cailc

Irish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kalʲc/
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /kælʲc/

Etymology 1

From Old Irish cailc (“limestone, lime”), from Latin calx (“limestone”), from Ancient Greek χάλιξ (khálix, “pebble”).

Noun

cailc f (genitive singular cailce, nominative plural cailceanna)

1. chalk
2. pipeclay
3. chalked mark, limit

Declension

Declension of cailc (second declension)

bare forms singular plural nominative cailc cailceanna vocative a chailc a chailceanna genitive cailce cailceanna dative cailc cailceanna forms with the definite article singular plural nominative an chailc na cailceanna genitive na cailce na gcailceanna dative leis an gcailc don chailc leis na cailceanna

Derived terms

• cailc fhrancach
• cailc tháilliúra (“tailor's chalk”)
• cailc-
• cailc-chlár
• calcmhar
• clár cailc

Further reading

• de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959), “cailc”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
• “cailc”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013–2026
• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977), “cailc”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla [Irish–English Dictionary], Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Noun

cailc m

1. vocative/genitive singular of calc (“dense mass”)

Mutation

Mutated forms of cailc

radical	lenition	eclipsis
cailc	chailc	gcailc

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Modern Irish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Old Irish

Etymology

From Latin calx.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkalʲkʲ/

Noun

cailc f (genitive calca, no plural)

1. lime (mineral), limestone

Declension

Feminine i-stem

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	cailc	—	—
vocative	cailc	—	—
accusative	cailcN	—	—
genitive	calcoH, calcaH	—	—
dative	cailcL	—	—

Initial mutations of a following adjective:

• ^H = triggers aspiration
• ^L = triggers lenition
• ^N = triggers nasalization

Synonyms

• áel

Descendants

• Irish: cailc
• Manx: kelk
• Scottish Gaelic: cailc
• ⇒ Middle Irish: calcaid
  • Irish: calc

Mutation

Mutation of cailc

radical	lenition	nasalization
cailc	chailc	cailc pronounced with /ɡ-/

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in Old Irish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Further reading

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

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Old Irish cailc, from Latin calx (compare Welsh calch), from Ancient Greek χάλιξ (khálix, “pebble”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kʰalçc/

Noun

cailc f (genitive singular cailce, no plural)

1. chalk
2. lime, calx
3. shield, buckler

Mutation

Mutation of cailc

radical	lenition
cailc	chailc

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Scottish Gaelic.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Further reading

• Edward Dwelly (1911), “cailc”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary], 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN
• MacLennan, Malcolm (1925), A Pronouncing and Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language, Edinburgh: J. Grant, →OCLC