géar
Irish
editAlternative forms
editEtymology
editFrom Middle Irish gér, from Old Irish gér (compare Scottish Gaelic geur, Manx gear, geayr, geyre).
Pronunciation
editAdjective
editgéar (genitive singular masculine géir, genitive singular feminine géire, plural géara, comparative géire)
- sharp (with fine edge or point; painful to touch; of thin features)
- Synonym: (literary) aichear
- angular, steep, abrupt
- keen, biting; severe, painful; brilliant, intense; piercing, shrill; cutting, sarcastic
- acid, sour, pungent; keen, hungry
- keen, intent; intellectually acute (of senses, mind)
- brisk, quick; keenly contested; close; trying
- artful, tricky; petty, mean
- (music) sharp
Declension
editDeclension of géar
Singular | Plural (m/f) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Positive | Masculine | Feminine | (strong noun) | (weak noun) |
Nominative | géar | ghéar | géara; ghéara² | |
Vocative | ghéir | géara | ||
Genitive | géire | géara | géar | |
Dative | géar; ghéar¹ |
ghéar; ghéir (archaic) |
géara; ghéara² | |
Comparative | níos géire | |||
Superlative | is géire |
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
edit- barrghéar (“sharp-pointed”)
- géaraigh (“to sharpen”)
- géarleanúint (“persecution”)
- géartheangach (“sharp-tongued”)
- taos géar (“sourdough”)
Noun
editgéar m (genitive singular géir, nominative plural géara)
- sharp object
- (music) sharp
Declension
editDeclension of géar
Derived terms
edit- géar dúbailte (“double sharp”)
Mutation
editIrish mutation | ||
---|---|---|
Radical | Lenition | Eclipsis |
géar | ghéar | ngéar |
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs. |
Further reading
edit- Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “géar”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
- Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “gér”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
- de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “géar”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
- “géar”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013-2024
- Quiggin, E. C. (1906) A Dialect of Donegal, Cambridge University Press, page 35