Breton
/ˈbrɛtən/noun
Relating to Brittany in northwestern France, its people, or their Celtic language.
Did you know?The traditional claim that the ancient Britons were called “the painted ones” is possible but unproven; the deeper origin of their name remains debated by linguists.
Etymological Timeline
Late Prehistoric Period
Common Brittonic
*Pritanī
“An ancestral Celtic ethnic name, probably referring to the inhabitants of Britain; its exact meaning is uncertain.”
1st Century BCE–1st Century CE
Greek
Bρεττανία (Brettanía)
“Britain; the island known to Greek writers.”
1st Century CE
Latin
Britannia
“Britain, the Roman province and island.”
5th–7th Centuries
Latin / Old English
Brittones / Bretas
“Britons, the Celtic-speaking peoples of Britain.”
11th–12th Centuries
Old French
Breton
“A person or thing from Brittany; the region had been settled by Britons migrating from Britain.”
Modern English
English
Breton
“A native or inhabitant of Brittany, or the Celtic language spoken there.”