ancaire

Irish

Pronunciation

• (Munster, Aran) IPA^(key): /ˈɑŋkəɾʲə/
• (Connemara, Mayo, Ulster) IPA^(key): /ˈaŋkəɾʲə/

Etymology 1

From Middle Irish ancaire, from Latin ancora, from Ancient Greek ἄγκυρα (ánkura).

Alternative forms

• angcaire (obsolete)
• acaire

Noun

ancaire m or f (genitive singular ancaire, nominative plural ancairí)

1. (sailing) anchor

Declension

Declension of ancaire (fourth declension)

bare forms case singular plural nominative ancaire ancairí vocative a ancaire a ancairí genitive ancaire ancairí dative ancaire ancairí forms with the definite article case singular plural nominative an t-ancaire na hancairí genitive an ancaire na n-ancairí dative leis an ancaire don ancaire leis na hancairí

Feminine declension

Declension of ancaire (fourth declension)

bare forms case singular plural nominative ancaire ancairí vocative a ancaire a ancairí genitive ancaire ancairí dative ancaire ancairí forms with the definite article case singular plural nominative an ancaire na hancairí genitive na hancaire na n-ancairí dative leis an ancaire don ancaire leis na hancairí

Derived terms

• ancaireacht (“anchorage”)
• leaba ancaire (“anchorage”)
• mórancaire (“sheet anchor”)
• poll ancaire (“anchorage”)
• srac-ancaire (“drag-anchor”)

Etymology 2

Noun

ancaire m (genitive singular ancaire, nominative plural ancairí)

1. anchorite, hermit
2. (colloquial) recluse

Declension

Declension of ancaire (fourth declension)

bare forms case singular plural nominative ancaire ancairí vocative a ancaire a ancairí genitive ancaire ancairí dative ancaire ancairí forms with the definite article case singular plural nominative an t-ancaire na hancairí genitive an ancaire na n-ancairí dative leis an ancaire don ancaire leis na hancairí

Derived terms

• sean-ancaire (“ancient anchorite; old recluse; old buffer”)

Etymology 3

Noun

ancaire m (genitive singular ancaire, nominative plural ancairí)

1. anker, tub
2. stout, tubby person

Declension

Declension of ancaire (fourth declension)

bare forms case singular plural nominative ancaire ancairí vocative a ancaire a ancairí genitive ancaire ancairí dative ancaire ancairí forms with the definite article case singular plural nominative an t-ancaire na hancairí genitive an ancaire na n-ancairí dative leis an ancaire don ancaire leis na hancairí

Mutation

Mutated forms of ancaire

radical	eclipsis	with h-prothesis	with t-prothesis
ancaire	n-ancaire	hancaire	t-ancaire

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

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “ancaire”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• Dinneen, Patrick S. (1904) “ancaire”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, 1st edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 29
• Greene, D. (1976) “The influence of Scandinavian on Irish”, in Bo Almqvist and David Greene, editors, Proceedings of the Seventh Viking Congress, Dublin 15–21 August 1973, Dundalk: Dundalgan Press, pages 75–82
• de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “ancaire”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
• “ancaire”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013-2025