Celtic cognates - Adjectives

This page contains adjectives that are cognate in all or most of the six modern Celtic languages.

Click on the English versions that are links and you will be taken to the Celtiadur, where you can see what each word means, and how some of them are pronounced. There are also details of related words and expressions, and words in older versions of the Celtic languages, such as Middle Welsh and Old Irish. More Celtic Cognates

Adjectives

These words are cognate in all six Celtic languages.

Gaeilge (Irish)	Gàidhlig (Gaelic)	Gaelg (Manx)	Cymraeg (Welsh)	Kernewek (Cornish)	Brezhoneg (Breton)	English
ard	àrd	ard	ardd	ardh	arz	high
beag	beag	beg	bach bychan	byghan	bihan	small
bodhar	bodhar	bouyr	byddar	bodhar	bouzar	deaf
breac	breac	breck	brych	brygh*	brec'h	speckled striped spotted
bréan	breun	breinn	braen	breyn	brein	rotten
cam	cam	cam	cam	kamm	kamm	crooked bent curve
cruinn	cruinn	cruinn	crwn	krenn kern	krenn	round
droch	droch	drogh	drwg	drog	drouk	bad evil
eile	eile	elley	ail	eyl	eil	other second
fia	fiadh	feie	gŵydd	goodh	gouez	wild
fíor	fìor	feer	gwir	gwir	gwir	true
fliuch	fliuch	fliugh	gwlyb	gleb glyb	gleb	wet
Gael	Gàidheal	Gael	Gwyddel	Godhal	Gouezel	Gael Irish person
glan	glan	glen	glân	glan	glan	clean clear
íseal	ìosal	injil ishil*	isel	isel	izel	low
lán	làn	lane	llawn	leun	leun	full
leathan	leathann	lhean	llydan	ledan	ledan	wide broad
maith	math	mie	mad*	mas*	mat/mad	good
maoin	maoin	mayn	mwyn	muin	maon	gift gentle thin
maol	maol	meayl	moel	mool	moal	bald bare
mór	mòr	mooar	mawr	meur	meur	big large great
muad*	muadh	meeley	meddal	medhel	med(d)al*	soft tender
nua	nuadh	noa	newydd	nowydh	nevez	new
óg	òg	aeg	ifanc	yowynk yonk	yaouank	young
sean	sean	shenn	hen	hen	hen	old
tiubh	tiugh	çhiu	tew	tew	tev	thick
uasal	uasal	ooasle	uchel	ughel	uhel	high noble

These words are cognate in some of the Celtic languages.

Gaeilge (Irish)	Gàidhlig (Gaelic)	Gaelg (Manx)	Cymraeg (Welsh)	Kernewek (Cornish)	Brezhoneg (Breton)	English
amh	amh	aw	of			raw uncooked
bog	bog	bog			boug	soft tender
bras*			bras	bras	bras	great big bulky
brecht*			brith	brith	brizh	speckled variegated
brón	bròn	bran	brwyn			sad
caoch	caoch	kyagh	coeg	koeg		one-eyed blind
caoin	caoin	keain	cain		ken	tender gentle mild
caomh	caomh		cu	kuv	kuñv	dear gentle sweet
caol	caol	keyl	cul	kul		narrow
			chwech	hweg	c'hwek	sweet delicate
cóir	còir	cair	cywair			just rightful
			cri	kriv	kriz	raw crude
cúacca*			gwag	gwag	gwak	empty soft delicate
daor	daor	deyr				servile unfree expensive
dara	dala	derrey				second
drúth	drùth		drud	drudh		fool dear cherished
earc	earc		erch			mottled speckled
fás	fàs	faase				empty
fial	fial	feoilt	gŵyl			modest seemly
fiar	fiar		gŵyr	gwarr	gwar	crooked bent curve
folamh	falamh	follym				empty
			golau	golow	gouloù	light bright fair
labhar	labhar		llafar	lavar	lavar	talkative
			llawen	lowen lowenek	laouen	happy merry
lom	lom	lhome	llwm	lomm		bare naked
lonn	lonn		llon			merry fierce bold
luas	lùthas	laueys				speed earliness
luath	luath	leah	lleygys lleiges			quick fast early soon
mall	mall	moal				slow late
mear	mear	merre	miri	meri		quick fast lively
milis	milis	millish	melys	melys		sweet
moch	moch	mogh	moch	meuch*		early soon
nocht	nochd		noeth	noth	noazh	naked bare
			rhydd	rydh	rid*	free cheap
sámh	sàimh					peace tranquility rest
sámhach	sàmhach					silent quiet calm
saor	saor	seyr				free cheap
sona	sona	sonney				happy merry
			sych	sygh segh	sec'h	dry
tirim	tioram	çhirrym				dry
			trist	trist	trist	sad
trom	trom	trome	trwm	trom*		heavy
úr	ùr	oor	ir	yr		new fresh verdant

Celtic cognates

Celtiadur

A collection of Celtic cognates, with definitions, pronunciation, etymologies - includes the modern Celtic languages, older versions of these languages, such as Middle Welsh, Old Irish, and their extinct and reconstructed relatives and ancestors, including Gaulish, Celtiberian, Proto-Brythonic and Proto-Celtic.

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Information about Celtic languages

Breton, Celtiberian, Cornish, Cumbric, Gaulish, Irish, Lepontic, Lusitanian, Manx, Scottish Gaelic, Tartessian, Welsh

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