Today we’re looking at the words for druids in Celtic languages.
| Proto-Celtic | *druwits = druid, priest |
|---|---|
| Gaulish | *druwits / *druwides = druid |
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | druí [ˈdruːi̯] = druid, sorcerer, magician |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | draoi [d̪ˠɾˠiː] = druid, wizard, magician, augur, diviner, trickster draíocht = druidic art, druidism, witchcraft, magic, charm, enchantment draíochtach = magicial, bewitching, entrancing draíodóir = magician draíodóireacht = magic, sly, cunning, hypocrisy, trickery, secretiveness |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | draoidh [drɯj] = druid, sorcerer, magician, wizard draoidheachd [drɯjəxg] = magic, sorcery, druidism draoidheil [drɤjal] = druidic(al), magic(al) ceò-draoidh = magic mist eun-draoidh = augur |
| Manx (Gaelg) | druaight = charm, druid druaightagh = smithcraft, smithery, smithywork druaightys = charming, druid, druidism, magic |
| Proto-Brythonic | *drüw [ˈdryu̯] = druid, seer |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | dryw [drɨu̯/drɪu̯] = druid, seer derwydd [ˈdɛrwɨ̞ð / ˈdɛrwɪð] = prophet, wise man, druid derwyddaidd = druidical derwyddiaeth = druidism, the druid cult derwyddol = druidic, druidical archderwydd = archdruid |
| Old Cornish | druw = druid |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | drewydh = druid |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | drouiz [ˈdruː.is] = druid drouizek / drouizel = druidic drouizelezh / drouiziezh = druidism |
Etymology: from the Proto-Celtic *daru (oak) and *wid-/*windeti (to know, to see), from the Proto-Indo-European *dóru (tree) and *weyd (to see, know) [source].
The Gaulish words for druid were borrowed by Ancient Greek, as δρυΐδαι (druḯdai), and Latin, as Druidēs. The Latin word was borrowed into French as druide, which was borrowed into English as druid [source].
The Proto-Brythonic word *drüw was borrowed into Old English as drȳ (sorcerer, magician), which became drī(mann)/driʒ(mann) (sorcerer, magician) in Middle English [source]. A few modern druids use the word drymann, or something similiar, to refer to themselves.
Here’s a traditional Welsh tune called Y Derwydd (The Druid):
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
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, Gerlyvyr Cernewec, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis, Le dictionnaire diachronique du breton, Geriafurch, English – ProtoCeltic WordList (PDF), Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic
