{"id":8835,"date":"2025-06-20T14:43:51","date_gmt":"2025-06-20T13:43:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/?p=8835"},"modified":"2025-06-20T14:43:51","modified_gmt":"2025-06-20T13:43:51","slug":"gnawing-bites","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/2025\/06\/20\/gnawing-bites\/","title":{"rendered":"Gnawing Bites"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Today we&#8217;re looking at the words for <strong>chew<\/strong>, <strong>gnaw<\/strong>, <strong>bite<\/strong> and related things in Celtic languages.<\/p>\n<p><a data-flickr-embed=\"true\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/142106242@N05\/49246600868\/in\/photolist-2i2KGHj-2kDsg3m-6CP3Kn-9jD5Rq-S4j7Zi-2FhQm-aB3hQe-2m85twq-2nALLW9-2omq2cm-2kFafTq-2mFFDSn-24HDr7t-2m3SL8D-M1cnwo-2mvwmXi-6qdprU-RgNRwE-2iKRoqG-b1RXpz-e77uDn-2qLJxfJ-4rdtyo-2krCkAo-2iFvzL3-KmszM4-29JXXEQ-2m8exTD-2kAAEA5-2mPbgjg-2nDdmPW-DrmeNi-54Nken-R7aWDF-UgrhPC-2ox83xn-2oxd2u8-2o6b8tB-54on9z-2oxd2ud-2oxd2ui-2oxdgDU-ajg27w-EoJSdF-L419bf-2mgTURb-EWehmA-2ioV4ts-2kYH8Y7-ddjTk4\" title=\"Nibbling\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/49246600868_9a156ca2ec_z.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" alt=\"Nibbling\"\/><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Words marked with an * are reconstructions.<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th>Proto-Celtic<\/th>\n<td><strong>*kn\u0101yeti<\/strong> = to bite, chew<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Old Irish (Go\u00eddelc)<\/th>\n<td><strong>cna\u00efd<\/strong> = to gnaw<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>cna\u00efd, cna\u00eddid<\/strong> = to gnaw away, consume, disperse<br \/>\n<strong>cna\u00ed(ded), cnaidedh<\/strong> = gnawing, wasting<br \/>\n<strong>cna\u00ed(te), cnaoite, cnaeite<\/strong> = wasted, corroded<br \/>\n<strong>cn\u00e1m, cn\u00e1ma, cn\u00e1mh<\/strong> = (act of) gnawing, wasting, laying waste (to), ravaging<br \/>\n<strong>con-cna\u00ed, cocnaid<\/strong> = to chew, masticate, gnaw (away)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Irish (Gaeilge)<\/th>\n<td><strong>cna\u00ed<\/strong> = gnawing, corrosion (of body), wasing, decline<br \/>\n<strong>cna\u00edgh<\/strong> = to gnaw, corrode<br \/>\n<strong>cogain<\/strong> [\u02c8k\u0254\u0261\u0259n\u02b2 \/ \u02c8ka\u0261\u0259n\u02b2] = to chew, masticate, gnaw, grind, slur, mutter<br \/>\n<strong>cogaint<\/strong> = mastication<br \/>\n<strong>cogantach<\/strong> = chewing, masticatory<br \/>\n<strong>cogant\u00f3ir<\/strong> = chewer, masticator<br \/>\n<strong>guma coganta<\/strong> = chewing gum<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Scottish Gaelic (G\u00e0idhlig)<\/th>\n<td><strong>cagainn<\/strong> [kag\u026an\u032a\u02b2] = to chew, gnaw, masticate<br \/>\n<strong>cagnachail<\/strong> [kagn\u0259xal] = chewy<br \/>\n<strong>cagnadh<\/strong> [kagn\u0259\u0263] = chewing, gnawing, masticating, mastication<br \/>\n<strong>caigneadh<\/strong> [kag\u02b2n\u032a\u02b2\u0259\u0263] = chewing, gnawing, masticating, mastication<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Manx (Gaelg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>caigney<\/strong> = to chew, file, gnaw, mumble, munch, rasp, chewing<br \/>\n<strong>caignee<\/strong> = gnawing, chewing<br \/>\n<strong>credjuagh<\/strong> = believer, disciple, believing, believable<br \/>\n<strong>caigneyder<\/strong> = chewer, gnawer, rodent<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Welsh (Kymraec)<\/th>\n<td><strong>cno<\/strong> = a biting, gnawing, consuming, languishing<br \/>\n<strong>cnofa, cnoua<\/strong> = biting, gnawing, gripes, ache, colic, remorse<br \/>\n<strong>cnoi, knoyn, knoi<\/strong> = to bite, gnaw, chew, masticate, torment, worry<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Welsh (Cymraeg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>cno<\/strong> = a biting, gnawing, consuming, languishing<br \/>\n<strong>cnoaf, cnoi<\/strong> [kn\u0254i\u032f] = to bite, gnaw, chew, masticate, torment, worry, fret, vex, gripe, ache, ruminate, meditate<br \/>\n<strong>cno<\/strong> = a biting, gnawing, consuming, languishing<br \/>\n<strong>cno(e)ad<\/strong> = bite, chew, gnawing, mastication<br \/>\n<strong>cnoawdr<\/strong> = gnawer, biter<br \/>\n<strong>cnofa<\/strong> = biting, gnawing, gripes, ache, colic, remorse<br \/>\n<strong>cnofil<\/strong> = rodent<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Cornish (Kernewek)<\/th>\n<td><strong>knias<\/strong> = to chew<br \/>\n<strong>knivil<\/strong> = rodent<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Breton (Brezhoneg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>chagi\u00f1<\/strong> [\u02c8kre\u02d0.d\u0129] = to chew<br \/>\n<strong>chaok<\/strong> [\u0283ok] = chewing<br \/>\n<strong>chaokat<\/strong> [\u02c8\u0283ok\u02d0at] = to chew, eat, masticate<br \/>\n<strong>chaoker<\/strong> = chewer, masticator, big