Today we’re looking at the words for wings and related things in Celtic languages.
| Proto-Celtic | *ɸeto/*feto- = to fly *fatar/*fatanos/*fetnos = wing, bird |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | ette [ˈetʲe] = wing, pinion, fin, feather, plume ettech/ittech = winged, finned, flying, fluttering |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | eite [ˈɛtʲə] = wing, pinion, wing feather, fin, vane eiteach = winged, pennate, plumed, feathered, finned eiteog = wing, (little) wing feather, (little) fin, wing-like |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | ite [içdʲə] = feather, plume, fin, overlap, blade iteach [ihdʲəx] = feathery, feathered, finned itealach = winged, flying, hovering, fluttering |
| Manx (Gaelg) | fedjag [ˈfaiaɡ] = feather, plume, quill, pinion fedjagagh = pinnate, feathery |
| Proto-Brythonic | *atanī = wing |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | adain = wing, fin |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | adain [ˈadai̯n/ˈadɛn/ˈaːdɛn] = wing, fin, arm, sleeve adeiniog = winged |
| Old Cornish | aden = leaf of a book |
| Old Breton | attanoc = wing |
Etymology: from the Proto-Indo-European *peth₂- (to fly, to spread out) [source]. The English words such as feather, petal, pinion and helicopter come from the same PIE root [source].
Words for birds and larks come from the same Proto-Celtic roots.
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | ascall = armpit |
|---|---|
| Irish (Gaeilge) | ascaill [ˈasˠkəl̠ʲ/ˈasˠkəl̪ˠ] = armpit, recess, avenue, axil asclán = something carried under arm, armful, gusset |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | asgall [asgəl̪ˠ] = breast, bosom, armpit |
| Manx (Gaelg) | aghlish = axil, armful, armpit |
| Proto-Brythonic | *askell = wing |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | asgell, askell = wing |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | asgell [ˈasɡaɬ / ˈaskaɬ] = wing, feather, fin, flank, side asgellog = winged, feathered, flying, finned, scaly, barbed asgellwr = winger, wing-forward (in sports) asgellu = to feather (an arrow), put wings on, grow wings, shelter/protect (with wings) |
| Old Cornish | ascall = wing |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | askel = wing |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | askell [ˈas.kɛl] = wing, fin, flipper |
Etymology: from the Latin ascella (wing), from axilla (little wing, axilla, armpit), a diminutive of āla (wing, armpit, shoulder blade) from the Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱs- (axis) [source].
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, Online Manx Dictionary, Teanglann.ie, eDIL – Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language, logainm.ie, In Dúil Bélrai English – Old Irish glossary, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Gerlyvyr Cernewec, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis, Le dictionnaire diachronique du breton, Geriafurch, English – ProtoCeltic WordList (PDF), Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic
