-án

Irish

Alternative forms

• -eán (slender variant)

Etymology 1

From Old Irish -án, from Primitive Irish -ᚐᚌᚅᚔ (-agni).

Suffix

-án m

1. A suffix used to derive instruments, diminutives, and other nouns from primary nouns.

   Synonym: -achán

Usage notes

This suffix is productive in Modern Irish. It forms masculine nouns of the first declension. It was originally a diminutive, but in Modern Irish only a few words with this suffix can be considered diminutives.

Declension

Declension of -án

First declension

Bare forms: Case Singular Plural Nominative -án -áin Vocative a -áin a -ána Genitive -áin -án Dative -án -áin

Forms with the definite article: Case Singular Plural Nominative an -án na -áin Genitive an -áin na -án Dative leis an -án don -án leis na -áin

Derived terms

Irish terms suffixed with -án

Etymology 2

Suffix

-án m

1. (chemistry) -ane

Declension

Declension of -án

First declension

Bare forms: Case Singular Plural Nominative -án -áin Vocative a -áin a -ána Genitive -áin -án Dative -án -áin

Forms with the definite article: Case Singular Plural Nominative an -án na -áin Genitive an -áin na -án Dative leis an -án don -án leis na -áin

Derived terms

Irish terms suffixed with -án

Further reading

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

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Old Irish

Alternative forms

• -én

Etymology

From Primitive Irish -ᚐᚌᚅᚔ (-agni, genitive).

Suffix

-án m

1. diminutive suffix

Usage notes

After a palatalised consonant, the suffix becomes -én.

Inflection

Masculine o-stem
	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	-án	-ánL	-áinL
Vocative	-áin	-ánL	-ánuH
Accusative	-ánN	-ánL	-ánuH
Genitive	-áinL	-án	-ánN
Dative	-ánL	-ánaib	-ánaib
Initial mutations of a following adjective: H = triggers aspiration L = triggers lenition N = triggers nasalization

Derived terms

• -acán

Old Irish terms suffixed with -án

Descendants

• Irish: -án
• Manx: -ane
• Scottish Gaelic: -an