eater<br \/>\n<strong>chaokerezh<\/strong> = mastication<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Etymology<\/strong>: from Proto-Indo-European <em>*kneh\u2082-<\/em> (to bite, chew, scratch, scrape) [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/Reconstruction:Proto-Celtic\/kn%C4%81yeti\">source<\/a>]. Words from the same PIE roots include <strong>Nut<\/strong> (groove, slit, slot) in German and <strong>kn\u00f3ti<\/strong> (to peel) in Lithuanian [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/Reconstruction:Proto-West_Germanic\/hn%C5%8Djan\">source<\/a>]. <\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th>Proto-Celtic<\/th>\n<td><strong>*brozdos, *brasdu<\/strong> = point, tip<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Old Irish (Go\u00eddelc)<\/th>\n<td><strong>brot<\/strong> [brod] = goad<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>brot, brud, brad<\/strong> = goad, spike<br \/>\n<strong>brotad(h)<\/strong> = act of goading, urging<br \/>\n<strong>brotch\u00fa<\/strong> = watchdog, bloodhound, herd-dog, mastiff<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Irish (Gaeilge)<\/th>\n<td><strong>brod<\/strong> = goad<br \/>\n<strong>broideadh<\/strong> = = to prod, nudge, bite<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Scottish Gaelic (G\u00e0idhlig)<\/th>\n<td><strong>brod<\/strong> [br\u0254d] = goad, prickle, sting<br \/>\nstrong>brodadh<\/strong> [brod\u0259\u0263] = rousing, stirring, goading, poking, prompt<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Manx (Gaelg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>brod<\/strong> = goad, jab, nudge, prick, spur, stimulus<br \/>\n<strong>broddagh<\/strong> = jabbing, stab wound<br \/>\n<strong>broddey<\/strong> = to goad, jab, nudge, poke<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Welsh (Kymraec)<\/th>\n<td><strong>brath<\/strong> [bra\u02d0\u03b8] = a bite, biting<br \/>\n<strong>brathu, brathv, brathy<\/strong> = to bite, sting, wound, pierce<br \/>\n<strong>brathedig, brathedic<\/strong> = bitten, wounded, stabbed, pierced<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Welsh (Cymraeg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>brath<\/strong> [bra\u02d0\u03b8] = a bite, biting, stinging, prick, scratch, wounding, piercing, stabbing, wound, injury<br \/>\n<strong>brathu<\/strong> = to bite, sting, wound, pierce<br \/>\n<strong>brathedig<\/strong> = bitten, wounded, stabbed, pierced<br \/>\n<strong>brathgi<\/strong> = biting dog, dog given to snapping, surly man<br \/>\n<strong>brath(i)ad<\/strong> = a bite, biting, sting, wounding<br \/>\n<strong>brathiadol<\/strong> = biting, hurtful<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Cornish (Cernewec)<\/th>\n<td><strong>brathcy<\/strong> = a mastiff, hound (&#8220;a biting dog&#8221;)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Cornish (Kernewek)<\/th>\n<td><strong>brath<\/strong> = bite<br \/>\n<strong>bratha<\/strong> = to bite<br \/>\n<strong>brathek<\/strong> = caustic<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Etymology<\/strong>: from Proto-Indo-European <em>*b\u02b0resd\u02b0h\u2081-<\/em>, from <em>*b\u02b0ers-<\/em> (top, tip, point) [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/brath#Welsh\">source<\/a>]. Words from the same PIE roots possibly include <strong>barley<\/strong>, <strong>bristle<\/strong> and <strong>brush<\/strong> in English, <strong>barr<\/strong> (pine needles) in Icelandic, <strong>farine<\/strong> (flour, feed) in French, <strong>bara<\/strong> (bread) in Welsh, <strong>barr<\/strong> (tip, head, point, top, summit) in Irish, and <strong>Barsch<\/strong> (perch [fish]) in German [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European\/b%CA%B0ers-\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th>Proto-Celtic<\/th>\n<td><strong>*gramman, *gremmen-<\/strong> = seizure, grasp<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Old Irish (Go\u00eddelc)<\/th>\n<td><strong>greimm, graimm<\/strong> [\u02c8\u0261\u02b2r\u0348\u02b2em\u02b2] = grasp, authority, power<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>greimm, graimm<\/strong> = grasp, authority, sway, power, seizure, hold, grasp, bond, obligation, duty, service, profit, use, advantage<br \/>\n<strong>gremanach, greamanach<\/strong> = biting<br \/>\n<strong>gremmaigid, greamaighid<\/strong> = to hold fast, cleave, stick, seize, grasp, obtain, secure<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Irish (Gaeilge)<\/th>\n<td><strong>greim<\/strong> [\u025f\u027e\u02b2\u0259im\u02b2 \/ \u025f\u027e\u02b2\u026am\u02b2] = to grip, grasp, hold<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Scottish Gaelic (G\u00e0idhlig)<\/th>\n<td><strong>greim<\/strong> [gr\u02b2\u0264im =] = bit(e), morsel, clutch, grasp, grip, hold, catch, stitc, seizure, pneumonia<br \/>\n<strong>greimeachadh<\/strong> [gr\u02b2em\u0259x\u0259\u0263] = gripping, grasping, clutching, clinging, grappling<br \/>\n<strong>greimean<\/strong> [gr\u02b2eman] = small bite, small morsel<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Manx (Gaelg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>greim<\/strong> = bite, catch, clutch, grab, grapple, grasp, grip, hold, snatch<br \/>\n<strong>greimmagh<\/strong> = clutching, grasping, gripping, snappy, sticky<br \/>\n<strong>greimmey<\/strong> = to bite, catch, clutch, grab, grip, hold<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Etymology<\/strong>: from Proto-Indo-European <em>*g\u02b0reb\u02b0-<\/em> (to seize, grab, dig, rake) [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/greim#Irish\">source<\/a>]. Words from the same PIE roots possibly include <strong>grab<\/strong>, <strong>grave<\/strong>,  <strong>groove<\/strong> and <strong>grub<\/strong> in English, <strong>graven<\/strong> (to dig, search for information) in Dutch, <strong>graben<\/strong> (to dig, burrow) in German, and <strong>grabi\u0107<\/strong> (to rake, rob, plunder) in Polish [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/greim#Irish\">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=\"https:\/\/archive.org\/embed\/EtymologicalDictionaryOfProtoCeltic\">Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic<\/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=\"http:\/\/dil.ie\/\">eDIL &#8211; Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.teanglann.ie\/en\/fgb\/ceann\">Teanglann.ie<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.faclair.com\/\">Am Faclair Beag<\/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=\"https:\/\/dictionaryq.com\/gaelg\/\">Fockleyreen: Manx &#8211; English Dictionary<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.mannin.info\/Mannin\/fockleyr\/m2e.php\">Online Manx Dictionary<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/corpus.gaelg.im\/\">Gaelg Corpus<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/geiriadur.ac.uk\/gpc\/gpc.html\">Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/lexiconcornubrit00willuoft\/page\/n5\/mode\/2up\">Lexicon cornu-britannicum : a dictionary of the ancient Celtic language of Cornwall<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cornishdictionary.org.uk\/\">Gerlyver Kernewek<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/devri.bzh\/\">Devri : Le dictionaire diachronique du breton<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/geriafurch.bzh\/fr\">Geriafurch<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.brezhoneg.bzh\/87-termofis.htm\">TermOfis<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-5001128073855040\"\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<!-- Blog horizontal --><br \/>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\n     style=\"display:block\"\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-5001128073855040\"\n     data-ad-slot=\"1685480124\"\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins><br \/>\n<script>\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Today we&#8217;re looking at the words for chew, gnaw, bite and related things in Celtic languages. Words marked with an * are reconstructions. Proto-Celtic *kn\u0101yeti = to bite, chew Old Irish (Go\u00eddelc) cna\u00efd = to gnaw Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) cna\u00efd, cna\u00eddid = to gnaw away, consume, disperse cna\u00ed(ded), cnaidedh = gnawing, wasting cna\u00ed(te), cnaoite, cnaeite [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16,26,44,61,65,21,3,110,22,6,37,7,10,105,12,13,23,18],"tags":[243,52,80,244,51,145,48,245,47,53,49,55,50],"class_list":["post-8835","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-breton","category-kernewek-cornish","category-french","category-german","category-icelandic-islenska","category-gaeilge-irish","category-language","category-lithuanian-lietuviu-kalba","category-gaelg-manx","category-middle-cornish","category-middle-irish","category-middle-welsh-kymraec","category-old-irish-goidelc","category-polish-polski","category-proto-celtic","category-proto-indo-european","category-gaidhlig-scottish-gaelic","category-cymraeg-welsh","tag-bite","tag-breton","tag-celtic","tag-chew","tag-cornish","tag-etymology","tag-gaelic","tag-gnaw","tag-irish","tag-language","tag-manx","tag-scottish-gaelic","tag-welsh"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8835","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=8835"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8835\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8839,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8835\/revisions\/8839"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8835"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8835"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8835"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}