Cú Chulainn

See also: Cúchulainn

English

Alternative forms

• Cúchulainn

Etymology

From Irish cú (“hound”) + Culann. The latter name could be related to Ancient Greek κυλλός (kullós, “crooked, crippled”).

Pronunciation

• (Ireland) IPA^(key): /ˈkuːxulin/, [ˈkuːxulinʲ]

Proper noun

Cú Chulainn

1. (Irish mythology) The pre-eminent hero of Ulster in the Ulster Cycle, almost undefeatable due to his spear the Gae Bulg, but cursed to reach an early grave; son of Lugh and Deichtine.

Old Irish

Alternative forms

• Cú Chulaind

Etymology

From cú (“dog, hound”), a common element in some male Old Irish given names, and Culann, another male given name; hence the name means "Culann's hound". Mythologized by the Táin Bó Cúailnge, in which Cú Chulainn gains this moniker after an incident in which Cú Chulainn replaced a guard dog of Culann's that was killed in self-defense.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkuː xu.lən͈ʲ/

Proper noun

Cú Chulainn m (genitive Con Culainn)

1. (Irish mythology) Cú Chulainn, a mythological hero.

Inflection

Masculine n-stem

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	Cú ChulainnL	—	—
vocative	Cú ChulainnL	—	—
accusative	Coin CulainnL	—	—
genitive	Con CulainnL	—	—
dative	Coin ChulainnL, Cú ChulainnL	—	—

Initial mutations of a following adjective:

• ^H = triggers aspiration
• ^L = triggers lenition
• ^N = triggers nasalization

Descendants

• Middle Irish: Cú Chulainn
  • Irish: Cú Chulainn
  • Manx: Cuchulainn
  • Scottish Gaelic: Cù-Chulainn
  • → English: Cúchulainn