# List of English words of Gaulish origin

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".

## basin

    Perhaps originally Gaulish via Vulgar Latin and Old French

## battle

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

## batter

    from Old French batre (="to beat, strike"), ultimately from Gaulish.

## battery

    from Latin battuere via French, from the same Gaulish origin as "batter".

## beak

    from Old French bec, from Latin beccus, from Gaulish beccos.

## beret

    from French béret, perhaps ultimately of Gaulish origin.

## bilge

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

## billiard, billiards

    perhaps from Gaulish via Latin billia and Old French bille.

## 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.

## bran

    from Gaulish brennos, through the French bren, "the husk of wheat", "barley...".

## branch

    from Late Latin branca through Old French branche, probably ultimately of Gaulish origin.

## brave

    from Prov/Cat brau, from Gaulish bragos.

## budge (lambskin)

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

## brie

    from Gaulish briga "hill, height"

## broach

    perhaps of Gaulish origin via Latin and Old French.

## brooch

    from the same origin as "broach".

## broccoli

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

## 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".

## budget

    from Old French bougette, from bouge, from Latin bulga, from Gaulish bulgā.

## bulge

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

## bushel

    from Gaulish *bosta "palm of the hand" via French.

## car

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

## career

    from Latin carrus, which ultimately derives from Gaulish.

## cargo

    from Latin carrus via Spanish, ultimately from the same Gaulish root as "car".

## caricature

    from French caricature (18c.), from Italian caricatura "satirical picture; an exaggeration," literally "an overloading," from caricare "to load; exaggerate," from Vulgar Latin *carricare "to load a wagon or cart," from Latin carrus "two-wheeled wagon", ultimately from the same Gaulish source as "car".

## carousel

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

## carpenter

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

## carriage

    from Latin carrus, ultimately from the same Gaulish root as "car" and "carry".

## carry

    from Gaulish karros "two-wheeled Celtic war chariot" via French

## 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."

## 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".

## charge

    from Latin carrus via French, ultimately from the same Gaulish root as "car".

## chariot

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

## combat

    from the root battuere "to beat, fight", which is believed to ultimately come from Gaulish via French.

## cream

    from Old French cresme, from the Latin word of Gaulish origin crāmum.

## debate

    from the root battuere "to beat, fight", which is believed to ultimately come from Gaulish via French.

## drape

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

## druid

    from Gaulish Druides via French

## 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".

## exchange

    from the same Gaulish root as "change"

## frown

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

## gallon

    Perhaps from Gaulish galla "vessel" via Vulgar Latin and Old French.

## garter

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

## glean

    from Old French glener, from Late Latin glennare, from Gaulish glanos, "clean".

## gob

    from Old French gobe, likely from Gaulish *gobbo-.

## gouge

    probably from Gaulish via Late Latin/Old French

## hibiscus

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

## javelin

    from Old French javelline, diminutive of javelot, from Vulgar Latin gabalus, from Gaulish gabalum.

## lozenge

    Probably from a pre-Roman Celtic language, perhaps Iberian *lausa or Gaulish *lausa "flat stone"

## marl

    from Gaulish according to Pliny.

## 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-

## mineral

    from the same Gaulish root as "mine".

## mutt

    a shortening of muttonhead, ultimately from the same root as mutton.

## mutton

    from Gallo-Roman *multo-s via Old French

## osier

    from Old French osier, ozier "willow twig" (13c.) and directly from Medieval Latin osera, osiera "willow," ausaria "willow bed," a word of unknown origin, perhaps from Gaulish.

## 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.

## socket

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

## tonsil

    perhaps of Gaulish origin via Latin

## 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".