List of French words of Gaulish origin

The Gaulish language, and presumably its many dialects and closely allied sister languages, left a few hundred words in French and many more in nearby Romance languages, i.e. Franco-Provençal (Eastern France and Western Switzerland), Occitan (Southern France), Catalan, Romansch, Gallo-Italian (Northern Italy), and many of the regional languages of northern France and Belgium collectively known as langues d'oïl (e.g. Walloon, Norman, Gallo, Picard, Bourguignon, and Poitevin).

What follows is a list of inherited French words, past and present, along with words in neighboring or related languages, all borrowed from the Gaulish language (or more precisely from a substrate of Gaulish).

Modern French

A-B

{| class="wikitable"
! French
! Cognates
! Etymology
! Possible Celtic Cognates
! Latin/Romance
|-
| aller 'to go'
| FrProv alâ, allar, Friul lâ
| Gaul *allu
| Welsh êl 'that he may go', eled 'go!', Cornish ellev 'that I may go', Old Irish adall 'diverticulum'
| Lat ambulare (cf. Ital ambiare, Rom umbla), *adnare (cf. Sp/Pg andar, Occ/Cat anar, Italian andare)
|-
| alose 'shad' 
| Occitan alausa, Prov alauso, La Rochelle alousa, Sp alosa, G Alse
| Gaul alausa 'allis shad'
| none
| -
|-
| alouette 'lark' 
| Walloon alôye, Prov alauza, alauseta, Cat alosa, alova, OSp aloa, Sp alondra, It allodola, lodola
| Old French aloe, aloue, fr Latin alauda 'crest lark', fr Gaul, perhaps from *alaio 'swan'
| OIr elu 'swan', Irish/Scottish eala 'swan'; with suffix, Welsh alarch 'lark', Breton alarc'h 'swan'
| borrowed into Latin
|-
| ambassade 'embassy'
| Prov embeissado, Occ ambaissada, Port embaixada, Sp embajada
| From Ital ambasciata 'charge, mission, embassy', fr Old Occ ambayassada 'embassy', from ambaissa 'service, duty' 'hostage', fr Gaul ambactus 'dependant, vassal'
| OIr amos, amsach 'mercenary, servant', Ir amhas 'wild man', W amaeth 'tenant farm', C ammeth 'farming', OBr ambaith
| -
|-
| amélanche 'shadberry, shadbush'
| Occ amalenco, amalanco
| Prov. amalenco, amalanco, from Gaul. aballo 'apple' and -enco, diminutive suffix from Germanic -ing
| OIr aball, Ir/Sc ubhall, W afal, C aval, Br aval
| unknown in Latin 
|-
| andain 'swath, scythe slash'
| -
| OFr andain 'wide step', from Gallo-Latin andagnis 'big step', from Gaul. ande 'big, great' and agnis 'step', from agi 'to move'
| Ir an- 'very' + OIr áin 'activity, play'
| -
|-
| ardoise 'slate'
| It ardesia
| Gaul. artuas 'stelae, stone plates', plural of *artuā 'stone, pebble'
| OIr art 'stone', Ir airtín, Sc airtein 'pebble'
| -
|-
| arpent 'arpent acre'
| OSp arapende, Sp arpende, Prov arpen
| ML arependis, fr Latin arepennis, from Gaulish
| OIr airchenn 'short mete or bound (abuttal); end, extremity', W arbenn 'chief'
| system of measurement alien to Latin
|-
| auvent 'eaves, porch roof, penthouse roof'
| Prov. ambans 'parapet', Occitan embans, French dial. arvan
