leanbh

Irish

Etymology

From Old Irish lenab (“infant, babe, child; young man, youth, boy”).

Pronunciation

• (Waterford) IPA^(key): /ˈlʲan̪ˠə/
• (Kerry) IPA^(key): /ˈlʲan̪ˠəvˠ/
• (Galway) IPA^(key): /ˈl̠ʲanˠəvˠ/, /ˈl̠ʲan̪ˠəvˠ/
• (Mayo, Ulster) IPA^(key): /ˈl̠ʲanˠu/, /ˈl̠ʲan̪ˠu/

Noun

leanbh m (genitive singular linbh, nominative plural leanaí or leanbhaí)

1. child, baby

   Baist do leanbh féin ar dtús.

   Charity begins at home.

   (literally, “Baptise your own child first.”)

Declension

Declension of leanbh

First declension

Bare forms: Case Singular Plural Nominative leanbh leanaí Vocative a linbh a leanaí Genitive linbh leanaí Dative leanbh leanaí

Forms with the definite article: Case Singular Plural Nominative an leanbh na leanaí Genitive an linbh na leanaí Dative leis an leanbh don leanbh leis na leanaí

Alternative declension

Declension of leanbh

First declension

Bare forms: Case Singular Plural Nominative leanbh leanbhaí Vocative a linbh a leanbha Genitive linbh leanbh Dative leanbh leanbhaí

Forms with the definite article: Case Singular Plural Nominative an leanbh na leanbhaí Genitive an linbh na leanbh Dative leis an leanbh don leanbh leis na leanbhaí

Synonyms

• babaí
• bunóc
• leanbán

Derived terms

• airleacán linbh (“impish child”)
• balpóg linbh
• bolscaire linbh
• bonsaire linbh
• bréagán linbh (“child's plaything”)
• broicleach linbh (“sturdy child”)
• buidéal linbh (“baby's bottle”)
• carrachán linbh (“puny, wizened, child; changeling”)
• ceolán linbh (“whimpering child”)
• cóiste linbh (“baby carriage”)
• contrálaí linbh (“perverse child”)
• cóta linbh (“child's frock”)
• crabadán linbh (“puny, cantankerous child”)
• cráiteachán linbh (“vexatious child”)
• diabhlóir linbh (“mischievous child”)
• dílleachta linbh (“orphan child”)
• draoidín linbh (“mite of a child”)
• geabaire linbh (“prattling child”)
• geadán linbh (“baby's bottom”)
• gillín linbh
• gleoiteog linbh (“lovely child”)
• golspaire linbh (“cry-baby”)
• imeachtaí linbh (“toddler”)
• láchán linbh (“smiling, wheedling, child”)
• lapadán linbh (“toddling child”)
• leaba linbh (“child's cot”)
• leanbh baistí (“godchild”)
• leanbh fir (“male child”)
• leanbh iníne (“young daughter, female child”)
• leanbh mic (“young son, male child”)
• leanbh mná (“female child”)
• leanbh tabhartha (“illegitimate child”)
• leanb(h)án
• leanbhín
• lisín leanbh (“cemetery for unbaptized children”)
• liúntas linbh (“child's allowance”)
• lubhóigín linbh (“tiny child”)
• lucharachán linbh (“tiny tot, toddler”)
• luspairt linbh (“soft young child”)
• maistín linbh (“unruly child, brat”)
• marla linbh (“puny child”)
• napachán linbh (“a lump of a child”)
• páideog linbh
• pait linbh
• pataire linbh (“chubby child”)
• peitirne linbh (“robust child”)
• plásán linbh (“wheedling child”)
• plobaire linbh (“blubbering child”)
• pluideoga linbh (“baby-wraps”)
• preabaire linbh (“bouncing child”)
• pusaire linbh (“whinging child”)
• rata linbh (“capricious, spoilt, child”)
• rógaire linbh (“roguish, impish, child”)
• sciúgaire linbh (“squalling child”)
• síogaí linbh (“elf-child, changeling”)
• sodamán linbh
• somachán linbh (“plump, fat, child”)
• srian linbh (“leading-strings”)
• tinneas linbh (“in labour”)
• trom ar leanbh (“heavy with child”)
• uchtleanbh (“adopted child”)

 

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “leanbh”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “lenab”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• Quiggin, E. C. (1906) A Dialect of Donegal, Cambridge University Press, page 55
• Sjoestedt, M. L. (1931) Phonétique d’un parler irlandais de Kerry (in French), Paris: Librairie Ernest Leroux, page 75