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ceithre. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
ceithre, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
ceithre in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
ceithre you have here. The definition of the word
ceithre will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
ceithre, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
Irish
Pronunciation
Numeral
ceithre
- four
Usage notes
- May be used with nouns in both the singular and plural; the singular is more common in general, but the plural must be used with units of measurement and the like. Triggers lenition of nouns in the singular and h-prothesis of nouns in the plural.
- ceithre chat ― four cats
- ceithre troithe ― four feet
- ceithre héin ― four birds
- When used with the definite article, the definite article is always in the plural. When used with adjectives, the adjective is also in the plural and is always lenited after nouns in the singular; after nouns in the plural, the adjective only lenites after slender consonants:
- ceithre chapall bhána ― four white horses
- na ceithre eaglais mhóra ― the four big churches
- But:
- ceithre capaill bhána ― four white horses
- na ceithre heaglaisí móra ― the four big churches
- When referring to human beings, the personal form ceathrar is used.
Derived terms
Mutation
Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Modern Irish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.
References
- “ceithre”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013-2024, retrieved 24 May 2024
- de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “four”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm, retrieved 24 May 2024
- Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “ceithre”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN, retrieved 24 May 2024
- Ó Dónaill, Niall, Ua Maoileoin, Pádraig (1991) “ceithre”, in An Foclóir Beag (in Irish), Dublin: An Gúm, retrieved 24 May 2024
- Quiggin, E. C. (1906) A Dialect of Donegal, Cambridge University Press, page 71