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 marked with an asterisk are archaic and/or used only in place names. The Cornish words shown are in the Standard Written Form (Furv Skrifys Savonek) of Cornish. The Breton words are in Peurunvan/Modern Standard Spelling.

Animals and other creatures

Gaeilge (Irish)	Gàidhlig (Gaelic)	Gaelg (Manx)	Cymraeg (Welsh)	Kernewek (Cornish)	Brezhoneg (Breton)	English
ainmhí	ainmhidh		anifail	eneval	aneval	animal beast
beithíoch	beathach	baagh				animal beast
míol	mial	meeyl	mil	mil	mil	animal louse insect
asal	asal	assyl	asyn	asen	azen	donkey ass
art*	art*		arth	arth	arzh	bear
	ursa			ors	ourz
mathúin	mathan	maghouin
broc	broc	brock	broch	brogh	broc'h	badger
			mochyn daear			badger
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
	baircne		cath fenyw		kazhez	queen female cat
piscín	piseag	pishin pishanagh	cath fach	kathik	kazhig	kitten
coinín	coinean coineanach	conneeyn conning	cwningen	konin	koulin konifl konikl	rabbit
	rabaid					rabbit
dobahrchú dobhrán	dobhar-chù dòbhran	dooarchoo	dwrgi dyfrgi ci dŵr	dowrgi	dourgi	otter beaver
madra uisce	madadh-uisge	moddey ushtey				otter beaver
faol* faolchú	faol faol-chù	filliu				wolf sea monster
bleidmhíol*	bleidh-mhial		blaidd	bleydh	bleiz	wolf sea monster
fia	fiadh	feeaih				deer stag
carria	cair-fhiadh carbh-fheadh	çharroo	carw	karow	karv	deer stag
séd*			hydd		heizes	stag hart heifer hind
agh	agh		eilon eilion			stag hart heifer hind
			ewig	euhic*		hind doe deer
			iwrch	yorgh	yourc'h	roebuck roe-deer
			danas		demm	(fallow) deer
gabhar	gobhar	goayr	gafr	gaver	gavr	goat
boc poc (gabhair) pocán	boc boc-gobhair	bock bock goayr	bwch bwch gafr	bogh	bo(u)c'h	billy goat buck
minseach	minnseag minnseach	minjagh				nanny goat
meann	meann	mannan	mynnyn myn gafr	mynn	menn menn-gavr	kid (young goat)
gráinneog	gràineag	graynoge				hedgehog
			draenog		draeneg
				sort
iora	feòrag	fiorag	gwiwer	gwiwer	gwiñver	squirrel
luch luchóg	luch	lugh	llyg llygoden	logosen	loc* logodenn	mouse shrew
muc	muc	muc	moch(yn)	mogh	moc'h	pig
collach	cullach collach	collagh muc	ceilliog		kalloc'h	boar hog stallion uncastrated
torc	torc		twrch	torgh	tourc'h	wild boar hog
soc			hwch	hogh	ho(u)c'h	sow pig swine
arc(án)	orc(an)	ark				piglet sow
banbh	banbh	bannoo	banw	banow	banv
			porchell	porghel	porc'helleg
nathair	nathair	aarnieu ardnieu	neidr	nader	naer	snake serpent adder viper
			gwiber colwiber		wiber naerwiber
			sarff	serpont sarf	sarpant
seangán	seangan	sniengan				ant
moirb*			morgrugyn mor mŷr myrr	moryon	merion	ant
sionnach	sionnach seannach	shynnagh				fox
madra rua	madadh-ruadh
	balgair
loarn*			llewyrn	lowarn	louarn
			llwynog
			cadno
eallach	eallaidh	ollagh				cattle cow
bó	bó	booa	buwch	bugh	buoc'h	cattle cow
tarbh	tarbh	tarroo	tarw	tarow	tarv	bull
lao	laogh	lheiy	llo	leugh	leue	calf
gamhain	gamhainn	gauin				calf
bearach	biorach		bustach (?)			bullock heifer young cow
			eidion	ojyon	ejon	bullock heifer young cow
ainnir	ainnir		anner	annor	annoar	heifer girl maiden
capall	capall	cabbyl	ceffyl		kefel	horse stallion charger foal
marc*	marc*	mark(sleih)	march	margh	marc'h
each	each	agh	ebol	ebel	ebeul
láir	làir	laair				mare
			caseg	kasek	kazeg	mare
searrach	searrach	sharragh				foal
caora	caora	keyrrey	caer*			sheep ewes
			dafad	davas	dañvad	sheep ewes
reithe	reithe	rea				ram tup wether
			hwrdd	hordh	(h)ourz
molt	mult	mohlt	mollt	mols	maout
uan	uan	eayn	oen	oen	oan	lamb
cú	cù	coo	ci	ki	ki	dog hound fox
madra madadh	madadh	moddey	madyn madog
gadhar	gadhar
coiléan	cuilean	quallian	colwyn	kolyn	kolen	puppy
cana	cana		cenau			cub whelp puppy kitten

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

Notes

Irish: cú means hound in Irish - dog is madra
Words with an asterisk are archaic or obsolete

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If you would like to make any corrections or additions to this page, or if you can provide recordings, please contact me.

Links

Stòr-fhaclan Co-dhàimheil Ceilteach (Database of Celtic cognates)
http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/gaidhlig/faclair/scc/lorg.php

McBain's Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language
http://www.ceantar.org/Dicts/MB2/

MAGUS: Multilingual Animal Glossary of Unveiled Synonyms
http://www.informatika.bf.uni-lj.si/magus-celtic&basque.html

Information about Celtic languages

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

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