bealach

See also: béalach

Irish

Etymology

From Old Irish belach (“gap, pass, road, path”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bʲəˈl̪ˠɑx/
• IPA^(key): /ˈbʲalˠəx/
• IPA^(key): /ˈbʲalˠa(h)/

Noun

bealach m (genitive singular bealaigh, nominative plural bealaí)

1. way
   1. road, track

      Synonyms: bóthar, ród

   2. route

      Synonyms: caoi, slí

   3. passage, thoroughfare
   4. direction
   5. distance, journey
   6. manner, method
   7. manner, respect

      Synonyms: bóthar, modh

2. pass
   1. passage, sound (long narrow inlet)

      Synonyms: béal, caolas, sunda

Declension

Declension of bealach

First declension

Bare forms: Case Singular Plural Nominative bealach bealaí Vocative a bhealaigh a bhealaí Genitive bealaigh bealaí Dative bealach bealaí

Forms with the definite article: Case Singular Plural Nominative an bealach na bealaí Genitive an bhealaigh na mbealaí Dative leis an mbealach don bhealach leis na bealaí

Derived terms

• aerbhealach (“airway”)
• ar an mbealach céanna (“alike, similarly”)
• ar aon bhealach (“at any rate”)
• ar bhealach éigin (“somehow”)
• ar bhealach (“in a way”)
• ar chéad bealach (“in many ways”)
• ar gach uile bhealach (“in every way”)
• as bealach (“out of the way; wrong”)
• athbhealach (“detour”)
• bealach aeir (“air route”)
• bealach aic (“shortcut”)
• bealach amach (“way out”)
• bealach análaithe (“respiratory tract”)
• bealach bus (“bus route”)
• bealach cise (“corduroy road”)
• bealach coise (“footway, track”)
• bealach cúil (“by-way”)
• bealach éalaithe (“escape route”)
• bealach iarainn (“railway”)
• bealach imdháilte (“distribution channel”)
• bealach iompair (“runway”)
• bealach isteach (“way in”)
• bealach mara (“sea route”)
• bealach mór (“highway”)
• Bealach na Bó Finne (“the Milky Way”)
• bealach oibre (“way, manner, of working”)
• bealach stuach (“archway”)
• bealach trádála (“trade route”)
• bealach trasna (“zebra crossing”)
• bealach uisce (“water-way”)
• carrbhealach (“carriageway”)
• crosbhealach (“crossroad”)
• débhealach (“dual carriageway”)
• fobhealach (“subway, underpass”)
• glanbhealach (“clearway”)
• íosbhealach (“subway, underpass; space under a bridge”)
• luasbhealach (“expressway”)
• mórbhealach (“arterial road; main road, highway”)
• mótarbhealach (“motorway, autoroute”)
• rotharbhealach (“cycleway”)
• saorbhealach (“freeway”)
• seachbhealach (“bypass”)
• siúlbhealach (“walkway”)
• taobh-bhealach (“side-path”)
• tarbhealach (“viaduct”)
• tollbhealach (“adit”)
• trasbhealach (“crossing”)
• uasbhealach (“overpass”)

 

Mutation

Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Eclipsis
bealach	bhealach	mbealach
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “bealach”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “bealach”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
• “bealach”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013-2024
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “belach”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• Dinneen, Patrick S. (1904) “bealach”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, 1st edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 59

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Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Old Irish belach (“gap, pass, road, path”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pjaɫ̪əx/

Noun

bealach m (genitive singular bealaich, plural bealaichean)

1. defile, passage, pass or gorge of a mountain, glen
2. gap, breach (in a wall or fence)
3. gateway, gate
4. road

Mutation

Scottish Gaelic mutation
Radical	Lenition
bealach	bhealach
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

References

• Edward Dwelly (1911) “bealach”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary]‎^[1], 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “belach”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language