feamainn

Irish

Etymology

From Middle Irish femain, femmain (“(edible) seaweed”), from Proto-Celtic *wimmonā, related to Old Breton goumon (late Proto-Brythonic *gwɨmon (“seaweed”)), whence French goémon.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈfʲamˠən̠ʲ/
• (Aran) IPA^(key): /ˈfʲamˠən/
• (Waterford, Cork) IPA^(key): /ˈfʲamˠɪɲ/

Noun

feamainn f (genitive singular feamainne)

1. seaweed, wrack

   Hyponyms: barrchonlach, cadamán, cáithleach, leathach, lóch, múr, múrach, racálach, raibh, rúscán, scothach, turscar, caisíneach, casfheamainn, ceilp, dúlamán, miléarach, míoránach

2. eelgrass, seawrack (Zostera marina)

Declension

Declension of feamainn

Second declension

Bare forms (no plural form of this noun) Case Singular Nominative feamainn Vocative a fheamainn Genitive feamainne Dative feamainn

Forms with the definite article Case Singular Nominative an fheamainn Genitive na feamainne Dative leis an bhfeamainn don fheamainn

Derived terms

• feamainneach
• feamnach
• feamnaigh
• pollóg feamainne (“brown pollock”)

 

Mutation

Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Eclipsis
feamainn	fheamainn	bhfeamainn
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “feamainn”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “feamainn”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
• “feamainn”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013-2024

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Middle Irish femain, femmain (“(edible) seaweed”), from Proto-Celtic *wimmonā, related to Old Breton goumon (late Proto-Brythonic *gwɨmon (“seaweed”)), whence French goémon.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈfemɪɲ/
• (Lewis) IPA^(key): [ˈfæ̃mɪɲ]

Noun

feamainn f (genitive singular feamann or feamnach or feamad, no plural)

1. seaweed

Verb

feamainn (past dh'fheamainn, future feamainnidh, verbal noun feamnadh, past participle feamainnte)

1. (agriculture) manure, fertilise (with seaweed)

Mutation

Scottish Gaelic mutation
Radical	Lenition
feamainn	fheamainn
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

• Schrijver, Peter C. H. (1995) Studies in British Celtic historical phonology (Leiden studies in Indo-European; 5), Amsterdam, Atlanta: Rodopi
• Marlekaj Luigj & Mandalà, Matteo (1999): Studi in onore di Luigi Marlekaj