donn

See also: Donn and dónn

Central Franconian

Alternative forms

• don (northern Moselle Franconian, some Ripuarian dialects)
• dun (southern Moselle Franconian)

Etymology

From Middle High German duon, from Old High German *duon, northern variant of tuon, from Proto-West Germanic *dōn.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /don/

Verb

donn (third-person singular present deet or deit, preterite dät, past participle jedon or jedonn)

1. (many dialects of Ripuarian, including Kölsch) to do
2. (same dialects) Used in the preterite with a following infinitive to form the paraphrastic preterite.

   Ich dät us der Finster luure. ― I looked out the window.

3. (same dialects) Used in the subjunctive with a following infinitive to form the conditional tense.

   Ich dät jo noch jet blieve, ävver meng Frau well heem.

   I would stay some more, but my wife wants to go home.

Usage notes

• The past participle has an open vowel /ɔ/, either long or short, but never /o/ as in the infinitive.
• The paraphrastic preterite can be used with all verbs except auxiliaries and modals. It is preferred especially with regular verbs, though the regular preterite does remain functional in Ripuarian (unlike Moselle Franconian); thus alternatively: Ich luurten us der Finster. (“I looked out the window.”) As in colloquial Standard German the preterite as such is restricted semantically and syntactically, the past being predominantly expressed by the perfect tense.

Descendants

• Hunsrik: dun
• Kölsch: dunn
• Luxembourgish: doen

Irish

Pronunciation

• (Munster) IPA^(key): /d̪ˠoun̪ˠ/, /d̪ˠəun̪ˠ/
• (Galway) IPA^(key): /d̪ˠaun̪ˠ/
• (Mayo) IPA^(key): /d̪ˠʊn̪ˠ/
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /d̪ˠʌn̪ˠ/

Etymology 1

From Old Irish donn, from Proto-Celtic *dusnos (“brown”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰewh₂- (“smoke”).

Adjective

donn (genitive singular masculine doinn, genitive singular feminine doinne, plural donna, comparative doinne)

1. brown
2. brown-haired, brunette
3. made of hard brown timber
4. strong, solid
5. used as intensifying term

Declension

Declension of donn

	singular		plural (m/f)
Positive	masculine	feminine	(strong noun)	(weak noun)
nominative	donn	dhonn	donna; dhonna2
vocative	dhoinn		donna
genitive		doinne	donna	donn
dative	donn; dhonn1	dhonn; dhoinn (archaic)	donna; dhonna2
Comparative	níos doinne
Superlative	is doinne

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

Obsolete spellings

Declension of donn

	singular		plural (m/f)
Positive	masculine	feminine	(strong noun)	(weak noun)
nominative	donn	dhonn	donna; dhonna2
vocative	dhuinn		donna
genitive		duinne	donna	donn
dative	donn; dhonn1	dhonn; dhuinn (archaic)	donna; dhonna2
Comparative	níos duinne
Superlative	is duinne

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

• abhac donn m (“brown dwarf”)
• arán donn m (“brown bread”)
• béar donn m (“brown bear”)
• breac donn m (“brown trout”)
• buídhonn (“fawn”, adjective)
• Donn Cuailgne
• donn- (“brownish”)
• donnaigh (“brown; tan, rust”, verb)
• donnrua (“brick red, chestnut; russet; bay”, adjective)
• francach donn m (“brown rat”)
• leann donn m (“brown ale”)
• scothdhonn (“brownish”, adjective)

 

Noun

donn m or f (genitive singular doinn or doinne)

1. brown (colour)
2. brown animal (masculine or feminine declined differently)
3. hard brown timber

Declension

Declension of donn (first declension, no plural)

bare forms case singular nominative donn vocative a dhoinn genitive doinn dative donn forms with the definite article case singular nominative an donn genitive an doinn dative leis an donn don donn

Feminine (only used to refer to a female brown animal)

Declension of donn (second declension, no plural)

bare forms case singular nominative donn vocative a dhonn genitive doinne dative donn forms with the definite article case singular nominative an donn genitive na doinne dative leis an donn don donn

Verb

donn (present analytic donnann, future analytic donnfaidh, verbal noun donnadh, past participle donnta)

1. (transitive, intransitive) Alternative form of donnaigh (“brown; tan, rust”)