| MFr auvans (pl) 'sloping roof', fr OFr anvant (1180), fr Gaul. andebanno 'overhang, forward jutting part of a roof', fr ande (augmentative prefix) + banno 'horn, antler'
| for banno, see below under section Patois
| unknown to Mediterranean architecture
|-
| aven 'sinkhole, swallow hole'
| Occ avèn 'abyss, whirlpool', Cat avenc, Asturian aboñón 'channel, drain', Galician abeneiro, Port. amieiro 'alder (tree)'
| OFr avenc, from Old Occ, from Gaul. abona 'river'
| W afon, C avon, Br avon, aven, Sc abhainn, Ir abha, abhainn
| -
|-
| bâche 'canvas sheet, tarpaulin'
| Gasc bascojo 'hanging basket', Asturian bascayu, Port. basculho/vasculho, Béarn bascoyes, Fr (dial) bâchot, bachou 
| OFr baschoe 'type of hod', from Gaul. bascauda 'wicker chest, hamper', from *basca 'binding'
| W basg 'plaiting', MIr basc 'neckband'
| -
|-
| balai 'broom (sweep)'
| Sp baleo 'broom (plant)', Astur baléu
| OFr balain 'broom (plant)', from Gaul *balatno, metathesis of *banatlo
| MBr balazn (mod. balan), Sc bealaidh, Ir beallaidh vs. W banadl, C banadhel
| Lat. scobum (cf. Fr dial. écouvillon)
|-
| barge1 'godwit'
| Liguro berta 'magpie'
| Gaulish bardala, diminutive of bardos 'bard'
| MW bardd 'poet', OIr bard, MBr barzh 'minstrel', OC barth 'mime, jester'
| Lat. corydallus (from Greek korydallis)
|-
| barge2 'haybale, straw heap' (Western)
| Sp/Port varga "thatch-roof hut, straw-roof hut", Cat/Pg/Occ/Liguro barga "wattle hut", Ital barca "haystack"
| Gaul bargā (Latin fundus bargae, in Tabula Veleiana, 2nd century)
| MIr barc 'fort; woodshed' (< *bargā)
| -
|-
| barnache, bernache 'barnacle goose'
| -
| OFr bernaque, fr Gaul. barenica 'limpet', fr barenos 'rock, boulder' (cf. OIr barenn 'boulder'); for semantic development, compare Greek lépas 'rock' > lepás 'limpet'
| Ir báirneach, Sc bàirneach, W brennig, C brennik, Br bernig, brennig
| -
|-
| bassin 'basin'
| Prov. bacha 'feeding trough', FrProv bachè, bacha 'large vat', Amognard bassie 'sink'
| OFr bacin, from ML baccinum, from LL bacca 'wine or water jug', from Gaulish 'burden, load to bear'
| Ir/Sc bac 'hindrance, heed', W baich 'load, burden', C begh 'load, burden', Br bec'h 'burden, toil'
| -
|-
| battre 'to beat'
| Cat batre, Sp. batir , Mantuan batü 'beaten, beat', Port. bater
| Latin battuere, from Gaulish *battu 'I strike, hit'
| W bathu 'to coin, mint (money)', C bathi 'to coin, mint (money)'
| -
|-
| bauge 'wild boar den; cob, hut'
| FrProv (Swiss) bache 'swamp hay', Prov bauco, balco 'rough-leafed grass, tuft of hay, swamp grass used as bedding', OProv terra bauca 'good, solid turf'
| OFr balche, from Gaul balco 'strong'
| OIr balc, Ir bailc, Sc bailceach, W/C balch, Br balc’h
| -
|-
| baume 'grotto'
| Prov baumo, Cat balma, Lombardo balma, Piemontese barma, Ligurian arma
| Gaul *balma 
| Ir baile 'home; town'
| -
|-
| bec 'beak'
| Cat bec, It becco, Port. bico, Sp pico
