HeyRuaHow to say “lunatic” in Irish
- Irish:
- gealt
- English:
- lunatic, wild person living in the wilds
- Word type:
- noun
- Gender:
- feminine, second declension
- Pronunciation:
- “gyalt” /ɟal̪ˠt̪ˠ/
- Plural:
- gealta (lunatics)
- Genitive singular:
- geilte, na geilte (e.g. gáire na geilte, the lunatic's laugh)
- Genitive plural:
- gealt, na ngealt (e.g. teach na ngealt, the madhouse)
What does “gealt” mean?
“Gealt” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- lunatic
- A person who is mad or insane, or who behaves wildly as if crazy.Also: madman, crazy person, maniac.
“Gealt” with the article
The plural of lunatic in Irish is gealta. Here is gealt after the article (an t-alt), in the singular and the plural.
“Gealt” in a sentence: Irish examples
Common Irish sentences using gealt, the Irish word for lunatic.
Other nouns in Irish
More everyday Irish nouns to learn next.
Lunatic in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for lunatic?
The Irish for lunatic is gealt (pronounced “gyalt”). It’s a feminine noun and the plural is gealta. Depending on context it can also mean wild person living in the wilds.
How do you pronounce gealt in Irish?
Gealt is said like “gyalt” (IPA /ɟal̪ˠt̪ˠ/).
What is the plural of lunatic in Irish?
The plural of gealt is gealta; with the article, na gealta means “the lunatics”. The genitive plural is gealt, as in teach na ngealt (the madhouse).
Does gealt have more than one meaning?
Yes. Gealt can mean lunatic or wild person living in the wilds, depending on context; the first is the most common.
Why does gealt change to ghealt or ngealt?
Irish changes the start of some words after certain words. After mo (my) gealt becomes mo ghealt (lenition), and after ár (our) or i (in) it becomes ár ngealt (eclipsis).
How do I say someone acts 'like a madman'?
Use ar nós gealt or ar nós na gealaí style phrases, for example Bhí sé ag rith ar nós gealt, 'He was running like a madman'.
Is gealt related to gealach (moon)?
Not etymologically, although the English 'lunatic' comes from the moon; gealt is a separate old Irish word for a frenzied person.
