Celtic cognates - People

This page contains words for people 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

Words for people, relatives and professions

These words are cognate in all six Celtic languages.

Gaeilge (Irish)	Gàidhlig (Gaelic)	Gaelg (Manx)	Cymraeg (Welsh)	Kernewek (Cornish)	Brezhoneg (Breton)	English
bard	bàrd	bard	bardd	bardh	barzh	bard poet
bean	bean	ben	benyw menyw	ben benyn	e-ben	woman wife
bráthair deartháir	bráthair	braar	brawd	broder	breur	brother
buachaill	buachaill	bochilley	bugail	bugel	bugel	boy child shepherd
buime	muime	mimmey	mam	mamm	mamm	mother stepmother nurse
clann planda	clann plannt	cloan plant	plant	plans	plantenn	children clan plant
dia	dia	jee	duw	duw	doue	god deity
draoi	draoidh	druaight	drwy derwydd	druw drewydh	drouiz	druid wizard
duine	duine	dooinney	dyn	den	den	person human man
fear	fear	fer	gŵr	gour	gour	man husband
foireann	foireann	fwirran	gwerin	gwerin	gwerin	people staff plebs crew
gabha	gobha	gaaue	gof	gov	gov	(black)smith
lucht	luchd	lught	llwyth	looth	liezh	people tribe
mac	mac	mac	mab	mab	mab	son boy
máthair	màthair	moir	modryb	modrep	moereb	mother aunt
nia	nia	neear	nai	noy	niz	nephew
pobal	poball	pobble	pobl	pobel	pobl	people family
rí	rìgh	ree	rhi	ruy*	ri*	king
slua	sluagh	sleih	llu	lu	lu	people horde force
siúr* deirfiúr	siùir* puithar	shuyr	chwaer	hwor	c'hoar	sister
teaghlach	teaghlach	thielagh	teulu	teylu	tiegezh	family household
tiarna	tighearna	çhiarn	teyrn	tern*	tiern	lord ruler king
tuath	tuath	theay	tud	tus	tud	tribe people territory

These words are cognate in some of the Celtic languages.

Gaeilge (Irish)	Gàidhlig (Gaelic)	Gaelg (Manx)	Cymraeg (Welsh)	Kernewek (Cornish)	Brezhoneg (Breton)	English
abhac	abhag		afanc		avank	dwarf beaver terrier
amhas	amhas		amaeth	ammeth	ambaith*	servant ploughman savage
amnair*			ewythr	ewnter	eontr	uncle
athair	athair	ayr	-atr*			father
			brenin	bretyn* bryntyn*	brientin*	king
cailleach	cailleach	caillagh				old woman hag witch
			cefnder	kanderow	kenderv	cousin (male) brother
cing*	cing					warrior champion
			cyfnither	keniterow	keniterv	cousin (female)
dámh	dàmh		daw	deuv	deuñv	son-in-law retinue faculty
dochtúir	dotair	doghtoor				doctor
fáigh	fàidh	fadeyr	gwawd			seer prophet poem
file	filidh	feelee				seer poet
fine	fine				gouenn	family tribe race
foss*			gwas	gwas	gwaz	servant boy husband
frac*			gwrach	gwragh	gwrac'h	old woman hag witch
iníon	nighean	inneen 'neen				daughter girl
lia	lèigh lighiche	lhee				doctor healer physician
			mechdeyrn mychdeyrn machdeyrn	metern myghtern	machtiern*	king
			meddyg	medhek	mezeg	doctor
muintir	muinntir	mooinjer				household folk family
neacht	nigh		nith	nith noyth	nizh	niece daughter
ó	ogha	oe	wyr			grandson descendent
oide	oide	gegjey				foster-father teacher tutor
	smarach (lad)		merch	myrgh	merc'h	daughter girl
saor	saor	seyr	saer	ser		craftsman carpenter mason
			tad	tas	tad	father

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.

Notes

* Words with an asterisk are archaic or obsolete

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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/

MAGUS: Multilingual Animal Glossary of Unveiled Synonyms
http://www.informatika.bf.uni-lj.si/magus-celtic&basque.html

Information about Celtic languages

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

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