nighean

Irish

Noun

nighean f (genitive singular nighne, nominative plural nighneacha)

1. Superseded spelling of níon: Ulster form of iníon

Declension

Declension of nighean

Second declension

Bare forms Case Singular Plural Nominative nighean nighneacha Vocative a nighean a nighneacha Genitive nighne nighneacha Dative nighean nighneacha

Forms with the definite article Case Singular Plural Nominative an nighean na nighneacha Genitive na nighne na nighneacha Dative leis an nighean don nighean leis na nighneacha

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977), “nighean”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• Dinneen, Patrick S. (1904), “niġean”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, 1st edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 519

Scottish Gaelic

Alternative forms

• nigheann

Etymology

From Old Irish ingen, from Primitive Irish ᚔᚅᚔᚌᚓᚅᚐ (inigena), from Proto-Celtic *enigenā, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁én (“in”) + *ǵenh₁- (“produce, give birth”) (compare Latin indigena (“native”), Ancient Greek ἐγγόνη (engónē, “granddaughter”)).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɲiː.an/

Noun

nighean f (dative singular nighinn, genitive singular nighinn or nighinne or nighne, plural nigheanan or nigheannan or nighnean)

1. daughter, female offspring
2. girl, maiden, young woman

   Synonyms: ainnir, cailin, gruagach, maighdeann, òigh, rìbhinn

   An cluinn thu mi, mo nighean donn? ― Will you listen to me, my brown-haired girl?

Usage notes

• Alternative forms exist when in conjunction with the definite article, na h-ìghne in genitive and na h-ìghnean in plural, but they are considered outdated.

Derived terms

• leas-nighean
• clann-nighean