Celtic cognates

This page contains words 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

Other words

These words are cognate in all six Celtic languages.

Gaeilge (Irish)	Gàidhlig (Gaelic)	Gaelg (Manx)	Cymraeg (Welsh)	Kernewek (Cornish)	Brezhoneg (Breton)	English
aingeal	aingeal	aile	angel	eledh	ael	fire angel
ainm	ainm	ennym	enw	hanow	anv	name
anáil	anail	ennal	anadl	anal	anal	breath
anam	anam	annym	enaid	enev	ene	soul spirit
aois	aois	eash	oes oed	oos ooj	oad	age
beatha	beatha	beaghey	bywyd	bewnans	buhez	life
beo	beò	bio	byw	bew	bev	alive living
bith*	bith	beays	byd	bys	bed	world being existence
bord	bòrd	boayrd	bwrdd bwrd	bord bordh	bourzh	table board
brí	brìgh	bree	bri	bri	bri	strength essence power honour dignity
bua	buaidh	booie	budd	budh	buz	victory profit
caí	caoidh	coe	cwyn	kynvan	keuziañ	lament mourning weeping
Cáisg	Càisg	Caisht	Pasg	Pask	Pask	Easter
carcair	carcair	carchyr	carchar	carhar*	karc'har	prison
carbad	carbad	carbyd	cerbyd	cerpit*	karbed	chariot car
carr	càr	carr	car	karr	karr	car chariot wagon
cath	cath	cah	cad	kas	kad	battle
céim	ceum	keim	cam	kamm	kamm	step
ciorcal	cearcall	kiarkyl	cylch	kelgh kylgh	klec'h	circle ring
cistin	cistin	kishteen	cegin	kegin	kegin	kitchen
clog	clag	clag	cloch	klogh	kloc'h	bell clock
clú	cliù	goo	clyw	klew	klev	hearing fame
criathar	criathar	creear	crwydr	kroder	krouer	sieve riddle wandering
crith	crith	crie	cryd	kren	kren	fever trembling shaking
cúl	cùl	cooyl	cil	kil	kil	back corner
eochair	iuchair	ogher	agoriad			key
féile	fèil	feaill feailley	gŵyl	gool	gouel	feast festival
feis	fèis	feish	gwest	gwester	guest*	festival entertainment guest
ficheall	fidhcheall	feeal	gwyddbwyll	gwydhbol	gwezboell	chess
flaith	flath	flah	gwlad	gwlas gulas	glad	sovereignty country nation
fleá	fleadh	fleah	gwledd	gwledh	gloê	feast banquet
gabhal	gobhal	goal	gafl	gowl	gaol	fork crotch gable
gair gáir	goir gàir	gerr	gair gawr	ger	ger	call shout word
geil	geil	gyndyr	gwellt	gwels	geot gwelt	grass graze
gríos	grìos	gree	gwres	gwres	gwrez	warmth heat
leabhar	leabhar	lioar	llyfr	lyver	levr	book
liach	liogh	lheegh	llwy	lo	loa	spoon ladle
marbh	marbh	merriu marroo	marw marwolaeth	mernans	marv	dead death deceased
Nollaig	Nollaig	Nollick	Nadolig	Nadelik	Nedeleg	Christmas
olann	olann	ollan	gwlân	gwlan	glaon	wool
póg	pòg	paag	pocyn	poccuil*	pok	kiss
rann roinn	rann roinn	rheynn	rhan	radn	rann	division part
rath	rath	raah rah	rhad	ras	rat	grace virtue
rún	rùn	roon	rhin cyfrin	rin kevrin	rin	secret mystery
rúsc	rùsg	roost	rhisgl	rusken	rusk	bark beehive
saighead	saighead	side	saeth	seth	saezh	arrow
scuab	sguab	skeab	ysgub ysgubell	skub skubell	skub skubell	brush broom sheaf
seo	seo	shoh				this
seol	seòl	shiaull	hwyl	gool	gouel	sail
sin	sin	shen	hwn hon hyn	henn	henn*	that this
siabhainn*	siabhann	sheeabin	sebon	sebon	soavon	soap
suan	suain	saveen	hun	hun	hun	sleep slumber
spiorad	spiorad	spyrryd	ysbryd	sperys spyrys	spered	soul life spirit
sráid	sràid	straid	stryd	stret	straed	street alley highway
tábla	tàbla	taabyl	tabl	tabel	taol	table board
táille	taille	tailley	tâl talaith	tal	tailh	fare fee tally
teach	taigh	thie	tŷ	chi	ti	house
teanga	teanga	çhengey	tafod	taves tavas	teod	language tongue tribe people
teas	teas	çhiass	tes	tes	tes	heat warmth
tine	teine	çhenney	tân	tan	tan	fire lightning
tonn	tonn		ton	ton*	tonn	surface land skin
tonn	tonn	tonn	ton	ton	tonn	wave billow
tuí	tugha	thoo	to	to	to	roof thatch

