Words for fox in Celtic languages.
Old Irish (Goídelc) |
sinnach / sindach = fox |
Irish (Gaeilge) |
sionnach [ˈʃɪn̪ˠəx / ʃɪˈn̪ˠɑx / ˈʃɪn̪ˠax] = fox |
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) |
sionnach [ˈʃun̪ˠəx] / seannach [ˈʃan̪ˠəx] = fox, bagpipe reed |
Manx (Gaelg) |
shynnagh = fox |
Etymology: unknown
Irish (Gaeilge) |
madra rua [madəɣ ‘r̪ˠuəɣ] = fox, red fox |
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) |
madadh-ruadh [madəɣ ‘r̪ˠuəɣ] = fox, red fox |
Etymology: from the Old Irish madrad (dog) and the rúad (red) [source].
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) |
balgair [bal̪ˠagɛrʲ] = fox |
Etymology: unknown.
Proto-Celtic |
*loɸernos = fox |
Gaulish |
*louernos = fox |
Old Irish (Goídelc) |
loarn = fox |
Proto-Brythonic |
llowern = fox |
Old Welsh |
louern = fox |
Middle Welsh (Kymraec) |
llewyrn = fox |
Welsh (Cymraeg) |
llewyrn = foxes |
Old Cornish |
louuern = fox |
Cornish (Kernewek) |
lowarn = fox |
Old Breton |
louuern = fox |
Middle Breton |
louarn = fox |
Breton (Brezhoneg) |
louarn [ˈluː.aʁn] / luhern = fox |
Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *h₂wlop- (fox) [source].
Welsh (Cymraeg) |
llwynog [ˈɬʊɨ̯nɔɡ] = fox, a cunning, craft or willy person, bundle
llwynoges = vixen, female fox
llwynogyn = little fox |
Etymology: from llwyn (bush, shrub, brake, thicket, copse, grove, arbour, woods, forest) and the suffix -og, from Latin lignum (firewood, tree), Proto-Indo-European *leǵ-no- (that which is collected) [source].
Welsh (Cymraeg) |
cadno [ˈkadnɔ] = fox; craft person, foxy, deceptive day; bundle of straw used for constructing an air passage in a stack of corn not well-seasoned; skid, scotch, trigger
cadnawes = vixen, female fox |
Etymology: probably from the personal name Cadno, from cad (battle), from the Proto-Celtic *katus (battle), from the Proto-Indo-European *kéh₃tus (fight); and the suffix -no, from the Proto-Celtic *gnāw- (knowing) [source].
Words marked with a * are reconstructions.
Sources: Wiktionary, Am Faclair Beag, MacBain’s Dictionary, In Dúil Bélrai English – Old-Irish Glossary, teanglann.ie, On-Line Manx Dictionary, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Gerlyver Kernewek, Dictionnaire Favereau