ceannasach

Irish

Alternative forms

• ceannascach

Etymology

From ceannas (“headship, sovereignty; authority, command; forwardness, self-assertiveness”) +‎ -ach.

Pronunciation

• (Munster, Connacht) IPA^(key): /ˈcan̪ˠəsˠəx/
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /ˈcan̪ˠəsˠa(h)/

Adjective

ceannasach (genitive singular masculine ceannasaigh, genitive singular feminine ceannasaí, plural ceannasacha, comparative ceannasaí)

1. ruling, sovereign

   Synonym: ardcheannasach

2. commanding, masterful
3. forward, self-assertive; bold, assured
4. (music) dominant

Declension

Declension of ceannasach

	singular		plural (m/f)
Positive	masculine	feminine	(strong noun)	(weak noun)
nominative	ceannasach	cheannasach	ceannasacha; cheannasacha2
vocative	cheannasaigh		ceannasacha
genitive		ceannasaí	ceannasacha	ceannasach
dative	ceannasach; cheannasach1	cheannasach; cheannasaigh (archaic)	ceannasacha; cheannasacha2
Comparative	níos ceannasaí
Superlative	is ceannasaí

¹ When the preceding noun is lenited and governed by the definite article.
² When the preceding noun ends in a slender consonant.

Derived terms

• focheannasach (“subdominant”)
• tréith cheannasach (“dominant trait”)

Noun

ceannasach m (genitive singular ceannasaigh, nominative plural ceannasaigh)

1. (music) dominant

Derived terms

• focheannasach (“subdominant”)

Mutation

Mutated forms of ceannasach

radical	lenition	eclipsis
ceannasach	cheannasach	gceannasach

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

References

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “ceannasach”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “cennasach”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “ceannasach”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
• “ceannasach”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013-2025

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Old Irish cennasach. By surface analysis, ceannas +‎ -ach.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkʰʲan̪ˠəs̪əx/

Adjective

ceannasach (genitive singular masculine ceannasaich, comparative ceannasaiche)

1. dominant, superior
2. absolute (ruler, power, etc.)

Mutation

Mutation of ceannasach

radical	lenition
ceannasach	cheannasach

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

References

• Edward Dwelly (1911) “ceannasach”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary]‎^[1], 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “cennasach”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language