maoineach

Irish

Alternative forms

• buíonach

Etymology

From Middle Irish maínech. By surface analysis, maoin +‎ -ach.

Pronunciation

• (Munster, Connacht) IPA^(key): /ˈmˠiːnʲəx/, [ˈmˠĩːnʲəx]
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /ˈmˠiːnʲa(x)/

Adjective

maoineach (genitive singular masculine maoinigh, genitive singular feminine maoiní, plural maoineacha, comparative maoiní)

1. precious (of high value or worth)

   Synonym: luachmhar

2. beloved (loved)

   Synonym: muirneach

   a mhaoineach! ― my dear, my beloved, my darling!

3. wealthy (rich)

   Synonym: saibhir

Declension

Declension of maoineach

	Singular		Plural (m/f)
Positive	Masculine	Feminine	(strong noun)	(weak noun)
Nominative	maoineach	mhaoineach	maoineacha; mhaoineacha²
Vocative	mhaoinigh		maoineacha
Genitive		maoiní	maoineacha	maoineach
Dative	maoineach; mhaoineach¹	mhaoineach; mhaoinigh (archaic)	maoineacha; mhaoineacha²
Comparative	níos maoiní
Superlative	is maoiní

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
maoineach	mhaoineach	not applicable
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

• “maoineach”, in Historical Irish Corpus, 1600–1926, Royal Irish Academy
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “maínech”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• Dinneen, Patrick S. (1904) “maoineaċ”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, 1st edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 465
• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “maoineach”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• Sjoestedt, M. L. (1931) Phonétique d’un parler irlandais de Kerry (in French), Paris: Librairie Ernest Leroux, page 29