| Latin beccus 'beak', from Gaul *beccos 'beak', perhaps originally 'little'
| perhaps OIr becc 'little', Ir/Sc beag, W bach; diminutives C byghan, Br bihan
| Lat rostrum
|-
| belette 'weasel'
| Lorrain belâ, blâ, Liguro bélloa, Venetian belita, Piem/Lomb. bellola, Sp dial. belida, bilidilla
| From FrPov belete, from Gaul bela
| MW beleu, W bele, belaod (pl.) 'marten'
| Lat mustella (cf. OFr moistele)
|-
| benne 'handbarrow, dumpster, mine cart', banne 'awning; large wicker basket'
| It benna 'dung cart', G (Swabish) Bann 'cart, hod', G Behner 'basket', Du ben, benne 'basket', E bin
| Gaul benna
| W benn 'cart', OIr buinne, Br karr-banner 'truck bed', OBr benn 'caisson (chariot)'
| -
|-
| berle 'water parsnip'
| Sp berro Ast berriu 'watercress' (< beruro)
| Gaul. berula 'cress', diminutive of beru 'stake, spit'
| W berwr, C/Br beler, OIr biror, Ir biolar, Sc biolaire; further to Ir/Sc bior, W bêr, C/Br ber
| -
|-
| berceau 'cradle', bercer 'to rock', ber 'drydock' 
| Prov bressà 'to rock', brès 'cradle', Port. berço 'cradle', Sp dial. brezar 'to rock', brezo 'cradle'
| OFr bers, berz 'cradle', fr Gaul. *bertu 'I rock', fr *berta 'load'
| Ir beartaim 'I rock', beárt 'load, action'; further to OIr brith, breth f. 'carrying, judgment', MW bryd m. 'thought, mind, intent', C brys 'thought'
| -
|-
| bief 'mill reach, mill race'
| Genoese (Liguro) bëo 'ditch, channel', Asturian beyu''' 'narrow gorge' (< bedio) and buelga 'ditch' (< bodika) 
| OFr bied, from Gaul. *bedo 'ditch; grave'
| W bedd 'grave', Br bez, C bedh| -
|-
| bille 'log'
| Prov. bilha 'stem, trunk'
| Gaul. *billia 'tall tree'
| W pill 'stump', Br pil, Mx billey 'tree', Ir billeóg 'leaf', bille oir 'tree trunk', Sc bileag, bile 'leaf, blade'
| -
|-
| boisseau 'bushel'
| Lyon emboto 'two handsful', Cat ambosta, almosta, Sp ambuesta| Diminutive of OFr boisse 'dry measure of grain', Gallo-Lat. *bostia 'hollow of the hand', fr Gaul. *bosta; cognates from *ambostā| Br boz, OW bos, MIr boss, bass, Ir bass; OIr imbas 'clasped hands'
| - 
|-
| bonde, bondelle 'bunghole'
| OProv bonda| Gaul. bunda 'base, bottom'
| OIr bunud, MIr bond, Sc bonn 'foundation', W bonedd 'base, foundation'
| -
|-
| borne 'milestone, landmark'
| -
| OFr bonne, bosne, fr earlier bodne, Gallo-Lat. bodina ‘arbre frontière’, fr Gaul. bodînâ ‘troop’
| OIr buiden 'squadron', Ir/Sc buidhean/n 'regiment', W byddin 'grove', Br bodenn, bod 'thicket'
| -
|- 
| boue 'mud'
| 
| Gaul *bawā| W baw 'filth, muck', budr 'dirty, messy', OIr búaidir 'dirty', Br (Ouessant) baouer 'gooey stubstance (from seaweed)', C beudhowr 'filthy water'
| -
|-
| bouge 'hovel, dive'
| 
| Gaul. boutigo 'cow byre', compound of bou 'cow' and tego 'house' 
| Br boutig, W beudy, Ir bothigh; further to Ir bó, MW bu 'oxen' and Ir teach, g. tí, Sc taigh, Br/OC ti, C chi, W tŷ| -
|-
| bouillon-blanc 'mullein'
| -
| ML bugillō, fr Gaul., fr boccos 'soft'
