Celtic cognates - Animals

This page contains words for animals that are cognate in all or most of the six modern Celtic languages.

Click on the English versions that are links and you will be taken to the Celtiadur, where you can see what each word means, and how some of them are pronounced. There are also details of related words and expressions, and words in older versions of the Celtic languages, such as Middle Welsh and Old Irish. More Celtic Cognates

Animals and other creatures

These words are cognate in all six Celtic languages.

Gaeilge (Irish)	Gàidhlig (Gaelic)	Gaelg (Manx)	Cymraeg (Welsh)	Kernewek (Cornish)	Brezhoneg (Breton)	English
asal	asal	assyl	asyn	asen	azen	donkey ass
banbh	banbh	bannoo	banw	banow	banv	piglet sow
bó	bó	booa	buwch	bugh	buoc'h	cattle cow
boc poc (gabhair) pocán	boc boc-gobhair	bock bock goayr	bwch bwch gafr	bogh	bo(u)c'h	billy goat
broc	broc	brock	broch	brogh	broc'h	badger
carria	cair-fhiadh carbh-fheadh	çharroo	carw	karow	karv	deer stag
cat	cat	kayt	cath	kath	kazh	cat
cat fireann	cat fireann moth-chat cullach-cait	kayt firryn	cwrcath gwrcath cwrcyn	kath	kazh	tomcat male cat
capall	capall	cabbyl	ceffyl	cevil* kevil*	kefel	horse
coinín	coinean coineanach	conneeyn conning	cwningen	konin	koulin konifl konikl	rabbit
coiléan	cuilean	quallian	colwyn	kolyn	kolen	puppy
cú	cù	coo	ci	ki	ki	dog hound
dobahrchú dobhrán	dobhar-chù dòbhran	dooarchoo	dwrgi dyfrgi ci dŵr	dowrgi	dourgi	otter beaver
damh	damh	dow	dafad	davas	dañvad	sheep ox deer
each	each	agh	ebol	ebel	ebeul	horse colt foal
gabhar	gobhar	goayr	gafr	gaver	gavr	goat
iora	feòrag	fiorag	gwiwer	gwiwer	gwiñver	squirrel
lao	laogh	lheiy	llo	leugh	leue	calf
luch luchóg	luch	lugh	llyg llygoden	logosen	loc* logodenn	mouse shrew
marc*	marc*	mark(sleih)	march	margh	marc'h	horse stallion
meann	meann	mannan	myn	min	menn	kid goat
míol	mial	meeyl	mil	mil	mil	animal louse insect
molt	mult	mohlt	mollt	mols	maout	ram wether
muc	muc	muc	moch(yn)	mogh	moc'h	pig
nathair	nathair	aarnieu ardnieu	neidr	nader	naer	snake
piscín	piseag	pishin pishanagh	cath fach	kathik	kazhig	kitten
tarbh	tarbh	tarroo	tarw	tarow	tarv	bull
uan	uan	eayn	oen	oen	oan	lamb

These words are cognate in some of the Celtic languages.

Gaeilge (Irish)	Gàidhlig (Gaelic)	Gaelg (Manx)	Cymraeg (Welsh)	Kernewek (Cornish)	Brezhoneg (Breton)	English
agh	agh		eilon eilion			stag deer hart
ainmhí	ainmhidh		anifail	eneval	aneval	animal beast
ainnir	ainnir		anner	annor	annoar	heifer girl maiden
arc(án)	orc(an)	ark				piglet sow
art*	art*		arth	arth	arzh	bear
	baircne		cath fenyw		kazhez	queen female cat
bearach	biorach		bustach (?)			bullock heifer
beithíoch	beathach	baagh				animal beast
bleidmhíol*	bleidh-mhial		blaidd	bleydh	bleiz	wolf sea monster
cana	cana		cenau			cub puppy kitten
caora	caora	keyrrey	caer*			sheep ewe roebuck
			caseg	kasek	kazeg	mare
collach	cullach collach	collagh muc	ceilliog		kalloc'h	boar hog stallion
			danas		demm	(fallow) deer
			draenog		draeneg	hedgehog
eallach	eallaidh	ollagh				cattle cow
eas	eas	assag				stoat weasel
			eidion	ojyon	ejon	bullock heifer
			ewig	euhic*		deer hart stag
faol* faolchú	faol faol-chù	filliu				wolf
fia	fiadh	feeaih				deer
gadhar	gadhar					beagle hunting dog
gamhain	gamhainn	gauin				calf
giorria	geàrr gearrach gearra(i)dh					hare
gráinneog	gràineag	graynoge				hedgehog
			gwiber colwiber		wiber naerwiber	snake adder viper
			hwrdd	hordh	(h)ourz	ram
			iwrch	yorgh	yourc'h	roe-deer
os	os		ych	oghen	oc'hen	ox deer
láir	làir	laair				mare
loarn*			llewyrn	lowarn	louarn	fox
madra madadh	madadh	moddey	madyn madog			dog fox
madra rua	madadh-ruadh					fox
madra uisce	madadh-uisge	moddey ushtey				otter beaver
	maigheach	mwaagh				hare
mathúin	mathan	maghouin				bear
minseach	minnseag minnseach	minjagh				nanny goat
moirb*			morgrugyn mor mŷr myrr	moryon	merion	ant
			porchell	porghel	porc'helleg	piglet sow
reithe	reithe	rea				ram
			sarff	serpont sarf	sarpant	snake serpent
seangán	seangan	sniengan				ant
searrach	searrach	sharragh				foal
séd*			hydd		heizes	stag hart deer
	sgiarnag		ysgyfarnog sgyfarnog	skovarnek	scouarnec	hare long-eared
sionnach	sionnach seannach	shynnagh				fox
soc			hwch	hogh	ho(u)c'h	sow pig swine
torc	torc		twrch	torgh	tourc'h	wild boar hog
	ursa			ors	ourz	bear

Geirfa Natur (Nature Glossary) - words for animals, birds, fish and other creatures in the modern Celtic language (Excel format, provided by Gwyn Harrison)

Celtic cognates

Celtiadur

A collection of Celtic cognates, with definitions, pronunciation, etymologies - includes the modern Celtic languages, older versions of these languages, such as Middle Welsh, Old Irish, and their extinct and reconstructed relatives and ancestors, including Gaulish, Celtiberian, Proto-Brythonic and Proto-Celtic.

Words with an asterisk are archaic or obsolete

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Information about Celtic languages

Breton, Celtiberian, Cornish, Cumbric, Gaulish, Irish, Lepontic, Lusitanian, Manx, Scottish Gaelic, Tartessian, Welsh

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