dubh

Irish

Alternative forms

• dú- (combining form)

Etymology

From Old Irish dub, from Proto-Celtic *dubus (“black”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰewbʰ- (“black”). Cognates include English deaf.

Pronunciation

• (Munster) IPA^(key): /d̪ˠʊvˠ/
• (Aran) IPA^(key): /d̪ˠʊ/, /d̪ˠɞ/
• (Connemara) IPA^(key): /d̪ˠʊ(vˠ)/
• (Mayo) IPA^(key): /d̪ˠʊw/, (rare) /d̪ˠʊfˠ/
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /d̪ˠʊw/, /d̪ˠʊh/

Adjective

dubh (genitive singular masculine duibh, genitive singular feminine duibhe, plural dubha, comparative duibhe or dúcha)

1. black
2. black-haired

Declension

Declension of dubh

	Singular		Plural (m/f)
Positive	Masculine	Feminine	(strong noun)	(weak noun)
Nominative	dubh	dhubh	dubha; dhubha²
Vocative	dhuibh		dubha
Genitive		duibhe	dubha	dubh
Dative	dubh; dhubh¹	dhubh; dhuibh (archaic)	dubha; dhubha²
Comparative	níos duibhe
Superlative	is duibhe

¹ When the preceding noun is lenited and governed by the definite article.
² When the preceding noun ends in a slender consonant.

• Alternative comparative form: dúcha (Cois Fharraige)

Derived terms

• abhac dubh (“black dwarf”)
• baintreach dhubh (“black widow”)
• béar dubh (“black bear”)
• Brandubh
• ceanndubh (“black-headed”, adjective)
• clár dubh (“blackboard”)
• dú- (“black, dark”)
• dubh an charbóin (“carbon black”)
• dubh carbóin (“carbon black”)
• dubhán
• Dubhdáleithe
• Dubhdarach
• Dubhghall
• Dubhghus
• Dubhlachán
• dúch (“ink”)
• dúchan
• dúghorm (“dark blue, navy blue”, adjective)
• geabhróg dhubh (“black tern”)
• grús píbdhubh (“black-necked crane”)
• leann dubh (“stout, porter”)
• lon dubh (“blackbird”)
• lúbán dubh (“black pudding”)
• margadh dubh (“black market”)
• píbdhubh (“black-necked”, adjective)
• piobar dubh (“black pepper”)
• putóg dhubh (“black pudding”)
• scamhóg dhubh (“black lung”)
• scothdhubh (“blackish”, adjective)
• súil dhubh (“black eye, shiner”)
• tae dubh (“black tea”)

 

Noun

dubh m (genitive singular duibh)

1. black

Declension

Declension of dubh

First declension

Bare forms (no plural of this noun) Case Singular Nominative dubh Vocative a dhuibh Genitive duibh Dative dubh

Forms with the definite article: Case Singular Nominative an dubh Genitive an duibh Dative leis an dubh don dubh

Derived terms

• ó dhubh go dubh (“from dawn to dusk”)

See also

Colors in Irish · dathanna (layout · text)

bán	liath	dubh
dearg; corcairdhearg	oráiste, flannbhuí; donn	buí; bánbhuí
líoma-ghlas, glas líoma	glas, uaine	dath an mhiontais
cian	gormghlas, spéirghorm	gorm
corcairghorm; indeagó	maigeanta; corcra	bándearg

Mutation

Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Eclipsis
dubh	dhubh	ndubh
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977), “dubh”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• G. Toner, M. Ní Mhaonaigh, S. Arbuthnot, D. Wodtko, M.-L. Theuerkauf, editors (2019), “dub”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• Entries containing “dubh” in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm, 1959, by Tomás de Bhaldraithe.
• Finck, F. N. (1899) Die araner mundart (in German), volume II, Marburg: Elwert’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, page 72
• Entries containing “dubh” in New English-Irish Dictionary by Foras na Gaeilge.
• Quiggin, E. C. (1906) A Dialect of Donegal, Cambridge University Press, page 19
• Sjoestedt, M. L. (1931) Phonétique d’un parler irlandais de Kerry (in French), Paris: Librairie Ernest Leroux, page 29

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Old Irish dub (“black”), from Proto-Celtic *dubus (“black”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰewbʰ- (“black”).

Cognates within Celtic include Breton du (“black”), Welsh du (“black”), Cornish duv or du (“black”), Gaulish river name Dubis, now Doubs. Cognates outside Celtic include Ancient Greek τυφλός (tuphlós, “blind”), Gothic 𐌳𐌰𐌿𐌱𐍃 (daubs, “deaf”), German taub (“deaf”), English deaf, English dumb.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /t̪uh/, [t̪uh~t̪ʊh], [t̪u~t̪ʊ], [t̪uɣ~t̪ʊɣ]

Adjective

dubh

1. black
2. black-haired

   Tha Dòmhnall Dubh an Dòmhnallaich a-nochd a' tòir air Mòraig. ― Black-haired Donald MacDonald is chasing after Morag tonight.

Derived terms

• bòrd-dubh (“blackboard”)
• cailleachag a' chinn duibh (“coal tit”)
• dubh dorch (“pitch black”)
• dubh-cheist
• dubh-fhacal (“riddle”)
• duine dubh (“black person”)
• gealag-dhubh-cheannach (“reed bunting”)
• losgann dubh (“toad”)
• màl dubh (“blackmail”, noun)
• marag dhubh (“black pudding”)
• sgian-dubh (“sgian dubh”)

 

Noun

dubh m (genitive singular duibh, plural dubhan)

1. blackness, darkness

   Synonyms: dorchadas, dubhar

2. ink

   Synonym: inc

3. pupil (of eye)

   Synonym: clach na sùla

Derived terms

• o mhoch gu dubh

Verb

dubh (past dhubh, future dubhaidh, verbal noun dubhadh, past participle dubhte)

1. blacken

Derived terms

• dubh a-mach
• dubh às

See also

Colors in Scottish Gaelic · dathan (layout · text)

bàn, geal	glas	dubh
dearg; ruadh	orainds; donn	buidhe; donn
uaine	uaine	gorm
liath; glas	liath	gorm
purpaidh; guirmean	pinc; purpaidh	pinc

Further reading

• Edward Dwelly (1911), “dubh”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary], 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN