rhieni

Etymology
Derived by Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru from, possibly continuing a Proto-Celtic stem. Compare 🇨🇬 for an equivalent formation.

In the 1990s, Lambert and Schrijver found a possible Gaulish cognate, relating rhieni with 🇨🇬. They disagreed on the words' shared Proto-Celtic reconstruction, however. Lambert opts for while Schrijver opts for. Both reconstructions face phonological difficulties. Lambert has no explanation for the -i ending in Welsh (final *-yā after a consonant is normally lost in Welsh) while Schrijver assumes a tenuous deletion of weakened -s- in Gaulish (which has many counterexamples).

Noun

 * 1) parents
 * 2) forefathers, ancestors
 * 3)  forebears, precursor