Faoilleach

Irish

Etymology

From Middle Irish faílech (“end of winter, early part of February”), alteration of fuidlech (“latter part of winter”), from Old Irish fuidel (“remnant, remainder”)

Pronunciation

• (Munster) IPA^(key): /ˈfˠiːlʲəx/
• (Connacht) IPA^(key): /ˈfˠiːl̠ʲəx/
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /ˈfˠiːl̠ʲa(x)/

Proper noun

Faoilleach m (genitive Faoilligh, nominative plural Faoilligh)

1. (usually in the plural) February (second month of the Gregorian calendar and first month of spring in the Irish calendar)

   Synonym: Feabhra

Usage notes

• Usually plural, hence Mí na bhFaoilleach. Na Faoilligh are the days of bad weather that come at the end of winter and early spring that often kill off weaker animals:

  an Márta a mharaíos daoine, na Faoilligh a mharaíos caoraigh

  March kills people, February kills sheep

Declension

Declension of Faoilleach (first declension)

bare forms case singular plural nominative Faoilleach Faoilligh vocative a Fhaoilligh a Fhaoilleacha genitive Faoilligh Faoilleach dative Faoilleach Faoilligh forms with the definite article case singular plural nominative an Faoilleach na Faoilligh genitive an Fhaoilligh na bhFaoilleach dative leis an bhFaoilleach don Fhaoilleach leis na Faoilligh

Mutation

Mutated forms of Faoilleach

radical	lenition	eclipsis
Faoilleach	Fhaoilleach	bhFaoilleach

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

See also

Gregorian calendar monthsedit

• Eanáir
• Feabhra
• Márta
• Aibreán
• Bealtaine
• Meitheamh
• Iúil
• Lúnasa
• Meán Fómhair
• Deireadh Fómhair
• Samhain
• Mí na Nollag

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “Faoilleach”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “Faoilleach”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
• “Faoilleach”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013-2025
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “faílech”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “fuidlech”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• Manchán Magan - Focail Farraige & Sea Terms - Machaire Rabhartaigh, Tír Chonaill
• Leabhar Laethanta le Donla uí Bhraonáin

Scottish Gaelic

Alternative forms

• Faoilteach

Etymology

From Middle Irish faílech (“end of winter, early part of February”), alteration of fuidlech (“latter part of winter”), from Old Irish fuidel (“remnant, remainder”)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈfɯːʎəx/

Proper noun

am Faoilleach (genitive Faoillich)

1. January (first month of the Gregorian calendar)

Usage notes

• Usually written with the definite article.

Derived terms

• Faoi (abbreviation)

Mutation

Mutation of Faoilleach

radical	lenition
Faoilleach	Fhaoilleach

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

See also

Gregorian calendar monthsedit

• Faoilleach
• Gearran
• Màrt
• Giblean
• Cèitean
• Ògmhios
• Iuchar
• Lùnastal
• Sultain
• Dàmhair
• Samhain
• Dùbhlachd

Further reading

• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “faílech”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “fuidlech”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language