caonach

Irish

Alternative forms

• cúnach
• cunlach (Cork)
• caondach, caonnach, cúnnach (obsolete)

Etymology

Alteration of Old Irish cóennae, via an unattested Middle Irish *cáennach. Cognate to Manx keynnagh and Scottish Gaelic còinneach.

Pronunciation

• (Munster) IPA^(key): /ˈkeːn̪ˠəx/
• (Connacht) IPA^(key): /ˈkiːnˠəx/
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /ˈkiːnˠa(x)/, (older) /ˈkɯːnˠa(x)/

Noun

caonach m (genitive singular caonaigh)

1. moss

Declension

Declension of caonach

First declension

Bare forms (no plural of this noun) Case Singular Nominative caonach Vocative a chaonaigh Genitive caonaigh Dative caonach

Forms with the definite article: Case Singular Nominative an caonach Genitive an chaonaigh Dative leis an gcaonach don chaonach

Derived terms

• caonach liath (“mildew”)
• caonach mara (“sea moss”)
• caonach móna (“peat moss”)

Mutation

Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Eclipsis
caonach	chaonach	gcaonach
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

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