Words for steward, agent, mayor and related things in Celtic languages.
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | maer = steward |
|---|---|
| Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) | maer, maor, moer = steward maeraigecht = the office of a steward, stewardship maerda, maordha, mærda = stately, of noble or imposing presence |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | maor [mˠiːɾˠ / mˠeːɾˠ] = steward, baliff, warden, keeper, supervisor, herdsman, (school) prefect ardmhaor = chief steward banmhaor = stewardess maorach = supervisory, prefectorial maoracht = stewardship, wardenship, superinntendence, majorship, prefecture maorga = stately, dignified, imposting, sedate, quiet maorgacht = stateliness, dignity maorathach = bureaucratic méara = mayor |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | maor [mɯːr] = factor (profession), any middle-ranked officer / official in various capacities maor-ceartais = justice of the peace (JP) maor-cladaich = coastguard maor-sàraidh = baliff maor-sìthe = constable maorsainneachd [mɯːr̪ˠsɪn̪ʲəxg] = stewardship, prefecture mèar [mɛːr] = mayor |
| Manx (Gaelg) | meoir = steward, supervisor, agent, baliff, curator, custodian, keeper, manager, mayor, prefect meoir shee = constable, policeman meoiryn shee = constabulary, police (force) meoiragh = mayoral, prefectorial, supervisory meoiraght = mayorality, majorship, prefecture, stewardship |
| Proto-Brythonic | *maɨr = steward, agent, officer, official (?) |
| Old Welsh (Kembraec) | mair = steward, agent, officer, official, husbandman |
| Middle Welsh (Kyrmraec) | maer = steward, agent, officer, official, husbandman, mayor maerty, maerdy = summer dwelling for the tending of cattle, dairy, dairy farm, farm-house |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | maer [maːɨ̯r / mai̯r] = steward, agent, officer, official, husbandman, mayor maerdy = summer dwelling for the tending of cattle, dairy, dairy farm, farm-house, town hall, mansion house, official residence of the mayor maeres = farmer’s wife, steward’s wife, dairy woman, mayor’s wife, mayoress maeriaeth = husbandry, agriculture, mayoralty maerol = mayoral maeron = bailiff, dairy farmer |
| Old Cornish | mair = mayor, chief (?) |
| Middle Cornish (Cernewec) | mair, maer = mayor, chief |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | maynor(es) = agent maynorieth = agency mer(es) = mayor(ess) merji = home of the mayor |
| Old Breton (Brethonoc) | mair = mayor (?) |
| Middle Breton | mair = mayor |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | merour, merer(ez) = manager, administor, manager, steward, farmer, grower mereuri = farmhouse, farm merouriezh = management, administration, husbandry maer(ez) [mɛːr] = mayor(ess) maerded = mayor’s office maerdi = town hall |
Etymology: from Latin māior (mayor; bigger, greater), from Proto-Italic magjōs (bigger, greater) from Proto-Indo-European *meǵh₂- (big, great) [source]. The Irish and Scottish Gaelic words for mayor come from the Old French maire (a senior public official), from Latin māior etc [source].
Words from the same roots include magistrate, major, majesty, majuscule and mayor, master, mister in English, maire (mayor) in French, maestro (master, expert) in Italian, and Mallorca / Majorca in Spanish [source].
Sources: Wiktionary, Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic, In Dúil Bélrai English – Old Irish glossary, eDIL – Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language, Teanglann.ie, Am Faclair Beag, An etymological dictionary of the Gaelic language, Fockleyreen: Manx – English Dictionary, Online Manx Dictionary, Gaelg Corpus, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Lexicon cornu-britannicum : a dictionary of the ancient Celtic language of Cornwall, Gerlyver Kernewek, Devri : Le dictionaire diachronique du breton, Geriafurch, TermOfis