amann (Breton)
Where does "amann" come from?
The Breton word 'amann,' meaning butter, traces its origins back to the Proto-Indo-European *h₃éngʷn̥, a term for fat linked to the root meaning 'to smear' or 'anoint.' This ancient word evolved into the Proto-Celtic *amban before branching into various Celtic languages, including Cornish, Welsh, and eventually Middle Breton.
Full etymology tree
- amann (Breton), 'butter'
- inherited amanen (Middle Breton)
- inherited *amban (Proto-Celtic), 'butter'
- derived *h₃éngʷn̥ (Proto-Indo-European), 'fat, butter'
- compound *h₃engʷ- (Proto-Indo-European), 'to smear, to anoint'
- compound *-mn̥ (Proto-Indo-European), 'Creates action nouns or result nouns from verbs.'
- derived *h₃éngʷn̥ (Proto-Indo-European), 'fat, butter'
- inherited *amban (Proto-Celtic), 'butter'
- inherited amanen (Middle Breton)
Ancestors
- *amban (Proto-Celtic)
- *h₃éngʷn̥ (Proto-Indo-European)
Cognates and doublets
- amanyn (Cornish)
- imb (Old Irish)
- ymenyn (Welsh)
Descendants and derived words
- kouign-amann (English)
- kouign-amann (French)
Updated July 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris