leann

Irish

leann

Etymology 1

From Old Irish linn (“drink, liquid; brew, ale, beer, intoxicating drink”), from Proto-Celtic *lindom. Doublet of lionn.

Alternative forms

• lionn (Munster)

Noun

leann m or f (genitive singular leanna, nominative plural leannta)

1. (pale) ale; beer

   Synonym: (pale ale) leann gealbhuí

2. liquid, fluid

Declension

Declension of leann (third declension)

bare forms case singular plural nominative leann leannta vocative a leann a leannta genitive leanna leannta dative leann leannta forms with the definite article case singular plural nominative an leann na leannta genitive an leanna na leannta dative leis an leann don leann leis na leannta

Derived terms

• leann bó m (“milk”)
• leann donn m (“brown ale”)
• leann dubh m (“stout”)
• leann fraoigh m (“heather-ale”)
• leann pailme m (“toddy”)
• leann piorra m (“perry”)
• leann searbh m (“bitter”)
• leann sinséir m (“ginger ale”)
• leann táith m (“binding influence”)
• leann úll m (“cider”)
• leannlus, lus an leanna (“hops”)
• seomra leanna (“tap-room”)
• teach leanna m (“ale-house”)

 

Etymology 2

From Old Irish lenn f (“cloak, mantle”), from Proto-Celtic *linnā (“cloak, veil”). Cognate with Welsh llen, Cornish len, Breton lenn, Gaulish linna.

Noun

leann f (genitive singular leinne, nominative plural leanna)

1. (literary) cloak, mantle

Declension

Declension of leann (second declension)

bare forms case singular plural nominative leann leanna vocative a leann a leanna genitive leinne leann dative leann leanna forms with the definite article case singular plural nominative an leann na leanna genitive na leinne na leann dative leis an leann don leann leis na leanna

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “leann”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “2 linn”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “1 lenn”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “leann”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
• “leann”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013-2025

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Old Irish linn, lind (“drink, liquid; brew, ale, beer, intoxicating drink”) and cognate with Welsh llyn. Stokes suggests a connection with Ancient Greek πλαδαρός (pladarós, “moist”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʎaun̪ˠ/

Noun

leann m (genitive singular leanna, plural leanntan or leanntaidhean)

1. ale, beer
2. liquor, drink
3. (in the plural) humours of the body

Synonyms

• lionn

Derived terms

• bèist-dà-leann f (“tapeworm”)
• droch leanntan m pl (“bad humours”)
• eadar dhà leann (“'twixt sinking and swimming; water-logged”)
• leann-caol m, leth-leann m (“small beer”)
• leann-geur m, leann-goirt m (“alegar, sour ale”)
• leann-goile m, leann-meirbhidh m (“chyle”)
• leann-làidir m (“strong beer”)
• leann-loisgte m (“dregs from distilling whisky; dregs from which ale is brewed”)
• leann-ràcadail m (“ginger beer”)
• leann-ruadhaidh m (“choler”)
• leann-ruadh m (“choler, anger”)
• leann-tàlaidh m (“allurement, power of enticing by charms”)
• leann-tàthaidh m (“callus fluid; cement; animal spirits in the body”)
• leann-ubhall m (“cider”)
• taigh-leanna m (“beerhouse”)

 

Mutation

Mutation of leann

radical	lenition
leann	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) “leann”, 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), “2 linn”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language