Borrowed fromIrishGael, alt.Gaol, from earlierGaoidheal, cognate with Scottish GaelicGàidheal and ManxGael, fromMiddle IrishGaídel, fromOld IrishGoídel(“Irishman”), a loanword fromOld WelshGuoidel(“wild man, warrior”) (also recorded as a personal name in theBook of Llandaff), fromProto-Brythonic*Guɨðel(“savage, woodsman”), fromProto-Celtic*weidelos(“savage, woodsman”), related to*weidus(“wild”), fromProto-Indo-European*h₁weydʰh₁-(“wood, wilderness”) (cf.Old Englishwāþ(“hunt”)).[1]Doublet ofGoidel, unrelated toGaul orGallia.
Medieval Irish traditions, including theLebor Gabála Érenn, trace the origin of the Goídels to an eponymous ancestor,Goídel Glas, but this is no longer held to be the ultimate etymology of the word.
Gael (pluralGaels)
Gael (pluralGaels)
FromOld IrishGoídel,[1] fromOld WelshGuoidel(“wild man, warrior”) (compareWelshGwyddel(“Irishman”)), fromProto-Brythonic*Guɨðel, fromProto-Celtic*weidus(“wild”), fromProto-Indo-European*h₁weydʰh₁-(“wood, wilderness”) (compareOld Englishwāþ(“hunt”)).[2]
Replaced native termsféni(“class of landed Irish freemen”) andfénechas(“matters pertaining to theféni”), though these words survive asféine andféineachas, respectively, and derive ultimately from the same root.
Gael m (genitive singularGaeil,nominative pluralGaeil)
| |||||||||||||||
| radical | lenition | eclipsis |
|---|---|---|
| Gael | Ghael | nGael |
Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Modern Irish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.
(Thisetymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at theEtymology scriptorium.)
Gael m
Borrowed fromEnglishGael, fromIrishGael,Old IrishGoídel.Doublet ofGwyddel (“Irishman”).
Gael m orfby sense (pluralGaeliaid)
| radical | soft | nasal | aspirate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gael | Ael | Ngael | unchanged |
Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Welsh.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.
