Gods and Goddesses

Words for gods, deities & days in Celtic languages.

celts - the horse goddess epona
The Gallo-Roman Horse Goddess Epona

Proto-Celtic *dēwos = god, deity, day
*dēwā = goddess
Gaulish deuognata, teuoxtonio-, dēuos, dēwos, dēvona = god
Celtiberian teiuoreikis, deobriga = god
Old Irish (Goídelc) día [dʲiːa̯] = god
bandía = goddess
díadae, deoda = godly, divine, holy
deacht = godhead
Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) día, dea, déa, de, dee = god, goddess, supernatural being, object of worship
deacht, déacht = godhead, divity
díadae, díade, diadu = divine, godly, holy
Irish (Gaeilge) dia [dʲiə] = god, deity
bandia = goddess
diaga = divine, godly, godlike, sacred, holy
diagacht = divinity, godhood, godliness, piety, theology
diagaigh = to deify, apotheosize
diagaire = divine, theologian
diaganta = godly, pious
dia-aithis = blasphemy
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) dia [dʲiə] = god, God
ban-dia = goddess
diadhachd [dʲiə.əxg] = deity, divinity, godhead
diadhaidh [dʲiə.ɪ] = divine, godly, pious
diadhaireachd [dʲiə.ɪjəxg] = godliness
diadhaidheachd [dʲiə.ɛrʲ] = theologian
diadhair [dʲiə.ɛrʲ] = theologian
Manx (Gaelg) jee = god, deity, godhead
ben jee = deity, goddess
jeeoil = divine, godlike, godly
jeeoilys = divinity, theology
jeeoilagh = divine, theologian
jeeaght = deity, divinity
jeeaghteyr = theologian
Proto-Brythonic *duɨw [ˈduɨ̯w] = god
Old Welsh duiu = god
Middle Welsh (Kymreac) duiu, duu, dyu, diu, duw = god
dwyes, dwywes = goddess, noble lady, queen
dywdap, dywdot, duwdab = the divine nature, divinity, theology
dywol, duwiol = godly, devout, religious, pious, good, holy, sanctimonious
Welsh (Cymraeg) duw / Duw [dɨu̯ / dɪu̯] = god, the Supreme Being, the Almighty, the Christian Trinity; O God!
duwies, dwywes, dwyes = goddess, noble lady, queen
duwdeb = the divine nature, divinity, theology
duweiddiad = deification, apotheosis
duweiddiaf, duweiddio = to deify, make a god of, turn into an object of worship
duwgar = loving God, pious, devout
duwiol, duwol = godly, devout, religious, pious, good, holy, sanctimonious
Old Cornish duy = god
Middle Cornish (Cernewec) dew, du, duy = god, God, a divinity
dues = goddess
Cornish (Kernewek) duw [dyˑʊ / diˑʊ] = god
duwes = goddess
duwonieth = theology
duwonydh, duwonydhes = theologian
Duw genes = goodbye (“god with you”)
Old Breton doi = god
Middle Breton doe, doué, dou = god
doueadur = apotheosis, deification
doueañ = to deify
doueadur = apotheosis, deification
doueañ = to deify
doueegezh = divinity, deity
doueek, doeel, doueel = divine
Breton (Brezhoneg) doue [du] = god
doueez =goddess
douead = theist
doueadegezh = deism
doueegezh = divinity
doueel = divine

Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *deywós (god), from *dyew- (sky, heaven) [source]. The Deva rivers in Galicia get their name from the same Proto-Celtic root, and the Latin name for the city of Chester, Deva, possibly comes from the same Celtic root [source].

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

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, Fockleyreen: Manx – English Dictionary, Online Manx Dictionary, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Lexicon cornu-britannicum : a dictionary of the ancient Celtic language of Cornwall, Gerlyver Kernewek, Devri : Le dictionnaire diachronique du breton, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis

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Small

Words for small and related words in Celtic languages.

