dealbh

Irish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈdʲalˠəvˠ/

Etymology 1

From Old Irish delb (“figure, form, image, likeness, statue”), from Proto-Celtic *delwā, from Proto-Indo-European *delh₁- (“to split”); compare Welsh delw.

Noun

dealbh f (genitive singular deilbhe, nominative plural dealbha)

1. statue

Declension

Declension of dealbh

Second declension

Bare forms Case Singular Plural Nominative dealbh dealbha Vocative a dhealbh a dhealbha Genitive deilbhe dealbh Dative dealbh deilbh (archaic, dialectal) dealbha

Forms with the definite article Case Singular Plural Nominative an dealbh na dealbha Genitive na deilbhe na ndealbh Dative leis an dealbh leis an deilbh (archaic, dialectal) don dealbh don deilbh (archaic, dialectal) leis na dealbha

Synonyms

• íomhá

Derived terms

• crosdealbhach
• dealbhóir

 

Etymology 2

From Middle Irish delb, a later spelling of Old Irish delam (“without wealth, poor, indigent”, adjective), from de- (“without”, privative prefix) +‎ alam (“herd, flock”).

Adjective

dealbh (genitive singular masculine dealbh, genitive singular feminine deilbhe, plural dealbha, comparative deilbhe)

1. destitute, impoverished

   Synonyms: bocht, daibhir

2. bare, empty
3. bleak

Declension

Declension of dealbh

	Singular		Plural (m/f)
Positive	Masculine	Feminine	(strong noun)	(weak noun)
Nominative	dealbh	dhealbh	dealbha; dhealbha²
Vocative	dhealbh		dealbha
Genitive		deilbhe	dealbha	dealbh
Dative	dealbh; dhealbh¹	dhealbh; dhealbh (archaic)	dealbha; dhealbha²
Comparative	níos deilbhe
Superlative	is deilbhe

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

Mutation

Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Eclipsis
dealbh	dhealbh	ndealbh
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

References

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “dealbh”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• G. Toner, M. Ní Mhaonaigh, S. Arbuthnot, D. Wodtko, M.-L. Theuerkauf, editors (2019), “1 delb”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• G. Toner, M. Ní Mhaonaigh, S. Arbuthnot, D. Wodtko, M.-L. Theuerkauf, editors (2019), “3 delb”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Old Irish delb (“figure, form, image, likeness, statue”), from Proto-Celtic *delwā, from Proto-Indo-European *delh₁- (“to split”); compare Welsh delw.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈtʲaɫ̪av]

Noun

dealbh m or f (genitive singular dealbha or deilbh, plural dealbhan or dealbhannan or deilbh)

1. picture, drawing, image
2. photograph

Derived terms

• cian-dhealbh
• dealbh dath-uisge
• dealbh-chluich
• dealbhadair
• taigh-dealbh
• tog dealbh

 

Verb

dealbh (past dhealbh, future dealbhaidh, verbal noun dealbhadh, past participle dealbhta)

1. imagine, picture
2. create, construct, shape
3. plan, design

Mutation

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

Further reading

• Edward Dwelly (1911) “dealbh”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary]‎^[1], 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN
• G. Toner, M. Ní Mhaonaigh, S. Arbuthnot, D. Wodtko, M.-L. Theuerkauf, editors (2019), “1 delb”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language