fréamh

Irish

Alternative forms

• freumh (obsolete)
• préamh (Munster)
• preumh (Munster, obsolete)

Etymology

From Old Irish frém, prém, from older frén.

Pronunciation

• (Aran) IPA^(key): /fʲɾʲeːvˠ/

Noun

fréamh f (genitive singular fréimhe, nominative plural fréamhacha)

1. root
2. source, origin
3. (literary) rootstock, race
4. (linguistics, chemistry) radical

Declension

Declension of fréamh

Second declension

Bare forms Case Singular Plural Nominative fréamh fréamhacha Vocative a fhréamh a fhréamhacha Genitive fréimhe fréamhacha Dative fréamh fréimh (archaic, dialectal) fréamhacha

Forms with the definite article Case Singular Plural Nominative an fhréamh na fréamhacha Genitive na fréimhe na bhfréamhacha Dative leis an bhfréamh leis an bhfréimh (archaic, dialectal) don fhréamh don fhréimh (archaic, dialectal) leis na fréamhacha

Archaic weak plural forms:

• Nominative/vocative: fréamha
• Genitive: fréamh
• Dative: fréamhaibh

Derived terms

• aigéadfhréamh f (“acid radical”)
• bunfhréamh f (“tap-root”)
• comhfhréamhach (“having the same root”, adjective)
• fréamh-ais f (“radical axis”)
• fréamh-roghchlár m (“root menu”)
• fréamhach (“rooted”, adjective)
• fréamhach m (“roots”)
• fréamhaí (“radical”, adjective)
• fréamhaí m (“derivative”)
• fréamhaigh (“take root”, verb)
• fréamhán m (“radicle”)
• fréamhbhrú m (“root pressure”)
• fréamhchumhdach m (“root cap”)
• fréamhfhocal m (“root-word”)
• fréamhlár m (“radical centre”)
• fréamhnóidín m (“root nodule”)
• fréamhnóta m (“fundamental”)
• fréamhribe m (“root hair”)
• fréamhshamhail f (“prototype”)
• sainfhréamh f (“characteristic root”)
• socfhréamh f (“tap root”)

 

Mutation

Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Eclipsis
fréamh	fhréamh	bhfréamh
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “fréamh”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• Dinneen, Patrick S. (1904) “fréaṁ”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, 1st edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 334
• de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “fréamh”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
• “fréamh”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013-2024