Kittens

Proto-Celtic *bikkos = small, little
Old Irish (Goídelc) bec(c) [ˈbʲeɡ] = small, little
MIidle Irish (Gaoidhealg) bec, beg = small, little, a small amount
becaid = to make small, deplete
becaigid, begaigh = to lessen, diminish, reduce
becán, begán, beccan = a little, small quantity, a few, a small number, little one, child, humble, lowly one
becda = lowly, humble
Irish (Gaeilge) beag [bʲɔɡ / bʲɞɡ / bʲɛɡ] = little, small, small amount; few
beagadán = diminutive person, little one
beagaigh = to lesson, diminish
beagán = little, a few, a little, somewhat
beagchainteach = silent, taciturn
beagchéillí = senseless, foolish
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) beag [beg] = small, little, wee; minor; petty, puny, trifling; slight
beagadh [begəg] = to diminish, lessen, reduce
beagachadh [begəxəɣ] = diminishing, lessening, reducing
beagag [begag] = small thing, trifle
beagan [began] = a little, a few
beaganas [beganəs] = slight, snub
beagnachd [begnəxg] = parvity, smallness
Manx (Gaelg) beg = small, short, slight, few, poky, model, narrow, quiet, dwarf
beggan = somewhat, slightly, partly, faintly, a few, little, small piece
begganid = littleness, smallness, slightness
beggid = diminutive, diminutiveness, littleness, paltriness
Proto-Brythonic *bɨx = small
Middle Welsh (Kymraec) hach, bych, bâch, = small, little
baches, baçes = darling, little, little woman
bachken, bachcen = boy, lad, youngster, servant, son, child
bachcennes = young girl, maiden, damsel, lass, wench
Welsh (Cymraeg) bach [baːχ] = small, little, short; not fully grown or developed, young; insignificant, unimportant, humble; small (business); lower-case (letter); dear, beloved; poor
baches = darling, little, little woman
bachgen = boy, lad, youngster, servant, son, child
bachgennes = young girl, maiden, damsel, lass, wench
bachigol = diminutive, small, little
bychan [ˈbəχan] = little, small, minute, diminutive; inconspicuous, obscure, unimportant, petty; young inexperienced; little one, young child
bychanaf, bychanu = to abase, disparage, disregard, slight, minimize
bychander, bychandod = littleness, smallness, scarcity, contempt, pettiness
bychanig = very little/small, minute, diminutive, bit, piece
bychan bach very little
Middle Cornish (Cernewec) bechan, bian, bichan, bihan, bochan, byan, byhan = little, small
Cornish (Kernewek) byghan [‘bɪhan] = little, small
byghanhe = to reduce, make smaller
byghanna = smaller
Middle Breton (Brezonec) bihan, byhan = small
bihanaat, bihanhat, bihanat = to shrink, diminish
bihanaet, bihannaet = decrease
bihanded, bihandet, bihandætt = smallness
Breton (Brezhoneg) bihan = small, insufficient, modest, little
bihanaat = diminutive, pet name
bihanadur = miniature
bihanniver = minority

Etmology: possibly from the Proto-Indo-European *bʰég-ko-s, from *bʰeg- (to break) +‎ the suffix *-kos [source].

Words for small and little in Romance languages, such as petit in French, pequeno in Portuguese and pequeño in Spanish, possibly come from the same Proto-Celtic root, via the Latin word *pittus (small, little) [source].

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

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, Fockleyreen: Manx – English Dictionary, Online Manx Dictionary, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, Lexicon cornu-britannicum : a dictionary of the ancient Celtic language of Cornwall, Gerlyver Kernewek, Devri : Le dictionnaire diachronique du breton, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis

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Big, Large & Great

Words for big, large & great in Celtic languages.

