Reconstruction:Gaulish/gallos

This Gaulish entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Gaulish

Etymology

From Proto-Celtic *gallos (“rock, standing stone”), shared with Old Irish gall (“standing stone”) (modern Irish gallán (“standing stone”)), but of unknown ultimate origin, perhaps Pre-Celtic.

Noun

*gallos m*gallos m^[1]

stone, rock

Declension

Declension of **gallos (Transalpine)**
	singular	plural
nominative	*gallos	*galloi
vocative	*galle	*galloi
accusative	*gallon	gallōs¹, gallūs²
genitive	*galli	*gallon
dative	*gallū	*gallobo
instrumental	*gallū	galluis¹, gallūs²
locative	gallei¹, gallē²	*gallois

¹ early form
² late form

Descendants

>? Old French: gal (“pebble, stone”)
- French: galet

References

Walther von Wartburg (1928–2002), “*gallos”, in Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, volume 4: G H I, page 42
Georges Dottin, *La langue gauloise*, Paris, 1920, p. 268.
Rudolf Thurneysen, *A Grammar of Old Irish*, Dublin, 1909, p. 100.
“GAL m.”, in DEAF: Dictionnaire Étymologique de l'Ancien Français, Heidelberg: Heidelberger Akademie der Wissenschaften, 1968-, retrieved 13 January 2026.

^ Georges Dottin, La langue gauloise, Paris, 1920, p. 268.

[Dottin258-1] Georges Dottin, La langue gauloise, Paris, 1920, p. 268.

[1]