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Etymological dictionary
caoin, weep, so Ir., O. Ir. cóinim, cáinim, O. W. cuinhaunt, deflebunt, Br. couen, queiniff, *koiniô; qein, qîn; Eng. whine, Norse hvína, whirr; Gr. κινυρός, wailing. See caoidh.
caoinich, dry, make dry (as hay by the sun), caoin, seasoned; from the adj. caoin?
caoir, a blaze, stream of sparks, a coal, Ir. caor, E. Ir. cáer, *kairo, Eng. hoar (*kairo‑), Teut. root hai in Norse heið, atmospheric clearness, O. H. G. hei, heat, Eng. heat; Skr. kêtus, light. More near are Gr. κίρις (lamp, Hes.), Skr. kiráṇa, a ray, kiriká, sparkling. The root skei of Eng. shine, Got. skeirs, clear, has been also suggested. caoran, a peat ember.
caoirean, a plaintive song; also caoi-ràn, moaning (H.S.D.). The root word is caoidh; possibly ràn, roar, forms the latter part.
caoirnean, a drop of sheep or goats’ dung, a drop or globule; cf. Ir. caoirín, a little berry, little sheep, from caor, berry, caora, sheep. The two ideas seem confused in Gaelic. In Argyle, gaoirnean; (Arg. ao here is northern ao). From skar, sharn?
caol, slender, so Ir., O. Ir. cóil, W., Cor. cul, O. Br. culed, macies, *koilo‑; Lett. káils, naked; Lat. caelebs, single? Gr. κο͂ιλος, hollow? Hence caol; caolas, a firth or Kyle.
caolan, gut, intestine, Ir. caolán, E. Ir. coelán, O. W. coilion, exta; from caol.
caomh, tender, kind, so Ir., E. Ir. coem, O. Ir. cóim, W. cu, O. W. cum, Br. cuff, cun, debonnaire, *koimo‑, root kei, lie; Gr. κοιμάω, put to rest, κε͂ιμαι, lie; Got. háims, a village, Ag. S. hám. Eng. home. The idea is "restful".
caomhach, bedfellow, friend, Ir. caomthach, friend; see caoimheach, and cf. Ir. caomhaighim, I protect, cherish, from caomh.
caomhain, spare, save, caomhnadh, sparing, Ir. caomhnaim, preserve, keep, protect, caomhaighim, caomhnuighim, preserve. The last form seems the most original, if we refer the root to O. Ir. anich, protegit, aingim, I protect (a‑nak), root nak and nank, as in adhlac, thig, etc. The form nak is more particularly allied to Skr. náçati, reach, Lit. neszù, draw. The G. verb may have been *com-anich‑. It is possible to derive it from caomh with caomhuin as an inf. form which usurped the place of the present stem.
caonnag, strife, tumult, Ir. caonnóg, strife, a next of wild bees: *kais-no‑, root kais, kai, heat, Eng. heat, G. caoir?
caor, berry of the rowan, a mountain berry, Ir. caor, O. Ir. cáer, bacca, W. cair, berries, ceirion, berry *kairâ. It is seemingly the same word as caoir, blaze, the idea arising probably from the red rowan berries.
