List of English words of Gaulish origin

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A list of English Language words derived from the Celtic Gaulish language, entering English via Old Frankish or Vulgar Latin and Old French

ambassador
from Old French embassadeur, from Latin ambactus, from Gaulish *ambactos, "servant", "henchman", "one who goes about".
beak
from Old French bec, from Latin beccus, from Gaulish beccos.
bilge
from Old French boulge, from Latin bulga, from Gaulish bulgā, "sack".
bran
from Gaulish brennos, through the French bren, "the husk of wheat", "barley...".
brave
from Prov/Cat brau, from Gaulish bragos.
budge (lambskin)
from Old French bulge, from Latin bulga, from Gaulish bulgā, "sack".
budget
from Old French bougette, from bouge, from Latin bulga, from Gaulish bulgā.[1]
bulge
from Old French boulge, from Latin bulga, from Gaulish bulgā, "sack".
car
from Norman French carre, from L. carrum, carrus (pl. carra), orig. "two-wheeled Celtic war chariot," from Gaulish karros.[2]
cream
from Old French cresme, from the Latin word of Gaulish origin crāmum.[3]
change
of Gaulish origin, from PIE base *kamb- "to bend, crook". Borrowed into Latin as cambire-> Late Latin cambiare "to barter, exchange", from there to Old French changier "to change, alter", onwards to Middle English.
embassy
from Middle French embassee, from Italian ambasciata, from Old Provençal ambaisada, from Latin Ambactus, from Gaulish *ambactos, "servant", "henchman", "one who goes about".[4]
glean
from Old French glener, from Late Latin glennare, from Gaulish glanos, "clean".
gob
from Old French gobe, likely from Gaulish *gobbo-.[5]
palfrey
from Old French palefrei, from Latin paraverēdus from Greek para + Latin verēdus, from Gaulish *vorēdos.
piece
from Old French, from Vulgar Latin *pettia, likely from Gaulish.
quay
from Old French chai, from Gaulish caium.[6]
truant
from Old French, from Gaulish *trougo-, "miser".
valet
from French, from Gallo-Romance *vassallittus, from Middle Latin vassallus, from vassus, from Old Celtic *wasso-, "young man", "squire".
varlet
from Middle French, from Gallo-Romance *vassallittus, from Middle Latin vassallus, from vassus, from Old Celtic *wasso-, "young man", "squire".
vassal
from Old French, from Middle Latin vassallus, from vassus, from Old Celtic *wasso-, "young man", "squire".

References

  1. ^ 'Budget'
  2. ^ 'car'
  3. ^ 'cream'
  4. ^ [1]
  5. ^ 'gob'
  6. ^ "quay" – Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 31 March 2016.

External links