Words for ale, beer and related words in Celtic languages.
| Proto-Celtic |
*lindo- = drink |
| Gaulish |
linda = drink |
| Old Irish (Goídelc) |
linn [ˈl͈ʲin͈ʲ] = drink, liquid, brew, ale, beer, intoxicating drink
lind = liquid, drink, ale |
| Irish (Gaeilge) |
leann = (pale) ale, beer; liquid, fluid
lionn = humour (of the body)
lionndubhach = melancholy, depressed
leannadóir = ale-merchant
leannlus = hop
leann bó = milk
leann donn = brown ale
leann dubh = stout
leann piorra = perry
leann sinséir = ginger ale
leann úll = cider
iarleann = small, weak beer
seomra leanna = tap-room
teach leanna = ale-house |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) |
leann [l̪ʲãũn̪ˠ] / lionn [l̪ʲũːn̪ˠ]= ale, beer; humour (of the body); fluid, liquid
lionn-dubh = dejection, melancholy
lionn searbh = bitter (ale)
lionn-ubhal = cider |
| Manx (Gaelg) |
lhune = ale, beer
lhune doo = stout, porter
lhune freillagh = lager
lhune jinshar = ginger beer
lhune ooyl = cider
lhune peear = perry
lhune sharroo = bitter (beer/ale)
shamyr lhionney = bar room, lounge bar, tap room
thie lhionney = ale house, pub |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) |
llynn = drink |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) |
llyn [ɬɨ̞n/ɬɪn] = drink, beverage, intoxicating liquor, cordial, juice; liquid, humour
llyn afalau = cider, apple juice
llyn y bustl = bile
llyn gellyg = perry |
| Old Cornish |
lin = fluid, liquid, lotion |
| Cornish (Kernewek) |
lin = fluid, liquid, lotion
lin-golghi = washing detergent
lin leur = floor cleaner
lin sebon = detergent, washing-up liquid |
| Old Breton |
linnou = drink |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) |
liñvenn = liquid |
Etymology: possibly from the Proto-Indo-European *liH-nd-o- [source].
| Proto-Celtic |
*kormi, *kurman = beer |
| Gaulish |
curmi, curmím, κόρμα (kórma), κούρμι (koúrmi) = beer |
| Old Irish (Goídelc) |
cuirm = ale, beer |
| Irish (Gaeilge) |
coirm, cuirm [kɞɾʲəmʲ] = ale, drinking-party, feast, banquet
coirmeach = ale-drinking, festive
coirmtheach = ale-house
coirm cheoil, ceolchoirm = concert |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) |
cuirm [kurʲum] = feast, banquet, entertainment; ale, beer (archaic)
co(i)rm = ale, beer
cuirm-chiùil = concert
cuirm-chnuic = picnic |
| Manx (Gaelg) |
cuirrey = banquet, feast
cuirrey kiaull = concert |
| Proto-Brythonic |
*kuruβ ̃, *kurβ̃ = beer, ale |
| Old Welsh |
curum = beer, ale |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) |
kuref, kwryf, kwrwf, cwrwf, cyryw = beer, ale |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) |
cwrw [ˈkʊru / ˈkuːru] = beer, ale
cwrw Adda = Adam’s ale, water
cwrw casgen = draught beer
cwrw coch = brown ale
cwrw cychwyn = a drink of beer on setting out on a journey, one for the road
coesau cwrw = a drunken gait (“beer legs”) |
| Old Cornish |
coref, coruf = ale, beer |
| Middle Cornish (CerneweC) |
cor = ale, beer
coref = ale, beer |
| Cornish (Kernewek) |
korev, kor = ale, beer |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) |
korev = ale, beer |
Etymology: possibly from the Proto-Indo-Eurpean *kremH- (to burn) [source], or *ḱr̥h₃-m- (porridge, soup), or *ḱh₁erh₂- (to mix) [source].
The Latin word cervēs(i)a (beer) comes from the same Proto-Celtic root, as do words for beer in several Romance languages, including Spanish (cerveza), Portuguese (cerveja), Galician (cervexa) and Catalan (cervesa) [source].
More about words for beer in European languages.
| Irish (Gaeilge) |
beoir [bʲoːɾʲ] = beer, a woman (rare, colloquial)
beoir bhairille = draught beer
beoir shinséir = ginger beer |
| Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) |
beòir [bjɔːrʲ] = beer
beòir chaol = small beer
roipean beòir = beer moustache |
| Manx (Gaelg) |
beer = beer |
| Middle Welsh (Kymraec) |
ber, berr, berre = beer, ale |
| Welsh (Cymraeg) |
bir = beer, ale |
| Breton (Brezhoneg) |
bier = ale, beer |
Etymology (Irish, Scottish Gaelic and Manx): from the Old Norse bjórr, from the Proto-Germanic *beuzą (beer), from the Proto-Indo-Eurpean *bʰews- (dross, sediment) [source].
Etymology (Welsh): from the English beer, from the Middle English bere (beer), from the Old English bēor (beer), from the Proto-West Germanic *beuʀ (beer), from the Proto-Germanic *beuzą (beer) [source].
Etymology (Breton): from the French bière (beer), from the Old French biere (beer), from the Middle Dutch bier/bēr (beer), from the Frankish *bior (beer), from Proto-Germanic *beuzą (beer) [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, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis, English – ProtoCeltic WordList (PDF), Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic
