Celtic cognates

The six Celtic languages currently spoken are divided into two branches: Goidelic or Gaelic, and Brythonic or British. The former branch consists of Irish, Manx and Scottish Gaelic, while the latter branch includes Welsh, Cornish and Breton.

While there are many similarities between the languages in each branch, there are fewer similiarities between the two branches as they have had thousands of years to grow apart.

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.

Adjectives

Gaeilge (Irish)	Gàidhlig (Gaelic)	Gaelg (Manx)	Cymraeg (Welsh)	Kernewek (Cornish)	Brezhoneg (Breton)	English
mór	mòr	mooar	mawr	meur	meur	big great large bulky
bras*			bras	bras	bras	big great large bulky
beag	beag	beg	bach bychan	byghan	bihan	small
ard	àrd	ard	ardd	arth	arz	high elevated noble
uasal	uasal	ooasle	uchel	ughel	uhel	high elevated noble
íseal	ìosal	injil ishil*	isel	isel	izel	low
leathan	leathann	lhean	llydan	ledan	ledan	wide broad
caol	caol	keyl	cul	kul		narrow thin gentle
					strizh	narrow thin gentle
deas	deas	jesh	deau de	dyhow	dehou	right south
clé	clì	clee	cledd	kledh	kleiz	left north
maith	math	mie	mad*	mas*	mat/mad	good
droch	droch	drogh	drwg	drog	drouk	bad evil
mear	mear	merre	miri	meri		quick fast lively
sona	sona	sonney				happy fortunate glad merry
			llawen	lowen lowenek	laouen	happy fortunate glad merry
brón	bròn	bran	brwyn			sorrow sadness sad
			trist	trist	trist	sorrow sadness sad
saor	saor	seyr				free cheap
			rhydd	rydh	rid*	free cheap
cruinn	cruinn	cruinn	crwn	krenn kern	krenn	round
daor	daor	deyr				dear costly buffoon
drûth	drùth		drud	drudh		dear costly buffoon
nua	nuadh	noa	newydd	nowydh	nevez	new fresh
úr	ùr	oor	ir	yr		new fresh
maoin	maoin	mayn	mwyn	muin	maon	gift property gentle thin
milis	milis	millish	melys	melys		sweet
óg	òg	aeg	ifanc	yowynk yonk	yaouank	young
sean	sean	shenn	hen	hen	hen	old
bodhar	bodhar	bouyr	byddar	bodhar	bouzar	deaf
lán	làn	lane	llawn	leun	leun	full
tiubh	tiugh	çhiu	tew	tew	tev	thick
trom	trom	trome	trwm			heavy
labhar	labhar		llafar	lavar	lavar	talkative
fliuch	fliuch	fliugh	gwlyb	gleb glyb	gleb	wet
tirim	tioram	çhirrym				dry
			sych	sygh segh	sec'h	dry
glan	glan	glen	glân	glan	glan	clean clear
maol	maol	meayl	moel	mool	moal	bald bare
fial	fial		gŵyl			modest seemly

Celtic cognates

Celtiadur

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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/

Information about Celtic languages

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

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