In this post we’re looking at words for dry, barren, sterile and related things in Celtic languages.
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
| Proto-Celtic | *siskʷos = dry |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | sesc [ˈsʲesk] = barren, dry, infertile |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | sesc, seisc = dry, barren, unproductive sescach = dry cows sescus = state of dryness (of cattle) |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | seasc [ʃasˠk] = barren, unfruitful, infertile, dry, not giving milk, sapless, unmated, neuter seascach = dry cow(s), unproductive season seascachán = neuter, unmated bird seascacht = barrenness, dryness (of cattle) |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | seasg [ʃesg] = barren, sterile, dry (not giving milk) seasgach [ʃesgəx] = causing barrenness / sterility, barren, sterile, dry not leaking seasgachadh [ʃesgəxəɣ] = (act of) sterility, sterilisation seasgachd [ʃesgəxg] = barrenness, sterility seasgaichte = sterilised |
| Manx (Gaelg) | shast = sterile, barren, unfruitful (animal) shiast = barren (animal) shastagh = barren animal shastaght = barrenness shiastid = sterility, dryness shiastit = sterilized |
| Proto-Brythonic | *hɨsp = dry |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | hesb, hesp, hysb = barren, sterile, not yielding milk, dry hysby = to become sterile or barren, to cease to give milk hyspydd, hispydd = dry, exhausted |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | hysb, hesb [hɨ̞sb / hɪsb] = barren, sterile, not yielding milk, dry (of cattle, sheep, etc), dried up, exhausted hysbedd = dryness, barrenness, sterility hysb(i)af, hysb(i)o = to become sterile or barren, to cease to give milk, to dry up (esp. of a cow) hysbydd = dry, exhausted, empty (lake, etc), barren, sterile hysbyddedig = exhausted, improverished (land), dried up |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | hesk = milkless cow, dry cow, dried up cow heski = to go milkless, to run dry heskys = dried up, milkless |
| Old Breton (Brethonoc) | hïscen = (?) |
| Middle Breton (Brezonec) | hesq = dried up, dry |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | hesk [hesk] = dried up, desiccation, dry, drying out, arid heskaat = to dry up, to dry out heskadur = drying up heskenn = cow that no longer gives milk |
Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *sisku- (dry), probably from *sek- (to dry up) [source].
Words from the same roots include sec (dry, dried, lean, thin) in French, secco (dry, dried, thin) in Italian, seco (dry, desiccated, withered) in Portuguese, secetă (drought) in Romanian, and desiccate (to dry) in English [source].
| Proto-Celtic | *samosiskʷī = heifer, sterile cow |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | samaisc = heifer |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | samaisc, samṡeisc, samascib = heifer |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | samhaisc = three- to four-year-old heifer samhaisceach = stalwart person |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | samhaisg = heifer |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | hafesp = river name |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | hafesp = river name |
| Middle Breton (Brezonec) | hanvesk = sterile cow |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | hañvesk = sterile |
Etymology: from Proto-Celtic *samos (summer and *siskʷos (sterile, dry) [source].
| Proto-Celtic | *dīsiskʷos = (?) |
|---|---|
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | dísc = barren, dried up |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | dísc [dʲiːʃc] = dryness, barrenness i ndísc [əˈn̠ʲiːʃc] = (having run) dry díscíu = drying up, consumption, exhaustion, eliminiation, extermination díscigh = to dry up, drain out, consume, exhaust, eliminate, exterminate |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | dìosg [dʲiəsg] = barren (of an animal), barren cow, fault, flaw dìosgail [dʲiːsgal] = going barren, going dry |
Etymology: from Proto-Celtic *dī- (away, off) and *siskʷos (sterile, dry) [source].
Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Teanglann.ie, eDIL – Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language, In Dúil Bélrai English – Old Irish glossary, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis, English – ProtoCeltic WordList (PDF), Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic
