{"id":8944,"date":"2025-08-20T15:43:38","date_gmt":"2025-08-20T14:43:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/?p=8944"},"modified":"2025-08-27T14:23:31","modified_gmt":"2025-08-27T13:23:31","slug":"shameful-disgrace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/2025\/08\/20\/shameful-disgrace\/","title":{"rendered":"Shameful Disgrace"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Words for <strong>shame<\/strong>, <strong>disgrace<\/strong> and related things in Celtic languages.<\/p>\n<p><a data-flickr-embed=\"true\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/ewwhite\/4346846964\/in\/photolist-7C7Jaj-VpGsu1-LvCNT-2jJ6P1a-2hSEqiY-VKaLn9-p6VBsn-5u5ZSt-KMvBE-587FU-Yuafwq-6441Qn-JAJ6k-2hSFs88-2hfat6b-4bRPgT-cxjMjf-ZuwpEs-Zuwr2f-6Uhd7w-8bEkKw-6waVoU-ZuwupY-aDpifQ-49o4Jc-YuafVG-iYkA6-mxANdn-2hHtXGx-KW4oqF-ds4nUo-7j2wLf-23oUZWX-6UhdSQ-PDXyH-23oV1pR-7DJfnd-nfGS39-49s6Hj-49YkjY-VNr9gF-49s74S-23oV6UZ-4dR5YN-6UhcHW-ds4dZk-23oV6Gp-49s7kW-49o1Ux-6tz7wd\" title=\"Shame.\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/2800\/4346846964_b1273068e7_z.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" alt=\"Shame.\"\/><\/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>Proto-Celtic<\/th>\n<td><strong>*mebl\u0101<\/strong> = shame, disgrace<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Old Irish (Go\u00eddelc)<\/th>\n<td><strong>mebal, mebul<\/strong> [\u02c8m\u02b2e.\u03b2al \/ \u02c8m\u02b2e.\u03b2ul] = shame, disgrace<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>mebal, mebul, meabhal<\/strong> = (a cause of) shame, a disgrace, deciet, guile, treachery<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Irish (Gaeilge)<\/th>\n<td><strong>meabhal<\/strong> = shame, disgrace, deceit, treachery<br \/>\n<strong>meabhlach<\/strong> = shameful, disgraceful, deceitful, treacherous, deceptive, illusory, seductive, beguiling<br \/>\n<strong>meabhlaigh<\/strong> = to shame disgrace, deceive, betray, seduce<br \/>\n<strong>meabhlaire<\/strong> = deceitful, guileful person, deceiver, betrayer, seducer<br \/>\n<strong>meabhlaireacht<\/strong> = (act of) deceiving, deceptiong, treachery<br \/>\n<strong>meabhl\u00fa<\/strong> = deception, betrayal, seduction<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Scottish Gaelic (G\u00e0idhlig)<\/th>\n<td><strong>meabhal<\/strong> = perfidy, shame, reproach, fraud, deceit (<em>archaic<\/em>)<br \/>\n<strong>meabhalach<\/strong> = deceitful, treacherous, fraudulent, shameful (<em>archaic<\/em>)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Proto-Brythonic<\/th>\n<td><strong>*me\u03b2l<\/strong> = shame, disgrace<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Welsh (Kymraec)<\/th>\n<td><strong>mefyl, mewil, meuil, meuel, meuyl, mefl<\/strong> = shame, disgrace, dishonour, reproach, insult<br \/>\n<strong>meuyluethyant<\/strong> = shameful failing or fault<br \/>\n<strong>meuylhaet<\/strong> = reproach, abuse<br \/>\n<strong>mefylwr<\/strong> = scoundrel, rascal<br \/>\n<strong>meuyllwryayth, mefylwryaeth<\/strong> = (cause of) shame, disgrace, dishonour<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Welsh (Cymraeg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>mefl<\/strong> = shame, disgrace, dishonour, reproach, insult, blemish, blot, fault, flaw<br \/>\n<strong>meflu<\/strong> = to disgrace, put to shame, stain, spoil, soil, foul<br \/>\n<strong>meflfethiant<\/strong> = shameful failing or fault<br \/>\n<strong>meflhau<\/strong> = to disgrace, put to shame<br \/>\n<strong>meflus<\/strong> = faulty, imperfect<br \/>\n<strong>meflwriaeth<\/strong> = (cause of) shame, disgrace, dishonour<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Cornish (Cernewec)<\/th>\n<td><strong>meul, meaul<\/strong> = mischief, bad luck<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Cornish (Kernewek)<\/th>\n<td><strong>mewl<\/strong> = bad luck, misfortune<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Etymology<\/strong>: from the Proto-Indo-European <em>*meb\u02b0-<\/em> (to blame). Words from the same root include <strong>\u03b1\u03be\u03b9\u03cc\u03bc\u03b5\u03bc\u03c0\u03c4\u03bf\u03c2<\/strong> (axi\u00f3memptos &#8211; reprehensible, blameworthy) and <strong>\u03ac\u03bc\u03b5\u03bc\u03c0\u03c4\u03bf\u03c2<\/strong> (\u00e1memptos &#8211; spotless, unblemished) in Greek [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/Reconstruction:Proto-Celtic\/mebl%C4%81\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th>Proto-Celtic<\/th>\n<td><strong>*metom<\/strong> = blight, decay, shame, failure, error<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Old Irish (Go\u00eddelc)<\/th>\n<td><strong>meth<\/strong> = blight, decay, decline, wasting<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>meth, meath<\/strong> = decay, blight, wasting, failure<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Irish (Gaeilge)<\/th>\n<td><strong>meath<\/strong> = decline, decay, fail, deteriorate, to waste, fritter away<br \/>\n<strong>meath\u00e1n<\/strong> = weakling, sickly person, coward<br \/>\n<strong>meathlaigh<\/strong> = to decline, decay, fail, deteriorate, degenerate<br \/>\n<strong>meatacht<\/strong> = decline, decay, craveness, cowardice<br \/>\n<strong>meathlaigh<\/strong> = to decline, decay, fail, deteriorate, degenerate<br \/>\n<strong>meathla\u00edocht<\/strong> = decline, decay, failure<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Scottish Gaelic (G\u00e0idhlig)<\/th>\n<td><strong>meath<\/strong> [m\u025b] = fading (away), degenerating, degeneration, taunting, jeering, jibing<br \/>\n<strong>meathach<\/strong> [m\u025b.\u0259x] = degenerate<br \/>\n<strong>meathaichte<\/strong> [m\u025b.\u026a\u00e7d\u02b2\u0259] = degenerate, decayed<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Welsh (Kymraec)<\/th>\n<td><strong>meth<\/strong> = failure , failing, deficiency, fault, defect, error, mistake<br \/>\n<strong>methyant, methiant<\/strong> = failure, mistake, error, failing, defect<br \/>\n<strong>methu, methy<\/strong> = to fail, be unsuccessful, be mistaken<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Welsh (Cymraeg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>meth<\/strong> [me\u02d0\u03b8] = failure , failing, deficiency, fault, defect, error, mistake<br \/>\n<strong>methadwy<\/strong> = faillible, perishable<br \/>\n<strong>methfodd<\/strong> = failing, fault<br \/>\n<strong>methiad<\/strong> = failure, insolvency<br \/>\n<strong>methiant<\/strong> = failure, mistake, error, failing, defect<br \/>\n<strong>methu<\/strong> = to fail, be unsuccessful, be mistaken<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Cornish (Cernewec)<\/th>\n<td><strong>medh, m\u00eadh<\/strong> = shame, bashfulness<br \/>\n<strong>medha<\/strong> = to be ashamed<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Cornish (Kernewek)<\/th>\n<td><strong>meth<\/strong> = shame<br \/>\n<strong>perthi meth<\/strong> = to be ashamed (of)<br \/>\n<strong>methardak<\/strong> = stalemate<br \/>\n<strong>methek<\/strong> = ashamed, bashful, shy<br \/>\n<strong>methus<\/strong> = embarrassing, shameful<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Old