| Br beuk, Ir bog| Lat verbascum (cf. Sp varbasco)
|-
| bouleau 'birch'
| Ardennais boule, Prov bes(se), Cat beç, bedoll, Sp abedul (< betulu) and biezo (< betyo) Ast abedugu (< betuko)
| Diminutive of OFr boule, from Lat. betula, dim. of Gaul. betua 'birch'
| Ir/Sc beith, W bedw, Br bezv, Manx beih| -
|-
| bourbe 'muck, mire'
| Galician/Port. borba 'mud', Asturian borbolla 'bubble', Sp burbuja 'bubble'
| Gaul borvon 'spring, well'
| Ir bearbh 'boiling', W berw 'boiling, seething', Br berv 'broth, bubbling'
| -
|-
| bourdaine 'alder buckthorn'
| ONorm borzaine, French dial. bourg-épine, Walloon neûr-bôr, Basque burgi 'alder buckthorn', German Eberesche (Aberesche, Eberbaum) 'service-tree', Flemish haveres (influenced by haver 'oat')
| From Western dialect, from OFr bourgène, from Gaul *eburi-gena, from eburos| W efwr 'cow parsnip', dial. (N) ewr, Br evor 'alder buckthorn', Sc iubhar 'yew', Ir iúr, OIr ibar| -
|-
| brai 'pitch'
| Prov brac, It brago, braco 'mud', OFr bragnier 'to plow'
| Gaul *bracu| W bracu 'filth', MIr broch 'garbage'
| Lat pix (cf. Fr poix)
|-
| braie(s) 'breeches, pants'
| Prov/Sp. braga, It braca, Mantuan braghi 'trousers' and braghìn 'short trousers'; Br bragoù| Lat. braca| -
| -
|-
| braire 'to bray', brailler 'to bawl, whine'
| -
| Late Latin bragire, from Gaulish *bragu| MIr braigid 'it crashes, explodes', Ir/Sc braigh 'to shriek, crackle', Br breugiñ 'to bray'
| - 
|-
| bran 'filth'
| Berry/Picard brin, Prov/OSp bren, It (dials) brenno| OFr bren 'bran, filth', from Gaul. brennos 'rotten'
| OIr brén, Ir bréan 'smelly, rancid', Sc breun, W braen 'stench', braenu 'to rot', Br brein| Lat. caecum 'filth' (cf. Sp cieno)
|-
| branche 'treelimb'
| Prov/Cat branca 'paw', Port. braça 'treelimb', It brance 'claw, paw', Romansch dial. franka, Rum brânca| Late Latin branca 'paw', from Gaul. *vranca| Br brank, branc'h 'bough, antlers', Sc bràc 'branch, antler; reindeer'
| -
|-
| brasser 'to brew'
| Fr dial. brai, bray 'malt'
| OFr bracer, fr brace 'malt', fr Gaul brace| OIr mraich, Sc braich, W/C brag 'malt', Br bragez 'wheat germ'
| -
|-
| brave 'brave, daring'
| Occ/Cat. brau 'tough, wild'
| MFr brave, fr It bravo 'bold', fr Occ brau 'wild', fr Gaul. bragos 'show-off'
| MIr breagha 'fine', Ir breá, Sc brèagh, C bray, Br braga 'to strut around'
| -
|-
| bréhaigne 'barren (animal)'
| Pg/Galician/Astur/Salander braña, Port. brenha 'swampland, bogland, humid meadow', Sp breña 'scrubland', NW Cat braina 'field of grain whose ears have not sprouted yet', N. Ital. barena 'flood plain of a lagoon'
| OFr baraign, brahain, fr Lat. brana ‘sterile mare’, fr Gaul. *branna 'land where nothing grows', fr *brenno 'rotten'
| Ir branar, W braenar 'fallow', Br breinar; see bran above
| -
|-
| breuil 'copse'
| Prov brogo, Mantuan bröl 'orchard, vegetable garden', Germ. Brühl 'prairie'
