fonnmhar

Irish

Alternative forms

• fonnamhar, fonnmhur (obsolete)

Pronunciation

• (Munster) IPA^(key): /ˈfˠɔn̪ˠəvˠəɾˠ/, /ˈfˠɞn̪ˠəvˠəɾˠ/
• (Aran) IPA^(key): /ˈfˠuːn̪ˠwəɾˠ/, /ˈfˠoːn̪ˠuːɾˠ/, /ˈfˠoːnˠuːɾˠ/

Etymology 1

From Middle Irish fonnmar. By surface analysis, fonn (“desire, mood”) +‎ -mhar. Cognate with Scottish Gaelic fonnmhor.

Adjective

fonnmhar (genitive singular masculine fonnmhair, genitive singular feminine fonnmhaire, plural fonnmhara, comparative fonnmhaire)

1. willing, ready, eager

   Synonyms: díocasach, cíocrach

2. desirous, wishful

   Synonyms: dúilmhear, mianúil, mianach

Declension

Declension of fonnmhar

	Singular		Plural (m/f)
Positive	Masculine	Feminine	(strong noun)	(weak noun)
Nominative	fonnmhar	fhonnmhar	fonnmhara; fhonnmhara²
Vocative	fhonnmhair		fonnmhara
Genitive		fonnmhaire	fonnmhara	fonnmhar
Dative	fonnmhar; fhonnmhar¹	fhonnmhar; fhonnmhair (archaic)	fonnmhara; fhonnmhara²
Comparative	níos fonnmhaire
Superlative	is fonnmhaire

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

• fonnmhaire
• fonnmhaireacht, fonnmharacht
• mífhonnmhar

Etymology 2

From Middle Irish fonnmar. By surface analysis, fonn (“melody”) +‎ -mhar. Cognate with Scottish Gaelic fonnmhor.

Adjective

fonnmhar (genitive singular masculine fonnmhair, genitive singular feminine fonnmhaire, plural fonnmhara, comparative fonnmhaire)

1. tuneful, melodious

   Synonyms: binn, ceolmhar

Declension

Declension of fonnmhar

	Singular		Plural (m/f)
Positive	Masculine	Feminine	(strong noun)	(weak noun)
Nominative	fonnmhar	fhonnmhar	fonnmhara; fhonnmhara²
Vocative	fhonnmhair		fonnmhara
Genitive		fonnmhaire	fonnmhara	fonnmhar
Dative	fonnmhar; fhonnmhar¹	fhonnmhar; fhonnmhair (archaic)	fonnmhara; fhonnmhara²
Comparative	níos fonnmhaire
Superlative	is fonnmhaire

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
fonnmhar	fhonnmhar	bhfonnmhar
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

• Dinneen, Patrick S. (1904) “fonnṁar”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, 1st edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 329
• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “fonnmhar”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN