ceann

Irish

Etymology

From Middle Irish cenn, from Old Irish cenn (compare Manx kione), from Proto-Celtic *kʷennom; compare Welsh pen, Breton penn.

Pronunciation

(Munster) IPA^(key): /caun̪ˠ/
(Galway) IPA^(key): /cɑːn̪ˠ/
(Mayo, Ulster) IPA^(key): /can̪ˠ/

Noun

ceann m (genitive singular cinn, nominative plural cinn)

head
head of cabbage, capitulum
end, extremity
roof
one (modified by an adjective or demonstrative, referring to an object or animal)

Tá ceann dearg agam.
I have a red one [e.g. chair].

Feicim trí cinn ghlasa.
I see three green ones [e.g. birds].

Is mian liom an ceann sin.
I want that one [e.g. toy].
used as a dummy noun to support a number, referring to an object or animal

Tá ceann amháin agam.
I have one [e.g. chair].

Feicim trí cinn.
I see three [e.g. birds].

Declension

Declension of ceann

First declension

Bare forms:

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	ceann	cinn
Vocative	a chinn	a cheanna
Genitive	cinn	ceann
Dative	ceann	cinn

Forms with the definite article:

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	an ceann	na cinn
Genitive	an chinn	na gceann
Dative	leis an gceann don cheann	leis na cinn

Alternative nominative/dative plural: ceanna (Cois Fharraige)
Alternative dative singular: cionn (archaic except in fixed expressions)

Synonyms

(head of cabbage): tor
(head, roof): cloigeann (Ulster)

Derived terms

Terms derived from ceann

Mutation

Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Eclipsis
ceann	cheann	gceann
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Old Irish cenn (compare Manx kione), from Proto-Celtic *kʷennom (compare Welsh pen, Breton penn).

Noun

ceann m (genitive singular cinn, plural cinn)

head (of a body or a group of people)
end (the extreme part of something)

Usage notes

According to context the word can denote the farthest part of anything - top of a road, bottom of a stair, a promontory, hilt of a sword etc.

ceann a' bhocsa ― the lid of the box

ceann na creige ― the top of the rock
Also frequently used figuratively.

bho cheann gu ceann ― from end to end

an ceann greise ― after a while

Derived terms

Terms derived from ceann

aig a' cheann thall (“in the long run”)
airgead-ceann m (“reward offered for the head of a rebel or outlaw”)
an ceann (“ahead”, adverb)
an ceann (“in the end, at the expiration of”)
an ceann a chéile (“together”, adverb)
bàrr a' chinn (“crown of head”)
buail an ceann (“occur, come to mind”)
bun os ceann (“upside down, topsy-turvy”, adverb)
ceann a' chnac m (“thwart-brace of a boat”)
ceann-achra m (“epiphany”)
ceann a' chraidh m (“thwart-brace of boat”)
ceann-adhairt m (“pillow; bed-head”)
ceann-aghaidh f (“forehead; countenance, physiognomy”)
ceann-aimsir m (“date, epoch, era; term, period”)
ceann-aimsreach m (“term-day”)

ceann air chrith m (“quaking grass”)
ceann-airm m (“general, head of an army”)
ceann-ama (“deadline”)
ceann-aobhair m (“prime cause, first cause”)
ceann-aodach m (“head-dress; mitre; turban”)
ceannard (“chief, boss”)
ceann-àrd (“high-headed”, adj)
ceann-armailt m (“general, commander of an array”)
ceann-bàn a' mhonaidh m (“cotton-sedge”)
ceann-barrach m (“jack-fish, dike”)
ceann-bheart m (“helmet, head-piece”)
ceann-bhiorach (“conical, pointed at the head”, adj)
ceann-bhrat m (“canopy”)
ceann-cinnidh (“chieftain”)
ceann-daoraich (“hangover”)

ceann-dubhag (“marsh tit”)
ceann-dubhag an t-seilich (“willow tit”)
ceannfhacal (“headword”)
ceann-latha (“date”)
ceann-na-cìche (“nipple”)
ceann-rèile (“railway terminal”)
ceann-sgrìobhadh (“caption; motto; subject”)
ceann simileir (“chimney pot”)
ceann-suidhe (“president”)
dì-cheann (“behead”)
gealag-dhubh-cheannach (“reed bunting”)
gnogadh cinn (“nod”, noun)
iar-cheann-suidhe (“vice president”)
os cionn (“above”)
sgarfa-cinn (“headscarf”)

References

Faclair Gàidhlig Dwelly Air Loidhne, Dwelly, Edward (1911), Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan/The Illustrated [Scottish] Gaelic-English Dictionary (10th ed.), Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN
“1 cenn” in Dictionary of the Irish Language, Royal Irish Academy, 1913–76.

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ceann

Irish

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

Declension

Synonyms

Derived terms

Mutation

Further reading

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

Noun

Usage notes

Derived terms

References