Breton (Brethonoc)<\/th>\n<td><strong>meplaom<\/strong> = to be ashamed<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Breton<\/th>\n<td><strong>mezz, mez<\/strong> = shame<br \/>\n<strong>mezeguez<\/strong> = confusion<br \/>\n<strong>mezus<\/strong> = ashamed, shameful, disgraceful<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Breton (Brezhoneg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>mezh<\/strong> [\u02c8me\u02d0s] = shame<br \/>\n<strong>mezhadenn<\/strong> = affront, insult, slight<br \/>\n<strong>mezha\u00f1<\/strong> = to intimidate, bully, cow<br \/>\n<strong>mezhata<\/strong> = to confuse, confound, embarras<br \/>\n<strong>mezhegezh<\/strong> = confusion<br \/>\n<strong>mezhek<\/strong> [\u02c8me\u02d0.z\u025bk] = ashamed, shameful, disgraceful<br \/>\n<strong>mezhekadenn<\/strong> = humiliation<br \/>\n<strong>mezhekaat<\/strong> = to humiliate<br \/>\n<strong>mezhus<\/strong> [\u02c8me\u02d0.zys] = ashamed, shameful, disgraceful<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Etymology<\/strong>: uncertain &#8211; possibly from a non-Indo-European language, or related to <strong>maoth<\/strong> (tender, soft, weak) in Irish, which comes from Proto-Celtic <em>*moytos<\/em> (tender), from Proto-Indo-European <em>*meyh\u2081-<\/em> (mild, soft), from which we get <strong>mite<\/strong> (mild, moderate, meek) in Italian, and <strong>mitigation<\/strong> in English [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/Reconstruction:Proto-Celtic\/metom\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th>Proto-Celtic<\/th>\n<td><strong>*n\u0101ry\u0101<\/strong> = modesty, magnanimity<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Old Irish (Go\u00eddelc)<\/th>\n<td><strong>n\u00e1ire<\/strong> [\u02c8n\u032aa\u02d0.\u027e\u02b2e] = shame, shyness, reluctance<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>n\u00e1ire, n\u00e1re, naire<\/strong> = shamefacedness, bashfulness, diffidence, backwardness, reluctance, modesty, generosity<br \/>\n<strong>n\u00e1irech<\/strong> = diffident, shy, modest<br \/>\n<strong>n\u00e1ir\u00edne<\/strong> = shame, affronted modesty<br \/>\n<strong>inn\u00e1ire<\/strong> [\u02c8in\u0348a\u02d0r\u02b2\u0259] = modesty, generosity<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Irish (Gaeilge)<\/th>\n<td><strong>n\u00e1ire<\/strong> [\u02c8n\u032a\u02e0\u0251\u02d0\u027e\u02b2\u0259 \/ \u02c8n\u032a\u02e0a\u02d0\u027e\u02b2\u0259] = shame, sense of shame, decency, modesty<br \/>\n<strong>n\u00e1ireach<\/strong> [\u02c8n\u032a\u02e0\u0251\u02d0\u027e\u02b2\u0259x] = shameful, bashful, modest, diffident<br \/>\n<strong>n\u00e1ireach\u00e1n<\/strong> = bashful, diffident, person<br \/>\n<strong>n\u00e1irigh<\/strong> = to shame<br \/>\n<strong>n\u00e1iri\u00fa<\/strong> = shame, disgrace<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Scottish Gaelic (G\u00e0idhlig)<\/th>\n<td><strong>n\u00e0ire<\/strong> [n\u032a\u02e0a\u02d0r\u02b2\u0259] = embarrassment, shame, disgrace, ignominy, bashfulness<br \/>\n<strong>n\u00e0ireach<\/strong> [n\u032a\u02e0a\u02d0r\u02b2\u0259x] = shameful, bashful, coy, modest<br \/>\n<strong>n\u00e0ireachadh<\/strong> [n\u032a\u02e0a\u02d0r\u02b2\u0259x\u0259\u0263] = (act of) shaming<br \/>\n<strong>n\u00e0ireil<\/strong> [n\u032a\u02e0a\u02d0r\u02b2al] = disgraceful, shameful<br \/>\n<strong>n\u00e0irich<\/strong> [n\u032a\u02e0a\u02d0r\u02b2\u026a\u00e7] = shame, make ashamed!