Reconstruction:Proto-Celtic/geistlos

This Proto-Celtic 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.

Proto-Celtic

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *gʰeydʰ- (“desire, wait for”), apparently interpreted as "one who waits (to be released)". Cognate with Lithuanian geidžiù (“to desire”), Proto-Slavic *žьdati (“to await”).

Noun

*geistlos m

1. hostage
2. bail

Inflection

Masculine o-stem
	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*geistlos	*geistlou	*geistloi
vocative	*geistle	*geistlou	*geistlūs
accusative	*geistlom	*geistlou	*geistloms
genitive	*geistlī	*geistlous	*geistlom
dative	*geistlūi	*geistlobom	*geistlobos
locative	*geistlei	*?	*?
instrumental	*geistlū	*geistlobim	*geistlūis

Descendants

• Proto-Brythonic: *guɨstl
  • Old Breton: guistl
    • Middle Breton: goestl
      • Breton: gouestl
  • Old Cornish: guistel
    • Cornish: gostel
  • Middle Welsh: gwystyl, gwystl
    • Welsh: gwystl
• Old Irish: gíall
  • Middle Irish: gíall
    • Irish: giall (“hostage, human pledge”)
    • Scottish Gaelic: giall
  • ⇒ Middle Irish: gíallacht
• Gaulish: geistlus
• → Proto-Germanic: *gīslaz (see there for further descendants)