Colour words in Scottish Gaelic

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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).

Expressions

• cho dubh ri gual - as black as coal
• dubh-nota - crotchet / quarter note
• dubh, a' dubhadh - to blacken, make black, become black
• dubh às - to erase; black out; blot out
• dubhach - sad, gloomy; moody; blackening; an eclipse
• dubh-aigeann - the deep, the ocean; an abyss

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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)

Expressions

• geal na sùla - the white of the eye
• fion-geal - white wine
• cho geal ris an t-sneachda - as white as snow
• gealachadh - (the act of) whitening; bleaching
• gealagan - an egg white
• gealaich, a gealachadh - to whiten, blanch; make or become white; to bleach

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)

Expressions

• mathan-bàn - polar bear

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)

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dearg [dʲɛrɛg] - red; reddish; complete, utter

Etymology: from the Old Irish derg, from the Proto-Celtic *dergo- (red, crimson)

Expressions

• bàn-dhearg - pale red; pink
• dearg-dhonn - reddish brown
• dearg-bhuidhe = orange
• dearg amadan - a bloody fool / complete idiot
• dearcan-dearg - redcurrant
• ceann dearg - redhead
• craos-dearg - red hot (temperature)
• fìon dearg - red wine

ruadh [rˠuəɣ] - red, red-haired, rusty, wild

Etymology: from the Old Irish rúad, from the Proto-Celtic *rowdo-, from the Proto-Indo-European *h₁rewdʰ

Expressions

• ruadh-bhuidhe - auburn
• madadh-ruadh - fox (vulpes vulpes)
• airgead ruadh - copper money
• feòrag-ruadh - red squirrel

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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)

Expressions / Related words

• dorch-bhuidhe / dubh-bhuidhe - dark yellow
• cho buidhe ri buidheagan / dìthean / sòbhrag - as yellow as the sun

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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).

Expressions

• soilleir/bàn-ghorm - pale/light blue
• dorch/dubh-ghorm - dark blue
• adhar gorm - blue sky
• cloigín gorm - bluebell
• cuil ghorm - bluebottle
• feur gorm - green grass

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uaine [uəɲə] - green; greeness; lividness

Etymology: from the Old Irish úanne, possiblly from the Proto-Celtic *utnio-, from the Proto-Indo-European *wed- (wet)

Expressions

• dorch/dubh-uaine - dark green
• soilleir-uaine - light green
• liath-uaine - grey-green
• donn-uaine - olive(-brown)
• tì uaine - green tea
• sìor-uaine - evergreen

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).

Expressions

• cho glas ri càl Obar Dheathain - as green as grass ('as green as Aberdeen cabbage')

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donn [dɔun̪ˠ] - brown, brown haired

Etymology; from the Old Irish donn, from the Proto-Celtic *dunno- (brown).

Expressions

• dorch-dhonn - dark brown
• soilleir-dhonn - light brown
• aran-donn - brown bread

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pinc / bàn-dhearg - pink

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orainds [ɔrɪndʲʃ] - orange (colour)

Expressions

• dorch-orains - dark orange

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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).

Expressions

• falt liath - grey hair
• liath, a' liathadh - to make/become grey

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purpaidh [purbɪ] - purple

Etymology: from Irish purpuir, from Middle Irish purpuir, from Latin purpura (purple fish; purple; purple cloth; finery; royalty).

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