Conjugation

conjugation of donn (first conjugation – A)

		singular			plural			relative	autonomous
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative	present	donnim	donnann tú; donnir†	donnann sé, sí	donnimid	donnann sibh	donnann siad; donnid†	a dhonnann; a dhonnas / a ndonnann*	donntar
	past	dhonn mé; dhonnas	dhonn tú; dhonnis	dhonn sé, sí	dhonnamar; dhonn muid	dhonn sibh; dhonnabhair	dhonn siad; dhonnadar	a dhonn / ar dhonn*	donnadh
	past habitual	dhonninn / ndonninn‡‡	dhonntá / ndonntᇇ	dhonnadh sé, sí / ndonnadh sé, s퇇	dhonnimis; dhonnadh muid / ndonnimis‡‡; ndonnadh muid‡‡	dhonnadh sibh / ndonnadh sibh‡‡	dhonnidís; dhonnadh siad / ndonnidís‡‡; ndonnadh siad‡‡	a dhonnadh / a ndonnadh*	dhonntí / ndonnt퇇
future		donnfidh mé; donnfad	donnfidh tú; donnfir†	donnfidh sé, sí	donnfimid; donnfidh muid	donnfidh sibh	donnfidh siad; donnfid†	a dhonnfidh; a dhonnfas / a ndonnfidh*	donnfar
conditional		dhonnfinn / ndonnfinn‡‡	dhonnfá / ndonnfᇇ	dhonnfadh sé, sí / ndonnfadh sé, s퇇	dhonnfimis; dhonnfadh muid / ndonnfimis‡‡; ndonnfadh muid‡‡	dhonnfadh sibh / ndonnfadh sibh‡‡	dhonnfidís; dhonnfadh siad / ndonnfidís‡‡; ndonnfadh siad‡‡	a dhonnfadh / a ndonnfadh*	dhonnfí / ndonnf퇇
subjunctive	present	go ndonn mé; go ndonnad†	go ndonn tú; go ndonnir†	go ndonn sé, sí	go ndonnimid; go ndonn muid	go ndonn sibh	go ndonn siad; go ndonnid†	—	go ndonntar
	past	dá ndonninn	dá ndonntá	dá ndonnadh sé, sí	dá ndonnimis; dá ndonnadh muid	dá ndonnadh sibh	dá ndonnidís; dá ndonnadh siad	—	dá ndonntí
imperative		donnim	donn	donnadh sé, sí	donnimis	donnigí; donnidh†	donnidís	—	donntar
verbal noun		donnadh
past participle		donnta

* indirect relative
† archaic or dialect form
‡‡ dependent form used with particles that trigger eclipsis

Etymology 2

From Old Irish donn (“chief, lord, noble”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰus-no-.

Noun

donn m (genitive singular doinn, nominative plural doinn)

2. (literary) noble, prince

Declension

Declension of donn (first declension)

bare forms case singular plural nominative donn doinn vocative a dhoinn a dhonna genitive doinn donn dative donn doinn forms with the definite article case singular plural nominative an donn na doinn genitive an doinn na ndonn dative leis an donn don donn leis na doinn

Derived terms

• Donn m (proper noun)

Etymology 3

Noun

donn f (genitive singular doinne, nominative plural donna)

1. Alternative form of dronn (“hump; camber”)

Declension

Declension of donn (second declension)

bare forms case singular plural nominative donn donna vocative a dhonn a dhonna genitive doinne donn dative donn donna forms with the definite article case singular plural nominative an donn na donna genitive na doinne na ndonn dative leis an donn don donn leis na donna

Mutation

Mutated forms of donn

radical	lenition	eclipsis
donn	dhonn	ndonn

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) “donn”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “1 donn”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “2 donn”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “donn”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
• Finck, F. N. (1899) Die araner mundart [The Aran Dialect] (in German), volume II, Marburg: Elwert’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, page 63
• “donn”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013-2024
• Quiggin, E. C. (1906) A Dialect of Donegal, Cambridge University Press, page 24

Maltese

Etymology

From Arabic. Probably the imperfect of ظَنَّ (ẓanna, “to think, opine, conjecture”) in a phrase like أَظُنُّهُم مُتَضايِقِين (ʔaẓunnuhum mutaḍāyiqīn, “I think them despondent”). Then reconstrued as an adverb (or false verb). Alternatively from the related noun ظَنّ (ẓann, “opinion, conjecture”), but this seems unlikely.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /dɔnn/

Adverb

donn-

1. seemingly, by appearance

   Kienu donnhom imdejqin.

   They seemed despondent.

   (literally, “They were (by) their appearance despondent.”)

   Donnok ma tifhimx.

   You don’t seem to understand.

   (literally, “(By) your appearance you don’t understand.”)

Usage notes

• As above, the word takes pronominal suffixes according to the subject.

Old Irish

Alternative forms

• dond

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /don͈/

Etymology 1

From Proto-Celtic *dusnos (“brown”).

