mathan
/ˈma.han/masculine
The Gaelic word for bear is mathan.
mathan refers to the large mammal of the family Ursidae.
Meaning: large mammal of family Ursidae (noun)
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
mathan is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables, with the stress on the first syllable. It is pronounced /ˈma.han/.
Did you know?
- There are no native bears in the wild in Scotland or Ireland, yet Gaelic retains the word mathan to describe them.
- The word mathan literally translates to 'bear calf', as it is a combination of the words for 'bear' and 'calf'.
- The structure of mathan reflects a common Gaelic linguistic habit of using a 'young' animal's name to describe a larger species.
Examples in context
- 'S e sineach uile-itheach glè mhòr a tha ann am mathan.A bear is a very large omnivorous mammal.This sentence is useful for describing the biological nature of the mathan.
Example conversation
Angus and Mairead are looking at animals in a zoo.
- AngusSeall air a mathan mhòr sin!Look at that big bear!
- MaireadTha e a' caoilgeadh an t-àm seo.He is roaring right now.
- AngusAn eil mathan eile an seo?Is there another bear here?
- MaireadCha chi Mise e.I don't see it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bear” translations and entries mathan, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mathan, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
