ceann
Irish
Etymology
From Middle Irish cenn, from Old Irish cenn (compare Manx kione), from Primitive Irish (attested in the personal names ᚉᚒᚅᚐ-ᚉᚓᚅᚅᚔ (cuna-cenni, literally “dog's head”) and ᚊᚓᚅᚒ-ᚃᚓᚅᚇᚐᚅᚔ (qenu-vendani, literally “little fair-headed one”)), from Proto-Celtic *kʷennom; compare Welsh pen, Breton penn.
Pronunciation
- (Munster) IPA(key): /cɑun̪ˠ/
- (Galway) IPA(key): /cɑːn̪ˠ/
- (Mayo) IPA(key): /can̪ˠ/
- (Ulster) IPA(key): /cɨ̞n̪ˠ/[1] (corresponding to the archaic dative cionn)
Noun
ceann m (genitive singular cinn, nominative plural cinn)
- head
- head of cabbage, capitulum
- end, extremity
- roof
- one (modified by an adjective or demonstrative, referring to an object or animal)
- Tá ceann dearg agam.
- I have a red one [e.g. chair].
- Feicim trí cinn ghlasa.
- I see three green ones [e.g. birds].
- Is mian liom an ceann sin.
- I want that one [e.g. toy].
- used as a dummy noun to support a number, referring to an object or animal
- Tá ceann amháin agam.
- I have one [e.g. chair].
- Feicim trí cinn.
- I see three [e.g. birds].
Declension
Declension of ceann
First declension
Bare forms:
| Forms with the definite article:
|
- Alternative nominative/dative plural: ceanna (Cois Fharraige)
- Alternative dative singular: cionn (archaic except in fixed expressions)
Synonyms
- (head of cabbage): tor
- (head, roof): cloigeann (Ulster)
Derived terms
- ar ceann
- ardcheannach
- blaosc an chinn
- brat cinn
- ceannadhairt
- ceannaigh
- ceannaimsir
- ceannairgead
- ceannas
- ceannbhalla
- ceannbheart
- ceann cait
- ceanncheathrú
- ceannlampa
- ceann tíre
- chun cinn
- cró an chinn
- croscheann
- éadach cinn
- faoi cheann
- focheann
- i gceann
- i ndiaidh do chinn
- iomaire cinn
- Maolcheann
- mírcheann
- mórcheannach
- néarcheann
- os cionn
- rópa cinn
- siorc ceann casúir
- tinneas cinn
Mutation
| Irish mutation | ||
|---|---|---|
| Radical | Lenition | Eclipsis |
| ceann | cheann | gceann |
| Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs. | ||
References
- Quiggin, E. C. (1906) A Dialect of Donegal, Cambridge University Press, page 42
Further reading
- Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977), “ceann”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
- G. Toner, M. Ní Mhaonaigh, S. Arbuthnot, D. Wodtko, M.-L. Theuerkauf, editors (2019), “1 cenn”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
- Sjoestedt, M. L. (1931) Phonétique d’un parler irlandais de Kerry (in French), Paris: Librairie Ernest Leroux, page 24
Scottish Gaelic
Etymology
From Middle Irish and Old Irish cenn (compare Manx kione), from Primitive Irish ᚉᚒᚅᚐ-ᚉᚓᚅᚅᚔ (cuna-cenni), from Proto-Celtic *kʷennom (compare Welsh pen, Breton penn).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /kʲʰaun/
Noun
ceann m (genitive singular cinn, plural cinn)
- head (of a body or a group of people)
- end (the extreme part of something)
Usage notes
- According to context the word can denote the farthest part of anything - top of a road, bottom of a stair, a promontory, hilt of a sword etc.
- ceann a' bhocsa ― the lid of the box
- ceann na creige ― the top of the rock
- Also frequently used figuratively.
- bho cheann gu ceann ― from end to end
- an ceann greise ― after a while
Derived terms
- aig a' cheann thall (“in the long run”)
- airgead-ceann m (“reward offered for the head of a rebel or outlaw”)
- an ceann a chéile (“together”, adverb)
- an ceann (“ahead”, adverb)
- an ceann (“in the end, at the expiration of”)
- bàrr a' chinn (“crown of head”)
- buail an ceann (“occur, come to mind”)
- bun os ceann (“upside down, topsy-turvy”, adverb)
- cailleachag a' chinn duibh (“coal tit”)
- cailleachag a' chinn ghuirm (“blue tit”)
- ceann a' chnac m (“thwart-brace of a boat”)
- ceann a' chraidh m (“thwart-brace of boat”)
- ceann-achra m (“epiphany”)
- ceann-adhairt m (“pillow; bed-head”)
- ceann-aghaidh f (“forehead; countenance, physiognomy”)
- ceann-aimsir m (“date, epoch, era; term, period”)
- ceann-aimsreach m (“term-day”)
- ceann air chrith m (“quaking grass”)
- ceann-airm m (“general, head of an army”)
- ceann-ama (“deadline”)
- ceann-aobhair m (“prime cause, first cause”)
- ceann-aodach m (“head-dress; mitre; turban”)
- ceannard (“chief, boss”)
- ceann-àrd (“high-headed”, adj)
- ceann-armailt m (“general, commander of an array”)
- ceann-bàn a' mhonaidh m (“cotton-sedge”)
- ceann-barrach m (“jack-fish, dike”)
- ceann-bheart m (“helmet, head-piece”)
- ceann-bhiorach (“conical, pointed at the head”, adj)
- ceann-bhrat m (“canopy”)
- ceann-cinnidh (“chieftain”)
- ceann-daoraich (“hangover”)
- ceann-dubhag an t-seilich (“willow tit”)
- ceann-dubhag (“marsh tit”)
- ceannfhacal (“headword”)
- ceann-latha (“date”)
- ceann-na-cìche (“nipple”)
- ceann-rèile (“railway terminal”)
- ceann-sgrìobhadh (“caption; motto; subject”)
- ceann simileir (“chimney pot”)
- ceann-suidhe (“president”)
- dì-cheann (“behead”)
- gealag-dhubh-cheannach (“reed bunting”)
- gnogadh cinn (“nod”, noun)
- iar-cheann-suidhe (“vice president”)
- os cionn (“above”)
- sgarfa-cinn (“headscarf”)
References
- Edward Dwelly (1911), “ceann”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary], 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN
- G. Toner, M. Ní Mhaonaigh, S. Arbuthnot, D. Wodtko, M.-L. Theuerkauf, editors (2019), “1 cenn”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language