| OFr bruil (attested ML breialo (Vienna Glossary)), fr Gaul *brogilos 'thicket, hunting reserve', diminutive of brogos 'country'
| W/C/Br bro 'country', Ir bruig, Sc brugh 'tumulus, large house', Mx broogh 'brae, bank'
| -
|-
| bribe 'fragment, parcel'
| Pic brife 'bit of bread' 
| Gaul. briba| W briw 'fragments', C bryw, Br brev 'broken', Sc breaban 'leather patch', Ir preaban 'parcel, piece, patch'
| -
|-
| briser 'to break'
| Mantuan brisa 'bit of bread', It briciola| OFr brisier, fr Gaul. brissu 'I break'
| OIr brissim, Ir/Sc bris, Mx brishey| Lat frangere (cf. OFr fraindre)
|-
| broche 'spit, skewer' 
| Asturian bruecu 'pointed, sharp'
| Gaul. brocca, fr broccos 'pointed', Port. broca| Sc brog 'awl; to prod', W procio 'to poke, thrust', Ir prioc; OIr brocc 'badger', Ir broc, W broch, Br broc'h| -
|-
| brosse 'broom, brush' 
| Cat brossa, Spanish, Asturian broza 'dead leaves, dead brushwood'
| Gaul. bruskia, old fr bruisse 'chestnut hull, chestnut husk'
| *bhreus-kyo <  'which it's broken',  *bhreus-o 'break', P-Celt. *bruso 'fragile (EDPC: 81).
|-
| bruire 'to roar; rustle, murmur'
| -
| Gaul. bruge 'to troat'
| W broch 'din, tumult', Br bruchell 'roar, bellow', Sc broiglich 'noise', broighleadh 'turmoil'; Ir brúcht 'belch'
| -
|-
| bruyère 'heath, moor'
| Prov bruguiera 'moorland', Cat bruguera; Milan brüg, Ital brugo, Prov bruga, Germ (dial. Mainz) Brikane, Cat bruc; Sp brezo, (Navarre) beruezo, Gal breixo, Port brejo (< *broccius)
| Gallo-Lat. brucaria, fr brūcus, fr late Gaul *vroikos, fr earlier vroici, vroica| W grug, dial. (Pembroke) gwrig, C grig, MBr groegan, Ir/Sc fraoch, Manx freoagh 
| -
|-
| bugle 'bugle (plant), bugleweed'
| Mantuan bög 'soft fruit, overripe fruit'
| OFr bucle, fr LL bugula, fr Lat bugīlla, fr Gaul., diminutive of buccos 'soft'
| MIr bocc 'soft', Ir/Sc bog 'soft', Br bouk 'soft, mild'
| -
|}

C-G

Regional Languages (patois) and Neighboring Languages

See also
History of French
List of Spanish words of Celtic origin
List of Galician words of Celtic origin
List of French words of Germanic origin

 Bibliography 
 Delamarre, Xavier. Dictionnaire de la langue gauloise: Une approche linguistique du vieux-celtique continental, 2nd edn. Paris: Errance, 2003 (1st edn. 2001).
 Deshayes, Albert. Dictionnaire étymologique du breton. Douarnenez, France: Le Chasse-Marée, 2003.
 Dottin, Georges. La langue gauloise: Grammaire, textes et glossaire, preface de François Falc'hun. Paris: C. Klincksieck, 1920 (reprint Geneva, 1985).
 Lambert, Pierre-Yves. La Langue gauloise. Paris: Errance, 1994.
 Savignac, Jean-Paul. Dictionnaire français-gaulois. Paris: La Différence, 2004.
 von Wartburg, Walther. Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch''. 25 vols. Bonn: Klopp; Heidelberg: Carl Winter; Leipzig–Berlin: Teubner; Basel: R. G. Zbinden, 1922–67.

References 

Gaulish
Category:Gaulish language
French Gaulish
Category:Language comparison