{"id":8903,"date":"2025-07-31T15:47:28","date_gmt":"2025-07-31T14:47:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/?p=8903"},"modified":"2026-06-03T21:35:48","modified_gmt":"2026-06-03T20:35:48","slug":"first-things-first","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/2025\/07\/31\/first-things-first\/","title":{"rendered":"First Things First"},"content":{"rendered":"

Words for first<\/strong>, before<\/strong>, previous<\/strong>, and related things in Celtic languages.<\/p>\n

\"first<\/p>\n

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Proto-Celtic<\/th>\n*kentus<\/strong> = first
\n*kentuslongos<\/strong> = early meal
\n*kentusamonyos, *kintusamīnos, *kintusamonis<\/strong> = beginning of summer, May
\n*kentusedom<\/strong> = first seat<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Gaulish<\/th>\ncintus<\/strong> = first (?)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Old Irish (Goídelc)<\/th>\ncét-<\/strong> [ˈkʲeː.d] = first
\ncétaín<\/strong> [ˈkʲeː.dai̯nʲ] = Wednesday (“first fast”)
\ncétmuinter<\/strong> = spouse, wife
\ncétnae<\/strong> = first, same
\ncétóir<\/strong> = first time, beginning<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg)<\/th>\ncét-<\/strong> [kax \/ kex] = first, early, primary, former
\ncétad<\/strong> = seat, couch
\ncétaín<\/strong> [ˈkʲeː.dai̯nʲ] = Wednesday
\ncétlongad<\/strong> = fasting<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Irish (Gaeilge)<\/th>\ncéad<\/strong> [ciːa̯d̪ˠ \/ ceːd̪ˠ] = first
\nCéadaoin<\/strong> [ˈceːd̪ˠiːnʲ] = Wednesday
\ncéalacan<\/strong> = morning fast<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig)<\/th>\nciad<\/strong> [kʲiad] = first
\nciadaineach<\/strong> [kʲiədɪn̪ʲəx] = pertaining to Wednesday, falling on a Wednesday
\nDiCiadain<\/strong> [dʲɪˈkʲiədɪn̪ʲ] = Wednesday<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Manx (Gaelg)<\/th>\nkied<\/strong> = first, primary, senior
\nchied<\/strong> = first, initial, primary
\nkied chouyr<\/strong> = first aid
\nCrean<\/strong> = Mercury, Wednesday<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Proto-Brythonic<\/th>\n*kɨnt<\/strong> = earlier, sooner, before, former, previous
\n*kɨntüheð<\/strong> = porch, entry, court (?)
\n*kɨntühaβ̃in<\/strong> = beginning of summer, first month of summer, May (?)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Middle Welsh (Kymraec)<\/th>\ncin, kin, kyn(n), cynn<\/strong> = before, previous to, preceding
\ncynda(i)d<\/strong> = ancestor, forefather
\nkynt, cynt<\/strong> = earlier, sooner, former(ly), previous(ly), before, quicker, faster, swifter, rather (than)
\nkyn(n)hayaf, kynhaeaf, cynhaeaf<\/strong> = harvest(-time), autumn
\nkantaf, kyntaf, kyntaw, kentaf<\/strong> = swiftest, quickest, fastest, fleetest, first, foremost, chief, principal
\ncyntedd<\/strong> = porch, lobby, vestibule, entry, court, forecourt
\nkintevin, kynteuin, kyntefin<\/strong> = beginning of summer, first month of summer, May, spring, summer
\nkythlwng<\/strong> = fasting, hunger<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Welsh (Cymraeg)<\/th>\ncyn<\/strong> [kɨ̞n \/ kɪn] = before, previous to, preceding
\ncynt<\/strong> [kɨ̞nt \/ kɪnt] = earlier, sooner, former(ly), previous(ly), before, quicker, faster, swifter, rather (than)
\ncyntaf<\/strong> = swiftest, quickest, fastest, fleetest, first, foremost, chief, principal
\ncynhaeaf<\/strong> = harvest(-time), autumn
\ncyntedd<\/strong> [ˈkəntɛð] = porch, lobby, vestibule, entry, court, forecourt
\ncyntefin<\/strong> [kənˈtɛvɪn] = beginning of summer, first month of summer, May, spring, summer
\ncythlwng<\/strong> = fasting, hunger<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Old Cornish<\/th>\nkyniaf<\/strong> = harvest(-time), autumn<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Middle Cornish (Cernewec)<\/th>\ncyn, cen, ken<\/strong> = first, before (that)
\ncens, kens<\/strong> = before, formerly, rather
\ncenzhoha, kenzhoha<\/strong> = the morning
\ncynsa, censa, kensa<\/strong> = the first, chief
\ncyniaf, kyniaw, cidniadh, cidniaz<\/strong> = autumn, harvest, time (“before winter”)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cornish (Kernewek)<\/th>\nkyns, kens<\/strong> = former, previous, sooner, earlier, formerly, rather, before
\nkyns ena, kens ena<\/strong> = previously, before then
\nkynsa, kensa<\/strong> = first, initial
\nkynser(es)<\/strong> = apprentice
\nkynserneth<\/strong> = apprenticeship
\nkynsistorek<\/strong> = prehistoric<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Middle Breton (Brezonec)<\/th>\nquent<\/strong> = before
\nquentaff<\/strong> = first<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Breton (Brezhoneg)<\/th>\nkent<\/strong> [ˈkɛ̃nt] = before, previously, rather, preferably, prevous, prior
\nkantad<\/strong> = ancestor
\nkantael<\/strong> = primitive, primary
\nkantaenn<\/strong> = principle
\nkantañ<\/strong> [ˈkẽn.tã] = first, main, next, soon
\nkentannezer<\/strong> = pioneer, pathfinder
\nkentanv<\/strong> = first name
\nkentocʼh<\/strong> [ˈkẽntɔx] = rather, instead
\nkerkent<\/strong> [ˈkɛrkɛnt] = immediately, as soon as<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Etymology<\/strong>: from Proto-Indo-European *kéntus<\/em>, from *ken-<\/em> (to arise, begin) [Source<\/a>]. Words from the same roots possibly include begin<\/strong>, recent<\/strong> in English, beginnen<\/strong> (to begin, commence, start) in German, cenau<\/strong> (cub, pup, whelp, rascal) in Welsh, cana<\/strong> (cub, whelp) in Irish, szczenię<\/strong> (puppy, cub) in Polish, and reciente<\/strong> (recent) in Spanish [Source<\/a>].
\n.<\/p>\n

Sources: Wiktionary<\/a>, Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic<\/a>, In Dúil Bélrai English – Old Irish glossary<\/a>, eDIL – Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language<\/a>, Teanglann.ie<\/a>, Am Faclair Beag<\/a>, An etymological dictionary of the Gaelic language<\/a>, Fockleyreen: Manx – English Dictionary<\/a>, Online Manx Dictionary<\/a>, Gaelg Corpus<\/a>, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru<\/a>, Lexicon cornu-britannicum : a dictionary of the ancient Celtic language of Cornwall<\/a>, Gerlyver Kernewek<\/a>, Devri : Le dictionaire diachronique du breton<\/a>, Geriafurch<\/a>, TermOfis<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n