HeyRuaHow to say “feather” in Irish
- Irish:
- cleite
- English:
- feather, quill
- Word type:
- noun
- Gender:
- masculine, fourth declension
- Pronunciation:
- “KLETCH-uh” /ˈclʲetʲə/
- Plural:
- cleití (feathers)
- Genitive singular:
- cleite, an chleite (e.g. barr an chleite, the tip of the feather)
- Genitive plural:
- cleití, na gcleití (e.g. piliúr cleití, a feather pillow)
What does “cleite” mean?
“Cleite” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- feather
- One of the light soft growths that cover a bird's body.Also: plume, quill feather.
1 other meaning: quill
- 2quill
- A feather used as a pen, or a pen in general in literary use.Also: quill pen, pen.
“Cleite” with the article
The plural of feather in Irish is cleití. Here is cleite after the article (an t-alt), in the singular and the plural.
“Cleite” in a sentence: Irish examples
Common Irish sentences using cleite, the Irish word for feather.
Other nouns in Irish
More everyday Irish nouns to learn next.
Feather in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for feather?
The Irish for feather is cleite (pronounced “KLETCH-uh”). It’s a masculine noun and the plural is cleití. Depending on context it can also mean quill.
How do you pronounce cleite in Irish?
Cleite is said like “KLETCH-uh” (IPA /ˈclʲetʲə/).
What is the plural of feather in Irish?
The plural of cleite is cleití; with the article, na cleití means “the feathers”. The genitive plural is cleití, as in piliúr cleití (a feather pillow).
Does cleite have more than one meaning?
Yes. Cleite can mean feather or quill, depending on context; the first is the most common.
Why does cleite change to chleite or gcleite?
Irish changes the start of some words after certain words. After mo (my) cleite becomes mo chleite (lenition), and after ár (our) or i (in) it becomes ár gcleite (eclipsis).
What is the difference between 'cleite' and 'clúmh'?
'Cleite' is a single feather, while 'clúmh' is down or plumage taken collectively. A duvet stuffed with down is filled with 'clúmh'.
What does 'ainm cleite' mean?
'Ainm cleite' means a pen name or pseudonym, literally 'quill name'. In the corpus sentence 'daoine le hainmneacha cleite' means people writing under assumed names.
