Celtic cognates - Trees and Plants

Words for trees and other plants 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

Trees

These words are cognate in all six Celtic languages.

Gaeilge (Irish)	Gàidhlig (Gaelic)	Gaelg (Manx)	Cymraeg (Welsh)	Kernewek (Cornish)	Brezhoneg (Breton)	English
bláth	blàth	blaa	blodyn	bleujen	bleuñv	flower blossom
crann	crann	croan	pren	pren	prenn	tree mast boom wood bar
fiodh	fiodh	fuygh	gwŷdd	gwydh	gwez	tree wood timber
abhaill	abhall	ooyl	afall	avalen	avalwez	apple
beith	beith	beih	bedw	besewen	bezv	birch
coll	coll calltainn	coull	coll	koll	kelvez	hazel
cuileann	cuileann	cullyn	celyn(en)	kelyn(nen)	kelen(enn)	holly
dair doire	dair darach	darragh darrag	dâr derw(en)	dar derw(en)	derv	oak
eidheann	eidheann	hibbin	eiddew	idhyow	iliav	ivy
feá	feagha	faih	ffawydden	fowenn	faouenn	beech
fearnóg	feàrna	farney	gwern	gwern	gwern	alder
féar	feur	faiyr	gwair	gora	garzh	hay grass
fraoch	fraoch	freoagh	grug	grug	brug	heather
geil	geil	gyndyr	gwellt	gwels	geot gwelt	grass graze
fuinseog	fuinnseag uinnseann	unjin	onn	onn	onn	ash
iúr	iubhar iùbhar	euar	efwr ewr	evor	evor	yew alder
eó	eo	iodh	yw	ewin	iwin ivin	yew
leamhán	leamhan	lhiouan	llwyf	elow	evlec'h	elm linden lime
lus	lus	lus	llys	les	louzaouenn	plant herb
clann planda	clann plannt	cloan plant	plant	plans	plantenn	children clan plant
raithneach	raineach	renniagh	rhedyn	reden	raden	fern bracken
saileach	seileach	shellagh	helygen (sg) helyg (pl)	helygen (sg) helyk (pl)	halegenn (sg) haleg (pl)	willow

These words are cognate in some of the Celtic languages.

Gaeilge (Irish)	Gàidhlig (Gaelic)	Gaelg (Manx)	Cymraeg (Welsh)	Kernewek (Cornish)	Brezhoneg (Breton)	English
bile	bile	billey	pill		pil	tree mast bush trunk
			coed coeden	koos	koad	forest wood tree
craobh	craobh	crouw				branch tree bush
	bealaidh		banadl banal	banadhel	banal	broom (shrub)
giolcach	giolcach	giucklagh				broom (shrub)

Geirfa Natur (Nature Glossary) - words for animals, birds, fish and other creatures in the modern Celtic language (Excel format, provided by Gwyn Harrison)

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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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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