caora

Irish

Etymology 1

From Middle Irish cáera, from Old Irish cauru, from Proto-Celtic *kaɸerūxs.

Pronunciation

• (Munster, Connacht) IPA^(key): /ˈkiːɾˠə/
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /ˈkiːɾˠə/, (older) /ˈkɯːɾˠə/; (less common) /ˈkeːrə/, (older) /ˈkɤːrə/

Noun

caora f (genitive singular caorach, nominative plural caoirigh)

1. sheep
2. ewe

Declension

Declension of caora

Fifth declension

Bare forms Case Singular Plural Nominative caora caoirigh Vocative a chaora a chaoirigh Genitive caorach caorach Dative caora caoraigh (archaic, dialectal) caoirigh

Forms with the definite article Case Singular Plural Nominative an chaora na caoirigh Genitive na caorach na gcaorach Dative leis an gcaora leis an gcaoraigh (archaic, dialectal) don chaora don chaoraigh (archaic, dialectal) leis na caoirigh

• Archaic/dialectal dative plural: caoraibh

Derived terms

• athchaora
• buachaill caorach
• caora mhóradharcach

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “caora”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• Dinneen, Patrick S. (1904) “caora”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, 1st edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 117
• de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “caora”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
• “caora”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013-2024

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Pronunciation

• (Munster) IPA^(key): /ˈkeːɾˠə/
• (Connacht) IPA^(key): /ˈkiːɾˠə/
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /ˈkiːɾˠə/, (older) /ˈkɯːɾˠə/

Noun

caora

1. nominative/dative plural of caor

Mutation

Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Eclipsis
caora	chaora	gcaora
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Middle Irish cáera, from Old Irish cauru, from Proto-Celtic *kaɸerūxs.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkʰɯːɾə/

Noun

caora f (genitive singular caorach, plural caoraich)

1. sheep

   am bun nan caorach ― looking after the sheep

   o chrò nan caorach ― from the sheep-fold

2. (derogatory) sheepish person

Declension

Declension of caora

Indefinite
	Singular	Plural
Nominative	caora	caoraich
Genitive	caorach	caorach
Dative	caora	caoraibh
Definite
	Singular	Plural
Nominative	(a') chaora	(na) caoraich
Genitive	(na) caorach	(nan) caorach
Dative	(a') chaora	(na) caoraibh
Vocative	(a) chaora	(a) chaoraich

Derived terms

• buachaill-chaorach (“shepherd”)
• cù-chaorach (“sheepdog”)
• an sionnach ann an craiceann na caorach (“wolf in sheep's clothing”)

Mutation

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

Further reading

• Edward Dwelly (1911) “caora”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary]‎^[1], 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN
• MacLennan, Malcolm (1925) A Pronouncing and Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language, Edinburgh: J. Grant, →OCLC
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “cáera”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language