beann

Irish

Pronunciation

• (Munster) IPA^(key): /bʲɑun̪ˠ/
• (Galway) IPA^(key): /bʲɑːn̪ˠ/
• (Mayo, Ulster) IPA^(key): /bʲan̪ˠ/

Etymology 1

From Old Irish benn (“peak, point, prong, horn”), from Proto-Celtic *bandā (“peak, top”).

Noun

beann f (genitive singular binne, nominative plural beanna)

1. horn, antler
2. drinking horn
3. tine, prong
4. (uncountable) regard; dependence

Declension

Declension of beann (second declension)

bare forms singular plural nominative beann beanna vocative a bheann a bheanna genitive binne beann dative beann beanna forms with the definite article singular plural nominative an bheann na beanna genitive na binne na mbeann dative leis an mbeann don bheann leis na beanna

Related terms

• binn f (“peak, tip, summit; corner, gable; pinnacle; horn; stanza, couplet”)

Etymology 2

Inflected form of binn.

Noun

beann f

1. genitive plural of binn
2. alternative form of binn

Mutation

Mutated forms of beann

radical	lenition	eclipsis
beann	bheann	mbeann

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Modern Irish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

References

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “beann”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “benn (‘peak; horn; regard’)”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “beann”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
• “beann”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013–2025

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Old Irish benn (“peak, point, prong, horn”), from Proto-Celtic *bandā (“peak, top”). Doublet of beinn.

Pronunciation

• (Lewis, Harris) IPA^(key): /b̥jãũn̪ˠ/
• (Uist, Barra, Skye) IPA^(key): /b̥ɛ̃ũn̪ˠ/

Noun

beann f (genitive singular beinn, plural beannan)

1. degree
2. step
3. beam

   a bheann iùbhraidh ― its beam of yew

4. corner
5. skirt
6. attention
7. regard
8. (Islay) horn
9. top, peak
10. drinking cup, drinking horn
11. rock
12. arm of a cross
13. prong of a cycle-fork
14. (rarely) bone

Declension

Declension of beann (class IIa feminine noun)

indefinite
	singular	plural
nominative	beann	beannan
genitive	beinne, beinn	bheann
dative	beinn	beannan; beannaibh✝
definite
	singular	plural
nominative	(a') bheann	(na) beannan
genitive	(na) beinne, beinn	(nam) beann
dative	(a') bheinn	(na) beannan; beannaibh✝
vocative	bheann	bheanna

^✝ obsolete form, used until the 19th century

Noun

beann

1. genitive plural of beinn

Mutation

Mutation of beann

radical	lenition
beann	bheann

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Scottish Gaelic.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Further reading

• Edward Dwelly (1911) “beann”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary]‎^[2], 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “benn (‘peak; horn; regard’)”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language