Colour words in Breton

Words for colours in Breton (Brezhoneg) with notes and colour-related expressions.

Colour in Breton is liv, which also means complexion or appearance.

Related words include:

livañ - to colour
unliv - monochrome

du [ˈdyː] - black, dark, swollen, hungry

Etymology: from Proto-Brythonic *duβ (black), from Proto-Celtic *dubus (black), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰewbʰ- (black).

Expressions / Related words

duañ, duaat - to blacken, make black
du-bran - very black
peurzu - deep black

gwenn [ˈɡwɛn] - white, pale, pure, brilliant, sacred, useless, vain

Etymology: from the Proto-Brythonic *gwɨnn (white), from Proto-Celtic *windos (white), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱweytos (bright; shine).

Expressions / Related words

gwennañ - to whiten
gwin gwenn - white wine

ruz [ˈryːs] - red; dry (plant); unchained (anger)

Etymology: from Proto-Brythonic *rʉð (red), from Proto-Celtic *roudos (red), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁rewdʰ- (red).

Expressions / Related words

ruziañ - to redden
gwin ruz - red wine

melen [ˈmeː.lɛn] - yellow, fair, blonde

Etymology: from Proto-Celtic *melinos, from *meli (honey), from Proto-Indo-European *mélid (honey)

Expressions / Related words

meleniñ - to yellow, ripen
melen-ruz - orange ("yellow-red")
melen d'ov - egg yolk
terzhienn-velen - yellow fever

glas [ˈɡlɑːs] - blue, green (vegetation), grey (horse), raw, fresh, acerbic, pale

Etymology: from Proto-Brythonic *glas (green, blue), from Proto-Celtic *glastos (green, blue), probably from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰl̥h₃stós, from *ǵʰelh₃- (“green, yellow”).

Expressions / Related words

glazniñ - to become green/blue

gwer - green (artificial)

Etymology: from Latin viridis (green)

ruzdu - brown ("red-brown"); liv kistin - chestnut brown; gell - brown; duard [ˈdyː.art] - brown or black (hair)

Etymology (gell): Proto-Celtic *gello- (yellow) or *gelo- (white), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰelh₃- (gleam, yellow)

roz - pink

Etymology: from French rose (pink).

orañjez, orañj - orange; melenruz - orange ("yellow-red")

louet - grey, mouldy

Etymology: from Proto-Brythonic *luïd, from Proto-Celtic *ɸlētos, from Proto-Indo-European *pel- (gray).

glasruz - purple ("blue-red")

arc'hant [ˈaʁχãnt] - silver, money

Etymology: from Old Breton argans, from Proto-Celtic *arganto- (silver), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂erg- (to shine)

Expressions / Related words

arc'hant-bev - quicksilver, mercury

aour [ˈawʁ] - gold

Etymology: from Latin aureus (golden)

Hear some of these Breton colours:

Sources
http://brezhoneg.org.uk/
http://www.arkaevraz.net/dicobzh/
https://br.wiktionary.org/w/
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Category:br:Colors
http://www.preder.net

Colours in Celtic languages

Breton, Cornish, Irish, Manx, Scottish Gaelic, Welsh

Colour words in other languages

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