nighean

Irish

Noun

nighean f (genitive singular nighne, nominative plural nighneacha)

1. Superseded spelling of níon: Alternative form of iníon

Declension

Declension of nighean (second declension)

bare forms case singular plural nominative nighean nighneacha vocative a nighean a nighneacha genitive nighne nighneacha dative nighean nighneacha forms with the definite article case singular plural nominative an nighean na nighneacha genitive na nighne na nighneacha dative leis an nighean don nighean leis na nighneacha

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “nighean”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• Dinneen, Patrick S. (1904) “niġean”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, 1st edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 519

Scottish Gaelic

Alternative forms

• nigheann

Etymology

From Old Irish ingen, from Primitive Irish ᚔᚅᚔᚌᚓᚅᚐ (inigena), from Proto-Celtic *enigenā, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁én (“in”) + *ǵenh₁- (“produce, give birth”) (compare Latin indigena (“native”), Ancient Greek ἐγγόνη (engónē, “granddaughter”)).

Pronunciation

• (Lewis) IPA^(key): /ˈɲĩ.un/
• (Uist, Barra) IPA^(key): /ˈɲiˑ.ən/, /ˈɲiˑ.an/
• (Wester Ross) IPA^(key): /ˈɲĩ.ən/

Noun

nighean f (dative nighinn, genitive nighinn or nighinne or ìghne or inghinn, plural nigheanan or nigheannan or nighnean or ìghnean or ingheanan)

1. daughter, female offspring
2. girl
3. maiden, young woman

   Synonyms: ainnir, cailin, gruagach, maighdeann, òigh, rìbhinn

   An cluinn thu mi, mo nighean donn? ― Will you listen to me, my brown-haired girl?

Derived terms

• leas-nighean
• clann-nighean