caora

Irish

Etymology 1

From Middle Irish cáera, from Old Irish cauru, from Proto-Celtic *kaɸerūxs.

Pronunciation

• (Munster, Connacht) IPA^(key): /ˈkiːɾˠə/
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /ˈkiːɾˠə/, (older) /ˈkɯːɾˠə/; (less common) /ˈkeːrə/, (older) /ˈkɤːrə/

Noun

caora f (genitive singular caorach, nominative plural caoirigh)

1. sheep
2. ewe

Declension

Declension of caora (fifth declension)

bare forms case singular plural nominative caora caoirigh vocative a chaora a chaoirigh genitive caorach caorach dative caora caoraigh (archaic, dialectal) caoirigh forms with the definite article case singular plural nominative an chaora na caoirigh genitive na caorach na gcaorach dative leis an gcaora leis an gcaoraigh (archaic, dialectal) don chaora don chaoraigh (archaic, dialectal) leis na caoirigh

• Alternative genitive singular/plural form: caoireach
• Alternative dative singular form: caoirigh
• Alternative nominative/vocative plural form: caortha
• Archaic/dialectal dative plural forms: caoiribh, caoraibh, caorchaibh

Derived terms

• athchaora
• buachaill caorach
• caora mhóradharcach

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “caora”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• Dinneen, Patrick S. (1904) “caora”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, 1st edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 117
• de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “caora”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
• “caora”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013-2025

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Pronunciation

• (Munster) IPA^(key): /ˈkeːɾˠə/
• (Connacht) IPA^(key): /ˈkiːɾˠə/
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /ˈkiːɾˠə/, (older) /ˈkɯːɾˠə/

Noun

caora

1. nominative/dative plural of caor

Mutation

Mutated forms of caora

radical	lenition	eclipsis
caora	chaora	gcaora

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

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Middle Irish cáera, from Old Irish cauru, from Proto-Celtic *kaɸerūxs.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkʰɯːɾə/

Noun

caora f (genitive singular caorach, plural caoraich)

1. sheep

   am bun nan caorach ― looking after the sheep

   o chrò nan caorach ― from the sheep-fold

2. (derogatory) sheepish person

Declension

Declension of caora

indefinite
	singular	plural
nominative	caora	caoraich
genitive	caorach	caorach
dative	caora	caoraibh
definite
	singular	plural
nominative	(a') chaora	(na) caoraich
genitive	(na) caorach	(nan) caorach
dative	(a') chaora	(na) caoraibh
vocative	chaora	chaoraich

Derived terms

• buachaill-chaorach (“shepherd”)
• cù-chaorach (“sheepdog”)
• an sionnach ann an craiceann na caorach (“wolf in sheep's clothing”)

Mutation

Mutation of caora

radical	lenition
caora	chaora

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

Further reading

• Edward Dwelly (1911) “caora”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary]‎^[1], 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN
• MacLennan, Malcolm (1925) A Pronouncing and Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language, Edinburgh: J. Grant, →OCLC
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “cáera”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language