lios

See also: Lios and líos

Irish

Etymology

From Old Irish les (“the space about a dwelling-house or houses enclosed by a bank or rampart”). Cognate with Welsh llys and Breton lez.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /l̠ʲɪsˠ/, /l̠ʲʊsˠ/

Noun

lios m (genitive singular leasa, nominative plural liosanna)

1. enclosed ground of (ancient) dwelling-house; enclosed space, garth
2. ringfort
3. fairy mound
4. ring, halo

Declension

Declension of lios

Third declension

Bare forms: Case Singular Plural Nominative lios liosanna Vocative a lios a liosanna Genitive leasa liosanna Dative lios liosanna

Forms with the definite article: Case Singular Plural Nominative an lios na liosanna Genitive an leasa na liosanna Dative leis an lios don lios leis na liosanna

Derived terms

• Lios na gCearrbhach (“Lisburn”)
• liosachán (“fairy fort, fairy mound”)
• urlios (“forecourt, front enclosure”)

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “lios”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “lios”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
• “lios”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013-2024
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “2 les”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language

Scottish Gaelic

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [lis], /ʎis̪/

Noun

lios f or m (genitive singular lise or liosa, plural liosan)

1. garden

   lios luibhean ― a garden for herbs

   lios-àraich ― a (plant) nursery

   lios-olaidh ― an olive garden

2. longing in pregnancy
3. dispute, debate, strife
4. house, habitation
5. palace
6. fortified place
7. enclosure or stall for cattle
8. court

   lios rìoghail ― a royal court

   lios ìosal ― a low court