{"id":8326,"date":"2024-07-29T21:47:59","date_gmt":"2024-07-29T20:47:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/?p=8326"},"modified":"2025-06-21T21:18:33","modified_gmt":"2025-06-21T20:18:33","slug":"shells","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/2024\/07\/29\/shells\/","title":{"rendered":"Shells"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Words for <strong>shell<\/strong> and related things in Celtic languages.<\/p>\n<p><a data-flickr-embed=\"true\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/rossburton\/189320541\/in\/photolist-hJjpg-anizPc-nLuv5-4tZqpd-M6JNQo-4vmznJ-akg1pV-bTtKbx-84f2d-M6JWAU-5XHrvy-8xDaqc-4stCgH-49665D-3cEacb-kmuV6B-mowHH-7RU97-EZCXAM-9MoXb-N4reSt-cDxy2C-85zuiA-6KxP7A-CFuJkQ-MBeXzw-pPSV6-93bS3F-7hHH7u-M6JVhb-MBeZTE-c3wPRY-c3wPQo-8cSP54-2iJkQHY-nNeWX4-N4reaM-4Gpp75-8kRxDW-M6JWhs-MVSD7Z-M6JVxb-gh1Es-6aoEcj-MTh8zU-oSyy8T-gZohNi-N4re4p-2iGjbFB-pPvt\" title=\"Shells\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/57\/189320541_6990646051_z.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" alt=\"Shells\"\/><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Words marked with a * are reconstructions.<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th>Old Irish (Go\u00eddelc)<\/th>\n<td><strong>bl\u00e1esc<\/strong> = shell, nutshell, eggshell<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>bl\u00e1esc, blosc, plaesc<\/strong> = eggshell, nutshell, cataract (?)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Irish (Gaeilge)<\/th>\n<td><strong>blaosc \/ plaosc<\/strong> [b\u02e0l\u02e0i\u02d0s\u02e0k \/ p\u02e0l\u032a\u02e0e\u02d0s\u02e0k] = shell (of eggg, but, crustacea)<br \/>\n<strong>blaosc an chinn \/ an chloiginn<\/strong> = skull, cranium<br \/>\n<strong>blaosc an aeir<\/strong> = the vault of heaven<br \/>\n<strong>blaoscach<\/strong> = shelly, big-, empty-, headed<br \/>\n<strong>blaosc\u00e1n<\/strong> = eggshell, skull, cranium, drain, nip<br \/>\n<strong>blaoscr\u00faisc<\/strong> = scalp<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Scottish Gaelic (G\u00e0idhlig)<\/th>\n<td><strong>plaosg<\/strong> [pl\u032a\u02e0\u026f\u02d0sg] = hull, husk, pod, peel, rind, (egg)shell, crust, skull; peeling, skinning, husking, shelling<br \/>\n<strong>plaosgadh<\/strong> [pl\u032a\u02e0\u026f\u02d0sg\u0259\u0263] = peeling, skinning, husking, shelling<br \/>\n<strong>plaosgach<\/strong> [pl\u032a\u02e0\u026f\u02d0sg\u0259x] = shelled, husky, shelly<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Manx (Gaelg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>bleayst<\/strong> = shell, hull, husk, shield, body, crust, gill cover, pod<br \/>\n<strong>bleayst shligganagh<\/strong> = tortoise shell<br \/>\n<strong>bleaystan(ey)<\/strong> = bomb, shell<br \/>\n<strong>bleaystagh<\/strong> = detonating, explosive, husked, shelled<br \/>\n<strong>bleaystaghey<\/strong> = to shell, unhusk<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Welsh (Kymraec)<\/th>\n<td><strong>plisc(yn), plisg(in)<\/strong> = shell(s), pod(s), husk(s), rind, skin(s)<br \/>\n<strong>plisco<\/strong> = to shell, peel<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Welsh (Cymraeg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>plisg(en\/yn)<\/strong> [pl\u026as\u0261] = shell(s), pod(s), husk(s), rind, skin(s), membrane; speech impediment, cataract, scab<br \/>\n<strong>plisgaf, plisgo<\/strong> = to shell, husk, peel<br \/>\n<strong>plisgynnog<\/strong> = having a shell, skin or husk<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Cornish (Cernewec)<\/th>\n<td><strong>pliscin<\/strong> = eggshell<br \/>\n<strong>plisg<\/strong> = husk, shell, paring<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Cornish (Kernewek)<\/th>\n<td><strong>plisk(en)<\/strong> = shell(s), husk(s)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Breton (Brezonec)<\/th>\n<td><strong>plusq(uenn)<\/strong> = peeling(s), skin(s), husk(s), shell(s), hull(s), eggshell(s)<br \/>\n<strong>plusqad<\/strong> = peelings<br \/>\n<strong>plusqua<\/strong> = to peel<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Breton (Brezhoneg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>plusk(enn)<\/strong> = peeling(s), shaving(s), shell(s), pod(s), bark(s)<br \/>\n<strong>pluskadur<\/strong> = peeling<br \/>\n<strong>pluskan, pluska\u00f1<\/strong> [\u02c8plysk\u00e3] = to peel<br \/>\n<strong>pluskennek<\/strong> = to fluff<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Etymology<\/strong>: possibly related to <strong>peluche<\/strong> (plush [toy], fluff) in French and <strong>plush<\/strong> in English, which come Vulgar from Latin <em>*pil\u016bc(i)c\u0101re<\/em> (to remove parts of sth), from Latin <em>pil\u0101re<\/em> (to remove hair), from <em>pilus<\/em> (hair)  the Proto-Indo-European <em>*pilo-<\/em> (hair) [<a href=\"https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/etymologicaldict00macbuoft\/page\/278\/mode\/2up\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<p>Other words from the same roots include <strong>pelo<\/strong> (hair) in Spanish, <strong>poil<\/strong> (hair) in French and <strong>pelare<\/strong> (to pluck, skin, shear, peel) in Italian [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/pilus#Latin\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th>Proto-Celtic<\/th>\n<td><strong>*sleg<\/strong> = shell (?)<br \/>\n<strong>*sleggio<\/strong> = shell (?)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Old Irish (Go\u00eddelc)<\/th>\n<td><strong>slice<\/strong> = shell<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>slice<\/strong> = shell<br \/>\n<strong>slic\u00e9n, sligen<\/strong> = shell<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Irish (Gaeilge)<\/th>\n<td><strong>slige<\/strong> [\u02c8\u0283l\u0320\u02b2\u026a\u025f\u026a] = shell, shard, melting pot<br \/>\n<strong>sligeach<\/strong> = shells, place abounding in shells<br \/>\n<strong>sliog\u00e1n<\/strong> [\u0283l\u02b2\u0259\u02c8\u0261\u0251\u0303\u02d0n\u032a\u02e0] = shell<br \/>\n<strong>sliog\u00e1n mara<\/strong> = scallop; seashell<br \/>\n<strong>sliog\u00e1nach<\/strong> = testacean, shelled, testaceous, abounding in shells, dappled, mottled<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Scottish Gaelic (G\u00e0idhlig)<\/th>\n<td><strong>slige<\/strong> [\u0283l\u032a\u02b2ig\u02b2\u0259] = shell, hull (of a boat)<br \/>\n<strong>sligean<\/strong> [\u0283l\u032a\u02b2\u02b2ig\u02b2an] = small shell, small hull, small drinking shell, small shard<br \/>\n<strong>sligeach<\/strong> [\u0283l\u032a\u02b2ig\u02b2\u0259x] = carapace, casing, case, crustacean, having a shell<br \/>\n<strong>sligeanach<\/strong> [\u0283l\u032a\u02b2ig\u02b2an\u0259x] = tortoise<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Manx (Gaelg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>shlig<\/strong> = shell, scale, body<br \/>\n<strong>shliggan<\/strong> = shell, bomb<br \/>\n<strong>shligganaghey<\/strong> =  testaceous, tortoise<br \/>\n<strong>shligganaghey<\/strong> = bomb, bombard<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Etymology<\/strong>: from Proto-Indo-European <em>*slak-<\/em> (to hit, strike, throw) [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/slice#Old_Irish\">source<\/a>]. The town and county of <strong>Sligo<\/strong> (Sligeach and Contae Shligigh in Irish), get their name from the Irish word <strong>sligeach<\/strong> [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/Sligeach\">source<\/a>]..<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th>Proto-Celtic<\/th>\n<td><strong>*krok-en\u0101<\/strong> = (?)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Scottish Gaelic (G\u00e0idhlig)<\/th>\n<td><strong>creachann<\/strong> [kr\u02b2\u025bx\u0259n\u032a\u02e0] = scallop<br \/>\n<strong>creachag<\/strong> [kr\u02b2\u025bxag] = scallop shell, drinking shell<br \/>\n<strong>creachannach<\/strong> [kr\u02b2\u025bx\u0259n\u032a\u02e0\u0259x] = abounding in scallops, scalloped<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Manx (Gaelg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>craghan<\/strong> = scallop<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Welsh (Kymraec)<\/th>\n<td><strong>cregyn, cragen, cregin, krogen<\/strong> = shell, framework, husk<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Welsh (Cymraeg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>cragen, crogen<\/strong> [\u02c8kra\u0261\u025bn \/ \u02c8kr\u0254\u0261\u025bn] = shell, framework, husk<br \/>\n<strong>cragenbysg, crogenbysg<\/strong> = shellfish<br \/>\n<strong>cragenfaen, crogenfaen<\/strong> = pearl<br \/>\n<strong>cragennu<\/strong> = to form into a shell, become a shell<br \/>\n<strong>cregynna<\/strong> [kr\u025b\u02c8\u0261\u0259na] = to gather shells<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Old Cornish<\/th>\n<td><strong>crogen<\/strong> = shell<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Cornish (Cernewec)<\/th>\n<td><strong>crogen, crogan<\/strong> = shell<br \/>\n<strong>crogen an penn<\/strong> = skull<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Cornish (Kernewek)<\/th>\n<td><strong>krogen<\/strong> = shell<br \/>\n<strong>krogen benn\/bedn<\/strong> = skull<br \/>\n<strong>krogen brierin \/ Sen Jamys<\/strong> = scallop<br \/>\n<strong>krogen benn\/bedn<\/strong> = clam<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Breton (Brezonec)<\/th>\n<td><strong>creguin, croguen<\/strong> = shell<br \/>\n<strong>croguennec<\/strong> = hooked<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Breton (Brezhoneg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>kregen<\/strong> = shells<br \/>\n<strong>krogenn<\/strong> [\u02c8kro\u02d0.\u0261\u025bn] = shell, carapace<br \/>\n<strong>kroegennan, kroegenna\u00f1<\/strong> = to shell<br \/>\n<strong>kroegennek<\/strong> = hooked<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Etymology<\/strong>: unknown. Related to <strong>cregen<\/strong> (clay vessel) and <strong>cragen<\/strong> (potsherd) in Welsh, and possibly <strong>conch<\/strong> in English [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/crogen\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th>Old Irish (Go\u00eddelc)<\/th>\n<td><strong>mocol<\/strong> = cluster, husk, mesh, shell<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>mocol, mogal<\/strong> = mesh, network, web, globe, sphere, round mass, husk, shell, pid, troop, band<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Irish (Gaeilge)<\/th>\n<td><strong>mogall<\/strong> [\u02c8m\u02e0\u0254\u0261\u0259l\u032a\u02e0] = mesh, husk, shell, pod, compacy body, cluster of people<br \/>\n<strong>mogallach<\/strong> = meshed, reticular, clustered<br \/>\n<strong>mogallaigh<\/strong> = to (en)mesh, cluster<br \/>\n<strong>mogall\u00f3ir<\/strong> = mesh-rod (for measuring)<br \/>\n<strong>mogalls\u00faileach<\/strong> = goggle-eyed<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Scottish Gaelic (G\u00e0idhlig)<\/th>\n<td><strong>mogal<\/strong> [mog\u0259l\u032a\u02e0] = husk, shell, skin, mesh<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Manx (Gaelg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>moggyl<\/strong> = grid, mesh, network<br \/>\n<strong>mogglagh<\/strong> = meshed, networklike<br \/>\n<strong>eddyr-voggyl<\/strong> = internet<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Proto-Brythonic<\/th>\n<td><strong>*magl<\/strong> = trap, snare<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Welsh (Kymraec)<\/th>\n<td><strong>magl, magyl<\/strong> = trap, snare<br \/>\n<strong>maglyt, maglu, meglyt<\/strong> = to snare, net, enmesh<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Welsh (Cymraeg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>magl<\/strong> [\u02c8ma\u0261al] = snare, noose, trap, gin, manacle, fetter; obstruction, obstacle, cataract<br \/>\n<strong>maglu, maglo<\/strong> = to snare, net, enmesh<br \/>\n<strong>magledig<\/strong> = ensnaring, entrapping, caught, ensnared, trapped<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Old Cornish<\/th>\n<td><strong>maglen<\/strong> = trap, snare<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Cornish (Cernewec)<\/th>\n<td><strong>maglen<\/strong> = snare, halter, spring<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Cornish (Kernewek)<\/th>\n<td><strong>maglen<\/strong> = trap, gear<br \/>\n<strong>maglenna, magledna<\/strong> = to change gear, tangle, trap<br \/>\n<strong>magli<\/strong> = to tangle<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Old Breton (Brethonoc)<\/th>\n<td><strong>maclou<\/strong> = slime (?)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Etymology<\/strong>: from Latin <em>macula<\/em> (mesh), from Proto-Italic <em>*smatlom<\/em>, from Proto-Indo-European <em>*smh\u2082-tl\u00f3-m<\/em> (wiping [?]) [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/mogall\">source<\/a>]. Words from the same roots include (chain) <strong>mail<\/strong> in English, <strong>macchia<\/strong> (stain, smear, spot) in Italian, <strong>maquis<\/strong> (thicket, resistance, underground) in French, and <strong>Makel<\/strong> (flaw, blemish) in German [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/Sligeach\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.japanesepod101.com\/member\/go.php?r=759259&amp;i=b0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/banners\/banner_japanesepod.jpg\" alt=\"The Fastest Way to Learn Japanese Guaranteed with JapanesePod101.com\" width=\"630\" height=\"83\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Sources: <em><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/\">Wiktionary<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.faclair.com\/\">Am Faclair Beag<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.mannin.info\/Mannin\/fockleyr\/m2e.php\">Online Manx Dictionary<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.teanglann.ie\/en\/fgb\/ceann\">Teanglann.ie<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/dil.ie\/\">eDIL &#8211; Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www3.smo.uhi.ac.uk\/sengoidelc\/duil-belrai\/english.html\">In D\u00fail B\u00e9lrai English &#8211; Old Irish glossary<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikisource.org\/wiki\/An_Etymological_Dictionary_of_the_Gaelic_Language\">An Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/geiriadur.ac.uk\/gpc\/gpc.html\">Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cornishdictionary.org.uk\/browse?field_word_value=penn\">Gerlyver Kernewek<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.arkaevraz.net\/dicobzh\/index.php\">Dictionaire Favereau<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.brezhoneg.bzh\/87-termofis.htm\">TermOfis<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wales.ac.uk\/Resources\/Documents\/Research\/CelticLanguages\/EnglishProtoCelticWordList.pdf\">English &#8211; ProtoCeltic WordList<\/a> (PDF), <a href=\"https:\/\/archive.org\/embed\/EtymologicalDictionaryOfProtoCeltic\">Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<div align=\"center\"><a href=\"http:\/\/my.kualo.com\/uk\/go\/00572\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.kualo.com\/rewards\/uk-unlimited2-468x60.gif\" width=\"468\" height=\"60\" border=\"0\"\nalt=\"Unlimited Web Hosting - Kualo\"\/><\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Words for shell and related things in Celtic languages. Words marked with a * are reconstructions. Old Irish (Go\u00eddelc) bl\u00e1esc = shell, nutshell, eggshell Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) bl\u00e1esc, blosc, plaesc = eggshell, nutshell, cataract (?) Irish (Gaeilge) blaosc \/ plaosc [b\u02e0l\u02e0i\u02d0s\u02e0k \/ p\u02e0l\u032a\u02e0e\u02d0s\u02e0k] = shell (of eggg, but, crustacea) blaosc an chinn \/ an chloiginn [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,16,26,19,20,44,61,21,83,3,36,22,5,6,37,7,27,8,9,10,11,12,13,60,23,43,98,18,14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8326","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-adjectives","category-breton","category-kernewek-cornish","category-english","category-etymology","category-french","category-german","category-gaeilge-irish","category-italian-italiano","category-language","category-latin","category-gaelg-manx","category-middle-breton","category-middle-cornish","category-middle-irish","category-middle-welsh-kymraec","category-nouns","category-old-breton","category-old-cornish","category-old-irish-goidelc","category-proto-brythonic","category-proto-celtic","category-proto-indo-european","category-proto-italic","category-gaidhlig-scottish-gaelic","category-verbs","category-vulgar-latin-sermo-vulgaris","category-cymraeg-welsh","category-words"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8326","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8326"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8326\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8844,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8326\/revisions\/8844"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8326"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8326"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8326"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}