seanbhean

Irish

Alternative forms

• seana-bhean (superseded, Munster)

Etymology

PIE word
*sénos

PIE word
*gʷḗn

sean- +‎ bean

Pronunciation

• (Munster) IPA^(key): /ˈʃan̪ˠəˌvʲan̪ˠ/
• (Connacht, Ulster) IPA^(key): /ˈʃanˠˌvʲanˠ/

Noun

seanbhean f (genitive singular seanmhná, nominative plural seanmhná)

1. old woman
2. old-womanish person

Declension

Declension of seanbhean (irregular)

bare forms case singular plural nominative seanbhean seanmhná vocative a sheanbhean a sheanmhná genitive seanmhná seanbhan dative seanbhean seanmhná forms with the definite article case singular plural nominative an tseanbhean na seanmhná genitive na seanmhná na seanbhan dative leis an tseanbhean don tseanbhean leis na seanmhná

Antonyms

• seanfhear
• seanduine

Derived terms

• an tSeanbhean Bhocht (“Ireland”, literally “the Poor Old Woman”) (poetic)

Mutation

Mutated forms of seanbhean

radical	lenition	eclipsis
seanbhean	sheanbhean after an, tseanbhean	not applicable

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Modern Irish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Further reading

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