Words for peaks and tops and related words in Celtic languages.
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
| Proto-Celtic | *bandā = top, peak; horn *benno- = peak, top |
|---|---|
| Gaulish | benn/*bannā = peak |
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | benn [bʲen͈] = mountain, crag, peak, point, crest, summit, pinnacle, spire; gable, corner, horn (of animal), drinking horn, prong, crest bennán = horned animal, cow, calf; horned or peaked object |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | benn = mountain, crag, peak, point, crest, summit, pinnacle, spire, gable, corner, prong, crest bennacán = little horned one, calf bennach = pointed, peaked, horned bennán = a horned animal, calf bennchopor = steeple, tower |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | beann = horn, antler; drinking horn; prong (of fork) beannach = horned, antlered, pronged, peaked, gabled, angular beannógach = peaked,angular binn = peak; gable; cliff; corner, edge, margin; lap; side, portion |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | beann [bjaun̪ˠ] = horn, peak, top, corner, skirt beannach = [bjan̪ˠəx] = pointed, horned beinn [bein̪ʲ] = mountain, mount, high hill beinn-theine = volcano eigh-bheinn = iceberg |
| Manx (Gaelg) | beinn = mountain, ben, summit, pinnacle, apex, tine of deer beinn rioee = iceberg |
| Proto-Brythonic | *bann = top, peak |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | bann, = top, tip, peak, summit |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | ban [ban] = top, tip, peak, summit, crest, peak, beacon, height, pinnacle, turret, hill, mountain, bare hill; chief; drinking horn, horn (of animal); arm, branch, beam, point (of cross) bannau’r byd = corners, quarters or regions of the world, the ends of the earth ban caer, ban y gaer = rampart of a fort; top or height of a fortess ban lleuad = quarters of the moon, new moon |
| Middle Cornish (Cernewec) | ban = that which is high, a height, mountain, summit |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | ban = prominence |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | bann = rising, uphill, upright, post, column |
Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *bn̥dʰéh₂ from *bendʰ- (pin, point). The Scots word ben (mountain, hill) comes from the Scottish Gaelic beinn. From Gaulish we get the Catalan words banya (horn) and banyut (horned, unfaithful), and the Occitan bana (horn), and the English word pin comes from the same PIE root [source].
See the post about Mountains for other mountain-related words, such as sliabh in Irish and Scottish Gaelic, and mynydd in Welsh.
Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Teanglann.ie, eDIL – Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language, In Dúil Bélrai English – Old Irish glossary, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis, English – ProtoCeltic WordList (PDF), Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic
