caomh

Irish

Pronunciation

• (Munster) IPA^(key): /keːvˠ/
• (Connacht) IPA^(key): /kiːvˠ/
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /kiːw/

Etymology 1

From Old Irish cóem, from Proto-Celtic *koimos (“dear, nice”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱóymos (“of the home, belonging to the family”).

Adjective

caomh (genitive singular masculine caoimh, genitive singular feminine caoimhe, plural caomha, comparative caoimhe)

1. dear, gentle
2. mild, pleasant
3. lovely, smooth

   Synonym: caomhdha

Declension

Declension of caomh

	Singular		Plural (m/f)
Positive	Masculine	Feminine	(strong noun)	(weak noun)
Nominative	caomh	chaomh	caomha; chaomha²
Vocative	chaoimh		caomha
Genitive		caoimhe	caomha	caomh
Dative	caomh; chaomh¹	chaomh; chaoimh (archaic)	caomha; chaomha²
Comparative	níos caoimhe
Superlative	is caoimhe

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

Derived terms

• caomhdha
• caomheagar

 

Related terms

• caoimhe
• macaomh

 

Etymology 2

From Old Irish cáem (“friend, relation; comrade; noble, aristocrat; fair or beautiful object or person”).

Noun

caomh m (genitive singular caoimh, nominative plural caoimh) (literary)

1. dear one, companion
2. gentle, noble person

Declension

Declension of caomh

First declension

Bare forms: Case Singular Plural Nominative caomh caoimh Vocative a chaoimh a chaomha Genitive caoimh caomh Dative caomh caoimh

Forms with the definite article: Case Singular Plural Nominative an caomh na caoimh Genitive an chaoimh na gcaomh Dative leis an gcaomh don chaomh leis na caoimh

Mutation

Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Eclipsis
caomh	chaomh	gcaomh
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “caomh”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• G. Toner, M. Ní Mhaonaigh, S. Arbuthnot, D. Wodtko, M.-L. Theuerkauf, editors (2019), “1 cáem”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• Entries containing “caomh” in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm, 1959, by Tomás de Bhaldraithe.

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Old Irish cóem, from Proto-Celtic *koimos (“dear, nice”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱóymos (“of the home, belonging to the family”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kʰɯːv/

Adjective

caomh (comparative caoimhe)

1. kind, meek, gracious, gentle, mild
2. emollient
3. tender
4. dear, beloved
5. bland

Derived terms

• is caomh le (“like (verb)”)

Noun

caomh m (genitive singular caoimh, plural caoimh)

1. kindness, gentleness, friendship, hospitality
2. friend
3. beloved object
4. (rare) feast

Mutation

Scottish Gaelic mutation
Radical	Lenition
caomh	chaomh
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

References

• G. Toner, M. Ní Mhaonaigh, S. Arbuthnot, D. Wodtko, M.-L. Theuerkauf, editors (2019), “1 cáem”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language