Adjective

donn

1. brown, tawny, dun
2. hazel (of eyes)
3. chestnut (of animals)

Inflection

o/ā-stem
Singular	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	donn	donn	donn
Vocative	duinn* donn**
Accusative	donn	duinn
Genitive	duinn	duinne	duinn
Dative	donn	duinn	donn
Plural	Masculine	Feminine/neuter
Nominative	duinn	donna
Vocative	donnu donna†
Accusative	donnu donna†
Genitive	donn
Dative	donnaib
Notes	*modifying a noun whose vocative is different from its nominative **modifying a noun whose vocative is identical to its nominative † not when substantivized

Alternative declension:

o/ā-stem
Singular	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	donn	donn	donn
Vocative	doinn* donn**
Accusative	donn	doinn
Genitive	doinn	doinne	doinn
Dative	donn	doinn	donn
Plural	Masculine	Feminine/neuter
Nominative	doinn	donna
Vocative	donnu donna†
Accusative	donnu donna†
Genitive	donn
Dative	donnaib
Notes	*modifying a noun whose vocative is different from its nominative **modifying a noun whose vocative is identical to its nominative † not when substantivized

Descendants

• Irish: donn
• Manx: dhone
• Scottish Gaelic: donn

Etymology 2

From Proto-Indo-European *dʰus-no-.

Noun

donn m

1. chief, lord, noble

   Synonyms: mál, toísech, túathach

2. lordship, chieftainship

   Synonyms: flaith, tigernas

Declension

Masculine o-stem
	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	donn	donnL	duinnL
Vocative	duinn	donnL	donnuH
Accusative	donnN	donnL	donnuH
Genitive	duinnL	donn	donnN
Dative	donnL	donnaib	donnaib
Initial mutations of a following adjective: H = triggers aspiration L = triggers lenition N = triggers nasalization

Descendants

• Irish: donn

Adjective

donn

1. princely, noble

Declension

o/ā-stem
Singular	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	donn	donn	donn
Vocative	duinn* donn**
Accusative	donn	duinn
Genitive	duinn	duinne	duinn
Dative	donn	duinn	donn
Plural	Masculine	Feminine/neuter
Nominative	duinn	donna
Vocative	donnu donna†
Accusative	donnu donna†
Genitive	donn
Dative	donnaib
Notes	*modifying a noun whose vocative is different from its nominative **modifying a noun whose vocative is identical to its nominative † not when substantivized

Alternative declension

o/ā-stem
Singular	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	donn	donn	donn
Vocative	doinn* donn**
Accusative	donn	doinn
Genitive	doinn	doinne	doinn
Dative	donn	doinn	donn
Plural	Masculine	Feminine/neuter
Nominative	doinn	donna
Vocative	donnu donna†
Accusative	donnu donna†
Genitive	donn
Dative	donnaib
Notes	*modifying a noun whose vocative is different from its nominative **modifying a noun whose vocative is identical to its nominative † not when substantivized

Etymology 3

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

donn (gender unknown, genitive duinn)

1. theft, stolen property

Inflection

Its gender is unknown, although Binchy in his edition of Críth Gablach provisionally treats it as neuter.

Neuter o-stem
	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	donnN	donnN	donnL, donna
Vocative	donnN	donnN	donnL, donna
Accusative	donnN	donnN	donnL, donna
Genitive	duinnL	donn	donnN
Dative	donnL	donnaib	donnaib
Initial mutations of a following adjective: H = triggers aspiration L = triggers lenition N = triggers nasalization

Mutation

Mutation of donn

radical	lenition	nasalization
donn	donn pronounced with /ð(ʲ)-/	ndonn

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

Further reading

• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “1 donn”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “2 donn”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “3 donn”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language

Plautdietsch

Adverb

donn

1. then, at that time

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Old Irish donn, from Proto-Celtic *dusnos (“brown”), from Proto-Indo-European *dusnos-, *donnos- (“dark”), from *dʰewh₂- (“smoke”).

Pronunciation

• (Lewis) IPA^(key): /d̪̊ɔ̃ũn̪ˠ/, [d̪̊ɔ̃ʊ̃n̪ˠ]
• (North Uist) IPA^(key): /d̪̊oun̪ˠ/
• (Barra) IPA^(key): [d̪̊ɔ̝un̪ˠ]

Adjective

donn (comparative duinne)

1. brown
2. (hair color) brown-haired, brunette

Declension

Declension of donn (type I adjective)

	masculine	feminine	plural
nominative	donn	dhonn	donna
genitive	dhuinn	duinne	donna
dative	donn	dhuinn	donna
vocative	dhuinn	dhonn	donna

Derived terms

• comhachag-dhonn
• dreathan donn

Mutation

Mutation of donn

radical	lenition
donn	dhonn

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

See also

Colors in Scottish Gaelic · dathan (layout · text)

bàn, geal	glas	dubh
dearg; ruadh	orains; donn	buidhe; donn
uaine	uaine	gorm
liath; glas	liath	gorm
purpaidh; guirmean	pinc; purpaidh	pinc

Further reading

• Edward Dwelly (1911) “donn”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary]‎^[2], 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN
• MacBain, Alexander, Mackay, Eneas (1911) “donn”, in An Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language‎^[3], Stirling, →ISBN