deacair

Irish

Etymology

From Old Irish deccair, from dí- + acar, equivalent to de + acra (“tool, service”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈdʲakəɾʲ/
• (Kerry) IPA^(key): /ˈdʲɞkəɾʲ/, /ˈdʲakəɾʲ/
• (Aran) IPA^(key): /ˈdʲɞkəɾʲ/
• (Cois Fharraige) IPA^(key): /ˈdʲækəɾʲ/

Adjective

deacair (genitive singular masculine deacair, genitive singular feminine deacra, plural deacra, comparative deacra)

1. hard, difficult

   Synonyms: anfhurasta, doiligh

   Antonyms: furasta, socair

2. reluctant [+ le (object)]
3. (literary) troublesome

Declension

Declension of deacair

	Singular		Plural (m/f)
Positive	Masculine	Feminine	(strong noun)	(weak noun)
Nominative	deacair	dheacair	deacra; dheacra²
Vocative	dheacair		deacra
Genitive		deacra	deacra	deacair
Dative	deacair; dheacair¹	dheacair	deacra; dheacra²
Comparative	níos deacra
Superlative	is deacra

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

Noun

deacair f (genitive singular deacra, nominative plural deacra)

1. difficulty
2. hardship, distress

Declension

Declension of deacair

Third declension

Bare forms: Case Singular Plural Nominative deacair deacra Vocative a dheacair a dheacra Genitive deacra deacra Dative deacair deacra

Forms with the definite article: Case Singular Plural Nominative an deacair na deacra Genitive na deacra na ndeacra Dative leis an deacair don deacair leis na deacra

Mutation

Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Eclipsis
deacair	dheacair	ndeacair
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “deacair”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• Entries containing “deacair” in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm, 1959, by Tomás de Bhaldraithe.
• Entries containing “deacair” in New English-Irish Dictionary by Foras na Gaeilge.