Words for nest and related things in Celtic languages.
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
| Proto-Celtic | *nizdos = nest |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | net = nest |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | net, neid, nead, (n)nit = nest |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | nead [nʲad̪ˠ] = nest, bed, lair, snug abode, home, den, close group, gang neadaigh = to nest, nestle, bed, set, lodge, settle neadaím = to nestle neadaireacht = nesting, nest-buildling neadú = nesting, settling, nestling, bedding |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | nead [n̪ʲed] = nest, circular hollow neadach = abounding in nests neadachadh [n̪ʲedəxəɣ] = (act of) nesting neadaich [n̪ʲedɪç] = nest!, to nestle, house, lie, build or make a nest neadan [n̪ʲedan] = little nest |
| Manx (Gaelg) | edd = nest, hat, cap |
| Proto-Brythonic | *nɨθ [ˈnɨːθ] = nest |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | nyd, nyth, nŷth = nest nythaid, nytheid = nestful (of chicks, etc), brood nythu = to nest, nestle, lie snugly |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | nyth [nɨːθ, niːθ] = nest nythaid = nestful (of chicks, etc), brood nythfa [ˈnəθva] = a colony (of birds or insects) nythiad = nesting nythle = nesting place, shelter, pigeon-hole, box nythu [ˈnəθɨ̞, ˈnəθi] = to nest, nestle, lie snugly |
| Old Cornish | neid = nest |
| Middle Cornish (Cernewec) | nyth, nŷth, neith = nest |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | neyth = nest neythik = alcove |
| Old Breton (Brethonoc) | nith = nest |
| Middle Breton | nez = nest |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | neizh, nezh [ˈnɛjs] = nest neizhadur = nesting neizhiad [ˈnɛjzjat] = nested neizhiañ [ˈnɛj.zjã] = to nest, to live neizhiata = to look for nests neizhiet = niche, recess |
Note: the Manx word edd was probably nedd originally, but the n was rebracketed as belonging to the definite article, so y nedd became yn edd, just as a napron became an apron in English [source].
Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *nisdós, from *ni (down) & *sed (sit) = “where [the bird] sits down” [source]. Words from the same PIE roots include neth (sprout, bud) in Albanian, նստել [nəsˈtel] (to sit, sink, fit, shrink) in Armenian, lizdas (nest) in Lithuanian, hnízdo (nest) in Czech, नीड़ (nīṛ – nest) in Hindi, nest, nidate (to become implanted in) and niche in English, Nest (nest, small village) in German, and nido (nest, home, nursery school) in Italian [source].
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | fóir = nest, lair, den |
|---|---|
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | fóir, foir = site, area, confine, abode |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | fáir = hen’s nest, bed, lair fáireog = (little) nest (for hen) |
Etymology: uncertain [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