{"id":9082,"date":"2026-01-08T03:11:05","date_gmt":"2026-01-08T03:11:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/?p=9082"},"modified":"2026-01-08T03:12:33","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T03:12:33","slug":"glowing-stars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/2026\/01\/08\/glowing-stars\/","title":{"rendered":"Glowing Stars"},"content":{"rendered":"

Words for star<\/strong>, coal<\/strong> and related things in Celtic languages.<\/p>\n

\"Glowing<\/p>\n

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Proto-Celtic<\/th>\n*glāwos, *glowos<\/strong> = glowing thing, coal, charcoal
\n*glāwū<\/strong> = glower<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Old Irish (Goídelc)<\/th>\nrétglu, rétlu‎<\/strong> = star<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg)<\/th>\nrétlu, rétla<\/strong> = star
\nrétlannach<\/strong> = starry, containing stars, sparkling, radiant<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Irish (Gaeilge)<\/th>\nréalta<\/strong> [ˈɾˠeːl̪ˠt̪ˠə] = star, pip, asterisk
\nréaltach<\/strong> = starry, stellar, astral, starlike, beautiful
\nréaltbhuíon<\/strong> = constellation
\nréalteolaí<\/strong> = astronomer
\nréalteolaíocht<\/strong> = astronomy
\nréaltóg<\/strong> = (small) star
\nréaltra<\/strong> = galaxy
\nréiltín<\/strong> = (small) star, starlet, asterisk<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig)<\/th>\nreul<\/strong> [r̪ˠial̪ˠ] = star, asterisk
\nreul-bhad<\/strong> = constellation
\nreul-chrios<\/strong> = galaxy
\nreulach<\/strong> [r̪ˠial̪ˠəx] = astral, starry, abounding in stars
\nreuladair<\/strong> [r̪ʲiəl̪ˠədɪrʲ] = astronomer, astrologer
\nreuladaireachd<\/strong> [r̪ʲiəl̪ˠədɪrʲəxg] = astronomy, astrology, stargazing
\nreult<\/strong> [r̪ˠial̪ˠd] = star<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Manx (Gaelg)<\/th>\nrolt<\/strong> = star
\nroltag<\/strong> = star
\nroltage<\/strong> = star
\nrolteen<\/strong> = asterisk, star, starlet
\nrollage<\/strong> = star, pip
\nrollageagh<\/strong> = astral
\nrollageyder<\/strong> = astronomer
\nrollageydys<\/strong> = astronomy
\nrontage<\/strong> = star<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Proto-Brythonic<\/th>\n*glọw<\/strong> = coal (?)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Middle Welsh (Kymraec)<\/th>\nglo<\/strong> = coal, charcoal<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Welsh (Cymraeg)<\/th>\nglo<\/strong> [ɡloː] = coal, charcoal
\nglo(e)a<\/strong> = to make charcoal by burning wood
\ngloaidd<\/strong> = pertaining to coal, coal-black
\nglobwll<\/strong> = coal pit, coal mine, colliery
\nglöyn byw<\/strong> = butterfly (“living coal”)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cornish (Kernewek)<\/th>\nglow<\/strong> = coal
\nglowbren<\/strong> = charcoal
\nglowor<\/strong> = collier
\nglowva<\/strong> = colliery<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Middle Breton (Brezonec)<\/th>\nglaou, glaoü, glou<\/strong> = coal, embers, to braise<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Breton (Brezhoneg)<\/th>\nglaou<\/strong> [ˈɡlɔw] = coal, embers, spark, strong emotion, money
\nglaoua<\/strong> [ˈɡlɔwːa] = to search for or collect coal
\nglaouaer<\/strong> [ɡlɔˈwːɛr] = coalman, collier, swallow (bird)
\nglaouañ<\/strong> = to grind, to make sth burn
\nglaoudenn<\/strong> = charred piece (of wood)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Etymology<\/strong> (Goidelic): from Old Irish rét<\/em> (thing) and Proto-Celtic *glāwos<\/em> (glowing thing, coal, charcoal) from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰl̥h₁-wó-s<\/em> from *ǵʰleh₁-<\/em> (to shine, glow). The Brythonic words come from the same roots, directly via Proto-Celtic *glāwos<\/em> [source<\/a>].<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Proto-Celtic<\/th>\n*sterā<\/strong> = star<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Old Irish (Goídelc)<\/th>\nser<\/strong> = star<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg)<\/th>\nser<\/strong> = star<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Proto-Brythonic<\/th>\n*ster<\/strong> = stars<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Old Welsh (Kembraec)<\/th>\nsserenn<\/strong> = star<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Middle Welsh (Kymraec)<\/th>\nsyr, sŷr, sér, sêr<\/strong> = stars
\nseren<\/strong> = star<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Welsh (Cymraeg)<\/th>\nsêr<\/strong> [seːr] = stars
\nseren<\/strong> = star, asterisk
\nserydd(wr)<\/strong> = astronomer, astrologer
\nseryddeg<\/strong> = astronomy
\nseryddegiaeth<\/strong> = astronomy, astrology
\nserydd(i)ol<\/strong> = astronomic(al), astrological
\nsêr-nifwl, serniwl<\/strong> = nebula, galaxy<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Old Cornish<\/th>\nsteren<\/strong> = star<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Middle Cornish (Cernewec . Kernuak)<\/th>\nste(y)r<\/strong> = stars
\nsterran<\/strong> = star<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cornish (Kernewek)<\/th>\nster<\/strong> = stars
\nsterennek<\/strong> = starry
\nsterfisegieth<\/strong> = astrophysics
\nstergan<\/strong> = starlight
\nstergelgh, stergylgh<\/strong> = zodiac
\nsterji<\/strong> = planetarium
\nsterlester<\/strong> = spaceship, starship
\nsteronieth<\/strong> = astronomy
\nstervarner, stervarnores<\/strong> = astronaut<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Old Breton (Brethonoc)<\/th>\nsterenn<\/strong> = star<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Middle Breton (Brezonec)<\/th>\nster<\/strong> = stars
\nsteret<\/strong> = stars
\nsterenn<\/strong> = star<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Breton (Brezhoneg)<\/th>\nster<\/strong> [ˈsteːr] = stars
\nstered<\/strong> [ˈsteː.rɛt] = stars
\nsteredenn<\/strong> [ste.ˈreː.dɛn] = star
\nsteredek<\/strong> = star, star-studded, constellated, peppered, dotted with
\nsteread<\/strong> = astronaut
\nsteredeg<\/strong> [ste.ˈreː.dɛk] = constellation
\nsteredel<\/strong> = stellar
\nsteredennañ<\/strong> = to star, to twinkle<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Etymology<\/strong>: from the Proto-Indo-European *h₂stḗr<\/em> (star), from *h₂eh₁s-<\/em> (to burn) [source<\/a>].<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/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