The Irish word of the day
One Irish word a day, from a list of 400 that we go through in turn: the everyday ones, the ones in every place name, and the ones with no English for them. Each has its meaning, and the speaker goes to Teanglann, where you can hear it said in three dialects.
Today, 9th October
The whole list, A to Z
400 words. Tap the speaker to hear one.
- abhainnnoun river
- aghaidhnoun face
- Aibreánproper noun April
- aillnoun cliff, precipice
- aimsirnoun weather
- aingealnoun angel
- ainmnoun name
- ainmhínoun animal
- airgeadnoun money; silver
- álainnadjective beautiful, lovely
- amadánnoun fool
- amárachadverb tomorrow
- amhránnoun song
- anamnoun soul (as in anam cara, soul friend)
- anoisadverb now
- anraithnoun soup
- Aoineproper noun Friday
- aonnumeral one
- aránnoun bread
- ardadjective high, tall
- áthnoun ford
- athairnoun father
- áthasnoun joy, gladness
- bádnoun boat
- bailenoun home; town, townland (the Bally- in place names)
- bainisnoun wedding, wedding feast
- bainnenoun milk
- bairínnoun loaf (of bread)
- báisteachnoun rain, rainfall
- bánadjective white
- bándeargadjective pink
- banríonnoun queen
- básnoun death
- beagadjective small, little
- béalnoun mouth; river mouth (the Bel- in place names, as in Béal Feirste, Belfast)
- bealachnoun way
- Bealtaineproper noun May
- beannoun woman
- beannachtnoun blessing
- Béarlaproper noun English (language)
- beathanoun life (as in uisce beatha, whiskey)
- beoirnoun beer
- bianoun food
- blasnoun taste, flavour
- bláthnoun flower
- bliainnoun year
- bónoun cow
- bochtadjective poor
- bodhránnoun bodhrán, the frame drum played in Irish music
- bordnoun table
- bótharnoun road
- breacnoun trout; as an adjective, speckled
- bréagachadjective lying, false
- breithlánoun birthday
- bricfeastanoun breakfast
- brocnoun badger
- bródnoun pride
- brógnoun shoe, boot
- brónnoun sorrow
- brónachadjective sad, sorrowful
- buanoun victory, win
- buachaillnoun boy; young man
- buíadjective yellow
- buidéalnoun bottle
- cabáistenoun cabbage
- caifenoun coffee
- cailínnoun girl; young woman
- cailleachnoun old woman, hag, witch
- cáisnoun cheese
- Cáiscproper noun Easter
- caisleánnoun castle
- canúintnoun dialect, accent
- caoranoun sheep
- capallnoun horse
- caranoun friend
- carrnoun car
- carraignoun rock
- catnoun cat
- cathairnoun city
- cathaoirnoun chair
- ceachtnoun lesson
- céadnumeral hundred
- Céadaoinproper noun Wednesday
- ceannnoun head
- ceannaighverb to buy
- ceartadjective right, correct
- ceathairnumeral four
- céilínoun a céilí, an evening of Irish music and dancing; a visit
- ceistnoun question
- ceonoun fog, mist
- ceolnoun music
- cillnoun church, churchyard (the Kil- in place names)
- cíosnoun rent
- cistinnoun kitchen
- ciúinadjective quiet, calm, still
- cladachnoun shore; beach
- cláirseachnoun harp
- clannnoun children, family; clan
- clochnoun stone
- cluainnoun meadow (the Clon- in place names, as in Cluain Meala, Clonmel)
- cluasnoun ear
- cnámhnoun bone
- cnocnoun hill (the Knock- in place names)
- codailverb to sleep
- cogadhnoun war, warfare
- coillnoun wood, forest
- comhránoun conversation
- corcraadjective purple
- cosnoun foot; leg
- cótanoun coat
- craicnoun fun, chat, good company
- crannnoun tree
- croínoun heart
- cuachnoun cuckoo
- cuairtnoun visit; round
- cuannoun bay, harbour
- cúignumeral five
- cúirtnoun court
- cupánnoun cup
- cúplanoun a couple, a few (cúpla focal, a few words); twins
- cúthailadjective shy, bashful
- daltanoun pupil, student
- damhsanoun dance
- daoradjective expensive, dear
- Déardaoinproper noun Thursday
- deargadjective red
- deartháirnoun brother
- deasadjective nice, pretty; right (hand); south
- deichnumeral ten
- Deireadh Fómhairproper noun October (literally, the end of autumn)
- deirfiúrnoun sister
- deoirnoun tear (from the eye)
