laoch

See also: łaoch

Irish

Etymology

From Old Irish láech (“warrior, layman”), from Late Latin lāicus (“lay, layman, laic”), from Ancient Greek λᾱϊκός (lāïkós, “of the people”), from λᾱός (lāós, “the people”). Matasović suggests the “warrior” sense may instead be from Proto-Celtic *lāikos from Proto-Indo-European *leh₂- (“war”).

Pronunciation

• (Munster) IPA^(key): /l̪ˠeːx/
• (Connacht) IPA^(key): /l̪ˠiːx/
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /l̪ˠiːx/, (older) /l̪ˠɯːx/

Noun

laoch m (genitive singular laoich, nominative plural laochra or laoich)

1. (literary) layman
2. warrior, hero

   Synonyms: curadh, gaiscíoch

Declension

Declension of laoch (first declension)

bare forms case singular plural nominative laoch laochra vocative a laoich a laochra genitive laoich laochra dative laoch laochra forms with the definite article case singular plural nominative an laoch na laochra genitive an laoich na laochra dative leis an laoch don laoch leis na laochra

Declension of laoch (first declension)

bare forms case singular plural nominative laoch laoich vocative a laoich a laocha genitive laoich laoch dative laoch laoich forms with the definite article case singular plural nominative an laoch na laoich genitive an laoich na laoch dative leis an laoch don laoch leis na laoich

Derived terms

• athlaoch
• laochadhradh m (“hero-worship”)
• laochas m (“heroism”)
• laochmhíle m (“man-at-arms, warrior”)
• laochta (“valorous, heroic”, adjective)

 

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “laoch”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Old Irish láech (“warrior, layman”), from Late Latin lāicus (“lay, layman, laic”), from Ancient Greek λαϊκός (laïkós, “of the people”), from λαός (laós, “the people”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɫ̪ɯːx/

Noun

laoch m (genitive singular laoich, plural laoich)

1. hero, champion, warrior

Synonyms

• gaisgeach

Derived terms

• laochan (“boy, lad”)

Related terms

• bana-ghaisgeach (“heroine”)

Mutation

Mutation of laoch

radical	lenition
laoch	unchanged

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Scottish Gaelic.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

References

• Edward Dwelly (1911) “laoch”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary]‎^[1], 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “láech”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language