sionnach

Irish

Etymology

From Old Irish sinnach.

Pronunciation

• (Munster) IPA^(key): /ʃəˈn̪ˠɑx/
• (Connacht) IPA^(key): /ˈʃin̪ˠəx/
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /ˈʃɨn̪ˠa(x)/

Noun

sionnach m (genitive singular sionnaigh, nominative plural sionnaigh)

1. fox (any of the species in the tribe Vulpini)
2. (specifically) red fox, Vulpes vulpes

Usage notes

As the red fox (V. vulpes) is the only species of fox found in Ireland, the term sionnach (and its synonyms madadh rua, madra rua) will almost always refer to the red fox. In contexts where it is necessary to distinguish the red fox from other species, the terms sionnach rua (literally “red fox”) and sionnach coiteann (literally “common fox”) may be used.

Declension

Declension of sionnach (first declension)

bare forms singular plural nominative sionnach sionnaigh vocative a shionnaigh a shionnacha genitive sionnaigh sionnach dative sionnach sionnaigh forms with the definite article singular plural nominative an sionnach na sionnaigh genitive an tsionnaigh na sionnach dative leis an sionnach don sionnach leis na sionnaigh

Synonyms

• madadh rua
• madra rua

Derived terms

• brocaire sionnach (“fox terrier”)
• gadhar sionnach (“foxhound”)
• sionnach Artach (“Arctic fox”)
• sionnach bán (“white fox”)
• sionnach coiteann (“red fox”)
• sionnach geal (“silver fox”)
• sionnach mara (“thresher shark”)
• sionnach rua (“red fox”)

Mutation

Mutated forms of sionnach

radical	lenition	eclipsis
sionnach	shionnach after an, tsionnach	not applicable

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

Further reading

• Dinneen, Patrick S. (1927), “sionnaċ”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla [Irish and English Dictionary], 2nd edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 1038; reprinted with additions 1996, →ISBN
• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977), “sionnach”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla [Irish–English Dictionary], Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN

Scottish Gaelic

Seo sionnach Sasannach.

Etymology

From Middle Irish sinnach, from Old Irish sinnach.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈʃun̪ˠəx/

Noun

sionnach m

1. fox
2. bellows, valve

Declension

Declension of sionnach (type I masculine noun)

indefinite
	singular	plural
nominative	sionnach	sionnaich
genitive	sionnaich	shionnach
dative	sionnach	sionnaich; sionnachaibh1
definite
	singular	plural
nominative	(an) sionnach	(na) sionnaich
genitive	(an) t-sionnaich	(nan) sionnach
dative	(an) t-sionnach	(na) sionnaich; sionnachaibh1
vocative	shionnaich	shionnacha; shionnachaibh

¹ archaic or poetic form

Synonyms

• (fox): madadh-ruadh

Derived terms

• pìob-shionnaich
• sionnach ann an craiceann na caorach
• sionnach-boireann
• sionnachair
• sionnachan

Mutation

Mutation of sionnach

radical	lenition
sionnach	shionnach after "an", t-sionnach

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

References

• Mark, Colin (2003), “sionnach”, in The Gaelic–English dictionary, London: Routledge, →ISBN, page 529