HeyRuaHow to say “great-aunt” in Irish
- Irish:
- sean-aintín
- English:
- great-aunt
- Word type:
- noun
- Gender:
- feminine
- Pronunciation:
- “shan-ANT-yeen” /ˈʃanˌanʲtʲiːnʲ/
- Plural:
- sean-aintíní (great-aunts)
- Genitive singular:
- sean-aintín, na sean-aintín (e.g. teach mo shean-aintín, my great-aunt's house)
- Genitive plural:
- sean-aintíní, na sean-aintíní (e.g. grianghraif na sean-aintíní, photos of the great-aunts)
What does “sean-aintín” mean?
- great-aunt
- The aunt of your father or mother; the sister of one of your grandparents.Also: grandaunt, great aunt.
“Sean-aintín” with the article
The plural of great-aunt in Irish is sean-aintíní. Here is sean-aintín after the article (an t-alt), in the singular and the plural.
“Sean-aintín” in a sentence: Irish examples
Common Irish sentences using sean-aintín, the Irish word for great-aunt.
Other nouns in Irish
More everyday Irish nouns to learn next.
Great-aunt in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for great-aunt?
The Irish for great-aunt is sean-aintín (pronounced “shan-ANT-yeen”). It’s a feminine noun and the plural is sean-aintíní.
How do you pronounce sean-aintín in Irish?
Sean-aintín is said like “shan-ANT-yeen” (IPA /ˈʃanˌanʲtʲiːnʲ/).
What is the plural of great-aunt in Irish?
The plural of sean-aintín is sean-aintíní; with the article, na sean-aintíní means “the great-aunts”. The genitive plural is sean-aintíní, as in grianghraif na sean-aintíní (photos of the great-aunts).
Why does sean-aintín change to shean-aintín?
After words like mo (my) and do (your) the first letter is lenited: mo shean-aintín. After ár (our) it stays ár sean-aintín, because s does not take eclipsis.
Is there another word for great-aunt in Irish?
Yes, 'seanaintín' is also written without the hyphen in some sources, and 'aintín mhór' is sometimes heard, but 'sean-aintín' follows the pattern of 'seanathair' and 'seanmháthair'.
