | méla = disgrace, shame |
|---|---|
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | méla, meala, mela = shame, disgrace, discomfiture, mortification mélach = ashamed, disappointed |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | méala [ˈmʲeːlˠə] = humiliation, ignominy, grief, sorrow méalach [ˈmʲeːlˠəx] = lamentable, lamenting, sorrowful, humiliating, fault-finding méalacht = (state of) sorrow, lamentation méalaigh = to humble, humiliate, bring to grief |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | mèala = reproach, grief |
Etymology: unknown
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