Tasmania: The Big Tree

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

Proto-Celtic *māros = big, great
*māyūs = bigger, greater
*mārāti = to enlarge, magnify
Gaulish maros
Lepontic 𐌌𐌀𐌓𐌖𐌉 (marui)
Old Irish (Goídelc) mór = big, great
mó, moü, moä = bigger
Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) mór, már = big, great
= bigger, greater
mórán, moran = a large quantity or number
anmor = huge, enormous
Irish (Gaeilge) mór [mˠoːɾˠ / mˠɔːɾˠ] = big, great, large
[mˠoː/mˠuː] = bigger, greater, larger
mórán = much, many
anmhór = huge, enormous, very friendly
anmhórán = huge amount, hugh number
athair mór = grandfather
baile mór = large town, city
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) mòr [moːr] = big, great, large, grand, strapping; ample, bulky; high, lofty, tall; spacious; large amount
= bigger, greater, larger
mòran = a lot, many, much, multitude
ana-mhòr = huge, innense, enormous, prominent
baile-mòr = town, city
mòr-chuid = majority, most
Manx (Gaelg) mooar [muːr / muːɹ̝ / muːə̯ / muː] = big, great, grand, heavy, tall, chief, major, familiar, powerful, marked, commodious, intimate, capacious, extravagant, intense, extensive, grievous, bold (promintary), loose-fitting, difficult
moo = bigger, larger
mooaran = many, much
mooarane = great deal, lot, many, much, multitude
mooar-earroo, mooar-eash = majority
Proto-Brythonic *mọr [mɔːr] = great, large
Old Welsh maur = great
Middle Welsh (Kymraec) máúr, maur, mawr = large, big
moi, muy, mui, mwy = larger, bigger, greater
muyhaw, mvihaw, mvyhaf, mwyhaf = biggest, largest, greatest
mawraidd, mawredd = great, fine, grand, majestic
mawr eir, mawrair, mawreir = boast, bragging, eloquence, elevated language
mawrdec, mawrdeg = great and fair, very fine, magnificent, splendid
mawrder, mowrder = largeness, bigness, immensity, greatness
Welsh (Cymraeg) mawr [mau̯r / mou̯r] = large, big; fully grown; capital (letter); heavy (rain); long (hair/time); deep (water), great, greater, stormy, rough
mwy [muːɨ̯/mʊi̯] = larger, bigger, greater, louder, more, longer, further
mwyaf = biggest, largest, greatest, most, loudest, longest
mawraidd = great, fine, grand, majestic
mawrair = boast, bragging, eloquence, elevated language
mawrdeg = great and fair, very fine, magnificent, splendid
mawrder = largeness, bigness, immensity, greatness
Old Cornish maur = big
Middle Cornish (CerneweC) maur, meur, mûr = great, large, big, much
moy = more, greater, bigger
moya, moycha, mocha, mochya = greatest, most
Cornish (Kernewek) meur [mø:r / me:r ] = great, grand, large, substantial, much
moy = another, extra, more
moyha = maximum, most
meur lowr = considerably
meur ras = thank you
meuredh = majesty
meurgara = to admire
meurgarer = admirer
meurgeryans = admiration
meurgeryek = admirable
meurgerys = beloved
Old Breton mor = big
Middle Breton (Brezonec) meur = big, very, many
muy, mui = more
meurbet = very, a lot, big
meurded, meurdet = size, magnitude, greatness
meurdez = majesty
meurniver = multitude
meurvor = ocean
Breton (Brezhoneg) meur [møʁ] = big, many
mui = more
moyha = maximum, most
meurded = magnificance
meurdez = majesty
meurvor = ocean

Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *moh₁ros (great) [source].

Words from the same Proto-Celtic root, via Byzantine Greek μάραον (máraon – sweet chestnut), include marrone (brown, chestnut) in Italian, marron (chestnut, brown) in French, Morone (sweet chestnut) in German [source].

Proto-Celtic *brassos = great, violent
Old Irish (Goídelc) bras = boastful, strident, violent
Middle Irish (Gaoidhealg) bras, brass, brassa = boastful, defiant, forceful, violent
Irish (Gaeilge) bras = great, strong, swift (literary)
brasach = lively, quick-spoken
brasaire = lively, quick-spoken, talkative person
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) bras [bras] = swift, precipitous, rapid, hasty, impetuous, impulsive, rash, quick-tempered, exuberant, heady
bras-astarach =fleet-footed
bras-mhacnas = exuberant mirth, extreme debauchery
bras-uisgeach = swift/white-watered
bras-shruth = rapids, torrent
Welsh (Cymraeg) bras [braːs] = thick, fat, plump, stout, bulky, fatted, large, strong; coarse (sand); heavy (rain)
Middle Cornish (Cernewec) bras, brâs = great, gross, big, large, coarse
brasder = greatness, largeness, bigness, pride
braslavar = grandiloquent
brasoberys = magnificent
brassa = greater
Cornish (Kernewek) bras [bra:z] = big, bulky, large
braslavar = boast, threat
brasoberys = magnificent
brassa = bigger, major
braster = bulk, size
brastereth = majesty
brastir = continent
Middle Breton (Brezonec) bras, braz = big, large, deep, important, strong
brassaat, braçzaat, braçzeët, brasat = to grow, increase, put on weight, swell, extend, enlarge
brasadur = extension, enlargement
brasentez, brazentez = size, pride
Breton (Brezhoneg) bras [bʁaz] = big, huge, important
brazentez = size, magnitude, greatness

Etymology: from Proto-Indo-European *gʷrod-to- from *gʷred- from *gʰer- (to rub, stroke, grind, remove) [source].

Words from the same PIE root include gros (big, thick, fat, coarse, rough) in French, gross in English, and grosso (big, large, fat, thick, heavy, rough) in Italian [source].

Words marked with a * are reconstructions.

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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, Lexicon Cornu-britannicum: A Dictionary of the Ancient Celtic Language of Cornwall, Dictionaire Favereau, TermOfis, Le dictionnaire diachronique du breton, Geriafurch, English – ProtoCeltic WordList (PDF), Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic