{"id":9245,"date":"2026-07-09T15:31:50","date_gmt":"2026-07-09T14:31:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/?p=9245"},"modified":"2026-07-09T15:31:50","modified_gmt":"2026-07-09T14:31:50","slug":"binding-fastenings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/2026\/07\/09\/binding-fastenings\/","title":{"rendered":"Binding Fastenings"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>In this post we&#8217;re looking at words for <strong>binding<\/strong>, <strong>fastening<\/strong> and related things in Celtic languages.<\/p>\n<p><a data-flickr-embed=\"true\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/theenmoy\/25104722325\/in\/photolist-Efqgj6-iXDqRi-7AEGv7-iimxY-2mg65JN-243Jujd-6Arf8y-6yqW2Z-drHgv1-9JSZE8-Xtisq5-23hDW4o-4D1MqK-6pgeUT-2mn1cM6-yeuWgp-9bFL9c-bebUZ6-GXY9hw-Bj6Hb1-67BGFq-ory6Z-qxGY7-2n3w3fA-61TEH4-axKbWs-N9T9h-2JDeP9-5sVGo-4VACCi-HHV5p6-2445Km8-2fLdQ6-PZqcc-ntbaAJ-MSa62-6gNNmB-DAo2ir-2pVBu5L-CDq8fV-7SmLDW-2qdtNok-HxLJTN-4N2B6c-4erNx3-2qdv5vA-ngssc4-5LivTJ-3stEB-neq1WG\" title=\"Chain Ladder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/1688\/25104722325_b2ddb0dda4_z.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" alt=\"Chain Ladder\"\/><\/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>*rigo-<\/strong> = to bind<br \/>\n<strong>*komrig\u0101<\/strong> = binding, bond<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Old Irish (Go\u00eddelc)<\/th>\n<td><strong>cuimrech<\/strong> [\u02c8ku.\u03b2\u0303\u02b2\u027e\u02b2\u0259x] = binding, bond, fastening, fetter, captivity<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>cuimrech, cui\u1e41brech, cuibrech<\/strong> = act of binding, fastening, fettering, imprisoning, captivity, bond, fetter, chain<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Irish (Gaeilge)<\/th>\n<td><strong>cuibhreach<\/strong> = binding, fetter, trammel<br \/>\n<strong>cuibhrigh<\/strong> = bind, fetter<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Scottish Gaelic (G\u00e0idhlig)<\/th>\n<td><strong>cuibhreach<\/strong> [k\u026fivr\u0259x] = chain, trammel<br \/>\n<strong>cuibhreachadh<\/strong> [k\u026fivr\u02b2\u0259x\u0259\u0263] = (act of) binding, fettering, restricting, restriction<br \/>\n<strong>cuibhreachail<\/strong> [k\u026fivr\u02b2\u0259xal] = limiting, restrictive<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Proto-Brythonic<\/th>\n<td><strong>*korr\u0268\u0263<\/strong> = thong (?)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Old Welsh (Kembraec)<\/th>\n<td><strong>corruui<\/strong> = thong, lace, leather strap, rein<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Welsh (Kymraec)<\/th>\n<td><strong>karrei<\/strong> = thong, lace, leather strap, rein<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Welsh (Cymraeg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>carrai<\/strong> [\u02c8kara \/ \u02c8kar\u025b] = thong, lace, leather strap, rein, leash<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Cornish (Kernewek)<\/th>\n<td><strong>kevren<\/strong> = bond, link, share<br \/>\n<strong>kevrenna<\/strong> = to share<br \/>\n<strong>kevrennek, kevrenoges<\/strong> = participant, stakeholder, participating<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Old Breton (Brethonoc)<\/th>\n<td><strong>comreg<\/strong> = tie, bond, connection (?)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Breton (Brezonec)<\/th>\n<td><strong>corre-enn, q\u00e9vre, qevre<\/strong> = tie, bond, connection<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Breton (Brezhoneg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>kevre<\/strong> [ke\u02d0vre] = tie, bond, connection, link, agreement, alliance<br \/>\n<strong>kevread<\/strong> = bond, league<br \/>\n<strong>kevreadenn<\/strong> = hook-up, connection, link<br \/>\n<strong>kevrea\u00f1<\/strong> = to connect, to join forces<br \/>\n<strong>kevreded<\/strong> = federation, association, alliance<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Etymology<\/strong>: from Proto-Indo-European <em>*(H)rey\u01f5-<\/em> (to bind, reach), possibly via Latin <em>corrigia<\/em> (shoelace, tie, thong whip) [<a href=\"https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/EtymologicalDictionaryOfProtoCeltic\/page\/n313\/mode\/2up\">source<\/a>]. Words from the same roots include <strong>correggia<\/strong> (leather strap or belt, thong) in Italian, <strong>courroie<\/strong> (strap, belt, band, strip) in French [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/corrigia\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th>Proto-Celtic<\/th>\n<td><strong>*gem-, *gem-eno-, *gemelo-<\/strong> = shackle, chain<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Old Irish (Go\u00eddelc)<\/th>\n<td><strong>gemel<\/strong> = chain, fetter<br \/>\n<strong>g\u00e9bend<\/strong> = bond, fetter, captivity<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>gemel, gemeal<\/strong> = fetter, chain, gyve<br \/>\n<strong>gemlech, geimhlech<\/strong> = a fettered person, a prisoner, a hostage, fettered, captive<br \/>\n<strong>g\u00e9bend<\/strong> = bond, fetter, captivity<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Irish (Gaeilge)<\/th>\n<td><strong>geimheal<\/strong> = fetter, shackle, chain<br \/>\n<strong>geimhleach<\/strong> = fettered person, captive, prisoner; fettered, captive, held in bondage<br \/>\n<strong>geimhligh<\/strong> = fetter, shackle, chain<br \/>\n<strong>g\u00e9ibheann<\/strong> [\u02c8\u025fe\u02d0v\u02b2\u0259n\u032a\u02e0] = bond, fetter, bondage, captivity, strait, difficulty, distress, need<br \/>\n<strong>g\u00e9ibheannach<\/strong> [\u02c8\u025fe\u02d0v\u02b2\u0259n\u032a\u02e0\u0259x] = person in bonds, person in fetters, captive<br \/>\n<strong>g\u00e9ibheannas<\/strong> = bondage, sore distress<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Scottish Gaelic (G\u00e0idhlig)<\/th>\n<td><strong>geamhal<\/strong> = fetter, shackle, gyve<br \/>\n<strong>geimheal<\/strong> = fetter, shackle, gyve<br \/>\n<strong>geimhleach<\/strong> [g\u02b2evl\u0259x] = fetter, captive, slave<br \/>\n<strong>g\u00e8ibhinn<\/strong> = fetter<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Manx (Gaelg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>geuley<\/strong> = manacle, chain, bond, shackle<br \/>\n<strong>geulaghey<\/strong> = manacle, chain, shackle, bind in chains<br \/>\n<strong>geuleydagh<\/strong> = bondman, chain<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Old Welsh (Kembraec)<\/th>\n<td><strong>gebin<\/strong> = fetter, shackle<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Welsh (Kymraec)<\/th>\n<td><strong>geuyn, gefyn, gevyn<\/strong> = fetter, shackle, gyve, manacle, chain<br \/>\n<strong>geuynnedig<\/strong> = shackled, fettered<br \/>\n<strong>gefynnu<\/strong> = to shackle, fetter, manacle<br \/>\n<strong>gevynnauc<\/strong> = shackled, fettered<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Welsh (Cymraeg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>gefyn<\/strong> = fetter, shackle, gyve, manacle, chain<br \/>\n<strong>gefynedig<\/strong> = shackled, fettered<br \/>\n<strong>gefynnaf, gefynnu<\/strong> = to shackle, fetter, manacle, couple, link<br \/>\n<strong>gefynnog<\/strong> = shackled, fettered<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Etymology<\/strong>: from from Proto-Indo-European <me>*gem-<\/em> (to press, grasp) [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/gyve\">source<\/a>]. Words from the same roots include <strong>gyve<\/strong> (shackle or fetter, especially for the leg; to shackle, to fetter, to chain) in English, <strong>\u0436\u0430\u0442\u044c<\/strong> (\u017eat\u02b9 &#8211; to press, squeeze, lift) in Russian, <strong>o\u017eeti<\/strong> (to squeeze) in Slovenian, <strong>\u017ed\u00edmat<\/strong> (to wring) in Czech, and <strong>\u03b3\u03b5\u03bc\u03af\u03b6\u03c9<\/strong> (gem\u00edzo &#8211; to fill, stuff) in Greek [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/gyve\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th>Old Irish (Go\u00eddelc)<\/th>\n<td><strong>sibal<\/strong> = clasp, pin<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>sibal(l)<\/strong> = a clasp, buckle, pin<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Old Welsh (Kembraec)<\/th>\n<td><strong>fual<\/strong> = fetter, gyve, shackle, bond<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Welsh (Kymraec)<\/th>\n<td><strong>hual<\/strong> = fetter, gyve, shackle, bond<br \/>\n<strong>hualu<\/strong> = to fetter, manacle, shackle, chain, hobble, restrict, restrain<br \/>\n<strong>hualawc, hualoc, hualog, hualawg<\/strong> = fettered, shackled, trammelled, tethered<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Welsh (Cymraeg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>hual<\/strong> = fetter, gyve, shackle, bond, hobble, restriction, restraint, check, trammel, hindrance, impediment<br \/>\n<strong>hualaf, hualu<\/strong> = to fetter, manacle, shackle, chain, hobble, restrict, restrain<br \/>\n<strong>hualedig<\/strong> = fettered or manacled, shackled, tethered<br \/>\n<strong>hualog<\/strong> = fettered, shackled, trammelled, tethered<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Cornish (Cernewec \/ Kernuak)<\/th>\n<td><strong>fual, fu, hual<\/strong> = fetter, shackle<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Middle Breton (Brezonec)<\/th>\n<td><strong>hual<\/strong> = shackle<br \/>\n<strong>hualaff<\/strong> = to hinder, impede, obstruct<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Breton (Brezhoneg)<\/th>\n<td><strong>hual<\/strong> = shackle, leg irons, anti-theft device<br \/>\n<strong>huala\u00f1<\/strong> [hy\u02c8\u0251\u02d0l\u00e3] = to shackle, put in irons, subjugate, subdue<br \/>\n<strong>hualet<\/strong> = hindered<br \/>\n<strong>dishuala\u00f1<\/strong> [di.sy\u02c8\u0251\u02d0.l\u00e3] = to emancipate, deliver, liberate, unshackle<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Etymology<\/strong>: possibly from or related to Latin <em>fibula<\/em> (clasp, buckle, brooch) [<a href=\"https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/lexiconcornubrit00willuoft\/page\/154\/mode\/2up?q=shackle\">source<\/a>]. Words from the same roots include <strong>sivella<\/strong> (buckle) in Catalan, <strong>fibbia<\/strong> (buckle, clasp) in Italian, and <strong>hebilla<\/strong> (buckle, clasp) in Spanish [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/fibula#Latin\">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 binding, fastening and related things in Celtic languages. Words marked with a * are reconstructions. Proto-Celtic *rigo- = to bind *komrig\u0101 = binding, bond Old Irish (Go\u00eddelc) cuimrech [\u02c8ku.\u03b2\u0303\u02b2\u027e\u02b2\u0259x] = binding, bond, fastening, fetter, captivity Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) cuimrech, cui\u1e41brech, cuibrech = act of binding, fastening, fettering, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16,101,26,75,19,20,44,115,21,83,3,36,22,5,6,37,7,8,10,40,11,12,13,106,23,431,82,18],"tags":[429,428,52,80,51,145,430,426,48,47,53,49,55,427,50],"class_list":["post-9245","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-breton","category-catalan-catala","category-kernewek-cornish","category-czech-cestina","category-english","category-etymology","category-french","category-greek-","category-gaeilge-irish","category-italian-italiano","category-language","category-latin","category-gaelg-manx","category-middle-breton","category-middle-cornish","category-middle-irish","category-middle-welsh-kymraec","category-old-breton","category-old-irish-goidelc","category-old-welsh","category-proto-brythonic","category-proto-celtic","category-proto-indo-european","category-russian-","category-gaidhlig-scottish-gaelic","category-slovenian-slovenscina","category-spanish-espanol","category-cymraeg-welsh","tag-binding","tag-bond","tag-breton","tag-celtic","tag-cornish","tag-etymology","tag-fastening","tag-fetter","tag-gaelic","tag-irish","tag-language","tag-manx","tag-scottish-gaelic","tag-shackle","tag-welsh"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9245","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=9245"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9245\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9247,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9245\/revisions\/9247"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9245"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9245"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9245"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}