Celtic cognates - People

This page contains words for people that are cognate in all or some 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


Words for people, relatives and professions

These words are cognate in all six Celtic languages.

Words marked † are archaic/obsolete.

Gaeilge
(Irish)
Gàidhlig
(Gaelic)
Gaelg
(Manx)
Cymraeg
(Welsh)
Kernewek
(Cornish)
Brezhoneg
(Breton)
English
altra altrach boandyr athro
alltraw
alltrow aotroù foster-father
nurse
teacher
lord
bard bàrd bard bardd bardh barzh bard
poet
bean bean ben benyw
menyw
ben
benyn
e-ben woman
wife
bráthair
deartháir
bráthair braar brawd broder breur brother
buachaill buachaill bochilley bugail bugel bugel boy
child
shepherd
buime muime mimmey mam mamm mamm mother
stepmother
nurse
céile cèile cloan
keilley
cilydd kyla kile companion
spouse
clann
planda
clann
plannt
cloan
plant
plant plans plantenn children
clan
plant
dia dia jee duw duw doue god
deity
diúc diùc duic dug duk duk duke
draoi draoidh druaight drwy
derwydd
druw
drewydh
drouiz druid
wizard
duine duine dooinney dyn den den person
human
man
fear fear fer gŵr gour gour man
husband
flaith flath flah gwlad gwlas
gulas
glad prince
lordship
country
nation
foireann foireann fwirran gwerin gwerin gwerin people
staff
plebs
crew
gabha gobha gaaue gof gov gov (black)smith
lobhar lobhar lourane llwfr lover lovr leper
cowardly
spineless
lucht luchd lught llwyth looth liezh people
tribe
mac mac mac mab mab mab son
boy
marcach marcach markiagh marchog marghek marc'heg horseman
rider
jockey
máthair màthair moir modryb modrep moereb mother
aunt
nia nia neear nai noy niz nephew
pobal poball pobble pobl pobel pobl people
family
rìgh ree rhi riel ri† king
slua sluagh sleih llu lu lu people
horde
force
siúr*
deirfiúr
siùir*
puithar
shuyr chwaer hwor c'hoar sister
teaghlach teaghlach thielagh teulu teylu tiegezh family
household
tiarna tighearna çhiarn teyrn tern† tiern lord
ruler
king
tuath tuath theay tud tus tud tribe
people
territory

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These words are cognate in some of the Celtic languages.

Gaeilge
(Irish)
Gàidhlig
(Gaelic)
Gaelg
(Manx)
Cymraeg
(Welsh)
Kernewek
(Cornish)
Brezhoneg
(Breton)
English
abhac abhag afanc avank dwarf
beaver
terrier
amadán amadan ommidan idiot (m)
fool
clown
amhas amhas amaeth ammeth ambaith† servant
ploughman
savage
amnair† ewythr ewnter eontr uncle
ardfhlaith iar-fhlath arglwydd arlodh lord
baron
master
athair athair ayr -atr† father
balach† balach lad
clown
giant
banríon banrìgh ben-rein queen
brenin bryntin
brentin
brientin king
aristocrat
cacht cachd† caeth keth kaezh
keizh
captive
servant
slave
bondage
cailleach cailleach caillagh old woman
hag
witch
cefnder kanderow kenderv cousin (m)
brother
comhar coimheart cymar kespar partner(ship)
companion
spouse
curadh curadh cawr kowr warrior
hero
giant
cing† cing warrior
champion
cyfnither keniterow keniterv cousin (f)
cywaith koweth(es) companion
comrade
friend
dalta dalta doltey foster child
pupil
disciple
dámh dàmh daw deuv deuñv son-in-law
retinue
faculty
dochtúir dotair doghtoor doctor
fáigh fàidh fadeyr gwawd seer
prophet
poem
file filidh feelee seer
poet
fine fine gouenn family
tribe
race
foss† gwas gwas gwaz servant
boy
husband
frac† gwrach gwragh gwrac'h old woman
hag
witch
iníon nighean inneen
'neen
daughter
girl
lia lèigh
lighiche
lhee doctor
healer
physician
mechdeyrn
mychdeyrn
machdeyrn
metern
myghtern
machtiern† king
monarch
meddyg medhek mezeg doctor
muintir muinntir mooinjer household
folk
family
neacht nigh nith nith
noyth
nizh niece
daughter
ó ogha oe wyr grandson
descendent
óinseach òinseach oainjyr foolish woman
idiot (f)
mistress
oide oide gegjey foster-father
teacher
tutor
ollamh ollamh olloo master
professor
pendefig pennsevik
pednsyvik
pinvidik chief
prince
rich
rhwyfanes ruvanes rouanez queen
smarach
(lad)
merch myrgh merc'h daughter
girl
saor saor seyr saer ser craftsman
carpenter
mason
tad tas tad father
taoiseach toiseach toshiagh tywysog toguisoc† chief
leader
prince
uachtarán uachdaran eaghtyran(e) president
laird
chief

Celtic cognates

Complete Cognates, Partial Cognates . Cognates arranged thematically: Adjectives | Animals | Birds | Clothes | Colours | Conjunctions | Countries | Directions | Food and Drink | Landscape | Buildings | Languages | Metals | Musical terms | Numbers | Parts of the body | People | Pronouns | Prepositions | Sea creatures | Time expressions | Trees and Plants | Verbs | Weather | Tools | Other words | Names

Celtiadur

Celtiadur

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

Celtic Pathways

Celtic Pathways

On the Celtic Pathways podcast I discuss connections between the Celtic languages, and look for words with Celtic roots in non-Celtic languages, such as English, French, Spanish, Galician and Portuguese.

Notes

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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, Welsh

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