- dianoun God, god (as in Dia duit, hello)
- diabhalnoun devil
- dílseachtnoun loyalty
- dinnéarnoun dinner
- díolverb to sell
- dónumeral two
- dóchasnoun hope
- doirenoun oak wood, grove (Doire, Derry)
- domhannoun earth, world
- Domhnachproper noun Sunday
- donnadjective brown
- dorasnoun door
- draíochtnoun magic, enchantment
- draoinoun druid, wizard
- dreoilínnoun wren
- droicheadnoun bridge
- droimnoun back; ridge (the Drum- in place names)
- dubhadjective black
- duinenoun person
- dúisighverb to wake up
- dúnnoun fort; fortress
- eaglanoun fear
- eaglaisnoun church
- ealanoun swan
- Eanáirproper noun January
- earrachnoun spring
- Éireproper noun Ireland
- éistverb to listen, to hear
- eitleánnoun aeroplane
- eochairnoun key
- fadaadjective long
- fáiltenoun welcome
- faoileánnoun gull, seagull
- farraigenoun sea
- Feabhraproper noun February
- féachverb to look
- fearnoun man
- féarnoun grass
- feargnoun anger
- féastanoun feast, banquet
- feisnoun festival of Irish music, dance and language, with competitions
- feoilnoun meat
- fiachnoun raven; debt; hunt
- fiáinadjective wild, uncultivated
- fichenumeral twenty
- filenoun poet
- fíonnoun wine
- fíoradjective true
- flaithiúlachtnoun generosity
- fleánoun festival (fleá cheoil, a music festival); feast
- fliuchadjective wet
- focalnoun word
- foighnenoun patience
- fómharnoun autumn; harvest
- fósadverb still, yet
- freagranoun answer
- fuaradjective cold
- fuilnoun blood
- fuinneognoun window
- fuiseognoun lark, skylark
- gabharnoun goat
- Gaeilgeproper noun the Irish language
- Gaeltachtnoun Irish-speaking area
- gaothnoun wind, breeze
- gardanoun guard; police officer (the Gardaí, Ireland's police)
- gastaadjective fast; quick, rapid
- gealachnoun moon
- gearradjective short
- geimhreadhnoun winter
- giorrianoun hare
- glanadjective clean
- glasadjective green
- gleannnoun glen, valley
- gnónoun business; matter, concern
- gormadjective blue
- gortnoun field
- gránoun love
- gránnaadjective ugly
- griannoun sun
- gruaignoun hair
- gúnanoun dress, gown
- hatanoun hat
- iascnoun fish
- ifreannnoun hell
- imnoun butter
- imirverb to play
- iníonnoun daughter
- inisnoun island
- innéadverb yesterday
- inniuadverb today
- iolarnoun eagle
- ioranoun squirrel
- ísealadjective low
- ithverb to eat
- Iúilproper noun July
- lánoun day
- labhairverb to speak
- lagadjective weak
- láidiradjective strong
- lámhnoun hand; arm
- laochnoun hero, warrior
- lárnoun middle, centre (An Lár, the city centre, on bus signs)
- leabanoun bed
- leabharnoun book
- leanbhnoun child, baby
- léighverb to read
- léinenoun shirt
- leitenoun porridge
- leithreasnoun toilet (on the doors, Mná is women and Fir is men)
- liathadjective grey
- liosnoun ringfort, fairy fort (the Lis- in place names)
- lochnoun lake
- lónnoun lunch; provisions
- longnoun ship
- Luanproper noun Monday
- Lúnasaproper noun August
- mánoun plain, level land
- macnoun son
- madranoun dog
- maidinnoun morning
- mainistirnoun monastery, abbey, friary
- Máirtproper noun Tuesday
- maithadjective good
- málanoun bag, sack
- malladjective slow
- margadhnoun market
- Mártaproper noun March
- máthairnoun mother
- Meán Fómhairproper noun September (literally, the middle of autumn)
- meithealnoun a group of neighbours working together, as at haymaking or cutting turf
- Meitheamhproper noun June
- mínoun month
- mícheartadjective incorrect, wrong
- mílenumeral thousand
- misneachnoun courage
- móinnoun turf, peat
- móradjective big, large, great
- mucnoun pig
- múinteoirnoun teacher
- náirenoun shame
- naoinumeral nine
- naomhnoun saint
- neamhnoun heaven; sky, firmament
- Nollaigproper noun Christmas; December
- nuaadjective new; fresh
- ochtnumeral eight
- ocrasnoun hunger (tá ocras orm, I'm hungry)
- ógadjective young
- oíchenoun night
