Words for tear, drop and related things in Celtic languages.
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
Proto-Celtic | *dakrū / *dakrom = tear, drop (of liquid) |
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Old Irish (Goídelc) | dér, dǽr = tear, teardrop, drop |
Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | dér, déor, deór = tear, drop dérach, derach = tearful, sad, lugubrious derchoínuid, derchoiniud (verbnoun) = despair, dejection, lamentation derchoíntech, dérchaintech (adjective) = despairing, tearful, sorrowful dérfadach = shedding of tears, weeping |
Irish (Gaeilge) | deoir [dʲoːɾʲ/dʲɔːɾʲ] = tear(-drop), drop deoirfhliuch = tear-stained deoirghás = tear-gas deoirghinteach = lachrymatory deoircín = little drop, anecdote deoiríneacht = shedding tears, being tearfully sentimental, tearfulness, maudliness deorach = tearful, lachrymal deordradh = (act of) dripping deoraíl = (act of) weeping |
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | deòr [dʲɔːr] = drop (of liquid), tear deur [dʲiər] = drop (of liquid), tear, small amount of liquid deurach [dʲiərəx] = tearful, weeping deuran [dʲiəran] = little drop, wee drop, wee tincture |
Manx (Gaelg) | jeir/jëir = tear, teardrop, spot, lachrymal, lachrymatory jeir-phianaghey = to agonize jeiragh = tearful, lachrymal, mournful jeirnys = lamentation, weeping |
Proto-Brythonic | *dėgr = tear (?) |
Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | deigir, deigyr, deigrev = tear, teardrop, drop |
Welsh (Cymraeg) | deigryn, deigr [ˈdei̯ɡrɨ̞n / ˈdei̯ɡrɪn] = tear, teardrop, drop, raindrop deigryniad = a distilling, dripping, trickling deigrynnu = to drip, trickle, distil, exude, ooze, shed tears, drizzle deigrynnol = apt to shed tears, lachrymose, tearful |
Old Cornish | dacr-(lon) = tear |
Middle Cornish (Cernewec) | dagren = a small drop, a tear |
Cornish (Kernewek) | dagren [daːr / dæːr] = drop, tear dagrewi = to shed tears, weep derw = oak trees |
Old Breton | dacrlon = tear, teardrop |
Middle Breton (Brezonec) | dar(rou) = tear(s), teardrop(s) |
Breton (Brezhoneg) | daer [dɛːr] = tear, teardrop daeraouus = tearful daeraouiñ, daerin = to cry, be tearful daererezh = tearing |
Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European dáḱru (tear). Words from the same root include δάκρυ (dákry – tear) in Greek, tear and lacrimal/lachrymal (relating to tears, tearful) in English, tår (tear, drop) in Swedish, traan (tear, fish oil) in Dutch, Träne (tear) in German, lágrima (tear, teardrop) in Spanish, and zacchera (mud splash) in Italian [source].
Old Irish (Goídelc) | bráen = rain, moisture, drop, precipitation |
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Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | bráen, bróin, bróen = rain, moisture, drop(s) bráenach, braonach = shedding drops, wet, moist, well-watered bráenaid = to wet, sprinkle, rain bráenán = drops, shower bráenfadach = foaming (of a waterfall) bráengal = shower, sprinkling |
Irish (Gaeilge) | braon [bˠɾˠeːn̪ˠ / bˠɾˠiːnˠ] = (single) drop, gathering, pus braonach = dripping, misty, wet, tearful braonaíl = dripping, drops braonán = droplet |
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | braon [brɯːn] = drop, drizzle braonach [brɯːnəx] = drizzly, dewy braonadh [brɯːnəɣ] = (act of) drizzling braonan [brɯːnan] = small drop (of liquid), dram |
Manx (Gaelg) | brey = drop |
Etymology: unknown. Possibly related to Ancient Greek βρέχω (brékhō – I send rain), Latin rigo (I water, moisten), and English rain [source].
Proto-Celtic | *bandyo- = drop |
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Old Irish (Goídelc) | banne = drop, pustule bannán = small drop, droplet |
Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | bannae, bainne, banne = drop, pustule, milk |
Irish (Gaeilge) | bainne [ˈbˠaɲə / ˈbˠan̠ʲə] = milk bainniúil = milky, milk-yielding bainniúilacht = milkiness |
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | bainne = milk boinne [bɔn̪ʲə] = drop, small quantity, liquid measure boinneag [bɔn̪ʲag] = droplet, little/small drop, (alcoholic) drink boinnean [bɔn̪ʲan] = droplet, wee drop |
Manx (Gaelg) | bainney [banʲə] = milk |
Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | ban = drop (?) |
Middle Cornish (Cernewec) | ban, banna, banné = drop, a jot, the smallest portion of anything |
Cornish (Kernewek) | banna = bit, drop |
Middle Breton (Brezonec) | banne, bannhe, bannech = drop, droplet |
Breton (Brezhoneg) | banne [ˈbã.nːe] = drop, droplet, glass banneata = to drink shots |
Etymology: uncertain. Possibly related to French bain (bath) in French, baño (bath, bathroom, toilet), bagno (bath, to swin, bathe, bathroom) in Italian, and bania (jug, can, container, churn) in Polish [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, Dictionnaires bilingues de Francis Favereau / Edition Skol Vreizh, TermOfis