dubh

Irish

Alternative forms

• dú- (combining form)

Etymology

From Old Irish dub, from Proto-Celtic *dubus (“black”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰewbʰ- (“black”). Cognates include English deaf.

Pronunciation

• (Munster) IPA^(key): /d̪ˠʊvˠ/
• (Aran) IPA^(key): /d̪ˠʊ/, /d̪ˠɞ/
• (Connemara) IPA^(key): /d̪ˠʊ(vˠ)/
• (Mayo) IPA^(key): /d̪ˠʊw/, (rare) /d̪ˠʊfˠ/
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /d̪ˠʊh/, [d̪ˠʊʍ]; (rare) /d̪ˠʊfˠ/

Adjective

dubh (genitive singular masculine duibh, genitive singular feminine duibhe, plural dubha, comparative duibhe or dúcha)

1. black
2. black-haired
3. (nominalized, masculine) black (color)

Declension

Declension of dubh

	singular		plural (m/f)
Positive	masculine	feminine	(strong noun)	(weak noun)
nominative	dubh	dhubh	dubha; dhubha2
vocative	dhuibh		dubha
genitive		duibhe	dubha	dubh
dative	dubh; dhubh1	dhubh; dhuibh (archaic)	dubha; dhubha2
Comparative	níos duibhe
Superlative	is duibhe

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

• Alternative comparative form: dúcha (Cois Fharraige)

Derived terms

• abhac dubh (“black dwarf”)
• baintreach dhubh (“black widow”)
• béar dubh (“black bear”)
• Brandubh
• ceanndubh (“black-headed”, adjective)
• clár dubh (“blackboard”)
• dú- (“black, dark”)
• dubh an charbóin (“carbon black”)
• dubh carbóin (“carbon black”)
• dubhán
• Dubhdáleithe
• Dubhdarach
• Dubhghall
• Dubhghus
• Dubhlachán
• dúch (“ink”)
• dúchan
• dúghorm (“dark blue, navy blue”, adjective)
• geabhróg dhubh (“black tern”)
• grús píbdhubh (“black-necked crane”)
• leann dubh (“stout, porter”)
• lon dubh (“blackbird”)
• lúbán dubh (“black pudding”)
• margadh dubh (“black market”)
• ó dhubh go dubh (“from dawn to dusk”)
• píbdhubh (“black-necked”, adjective)
• piobar dubh (“black pepper”)
• putóg dhubh (“black pudding”)
• scamhóg dhubh (“black lung”)
• scothdhubh (“blackish”, adjective)
• súil dhubh (“black eye, shiner”)
• tae dubh (“black tea”)

 

See also

Colors in Irish · dathanna (layout · text)

bán	liath	dubh
dearg; corcairdhearg	oráiste, flannbhuí; donn	buí; bánbhuí
líoma-ghlas, glas líoma	glas, uaine	dath an mhiontais
cian	gormghlas, spéirghorm	gorm
corcairghorm; indeagó	maigeanta; corcra	bándearg

Mutation

Mutated forms of dubh

radical	lenition	eclipsis
dubh	dhubh	ndubh

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) “dubh”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “dubh”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
• “dubh”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013-2024

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Old Irish dub (“black”), from Proto-Celtic *dubus (“black”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰewbʰ- (“black”).

Cognates within Celtic include Breton du (“black”), Welsh du (“black”), Cornish duv or du (“black”), Gaulish river name Dubis, now Doubs. Cognates outside Celtic include Ancient Greek τυφλός (tuphlós, “blind”), Gothic 𐌳𐌰𐌿𐌱𐍃 (daubs, “deaf”), German taub (“deaf”), English deaf, English dumb.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /t̪uh/, [t̪uh~t̪ʊh], [t̪u~t̪ʊ], [t̪uɣ~t̪ʊɣ]

Adjective

dubh

1. black
2. (hair color) black-haired

   Tha Dòmhnall Dubh an Dòmhnallaich a-nochd a' tòir air Mòraig. ― Black-haired Donald MacDonald is chasing after Morag tonight.

Derived terms

• bòrd-dubh (“blackboard”)
• cailleachag a' chinn duibh (“coal tit”)
• dubh dorch (“pitch black”)
• dubh-cheist
• dubh-fhacal (“riddle”)
• duine dubh (“black person”)
• gealag-dhubh-cheannach (“reed bunting”)
• losgann dubh (“toad”)
• màl dubh (“blackmail”, noun)
• marag dhubh (“black pudding”)
• sgian-dubh (“sgian dubh”)

 

Noun

dubh m (genitive singular duibh, plural dubhan)

1. blackness, darkness

   Synonyms: dorchadas, dubhar

2. ink

   Synonym: inc

3. pupil (of eye)

   Synonym: clach na sùla

Derived terms

• o mhoch gu dubh

Verb

dubh (past dhubh, future dubhaidh, verbal noun dubhadh, past participle dubhte)

1. blacken

Derived terms

• dubh a-mach
• dubh às

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

Mutation

Mutation of dubh

radical	lenition
dubh	dhubh

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