cailín

Irish

Etymology

From caile (“maid”) +‎ -ín (“diminutive”).

Pronunciation

• (Munster) IPA: /kaˈlʲiːnʲ/
• (Connacht) IPA: /ˈkalʲiːnʲ/
• (Ulster) IPA: /ˈkalʲinʲ/

Noun

cailín m (genitive cailín, nominative plural cailíní)

1. girl
2. young, unmarried woman
3. Female servant
4. useful thing (referring to a feminine noun)

   Is í an druil an cailín chun na hoibre.

   The drill is the right tool for the job.

Usage notes

This noun is masculine because of the suffix -ín. Nevertheless, the feminine pronouns sí and í are used for the referent.

Inflection

Declension of cailín

Fourth declension

Bare forms Case Singular Plural Nominative cailín cailíní Vocative a chailín a chailíní Genitive cailín cailíní Dative cailín cailíní

Forms with the definite article Case Singular Plural Nominative an cailín na cailíní Genitive an chailín na gcailíní Dative leis an gcailín don chailín leis na cailíní

Coordinate terms

• bean (“woman”)
• buachaill (“boy”)
• fear (“man”)

Descendants

• English: colleen
• Shelta: lakeen

Mutation

Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Eclipsis
cailín	chailín	gcailín
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.