greannach

Irish

Etymology

From Old Irish grendach, grennach (hairy, bristly, rough). By surface analysis, greann (bristly hair) +‎ -ach.

Pronunciation

  • (Connacht) IPA(key): /ˈɟrʲan̪ˠəx/
  • (Ulster) IPA(key): /ˈɟrʲan̪ˠa(h)/

Adjective

greannach (genitive singular masculine greannaigh, genitive singular feminine greannaí, plural greannacha, comparative greannaí)

  1. hairy, bristly
  2. bristling, ruffled, irritated
  3. rough, combative, challenging, defiant
  4. (medicine) irritating

Declension

Declension of greannach
Positive singular plural
masculine feminine strong noun weak noun
nominative greannach ghreannach greannacha;
ghreannacha2
vocative ghreannaigh greannacha
genitive greannaí greannacha greannach
dative greannach;
ghreannach1
ghreannach;
ghreannaigh (archaic)
greannacha;
ghreannacha2
Comparative níos greannaí
Superlative is greannaí

1 When the preceding noun is lenited and governed by the definite article.
2 When the preceding noun ends in a slender consonant.

Synonyms

Mutation

Mutated forms of greannach
radical lenition eclipsis
greannach ghreannach ngreannach

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Modern Irish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Old Irish grendach, grennach (hairy, bristly, rough). By surface analysis, greann (bristly hair) +‎ -ach.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈɡ̊ɾʲɛn̪ˠəx/
  • (Lewis) IPA(key): /ˈɡ̊ðãn̪ˠəx/[1]

Adjective

greannach (comparative grennaiche)

  1. hairy, bristly
  2. grumpy, irascible
    Bha i cho greannach an-dè.She was so grumpy yesterday.
  3. lowery, gloomy
    'S e feasgar greannach Earraich a bh’ann.It was a gloomy spring evening.

Derived terms

  • cho greannach ri biast-dhubh ann an càrn (as irritable as a wet cat)
  • càl-greannach (curly kale)

Mutation

Mutation of greannach
radical lenition
greannach ghreannach

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Scottish Gaelic.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

References

  1. ^ Oftedal, M. (1956) A linguistic survey of the Gaelic dialects of Scotland, Vol. III: The Gaelic of Leurbost, Isle of Lewis, Oslo: Norsk Tidsskrift for Sprogvidenskap