éigean

Irish

Etymology

From Old Irish éicen (“necessity”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈeːɟən̪ˠ/, /ˈeːɟənˠ/, (Ulster) [ˈei̯ɟənˠ]

Noun

éigean m or f (genitive singular éigin)

1. force, violence
2. necessity, compulsion

   Faoi éigean a ghéill sé dóibh.

   He obeyed them only under compulsion.

3. strait, difficulty; want, distress

Declension

Declension of éigean (first declension, no plural)

bare forms case singular nominative éigean vocative a éigin genitive éigin dative éigean forms with the definite article case singular nominative an t-éigean genitive an éigin dative leis an éigean don éigean

Alternative declension

Declension of éigean (second declension, no plural)

bare forms case singular nominative éigean vocative a éigean genitive éigne dative éigean forms with the definite article case singular nominative an éigean genitive na héigne dative leis an éigean don éigean

Derived terms

• ar ais nó ar éigean
• ar éigean
• banéigean
• cíb ar éigean
• d'éigean
• éigean mná
• éignigh
• foréigean
• gan éigean
• in éigean
• is éigean
• le héigean
• ní héigean
• tarraingt ar éigean

Mutation

Mutated forms of éigean

radical	eclipsis	with h-prothesis	with t-prothesis
éigean	n-éigean	héigean	t-éigean

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

Further reading

• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “éicen”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• Dinneen, Patrick S. (1904) “éigean”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, 1st edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 283
• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “éigean”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN