droichead

Irish

droichead

Etymology

From Old Irish drochet, from droch (“wheel”) + sét (“path”).

Pronunciation

• (Munster) IPA^(key): /ˈd̪ˠɾˠʌhəd̪ˠ/
• (Aran) IPA^(key): /ˈd̪ˠɾˠɛhəd̪ˠ/, /ˈd̪ˠɾˠeːd̪ˠ/
• (Cois Fharraige) IPA^(key): /ˈd̪ˠɾˠeːd̪ˠ/, /ˈd̪ˠɾˠəid̪ˠ/
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /ˈd̪ˠɾˠɛçəd̪ˠ/

Noun

droichead m (genitive singular droichid, nominative plural droichid)

1. (architecture, nautical, music) bridge
   • 1899, Franz Nikolaus Finck, Die araner mundart [The Aran Dialect], volume II (overall work in German), Marburg: Elwert’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, page 70:

     vī mē mə hȧsə ŕ n̥ drehəd.

     [Bhí mé i mo sheasamh ar an droichead.]

     I was standing on the bridge.

Declension

Declension of droichead (first declension)

bare forms case singular plural nominative droichead droichid vocative a dhroichid a dhroicheada genitive droichid droichead dative droichead droichid forms with the definite article case singular plural nominative an droichead na droichid genitive an droichid na ndroichead dative leis an droichead don droichead leis na droichid

Derived terms

• áirse droichid (“bridge arch”)
• Cill Droichid (“Celbridge”)
• deic droichid (“bridge deck”)
• doladhroichead (“toll bridge”)
• droichead ardaithe (“lift bridge”)
• Droichead Átha (“Drogheda”)
• droichead canála (“canal bridge”)
• droichead coise (“footbridge”)
• droichead coisithe (“footbridge”)
• droichead crochta (“suspension bridge”)
• droichead custaim (“toll bridge”)
• droichead dola (“toll bridge”)
• droichead dronnach (“humpback bridge”)
• droichead lúdrach (“swing bridge”)
• droichead meáite (“weighbridge”)
• Droichead Nua (“Newbridge, Co. Kildare”)
• droichead pontúin (“pontoon bridge”)
• droichead rópa (“rope bridge”)
• droichead slabhra (“chain bridge”)
• droichead sróine (“bridge of the nose”)
• droichead starrmhaide (“cantilever bridge”)
• droichead talún (“land bridge”)
• droichead tógála (“drawbridge, lift bridge”)
• droicheadú (“bridging (climbing technique)”)
• luascdhroichead (“swing bridge”)
• súil droichid (“bridge arch”)
• tógálaí droichead (“bridge builder”)

Mutation

Mutated forms of droichead

radical	lenition	eclipsis
droichead	dhroichead	ndroichead

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) “droichead”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• Dinneen, Patrick S. (1904) “droiċead”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, 1st edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 263
• de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “droichead”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
• “droichead”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013-2025