These words are cognate in some of the Celtic languages.

Gaeilge (Irish)	Gàidhlig (Gaelic)	Gaelg (Manx)	Cymraeg (Welsh)	Kernewek (Cornish)	Brezhoneg (Breton)	English
ábhar	adhbar	oyr				material matter reason
adhal	adhal	aall				fork trident
			allwedd	alhwedh	alc'hwez	key
anseo	an-seo	ayns shoh	yma	omma	amañ	here
ansin	an-sin	ayns shen	yna	ena	aze	there
ansiúd	an-siud	ayns shid	yno	yn tre	ahont	yonder
			baich	begh	bec'h	load burden
bás	bàs	basse				death
			bel	bell		war tummult
béarla Béarla	Beurla	Baarle				speech English
bruth	bruth		brwd	bredion*	broud	heat hot(ness) ardent
caint	cainnt	caaynt				speech to speak talk
casúr	casar	casoor				hammer
clár	clàr	claare	clawr		kleur	board table cover
cló	clò	clou	clo		klaou	bolt lock nail
cogadh	cogadh	caggey				war fighting
colum*			cwlwm	kolm kolmen	skoulmoù skoulm	knot
cuire			cordd	kordh		tribe clan troop
cuach	cuach		cawg			cup dish bowl
			cudd	kudh	kuzh	secret hidden
			cusan	kussyn		kiss
			cwsg	kosk	kousked	sleep slumber
			cyllell	kollell	kontell	knife
daigh	daigh		goddeith			flame fire pain
damhna	damhna		defnydd	devnydh	danvez	matter material substance
díon	dìon	jeen				protection waterproof roof
doras	doras	dorrys	drws	daras		door
			dôr		dor	door
dú	dùth	dooie				place natural
éag	eug		angau	ankow	ankow	dead death deceased
fadhb	fadhb	uddan	oddf			knot lump problem
fáilte	fàilte	failt				welcome
féan	feun	fainagh				wagon cart chariot
fios	fios	fys	gwŷs			knowledge information
fochraig			gwobr	gober	gopradenn	prize reward fee
forc	forca		fforc	forgh	forc'h	fork
icht*			iaith	yeth	yezh	language people
líth	lì				lid	festival prosperity ceremony
			morthwyl	morthol	morzhol	hammer
mullach	mullach	mullagh				top roof
óir	oir	oyr				for because reason
ord	òrd	oard	gordd		horzh	hammer
sanas	sanas	sannish	hanes	hanas		whisper history secret
saol	saoghal	seihll				world existence lifetime
scian	sgian	skyeen	ysgïen sgien		skejañ	knife to sever
snaidhm	snaidhm	sniem	nadd		nascañ	knot carving hinder
spúnóg	spàin	spein				spoon
	stuth	stoo	stwff	stoff		material stuff substance
te	teth	çheh				heat

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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.

If you would like to make any corrections or additions to this page, or if you can provide recordings, please contact me.

Links

Stòr-fhaclan Co-dhàimheil Ceilteach (Database of Celtic cognates)
http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/gaidhlig/faclair/scc/lorg.php

McBain's Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language
http://www.ceantar.org/Dicts/MB2/

Information about Celtic languages

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

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