feá

Irish

Etymology 1

From Middle Irish fed (“length, interval”), from Old Irish ed. Doublet of feadh.

Pronunciation

• (Munster) IPA^(key): /fʲaː/
• (Connacht) IPA^(key): /fʲɑː/
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /fʲɨ̞ɡ/, /fʲaː/, /fʲəɯ̯/

Noun

feá m (genitive singular as substantive feá, genitive as verbal noun feáite, nominative plural feánna)

1. fathom (unit of length)
2. verbal noun of feáigh (“to fathom”)

Declension

As substantive:

As verbal noun:

Alternative forms

• feadh (superseded)

References

Further reading

• “feadh”, in Historical Irish Corpus, 1600–1926, Royal Irish Academy
• G. Toner, M. Ní Mhaonaigh, S. Arbuthnot, D. Wodtko, M.-L. Theuerkauf, editors (2019), “2 ed”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• Dinneen, Patrick S. (1904) “feaḋ”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, 1st edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 302
• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “feá”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN

Etymology 2

Perhaps a borrowing from Old French fau, from Latin fāgus? This word is missing from the Dictionary of the Irish Language so its history is difficult to ascertain.

Pronunciation

• (Munster, Ulster) IPA^(key): /fʲaː/
• (Connacht) IPA^(key): /fʲɑː/

Noun

feá f (genitive singular feá, nominative plural feánna)

1. beech (tree of genus Fagus)

Declension

Alternative forms

• feagha (superseded)

Further reading

• “feagha”, in Historical Irish Corpus, 1600–1926, Royal Irish Academy
• Dinneen, Patrick S. (1904) “feaġa”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, 1st edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 303
• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “feá”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN

Etymology 3

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Noun

feá

1. genitive singular of fiodh

Alternative forms

• feadha (superseded)

Etymology 4

Noun

feá

1. Alternative form of feag (“rush, reed”)

Mutation