néal

See also: neal and Neal

Irish

Alternative forms

• neul (obsolete)

Etymology

From Old Irish nél, as also Scottish Gaelic neul. Cognate with Welsh niwl; a Celtic loanword either from Vulgar Latin *nībulus, a modification of Latin nūbilus (“cloudy”), or from Proto-Germanic *nebulaz (“cloud, mist”). It cannot come from a Proto-Celtic form with *-bl-, as this cluster remained in Old Irish (e.g. mebul (“shame”) from *meblā).

Pronunciation

• (Munster) IPA^(key): /nʲiːa̯l̪ˠ/
• (Connacht, Ulster) IPA^(key): /n̠ʲeːlˠ/, /n̠ʲeːl̪ˠ/

Noun

néal m (genitive singular néil, nominative plural néalta)

1. cloud

   Synonym: scamall

2. depression
3. gloomy expression
4. fit, paroxysm
5. swoon, nap, snooze
6. daze

Declension

Declension of néal (first declension)

bare forms singular plural nominative néal néalta vocative a néil a néalta genitive néil néalta dative néal néalta forms with the definite article singular plural nominative an néal na néalta genitive an néil na néalta dative leis an néal don néal leis na néalta

• Alternative genitive plural: néal

Derived terms

• aisnéal m (“swoon”)
• fonéal m (“small cloud”)
• néalchruthaíocht f (“cloud formation”)
• néalmhar (“nebulous, nebular; clouded, gloomy; sleepy”, adjective)
• néalríomhaireacht f (“cloud computing”)
• néaltach (“cloudy”, adjective)
• réaltnéal m (“nebula”)
• támhnéal m (“swoon, trance”)

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “néal”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN