seisear

Irish

seisear

Etymology

From Old Irish seisser.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈʃɛʃəɾˠ/

Noun

seisear m (genitive singular seisir, nominative plural seisir) (triggers no mutation)

1. group of six people
   • 1894 March, Peadar Mac Fionnlaoigh, “An rí nach robh le fagháil bháis”, in Irisleabhar na Gaedhilge, volume 1:5, Dublin: Gaelic Union, pages 185–88:

     Bhí sé pósta ar sheisear ban i ndiaidh a chéile, acht do mharbhuigh sé alig an tsaoghal iad, ar eagla go mbeidheadh páistídhe ar bith aca.

     He was married to six wives, one after another, but he killed all-in-the-world of them for fear they should have any children at all.

Usage notes

• Generally used with the genitive plural when referring to human beings; also sometimes used with other nouns, especially if the things they denote are being personified.

Declension

Declension of seisear

First declension

Bare forms: Case Singular Plural Nominative seisear seisir Vocative a sheisir a sheiseara Genitive seisir seisear Dative seisear seisir

Forms with the definite article: Case Singular Plural Nominative an seisear na seisir Genitive an tseisir na seisear Dative leis an seisear don seisear leis na seisir

Derived terms

• mórsheisear (“seven people”, literally “big six”)

Related terms

• sé (“six”) (non-personal)

Mutation

Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Eclipsis
seisear	sheisear after an, tseisear	not applicable
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

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

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Old Irish seisser.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʃeʃəɾ/

Noun

seisear m (genitive singular seiseir, plural seisearan)

1. six

   Synonym: sianar

Usage notes

• Only used about persons (cf numerical noun).
• Following noun is in the genitive:

  seisear bhalach ― six boys

• Alternatively, de and the dative are used:

  seisear de bhalaich ― six boys

• Prepositional pronouns used are those formed from de and aig

  an seisear dhiubh / aca ― the six of them

• Also used on its own:

  Bha seisear ann. ― There were six.

Related terms

• sia

Mutation

Scottish Gaelic mutation
Radical	Lenition
seisear	sheisear after "an", t-seisear
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

References

• Edward Dwelly (1911) “seisear”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary]‎^[1], 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “seisser”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language