feidhm

Irish

Etymology

From Old Irish feidm (“effort”), from Proto-Celtic *wedesman, from Proto-Indo-European *wedʰ- (“to lead”). Compare Scottish Gaelic feum.

Pronunciation

• (Munster) IPA^(key): /fʲəimʲ/, [fʲëimʲ]
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /fʲəimʲ/, [fʲeimʲ], [fʲɛːmʲ]

Noun

feidhm f (genitive singular feidhme, nominative plural feidhmeanna)

1. use, application
2. service
3. function
4. business, affair
5. effect, effectiveness
6. need, necessity

   Níl feidhm é sin a dhéanamh.

   There’s no need to do that.

Declension

Declension of feidhm (second declension)

bare forms case singular plural nominative feidhm feidhmeanna vocative a fheidhm a fheidhmeanna genitive feidhme feidhmeanna dative feidhm feidhmeanna forms with the definite article case singular plural nominative an fheidhm na feidhmeanna genitive na feidhme na bhfeidhmeanna dative leis an bhfeidhm don fheidhm leis na feidhmeanna

Synonyms

• (need): gá
• (function, business, affair): gnó
• (service): seirbhís
• (use, function): úsáid

Derived terms

• aonfheidhmeach (“monofunctional”)
• cuir i bhfeidhm
• feidhmchlár (“computer application”)
• feidhmchumhacht
• feidhmeach
• feidhmeannach (“executive, official, agent”)
• feidhmeannas (“function, service”)
• feidhmeannas
• feidhmeanta
• feidhmigh
• feidhmitheach
• feidhmiú
• feidhmiúchán
• feidhmiúil
• feidhmiúlacht
• feidhmlár
• feidhmliosta
• feidhmnigh
• feidhmniú
• i bhfeidhm
• tar i bhfeidhm
• téigh i bhfeidhm

 

Mutation

Mutated forms of feidhm

radical	lenition	eclipsis
feidhm	fheidhm	bhfeidhm

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) “feidhm”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN