Words for colours in Scottish Gaelic with notes and colour-related expressions.
The word for colour in Scottish Gaelic is dath (pl: dathan). Related words and expressions include:
dubh [duh] - black; dark; black/dark-haired, very, extremely; pupil (of eye)
Etymology: from the Old Irish dub, from the Proto-Celtic *dubu- (black), from the Proto-Indo-European *dʰewbʰ- (black).
geal [gʲal̪ˠ] - white; fond of; clear, bright; pure
Etymology: from the Irish gael, the Early Irish gel, from the Proto-Indo-European @ghel (clear, shine, glow)
bán [baːn] - fair; pale; ; light in colour; fair/white-haired
Etymology: from the Old Irish bán (white), from the Proto-Celtic *bānos (white), from the Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂- (to shine)
fionn [fjũːn̪ˠ] - white, fair, pale; sincere, true, certain; small; fine, pleasant.
Etymology: from the Irish fionn, from the Old Irish find - a nasalised form of the root vid/vied (know)
dearg [dʲɛrɛg] - red; reddish; complete, utter
Etymology: from the Old Irish derg, from the Proto-Celtic *dergo- (red, crimson)
ruadh [rˠuəɣ] - red, red-haired, rusty, wild
Etymology: from the Old Irish rúad, from the Proto-Celtic *rowdo-, from the Proto-Indo-European *h₁rewdʰ
buidhe [bujə] - yellow, golden; grateful; agreeable; fallow
Etymology: from the Old Irish buide (yellow, buttercup, honey), from the Proto-Celtic *bodyos (yellow), from the Proto-Indo-European *badyo- (yellow, brown)
gorm [gɔrɔm] - blue; green
Etymology: from Old Irish gorm (blue), from the Proto-Celtic *gorsmo-, from *gor (warm, warm colour), from the Proto-Indo-European *wrmi- (worm), from the Proto-Indo-European *wer- (to turn, bend).
uaine [uəɲə] - green; greeness; lividness
Etymology: from the Old Irish úanne, possiblly from the Proto-Celtic *utnio-, from the Proto-Indo-European *wed- (wet)
glas [ɡl̪ˠasˠ] - green; grey-green; grey; pale
Etymology: from the Old Irish glas (green, blue, grey), from the Proto-Celtic *glastos (green, blue) from the Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰl̥h₃stós, from *ǵʰelh₃- (green, yellow).
donn [dɔun̪ˠ] - brown, brown haired
Etymology; from the Old Irish donn, from the Proto-Celtic *dunno- (brown).
pinc / bàn-dhearg - pink
orainds [ɔrɪndʲʃ] - orange (colour)
liath [ʎiə] - grey; (pale) blue
Etymology: from the Old Irish líath (grey, grey-haired), from the Proto-Celtic *ɸlētos (grey), from the Proto-Indo-European *pel- / *pelH- (pale, grey).
purpaidh [purbɪ] - purple
Etymology: from Irish purpuir, from Middle Irish purpuir, from Latin purpura (purple fish; purple; purple cloth; finery; royalty).
Sources: MacBain's An Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language, Am Faclair Beag
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