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Gaulish-English dictionary (A - B)


Gaulish-English (C - G)
Gaulish-English (H - L)
Gaulish-English (M - P)
Gaulish-English (R - W)
Gaulish-English (some grammar)

This language was spoken in Gaul and Belgium before the Romans conquered the land. That happened when Vercingetorix lost the battle of Alesia, in 52 B.C. This knowledge is based on Roman, Greek, early medieval and present researches on this subject.
The Gauls did hardly write a word; or at least there is hardly any evidence they did write, just a few inscriptions here and there, like the inscriptions on the Coligny calendar.

I've done extensive research; each word in this list has its source in at least one of the books in the literature list below. But there still can be some misinterpretations in this list.

Comments on this list can be viewed here


A.

ab = river (#)
aballo = apple
aboculus = blind (GL) HM
acina = area size
ad-, ate- = to, very HL, JM
alauda = (sky-)lark (NL)
alba, alpes = mountain /top (#)
albiorix = "king of the skys" (+)(=nickname for teutates)
alce = dash
Alesia = Alise Ste.Reine, F (#) BC, JM
alos, allos, alios = secondJM , other (foreign)
allobroges" = "other people": a non-Gaulish tribe
alp/es, alba = mountain /top(#)
ambactus = servant
ambes = rivers (#)
ambi- = about
ambi = around (pC) HM
ambi = butter HL, JM
ambiagto-, ambagto- = "one who goes around" (pC) HM
ambicatus,ambicatos=`he, who battles everywhere`, the name of an important leader
ambr = watercourseAS
anagantios = "indoors" (month) (m)RW
Ancyra = Ankara, Turkey (#) BC, JM
and- = big- (eg: andarto/s =big bear)
anda = blind
ande- = against
ande- = used before personal pronouns, Irish ind-; to, very HL, JM
anextlomarus = "great protector"
anmatu = bad, incomplete
anuan(a) = name PS
apuldra = apple tree (NL)
Aquileia (I) (#) BC, JM
Aquincum = Budapest, H (#) BC, JM
ar=near (#)
arcantod(r)an = mint-master, mint warden HL, JM pictures of celtic coins
ardvenna = high (#?) Coligny calendar
are = rise
are- = before (prefix)HM
are- = on, in, at HL, JM
are- = for HL, JM
Arelate = Arlet, F (#) BC, JM
arganto(s) = silver HL, JM
ari = before (not a prefix) HM
arinca = corn
arjo = lord, noble
armorica = land near the sea (#)
artio = she-bear
artioni = bear HL, JM
arto- = pebble
arto/s = bear
artogenos = son of the bear
ascia = axe ?
asiam = fruit or grain PS
ate- = re-
aten(o)ux = (see "hattenux"), see image right
atir = father (500 B.C.)
Augusta Treverorum = Trier, F (#) BC, JM
ausia = ear HL, JM
avalon = apple land, GB (#)
Avaricum = Bourges, F (#) BC, JM
avent- = source (Plus des mots en Français-commencent avec "a")

B.

bagos = beech
balme = cave
Balodurum = Balleure, F (#) BC, JM
bard/os = singer, sort of druid, poet, bard (+) HL, JM
bardo- = bard, poet (pC) HM
barros = tuft
bata = gladiator, warrior
batuere, battuere = to hit
beber, bibru = beaver
beccus = beak
belenos / us=the shining, clear, sun-god(+)
belenuntia = henbane (poisonous!)
belesama, belisama = the shining goddess (=moon?) (+)
belgae = Belgians (GL)
bellovesus = `he who can kill`, the name of an important leader 400 B.C.
benna = basket
benna = wagon HL, JM
bennicus = peak
Bergamum = Bergamo, I (#) BC, JM
berula = water-cress HL, JM
Bibracte = Mont Beuvray, F (#) BC, JM
bibru = beaver
bille = tree-stump, gold/ silver/ bronze-ingot
birgit, brigit, brigindo=goddes of the marriage, protectress of the smiths, and the techniques, druide (bard), female warrior (+) ?
birrus=short coule
bitu=world, existence
Bituriges = Bourges, F (#), world-kings BC, JM
Bodiocasses = Bayeux, F (#) BC, JM
Boduus, Boduo(s) = scald-crow, a war-goddess in the form of a scald crow (+) HL, JM
bodvo-=evil, war, wrath
boiorix="king of the boii"
bolg = leather sack (pC) HM
bona=building
bormo, borvo=warm, hot spa
bormo(s), boruo(s) = beer HL, JM
boud(i)=victory ?
boudicca = the victorious, name of a female warrior 50 A.D. (GB) OS
brac = marshy grass-landAS
braca(e)=trousers OS
bracca=short trousers (not below the thighs)
brace, brakis=malt PS
bracem (acc.) = malt HL, JM
branca=branch
bratronos = brother HL, JM
bratto=cloak
bratu=to judge
brehon=judge, sort of druid ?
bretus, bratus = mind, judgement HL, JM
briga = fortified height (#)
briga- = strife (pC) HM
briga = town, hill (#) HL, JM
brigantia = Birgit ?
Brigantium = La Coruna, Spain-Galicia (#) BC, JM
brigindo = Birgit (+)
brigindoni = brigantes (GB-Latin) PS
brigo- = strength (pC) HM
brihent = knight ?
brihentin = elite-cavalry
briua = bridge HL, JM
Brixia = Brescia, I (#) BC, JM
broga = field
brogae = ager HL, JM
brogi- = country (#)
brogilo = hunting ground, enclosed ground AS
-brogos = district (GB) (pC) HM
brucus = heather
bruko, brucos = heather  HM
buggo- = flexible (pC) HM
bulga = bag
bulga = leather bag HL, JM
bulgae = leather bags (>Belgians?They wore wide, long trousers, perhaps made of leather) (BB)
bunda = ground
bunia = inflated item
burdiga = cane fence


I hereby wish to thank Andrea De Vecchi, mr. J. Mascitelli and mr. X. Delamarre for adding many Gaulish words to this list.


More info about the writer / editor




Index Dutch bronze age
Index first farmers in the Netherlands


Plus des mots en Français -commencent avec "a"- : (fait par mr. Xavier Delamarre)

 aballo- 'pommier'
 aballo(n)- 'pommeraie'
 abalos 'pomme'
 abona 'rivière'
 acaunon 'pierre'
 acito- 'plaine, champ'
 acros, axros 'haut'
 actinos 'ajonc'
 ad- 'vers'
 adarca 'écume de roseau'
 adgarios 'invocateur'
 adiant(u)- 'empressement, désir'
 adsagsona 'l'Atteignante, l'Intercédante' (?)
 adsedo-, assedo- 'résident, établi'
 aedrini, edrini 'nom du 11e mois'
 aganntobo '?'
 agedo- 'aspect, manière, face'
 agranio- 'prunelle'
 agro- 'bataille, carnage'
 aidu- 'feu, ardeur'
 alauda 'alouette'
 alausa 'alose'
 albios 'monde d'en haut, monde lumineux'
 albos 'blanc'
 albolon 'menthe-pouliot' bot.
 alisia 'alisier' ou bien 'rocher'
 allos 'autre, deuxième'
 allobrog- 'étranger, exilé'
 alus 'symphytum' bot.
 amarco- 'vision, vue, regard'
 ambactos 'serviteur, envoyé'
 ambe 'rivière'
 ambi- 'autour, alentour, des deux côtés'
 an- 'in-, non-' préfixe privatif
 ana 'marais'
 anagantio- 'nom du 4e mois'
 anandogna 'non indigène, étrangère'
 anatia 'les âmes'
 anauo- 'richesse, inspiration'
 ancorago 'un poisson' ?
 and-, ande-, ando- 'très-', particule intensive
 andabata 'combattant aveuglé'
 andamica '(de qualité) inférieure'
 andedios 'inférieur'
 andernad- 'ce qui est en-bas'
 anderos 'inférieur, infernal'
 andoedo (<*andosedon) 'mobilier'
 andogna 'indigène, du pays'
 andouna 'source, eau d'en-bas'
 anepsa 'hellébore blanc, vératre' bot.
 anextlo- 'protection'
 aniateios 'à ne pas emporter'
 anmatu- 'défavorable, incomplet'
 anto- 'limite, borne'
 antumnos 'Autre Monde, monde des morts'
 anuan 'nom'
 arausio- 'tempe, joue'
 arduos 'haut'
 are- 'devant'
 aremoricos 'qui habite devant la mer'
 arepennis 'bout de terrain, arpent'
 aretisia 'ardoise'
 arganton 'argent'
 argantodanos 'magistrat monétaire'
 argios 'blanc' (> 'neige' ?)
 argos 'champion'
 aricanos 'excellent'
 arinca 'sorte de blé'
 arios 'homme libre, seigneur'
 artos 'ours'
 arueriatis 'qui donne satisfaction' ?
 ate- 're-' préfixe itératif et intensif
 atenoux(-) 'renouvellement' ?
 atir 'père'
 atrebat- 'habitant'
 attegia 'cabane, hutte'
 aua 'petite fille'
 auantia 'source'
 aui- 'désir, faveur'
 auot 'a fait'
 aus(i)- 'oreille'
 autagis 'bordereau'
 axat 'qu'il emmène'