Words for servants, ploughmen and related people in Celtic languages.
| Proto-Celtic | *ambaxtos = servant |
|---|---|
| Gaulish | *ambaxtos = vassal, high-ranking servant |
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | amus = servant amsach = mercenary |
| Irish (Gaeilge) | amhas = hireling, servant, mercenary, hooligan amhsach = wild, unruly amhasóireacht = hooliganism |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | amhas [au.əs] = savage, wild person, madman amhsach = wild, uncontrollable, stupid, dull |
| Proto-Brythonic | *ammaɨθ [amˈmaɨ̯θ] = servant, worker, labourer |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | amaeth = ploughman, husbandman, farmer, agriculture |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | amaeth [ˈameɨ̯θ / ˈamei̯θ] = ploughman, husbandman, farmer, agriculture, ploughmanship, tillage amaethadwy = farmable, cultivable amaetha(f), amaethu = to farm, husband, plough, cultivate amaethdir = arable land, land suitable for cultivation, farm land amaethdy = farmhouse amaethddyn = agriculturalist, farmer amaethedig = farmed, cultivated, cultured amaethyddiaeth = agriculture, farming |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | ammeth = agriculture, farming |
| Old Breton | ambaith = agriculture, farming |
Etymology: from the Proto-Celtic *ambi- (around), *ageti (to drive) and *-os, from the Proto-Indo-European word *h₂m̥bʰi-h₂eǵ- (drive around) [source].
The English word amassador comes from the same root, via the Middle English ambassadore from the Anglo-Norman ambassadeur (ambassador), from the Old Italian ambassadore, from the Old Occitan ambaisador (ambassador), from ambaissa (service, mission, errand), from the Medieval Latin ambasiator (ambassador), from the Gothic 𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌱𐌰𐌷𐍄𐌹 (andbahti – service, function), from the Proto-Germanic *ambahtaz (servant), from the Gaulish *ambaxtos [source]. The word embassy comes from the same Gaulish word [source].
| Proto-Celtic | *wastos = servant |
|---|---|
| Gaulish | *wassos = young man, squire |
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | foss = attendant, man-servant, servant |
| Proto-Brythonic | *gwass = boy, servant |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) | guas, gwas = boy, lad, servant |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) | gwas [ɡwaːs] = boy, lad, stripling, youngster, young man; servant, attendant, employee, officer, vassal, slave gwasanaeth = service, attendance, a ministering, office, duty, employment gwasanaethu = to serve, be a servant, attend, wait upon, minister |
| Middle Cornish (Cernewec) | guas = servant gwas = a youth, servant, one of the common people, a mean person, a fellow, rogue, rascal gwasanaeth = attendance, service, bondage, slavery |
| Cornish (Kernewek) | gwas = chap, fellow, guy, servant gwas hwel = workman gwas ti = housemaker |
| Old Breton | guos = vassal, man, husband, farmer |
| Middle Breton | goas = vassal, man, husband, farmer (who rents a farm) |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) | gwaz [ˈɡwaːs] = (young) man, vassal, valet, servant, husband, mermaid |
Etymology: possibly comes from the Proto-Indo-European word *upo-sth₂-o-s (standing beneath) [source].
The English word vassal comes from the same Celtic roots, via the Old French vassal, the Medieval Latin vassallus (manservant, domestic, retainer), from the Latin vassus (servant) from the Gaulish *wassos [source].
| Old Irish (Goídelc) | seirbísech = auxiliary, ancillary, servant, agent |
|---|---|
| Irish (Gaeilge) | seirbhíseach = servant |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) | seirbheiseach [ʃerʲevɪʃəx] = servant, servitor seirbheisiche = servant |
| Manx (Gaelg) | shirveishagh = attendant, clergyman, minister, servant, server, vassal |
Etymology: from the Old French servise (service, servitude, vasselage), from the Latin servitium (slavery, servitude, service), from servus (servant, serf, slave) [source]
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
