HeyRuaHow to say “sultry” in Irish
- Irish:
- meirbh
- English:
- sultry, languid
- Word type:
- adjective
- Sultrier:
- níos meirbhe
- Sultriest:
- is meirbhe
- Plural:
- meirbhe
- Pronunciation:
- “MER-iv” /ˈmʲeɾʲəvʲ/
What does “meirbh” mean?
“Meirbh” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- sultry
- Describes weather or air that is warm, heavy and humid, making it hard to breathe comfortably.Also: muggy, close, humid, oppressive, airless.
1 other meaning: languid
- 2languid
- Describes a person who feels weak, tired and lacking in energy.Also: weak, listless, enervated.
Other Irish adjectives for sultry: brothallach (warm)
“Meirbh” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is meirbh after lá (day, masculine), after aimsir (weather, feminine) and after a plural.
séimhiú (the h) the ending
After a feminine noun the adjective gets a séimhiú, an h after its first letter: aimsir mheirbh. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: lá meirbh.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, meirbhe. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant; after other plurals it does not: aimsirí meirbhe.
Sultrier, sultriest, very sultry
Tá sé níos meirbhe inniu ná inné. It is muggier today than yesterday.
| sultrier | níos meirbhe | in the past tense: ní ba mheirbhe |
|---|---|---|
| sultriest | is meirbhe | in the past tense: ba mheirbhe |
| as sultry as | chomh meirbh le | no change after chomh |
| very sultry | an-mheirbh | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too sultry | rómheirbh | ró- lenites |
“Meirbh” in a sentence: Irish examples
With a masculine noun, a feminine noun, a plural, a comparison and on its own.
Other adjectives in Irish
More everyday Irish adjectives to learn next.
Sultry in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for sultry?
The Irish for sultry is meirbh (pronounced “MER-iv”). It comes after the noun: lá meirbh, a sultry day; aimsir mheirbh, sultry weather.
How do you say sultrier and sultriest in Irish?
níos meirbhe is sultrier and is meirbhe is sultriest. In the past tense they become ní ba mheirbhe and ba mheirbhe.
Why does meirbh become mheirbh?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So aimsir mheirbh (sultry weather) but lá meirbh (a sultry day), because lá is masculine.
What is the plural of meirbh?
With a plural noun meirbh becomes meirbhe: laethanta meirbhe, aimsirí meirbhe.
How do you say very sultry in Irish?
an-mheirbh. Too sultry is rómheirbh, and as sultry as is chomh meirbh le.
Does meirbh have more than one meaning?
Yes. Meirbh can mean sultry or languid, depending on context; the first is the most common.
What is the difference between 'meirbh' and 'te'?
'Te' simply means hot, while 'meirbh' means close and humid, as in 'Tá sé meirbh inniu', it is muggy today.
