gaeli

Gaeli is a term that appears in various contexts to denote Gaelic-speaking people or related language communities. In English, the conventional ethnonym is Gael (plural Gaels); the form Gaeli is uncommon and is typically encountered in historical texts, cross-language spellings, or as a proper noun. The word derives from the Gaelic Gàidheal, meaning a Gaelic speaker, and it shows parallels with other Celtic ethnonyms through Latin or Romance-language adaptations.

In usage, Gaeli may be found as a demonym in some non-English languages or in older scholarship, where it functions as an alternative or historical form for Gael. In modern Gaelic studies, scholars usually prefer Gael for the people and Gaeilge (Irish) or Gàidhlig (Scottish) for the languages. Some authors use Gaeli as a fictional name for a language or people, or as a surname.

There is no single political or geographic unit named Gaeli. When it appears as a place name, organization, or family name, it is distinct from the geographically concentrated Gaelic-speaking areas known as the Gaeltacht (Ireland) and the Gàidhealtachd (Scotland).

See also Gael, Gaelic languages, Gàidhealtachd, Gaeltacht.