ceannasach

Irish

Alternative forms

• ceannascach

Etymology

From ceannas (“headship, sovereignty; authority, command; forwardness, self-assertiveness”) +‎ -ach.

Pronunciation

• (Munster, Connacht) IPA^(key): /ˈcan̪ˠəsˠəx/
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /ˈcan̪ˠəsˠa(h)/

Adjective

ceannasach (genitive singular masculine ceannasaigh, genitive singular feminine ceannasaí, plural ceannasacha, comparative ceannasaí)

1. ruling, sovereign

   Synonym: ardcheannasach

2. commanding, masterful
3. forward, self-assertive; bold, assured
4. (music) dominant

Declension

Declension of ceannasach

	Singular		Plural (m/f)
Positive	Masculine	Feminine	(strong noun)	(weak noun)
Nominative	ceannasach	cheannasach	ceannasacha; cheannasacha²
Vocative	cheannasaigh		ceannasacha
Genitive		ceannasaí	ceannasacha	ceannasach
Dative	ceannasach; cheannasach¹	cheannasach; cheannasaigh (archaic)	ceannasacha; cheannasacha²
Comparative	níos ceannasaí
Superlative	is ceannasaí

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

• focheannasach (“subdominant”)
• tréith cheannasach (“dominant trait”)

 

Noun

ceannasach m (genitive singular ceannasaigh, nominative plural ceannasaigh)

1. (music) dominant

Derived terms

• focheannasach (“subdominant”)

Mutation

Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Eclipsis
ceannasach	cheannasach	gceannasach
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

References

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “ceannasach”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “cennasach”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “ceannasach”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
• “ceannasach”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013-2024

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Old Irish cennasach. By surface analysis, ceannas +‎ -ach.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkʰʲan̪ˠəs̪əx/

Adjective

ceannasach (genitive singular masculine ceannasaich, comparative ceannasaiche)

1. dominant, superior
2. absolute (ruler, power, etc.)

Mutation

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

References

• Edward Dwelly (1911) “ceannasach”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary]‎^[1], 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “cennasach”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language