{"id":9222,"date":"2026-06-12T21:51:51","date_gmt":"2026-06-12T20:51:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/?p=9222"},"modified":"2026-06-12T21:51:52","modified_gmt":"2026-06-12T20:51:52","slug":"dry-barrenness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/2026\/06\/12\/dry-barrenness\/","title":{"rendered":"Dry Barrenness"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>In this post we&#8217;re looking at words for <strong>dry<\/strong>, <strong>barren<\/strong>, <strong>sterile<\/strong> and related things in Celtic languages.<\/p>\n<p><a data-flickr-embed=\"true\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/rosiejuliet\/53037356470\/in\/photolist-2oNJjhw-2p7fxX3-7EYK6u-fsKC68-8A8ZzW-Edsw5n-2ohy5i7-8Hktad-uW1YBL-4xJHWq-ehfatB-ehfaiP-CccCB1-5t4psL-ehkMqw-ehf934-ehkNx9-ehf8VB-ehf5Cz-ehf1w6-2gSqF4X-T3hjJT-ehkKJb-ehkMab-RZMDce-RZMASz-ehf8Kk-SDNV8u-ehkREY-6f6QXN-ehf7LM-2gUdjYt-ehkKFo-ehkNXy-ehf8FB-ehkSPQ-nGBeSS-SDNW59-ehf5bV-ehkQLS-2oSZx8P-ehkNUb-ehf74x-ehkLrN-ehf2q6-ehf6UF-ehf1CZ-ehkQPj-ehf2wk-ehf6Rr\" title=\"ancient building and barren land\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53037356470_684df55f11_z.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"389\" alt=\"ancient building and barren land\"\/><\/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>*sisk\u02b7os<\/strong> = dry<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Old Irish (Go\u00eddelc)<\/th>\n<td><strong>sesc<\/strong> [\u02c8s\u02b2esk] = barren, dry, infertile<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>sesc, seisc<\/strong> = dry, barren, unproductive<br \/>\n<strong>sescach<\/strong> = dry cows<br \/>\n<strong>sescus<\/strong> = state of dryness (of cattle)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Irish (Gaeilge)<\/th>\n<td><strong>seasc<\/strong> [\u0283as\u02e0k] = barren, unfruitful, infertile, dry, not giving milk, sapless, unmated, neuter<br \/>\n<strong>seascach<\/strong> = dry cow(s), unproductive season<br \/>\n<strong>seascach\u00e1n<\/strong> = neuter, unmated bird<br \/>\n<strong>seascacht<\/strong> = barrenness, dryness (of cattle)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Scottish Gaelic (G\u00e0idhlig)<\/th>\n<td><strong>seasg<\/strong> [\u0283esg] = barren, sterile, dry (not giving milk)<br \/>\n<strong>seasgach<\/strong> [\u0283esg\u0259x] = causing barrenness \/ sterility, barren, sterile, dry not leaking<br \/>\n<strong>seasgachadh<\/strong> [\u0283esg\u0259x\u0259\u0263] = (act of) sterility, sterilisation<br \/>\n<strong>seasgachd<\/strong> [\u0283esg\u0259xg] = barrenness, sterility<br \/>\n<strong>seasgaichte<\/strong> = sterilised<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Manx (Gaelg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>shast<\/strong> = sterile, barren, unfruitful (animal)<br \/>\n<strong>shiast<\/strong> = barren (animal)<br \/>\n<strong>shastagh<\/strong> = barren animal<br \/>\n<strong>shastaght<\/strong> = barrenness<br \/>\n<strong>shiastid<\/strong> = sterility, dryness<br \/>\n<strong>shiastit<\/strong> = sterilized<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Proto-Brythonic<\/th>\n<td><strong>*h\u0268sp<\/strong> = dry<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Welsh (Kymraec)<\/th>\n<td><strong>hesb, hesp, hysb<\/strong> = barren, sterile, not yielding milk, dry<br \/>\n<strong>hysby<\/strong> = to become sterile or barren, to cease to give milk<br \/>\n<strong>hyspydd, hispydd<\/strong> = dry, exhausted<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Welsh (Cymraeg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>hysb, hesb<\/strong> [h\u0268\u031esb \/ h\u026asb] = barren, sterile, not yielding milk, dry (of cattle, sheep, etc), dried up, exhausted<br \/>\n<strong>hysbedd<\/strong> = dryness, barrenness, sterility<br \/>\n<strong>hysb(i)af, hysb(i)o<\/strong> = to become sterile or barren, to cease to give milk, to dry up (esp. of a cow)<br \/>\n<strong>hysbydd<\/strong> = dry, exhausted, empty (lake, etc), barren, sterile<br \/>\n<strong>hysbyddedig<\/strong> = exhausted, improverished (land), dried up<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Cornish (Kernewek)<\/th>\n<td><strong>hesk<\/strong> = milkless cow, dry cow, dried up cow<br \/>\n<strong>heski<\/strong> = to go milkless, to run dry<br \/>\n<strong>heskys<\/strong> = dried up, milkless<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Old Breton (Brethonoc)<\/th>\n<td><strong>h\u00efscen<\/strong> = (?)