Celtic cognates - Parts of the Body

This page contains words for parts of the body 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

Parts of the body

These words are cognate in all six Celtic languages.

Gaeilge (Irish)	Gàidhlig (Gaelic)	Gaelg (Manx)	Cymraeg (Welsh)	Kernewek (Cornish)	Brezhoneg (Breton)	English
ascaill	asgall	aghlish oghlish	asgell	askel	askell	wing fin armpit
béal	beul	beeal	gwefus	gweus	gweuz	lip mouth
bolg	bolg	bolg	bol(a)	bolgh	bolc'h	belly stomach
bos	bas	bass	bos	bas	boz	palm fist
ceann	ceann	kione	pen	penn	penn	head
ciall	ciall	keeall	pwyll	poll	poell	mind sense
craiceann	craiceann	crackan	croen	kroghen	kroc'hen	skin hide surface
dorn	dòrn	doarn	dwrn	dorn	dorn	fist hand
eite	ite	fedjag	adain	aden*	attanoc*	wing fin feather
folt	falt	folt	gwallt	gols	guolt*	hair
fuil	fuil	fuil	gweli	goli	gouli	blood wound
glúin	glùin	glioon	glin	glyn	glinn	knee
gualainn	gualainn	geaylin geayliney	ysgywdd	skoodh	skoaz	shoulder
ionga	ìne ionga	yngin	ewin	ewin	ivin	(finger/toe) nail
lámh	làmh	laue	llaw	leuv	lau*	hand arm
sáil	sàil	saayl	sawdl	seudhel	seul	heel
súil	sùil	sooill	haul	howl	heol	eye sun
srón	sròn	stroin	ffroen	frig	froen	nose nostril
teanga	teanga	çhengey	tafod	taves	teod	tongue language
troigh	troigh	trie	troed	troos	troad	foot
tul	tul	tool	tâl	tal	tal	forehead brow head
uillinn	uileann	uillin	elin	elin	ilin	elbow

These words are cognate in some of the Celtic languages.

Gaeilge (Irish)	Gàidhlig (Gaelic)	Gaelg (Manx)	Cymraeg (Welsh)	Kernewek (Cornish)	Brezhoneg (Breton)	English
éadan	aodann	eddin				brow forehead
			asgwrn	askorn	askorn	bone
			blew	blew	blev	hair bristles
			braich	bregh	brec'h	arm hand
biss			bys	bys	biz	finger
	bòc		boch	bogh	boc'h	cheek bloat
bonn	bonn	boyn				sole base foot
			cefn	keyn	kein	back
cluas	cluas	cleaysh	clust			ear
			clun	klun	klun	hip buttocks
cnámh	cnàimh	craue	cnaw			bone skull
cos	cas cos	cass	coes			leg foot
cró	crò		crau	krow		blood gore
droim	druim	dreeym				back ridge
esna	asna	asney	ais	asownn		rib
gruaig	gruag	gruag				hair
			gwaed	goos	gwad	blood
			gwddf gwddw gwddwg		gouzoug goûg	throat neck
inchinn	eanchainn		ymennydd	ympynnyon	empenn	mind brain
intinn	inntinn	inçhyn				brain
leiceann	lethcheann	lieckan				cheek
			llygad	lagas	lagad	eye
méar	meur	mair				finger toe
			min	min	min	lip mouth pout
muineál	muineal	mwannal	mwnwgl mwnwg mynwgl			neck
oinech			wyneb	eneb*	enep*	face
rí	ruighe	roih				forearm arm
scornach	sgòrnan	scoarnagh				throat mouth
tóin	tòn	thoyn toinn	tin	tin*		bottom buttocks breech
			trwyn	tron		nose
			ysgyfarn*	skovarn	skouarn	ear handle

Words marked* are archaic or obselete.

Notes

geol = muzzle, snout. genoù = mouth (BR)
meih-dorn = fist, dorn = hand (BR)
byl = edge, gwefus = lip (CY)

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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.

Information about Celtic languages

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

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