- oileánnoun island
- oinniúnnoun onion
- ólverb to drink
- olcadjective bad, evil
- ollscoilnoun university
- onóirnoun honour
- órnoun gold
- ospidéalnoun hospital
- paidirnoun prayer; the Lord's Prayer
- páipéarnoun paper
- páircnoun field, park
- páistenoun child
- píbnoun pipe (the musical instrument, as in píb uilleann); tube
- pinginnoun penny
- piobarnoun pepper
- piorranoun pear
- plámásnoun flattery, sweet talk, soft talk
- plátanoun plate
- portachnoun bog
- postnoun job, position; post, mail
- prátanoun potato, spud
- préachánnoun crow
- púcanoun pooka, a shape-changing spirit of Irish folklore
- puntnoun pound (the old Irish currency, and the weight)
- ráthnoun ringfort, earthen fort (the Rath- in place names)
- réaltanoun star
- reilignoun graveyard, cemetery
- rínoun king
- riamhadverb ever; never, with a negative (ní raibh mé riamh ann, I was never there)
- rithverb to run
- rónnoun seal (the animal)
- rosnoun wooded headland, promontory (the Ros- in place names, as in Ros Comáin, Roscommon)
- rotharnoun bicycle
- sagartnoun priest
- saibhiradjective rich, wealthy
- salachadjective dirty
- salannnoun salt
- Samhainproper noun November; the old festival at the start of winter
- samhradhnoun summer
- saoirsenoun freedom
- saolnoun life, lifetime
- saoradjective free; cheap
- sástaadjective satisfied, contented, pleased
- Satharnproper noun Saturday
- scamallnoun cloud
- scéalnoun story, tale
- sciannoun knife
- scoilnoun school
- scríobhverb to write
- sénumeral six; also he (the pronoun)
- seabhacnoun hawk
- seachtnumeral seven
- seachtainnoun week
- seamrógnoun shamrock
- seanadjective old
- seanathairnoun grandfather
- seanchaínoun storyteller, keeper of the old lore
- seanfhocalnoun proverb
- seanmháthairnoun grandmother
- séipéalnoun chapel
- seisiúnnoun session
- seomranoun room
- sínoun fairy mound, home of the fairies (as in bean sí, a banshee)
- siocnoun frost
- síocháinnoun peace
- siógnoun fairy
- sionnachnoun fox
- siopanoun shop, store
- siúcranoun sugar
- siúilverb to walk
- sláintenoun health; cheers (the toast)
- sláintiúiladjective healthy, wholesome
- sláninterjection goodbye; as an adjective, safe and sound (slán abhaile, safe home)
- sliabhnoun mountain
- snámhverb to swim
- sneachtanoun snow
- sochraidnoun funeral
- spéirnoun sky
- spraoinoun fun, sport
- spúnógnoun spoon
- sráidnoun street
- srónnoun nose
- stobhachnoun stew
- súnoun juice, sap
- súilnoun eye
- suipéarnoun supper
- sultnoun enjoyment, fun
- taenoun tea
- taibhsenoun ghost
- taistealnoun travel, travelling
- talamhnoun earth, ground, land
- Taoiseachnoun the Taoiseach, head of the Irish government; a chief or leader
- tartnoun thirst (tá tart orm, I'm thirsty)
- teadjective hot, warm
- teachnoun house
- teaghlachnoun family, household
- teampallnoun church; temple (the Temple- in place names)
- teanganoun language; tongue
- tinenoun fire
- tinnadjective sick, ill; sore
- tinteánnoun fireplace
- tiomáinverb to drive
- tírnoun land, country, nation
- tirimadjective dry
- tobarnoun well (for water), spring
- toirneachnoun thunder
- tonnnoun wave
- tórramhnoun wake (for the dead)
- tránoun beach, strand
- traeinnoun train
- tráthnónanoun afternoon, evening
- trínumeral three
- troidverb to fight
- tuarnoun omen, sign (tuar ceatha, a rainbow)
- tuarastalnoun pay, salary, wages
- tuirseachadjective tired
- turasnoun journey
- uiscenoun water
- úllnoun apple
Where it comes from
The words were chosen by hand and each one checked against its Wiktionary entry; the meanings are adapted from Wiktionary’s, cut to the everyday sense and corrected by hand where its first line was an old or rare one. The recordings are Teanglann’s, in Ulster, Connacht and Munster Irish; a few words have none there, and those have no speaker. The day’s word turns over at midnight, Irish time.