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Breton (Brezonec)<\/th>\n<td><strong>hesq<\/strong> = dried up, dry<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Breton (Brezhoneg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>hesk<\/strong> [hesk] = dried up, desiccation, dry, drying out, arid<br \/>\n<strong>heskaat<\/strong> = to dry up, to dry out<br \/>\n<strong>heskadur<\/strong> = drying up<br \/>\n<strong>heskenn<\/strong> = cow that no longer gives milk<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Etymology<\/strong>: from Proto-Indo-European <em>*sisku-<\/em> (dry), probably from <em>*sek-<\/em> (to dry up) [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/Reconstruction:Proto-Celtic\/sisk%CA%B7os\">source<\/a>]. <\/p>\n<p>Words from the same roots include <strong>sec<\/strong> (dry, dried, lean, thin) in French, <strong>secco<\/strong> (dry, dried, thin) in Italian, <strong>seco<\/strong> (dry, desiccated, withered) in Portuguese, <strong>secet\u0103<\/strong> (drought) in Romanian, and <strong>desiccate<\/strong> (to dry) in English [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/siccus#Latin\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th>Proto-Celtic<\/th>\n<td><strong>*samosisk\u02b7\u012b<\/strong> = heifer, sterile cow<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Old Irish (Go\u00eddelc)<\/th>\n<td><strong>samaisc<\/strong> = heifer<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>samaisc, sam\u1e61eisc, samascib<\/strong> = heifer<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Irish (Gaeilge)<\/th>\n<td><strong>samhaisc<\/strong> = three- to four-year-old heifer<br \/>\n<strong>samhaisceach<\/strong> = stalwart person<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Scottish Gaelic (G\u00e0idhlig)<\/th>\n<td><strong>samhaisg<\/strong> = heifer<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Welsh (Kymraec)<\/th>\n<td><strong>hafesp<\/strong> = <em>river name<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Welsh (Cymraeg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>hafesp<\/strong> = <em>river name<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Breton (Brezonec)<\/th>\n<td><strong>hanvesk<\/strong> = sterile cow<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Breton (Brezhoneg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>ha\u00f1vesk<\/strong> = sterile<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Etymology<\/strong>: from Proto-Celtic <em>*samos<\/em> (summer and <em>*sisk\u02b7os<\/em> (sterile, dry) [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/Reconstruction:Proto-Celtic\/samosisk%CA%B7%C4%AB\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th>Proto-Celtic<\/th>\n<td><strong>*d\u012bsisk\u02b7os<\/strong> = (?)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>d\u00edsc<\/strong> = barren, dried up<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Irish (Gaeilge)<\/th>\n<td><strong>d\u00edsc<\/strong> [d\u02b2i\u02d0\u0283c] = dryness, barrenness<br \/>\n<strong>i nd\u00edsc<\/strong> [\u0259\u02c8n\u0320\u02b2i\u02d0\u0283c] = (having run) dry<br \/>\n<strong>d\u00edsc\u00edu<\/strong> = drying up, consumption, exhaustion, eliminiation, extermination<br \/>\n<strong>d\u00edscigh<\/strong> = to dry up, drain out, consume, exhaust, eliminate, exterminate<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Scottish Gaelic (G\u00e0idhlig)<\/th>\n<td><strong>d\u00ecosg<\/strong> [d\u02b2i\u0259sg] = barren (of an animal), barren cow, fault, flaw<br \/>\n<strong>d\u00ecosgail<\/strong> [d\u02b2i\u02d0sgal] = going barren, going dry<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Etymology<\/strong>: from Proto-Celtic <em>*d\u012b-<\/em> (away, off) and <em>*sisk\u02b7os<\/em> (sterile, dry) [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/Reconstruction:Proto-Celtic\/samosisk%CA%B7%C4%AB\">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=\"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>In this post we&#8217;re looking at words for dry, barren, sterile and related things in Celtic languages. Words marked with a * are reconstructions. Proto-Celtic *sisk\u02b7os = dry Old Irish (Go\u00eddelc) sesc [\u02c8s\u02b2esk] = barren, dry, infertile Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) sesc, seisc = dry, barren, unproductive sescach = dry cows sescus = state of dryness [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16,26,19,20,44,21,83,3,22,5,37,7,8,10,93,11,12,13,120,23,18,14],"tags":[405,418,52,80,51,416,145,48,47,53,49,55,417,419,50],"class_list":["post-9222","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-breton","category-kernewek-cornish","category-english","category-etymology","category-french","category-gaeilge-irish","category-italian-italiano","category-language","category-gaelg-manx","category-middle-breton","category-middle-irish","category-middle-welsh-kymraec","category-old-breton","category-old-irish-goidelc","category-portuguese-portugues","category-proto-brythonic","category-proto-celtic","category-proto-indo-european","category-romanian-limba-romana","category-gaidhlig-scottish-gaelic","category-cymraeg-welsh","category-words","tag-barren","tag-barrenness","tag-breton","tag-celtic","tag-cornish","tag-dry","tag-etymology","tag-gaelic","tag-irish","tag-language","tag-manx","tag-scottish-gaelic","tag-sterile","tag-sterility","tag-welsh"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9222","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=9222"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9222\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9225,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9222\/revisions\/9225"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9222"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9222"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9222"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}