cnámh

See also: cnàmh

Irish

Alternative forms

cnáimh

Etymology

From Old Irish cnáim,^[1] from Proto-Celtic *knāmis, from Proto-Indo-European *kónh₂m (“leg”).

Pronunciation

(Munster) IPA^(key): /kn̪ˠɑ̃ːvˠ/^[2]
(Galway) IPA^(key): (Aran) /knɑːvʲ/, /knaːvʲ/^[3]; (Cois Fharraige) /kɾɑːvʲ/^[4] (corresponding to the form cnáimh)
(Mayo, Ulster) IPA^(key): /kɾˠãːvʲ/ (corresponding to the form cnáimh)^[5]; (genitive plural only) /kɾˠãːw/^[6]^[7]

Noun

cnámh f (genitive singular cnáimhe, nominative plural cnámha) or
cnámh m (genitive singular cnámha, nominative plural cnámha)

(anatomy) bone
(in the plural) bones (musical instrument)

Declension

As a second-declension feminine noun

Declension of cnámh (second declension)

bare forms
case	singular	plural
nominative	cnámh	cnámha
vocative	a chnámh	a chnámha
genitive	cnáimhe	cnámh
dative	cnámh cnáimh (archaic, dialectal)	cnámha

forms with the definite article
case	singular	plural
nominative	an chnámh	na cnámha
genitive	na cnáimhe	na gcnámh
dative	leis an gcnámh leis an gcnáimh (archaic, dialectal) don chnámh don chnáimh (archaic, dialectal)	leis na cnámha

As a third-declension masculine noun

Declension of cnámh (third declension)

bare forms
case	singular	plural
nominative	cnámh	cnámha
vocative	a chnámh	a chnámha
genitive	cnámha	cnámha
dative	cnámh	cnámha

forms with the definite article
case	singular	plural
nominative	an cnámh	na cnámha
genitive	an chnámha	na gcnámha
dative	leis an gcnámh don chnámh	leis na cnámha

Derived terms

cnáimhfhiach
cnámhar (“ossiferous”)
cnámhfhód
créachta chnámh (“bone tuberculosis”)
deisiú cnámh (“bonesetting”)
mórchnámhach (“big-boned”)

Mutation

Mutated forms of *cnámh*
radical	lenition	eclipsis
cnámh	chnámh	gcnámh

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

References

^ Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “cnáim”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
^ Sjoestedt, M. L. (1931) Phonétique d’un parler irlandais de Kerry [Phonetics of an Irish Dialect of Kerry] (in French), Paris: Librairie Ernest Leroux, § 36, page 20
^ Finck, F. N. (1899) Die araner mundart [The Aran Dialect] (in German), volume II, Marburg: Elwert’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, page 155
^ de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1975) The Irish of Cois Fhairrge, Co. Galway: A Phonetic Study, revised edition, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, § 154, page 30
^ Mhac an Fhailigh, Éamonn (1968) The Irish of Erris, Co. Mayo: A Phonemic Study, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, section 429, page 160
^ Mhac an Fhailigh, Éamonn (1968) The Irish of Erris, Co. Mayo: A Phonemic Study, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, section 532, page 194
^ Quiggin, E. C. (1906) A Dialect of Donegal, Cambridge University Press, § 148, page 58