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

Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Eclipsis
feidhm	fheidhm	bhfeidhm
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

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