Nollaig

Irish

Alternative forms

• Nodlaig (superseded)

Etymology

From Old Irish Notlaic, from Latin nātālīcia (“a birthday party”), from nātālis (“natal”), from nātus (“born”). Compare Welsh Nadolig, Breton Nedeleg and French Noël.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈn̪ˠɔl̪ˠəɟ/
• IPA^(key): /ˈn̪ˠɔl̪ˠəc/
• IPA^(key): /ˈn̪ˠʌl̪ˠəc/

Proper noun

Nollaig f (genitive Nollag, nominative plural Nollaigí)

1. Christmas (festival on 25 December; season from 24 December to 6 January)
2. a male or female given name from Latin, equivalent to English Noel or Noelle.

Declension

Declension of Nollaig

Fifth declension

Bare forms Case Singular Plural Nominative Nollaig Nollaigí Vocative a Nollaig a Nollaigí Genitive Nollag Nollaigí Dative Nollaig Nollaigí

Forms with the definite article Case Singular Plural Nominative an Nollaig na Nollaigí Genitive na Nollag na Nollaigí Dative leis an Nollaig don Nollaig leis na Nollaigí

• Alternative plural: Nollaigeacha (Cois Fharraige)

Derived terms

• bloc Nollag (“yule log”)
• cárta Nollag (“Christmas card”)
• Daidí na Nollag (“Father Christmas, Santa Claus”)
• Mí na Nollag (“December”)

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “Nollaig”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “notlaic”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• Dinneen, Patrick S. (1904) “Nodlaig”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, 1st edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 520
• de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “Nollaig”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
• “Nollaig”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013-2024

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Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Old Irish Notlaic, from Latin nātālīcia (“a birthday party”), with specific reference to the birth of Christ.

Proper noun

Nollaig f (genitive Nollaige, plural Nollaigean)

1. Christmas

Derived terms

• Bodach na Nollaige
• Là Nollaige
• Oidhche Nollaige

 

Further reading

• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “notlaic”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language