comhairle

Irish

Etymology

From Old Irish comairle (“advice, counsel, council”).

Pronunciation

• (Munster) IPA^(key): /ˈkũːɾˠl̠ʲɪ/, /ˈkõːɾˠl̠ʲɪ/
• (Connacht) IPA^(key): /ˈkuːɾʲlʲə/
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /ˈkõːɾˠl̠ʲə/

Noun

comhairle f (genitive singular comhairle, nominative plural comhairlí or comhairleacha)

1. (piece of) advice, counsel; direction, influence
2. council

Declension

Declension of comhairle (fourth declension)

bare forms case singular plural nominative comhairle comhairlí vocative a chomhairle a chomhairlí genitive comhairle comhairlí dative comhairle comhairlí forms with the definite article case singular plural nominative an chomhairle na comhairlí genitive na comhairle na gcomhairlí dative leis an gcomhairle don chomhairle leis na comhairlí

• Alternative plural: comhairleacha

Derived terms

• ardchomhairle (“supreme council”)
• comhairleach (“advisory, consultative”, adjective)
• comhairleoir (“adviser, counsellor; councillor”)
• comhairligh (“advise, counsel; decide, resolve”, verb)
• dea-chomhairle (“good counsel”)

Mutation

Mutated forms of comhairle

radical	lenition	eclipsis
comhairle	chomhairle	gcomhairle

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) “comhairle”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “comhairle”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
• “comhairle”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013-2025

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Old Irish comairle (“advice, counsel, council”).

Pronunciation

• (Lewis) IPA^(key): /ˈkʰõ.ərˠl(ə)/
• (Uist) IPA^(key): /ˈkʰɔ̃.ərˠʎə/, [ˈkʰɔ̃ˑ.ərˠʎə]
• (Barra) IPA^(key): [ˈkʰɔ̝̃ˑ.ər̥ˠʎʌ]

Noun

comhairle f (genitive singular comhairle, plural comhairlean)

1. advice
2. council

Derived terms

• comhairle-riaghlaidh (“junta”)
• comhairlich (“advise”, verb)
• comhairliche (“councillor”)
• neach-comhairle (“counselor”)
• tairg comhairle do (“advise”, verb)
• thoir comhairle do/air (“advise”, verb)

Mutation

Mutation of comhairle

radical	lenition
comhairle	chomhairle

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) “comhairle”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary]‎^[2], 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN