éan
/iːa̯n̪ˠ/masculine
The Irish word for bird is éan.
Meaning: animal (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
éan is a masculine noun. The plural form of éan is na héan.
How do you pronounce it?
/iːa̯n̪ˠ/
Did you know?
- The word éan is a direct linguistic cousin to the English word 'feather'.
- In traditional Irish folklore, the éan is often associated with the 'Otherworld', acting as a bridge between the physical world and the spiritual realm.
- In old Irish legal texts, birds like the éan were sometimes categorized by their value or utility to the landowner.
Examples in context
- Luigh leis an uan, agus éirigh leis an éan.Lie with the lamb, and rise with the bird.
- Feicfidh tú an éan glas ar an gcrann sin.You will see the green bird on that tree.
- Tá an éan sa chraobh.The bird is in the tree.
Example conversation
Aoife and Cian are walking in a park.
- AoifeFéach ar an éan go hálainn sin!Look at that beautiful bird!
- CianTá sé an-bhóigeach, a Aoife.It is very colorful, Aoife.
- AoifeCén cineál éan é?What kind of bird is it?
- CianNíl mé cinnte, a Aoife.I am not sure, Aoife.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bird” translations and entries éan, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries éan, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
