Words for acorns and related things in Celtic languages.
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
| Proto-Celtic | *messus = acorn, tree fruit |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | mess [mʲes] = nuts and berries, mast (fruit of forest trees, esp. if fallen and used as fodder for pigs, etc) |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | mes(s) = tree fruit, mast mes(s)ach = fruitful |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | meas [mʲasˠ] = fruit of forest tree, mast, offspring (literary) measach = fruitful |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | meas [mes] = fruit, mast measraich [mɛsrɪç] = jam measach [mesəx] = fruitful, fruity measag [mesag] = small fruit |
| Manx (Gaelg) | mess = fruit, issue mess yn darragh = acorn messoil = fruitful, fructiferous, plentiful, prolific, productive |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | mes = acorns, mast, glands, measles (in animals) messyryt, mesyryd = (abundance of) mast, autumn |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | mes = acorns, mast, glands, measles (in animals mes derw = oakmast, acorns mes Iau = chestnuts mesa = to gather acorns, feed pigs on acorns mesaig = meal of acorns mesog = abounding in acorns, acorn-bearing, glandular, glandulous meswr = acorn gatherer |
| Old Cornish | mesin, mesen = acorn |
| Middle Cornish (Cernewec) | mesen = acorn |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | mesen = acorn mes = acorns |
| Old Breton (Brethonoc) | mes = acorns, glands |
| Middle Breton (Brezonec) | mez, mès, mes = acorns, glands |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | mezenn, mesenn = acron, gland mez, mes [meːs] = acrons, glands mesa = to look for acorns |
Etmology: unknown, possibly from an non-Indo-European source [source].
| Proto-Celtic | *derkos = berry (?) |
|---|---|
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | derc [dʲerk] = berry dercu = acorn |
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | derc = berry dercu, derucc, dearca, dercain = acorn dercnach = abounding in acorns |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | dearc = berry (literary) dearca = acorn dearcán = acorn, (head of) thistle dearcnach = abounding in acorns |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | dearc [dʲɛr̪ˠxg] = berry dearc-dharaich = acorn dearcach [dʲɛr̪ˠxgəx] = pertaining to or abounding in berries dearcag [dʲɛr̪ˠxgag] = small berry, shinty ball dearcnag [dʲɛr̪ˠxgnag] = blackberry, brambles |
Etmology: from PIE *dʰreh₂ǵ-, or from *derḱ- (to see) [source].
Another word for acorn in Welsh is gwerbl, the origins of which are uncertain.
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
