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".^[1]

basin

Perhaps originally Gaulish via Vulgar Latin and Old French^[2]

battle

from Latin battuere (="to beat, to strike") via French, from the same Gaulish root as "batter".^[3]

batter

from Old French batre (="to beat, strike"), ultimately from Gaulish.^[4]

battery

from Latin battuere via French, from the same Gaulish origin as "batter".^[5]

beak

from Old French bec, from Latin beccus, from Gaulish beccos.^[6]

beret

from French béret, perhaps ultimately of Gaulish origin.^[7]

bilge

from Old French boulge, from Latin bulga, from Gaulish bulgā, "sack".^[8]

billiard, billiards

perhaps from Gaulish via Latin billia and Old French bille.^[9]

Bourbon, bourbon

from Borvo, name of a local Celtic deity associated with thermal springs, whose name probably is related to Celtic borvo (="foam, froth"), via French.^[10]

bran

from Gaulish brennos, through the French bren, "the husk of wheat", "barley...".^[11]

branch

from Late Latin branca through Old French branche, probably ultimately of Gaulish origin.^[12]

brave

from Prov/Cat brau, from Gaulish bragos.^[13]

budge (lambskin)

from Old French bulge, from Latin bulga, from Gaulish bulgā, "sack".

brie

from Gaulish briga "hill, height"^[14]

broach

perhaps of Gaulish origin via Latin and Old French.^[15]

brooch

from the same origin as "broach".^[16]

broccoli

from Italian as a plural of broccolo "a sprout, cabbage sprout", ultimately from the same Gaulish root as "broach".^[17]

brochure

from French brochure "a stitched work," from brocher "to stitch" (sheets together), from Old French brochier "to prick, jab, pierce," from broche "pointed tool, awl", ultimately from the same Gaulish root as "broach".^[18]

budget

from Old French bougette, from bouge, from Latin bulga, from Gaulish bulgā.^[19]

bulge

from Old French boulge, from Latin bulga, from Gaulish bulgā, "sack", the same root as "bilge".^[20]

bushel

from Gaulish *bosta "palm of the hand" via French.^[21]

car

from Norman French carre, from L. carrum, carrus (pl. carra), orig. "two-wheeled Celtic war chariot," from Gaulish karros.^[22]

career

from Latin carrus, which ultimately derives from Gaulish.^[23]

cargo

from Latin carrus via Spanish, ultimately from the same Gaulish root as "car".^[24]

carousel

from French carrousel "a tilting match," from Italian carusiello, ultimately from the same Gaulish root as "car".^[25]

carpenter

from Gaulish, from Old Celtic *carpentom, which is probably related to Gaulish karros (="chariot").^[26]

carriage

from Latin carrus, ultimately from the same Gaulish root as "car" and "carry".^[27]

carry

from Gaulish karros "two-wheeled Celtic war chariot" via French^[28]

chock

possibly from Old North French choque "a block" (Old French çoche "log," 12c.; Modern French souche "stump, stock, block"), from Gaulish *tsukka "a tree trunk, stump."^[29]

change

from Old French changier, "to change, alter", from the late Latin word cambiare derived from an older Latin word cambire, "to barter, exchange", a word of Gaulish origin, from PIE root *kemb- "to bend, crook".^[30]

charge

from Latin carrus via French, ultimately from the same Gaulish root as "car".^[31]

chariot

from Late Latin carrum via French, ultimately from the same Gaulish root as "car".^[32]

cream

from Old French cresme, from the Latin word of Gaulish origin crāmum.^[33]

drape

from Old French draper "to weave, make cloth", from Late Latin drapus, which is perhaps of Gaulish origin.^[34]

druid

from Gaulish Druides via French^[35]

dune

from French dune, from Middle Dutch dūne, probably from Gaulish dunum, "hill".

embassy

from Middle French embassee, from Italian ambasciata, from Old Provençal ambaisada, from Latin Ambactus, from Gaulish *ambactos, "servant", "henchman", "one who goes about".^[36]

frown

probably from Gaulish *frogna "nostril" via Old French frognier "to frown or scowl, snort, turn up one's nose"^[37]

gallon

Perhaps from Gaulish galla "vessel" via Vulgar Latin and Old French.^[38]

garter

from Old North French gartier (="band just above or below the knee"), perhaps ultimately from Gaulish.^[39]

glean

from Old French glener, from Late Latin glennare, from Gaulish glanos, "clean".^[40]

gob

from Old French gobe, likely from Gaulish *gobbo-.^[41]

gouge

probably from Gaulish via Late Latin/Old French^[42]

hibiscus

perhaps from Gaulish via Greek hibiskos and then Latin hibiscum, hibiscus (="marshmallow plant").^[43]

javelin

from Old French javelline, diminutive of javelot, from Vulgar Latin gabalus, from Gaulish gabalum.^[44]

marl

from Gaulish according to Pliny.^[45]

mine (noun)

from Old French mine (="vein, lode; tunnel, shaft; mineral ore; mine" (for coal, tin, etc,)) and from Medieval Latin mina, minera (="ore,"), probably ultimately from Old Celtic *meini-^[46]

mutt

a shortening of muttonhead, ultimately from the same root as mutton.^[47]

mutton

from Gallo-Roman *multo-s via Old French^[48]

palfrey

from Old French palefrei, from Latin paraverēdus from Greek para + Latin verēdus, from Gaulish *vorēdos.^[49]

piece

from Old French, from Vulgar Latin *pettia, likely from Gaulish.^[50]

quay

from Old French chai, from Gaulish caium.^[51]

socket

from Gaulish/Proto-Celtic *sukko-, via Vulgar Latin *soccus and Old French soc.^[52]

tonsil

perhaps of Gaulish origin via Latin^[53]

truant

from Old French, from Gaulish *trougo-, "miser".^[54]

valet

from French, from Gallo-Romance *vassallittus, from Middle Latin vassallus, from vassus, from Old Celtic *wasso-, "young man", "squire".^[55]

varlet

from Middle French, from Gallo-Romance *vassallittus, from Middle Latin vassallus, from vassus, from Old Celtic *wasso-, "young man", "squire".^[56]

vassal

from Old French, from Middle Latin vassallus, from vassus, from Old Celtic *wasso-, "young man", "squire".^[57]

References

External links

For a list of words relating to with Gaulish origins, see the English terms derived from Gaulish category of words in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

For a list of words relating to with Celtic origins, see the Celtic derivations category of words in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Online Etymology Dictionary