<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Manx (Gaelg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>nearey<\/strong> = disgrace, shame<br \/>\n<strong>nearaghey, naaraghey<\/strong> = to abash, disgrace, shame<br \/>\n<strong>naareydagh<\/strong> = shameful, scandalous<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Etymology<\/strong>: possibly related to Proto-Celtic <em>*n\u0101ro-<\/em> (noble, great-hearted), from Proto-Indo-European <em>*h\u2082enr<\/em> (manly strength) [<a href=\"https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/EtymologicalDictionaryOfProtoCeltic\/page\/n287\/mode\/2up\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th>Old Irish (Go\u00eddelc)<\/th>\n<td><strong>m\u00e9la<\/strong> = disgrace, shame<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>m\u00e9la, meala, mela<\/strong> = shame, disgrace, discomfiture, mortification<br \/>\n<strong>m\u00e9lach<\/strong> = ashamed, disappointed<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Irish (Gaeilge)<\/th>\n<td><strong>m\u00e9ala<\/strong> [\u02c8m\u02b2e\u02d0l\u02e0\u0259] = humiliation, ignominy, grief, sorrow<br \/>\n<strong>m\u00e9alach<\/strong> [\u02c8m\u02b2e\u02d0l\u02e0\u0259x] = lamentable, lamenting, sorrowful, humiliating, fault-finding<br \/>\n<strong>m\u00e9alacht<\/strong> = (state of) sorrow, lamentation<br \/>\n<strong>m\u00e9alaigh<\/strong> = to humble, humiliate, bring to grief<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Scottish Gaelic (G\u00e0idhlig)<\/th>\n<td><strong>m\u00e8ala<\/strong> = reproach, grief<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Etymology<\/strong>: unknown<\/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","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Words for shame, disgrace and related things in Celtic languages. Words marked with a * are reconstructions. Proto-Celtic *mebl\u0101 = shame, disgrace Old Irish (Go\u00eddelc) mebal, mebul [\u02c8m\u02b2e.\u03b2al \/ \u02c8m\u02b2e.\u03b2ul] = shame, disgrace Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) mebal, mebul, meabhal = (a cause of) shame, a disgrace, deciet, guile, treachery Irish (Gaeilge) meabhal = shame, disgrace, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,16,26,115,21,83,3,22,5,6,37,7,27,8,10,11,12,13,23,43,18,14],"tags":[52,80,51,279,145,48,47,53,49,55,278,50],"class_list":["post-8944","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-adjectives","category-breton","category-kernewek-cornish","category-greek-","category-gaeilge-irish","category-italian-italiano","category-language","category-gaelg-manx","category-middle-breton","category-middle-cornish","category-middle-irish","category-middle-welsh-kymraec","category-nouns","category-old-breton","category-old-irish-goidelc","category-proto-brythonic","category-proto-celtic","category-proto-indo-european","category-gaidhlig-scottish-gaelic","category-verbs","category-cymraeg-welsh","category-words","tag-breton","tag-celtic","tag-cornish","tag-disgrace","tag-etymology","tag-gaelic","tag-irish","tag-language","tag-manx","tag-scottish-gaelic","tag-shame","tag-welsh"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8944","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=8944"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8944\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8963,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8944\/revisions\/8963"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8944"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8944"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8944"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}