dealan-dè
/ˌtʲal̪ˠan ˈtʲeː/masculine
The English word butterfly is dealan-dè in Gaelic. Wiktionary also lists teillean-dè and dearbadan-dè.
Meaning: insect (noun)
Ways to say it
| Gaelic | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| dealan-dè | /ˌtʲal̪ˠan ˈtʲeː/ | masculine |
| teillean-dè | ||
| dearbadan-dè | masculine |
The phrase refers to the insect known as a butterfly.
Which one should you use?
dealan-dè and dearbadan-dè are both masculine nouns.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine forms are dealan-dè and dearbadan-dè.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌtʲal̪ˠan ˈtʲeː/
Did you know?
- The word dealan-dè literally translates to 'lightning of the day'.
- The term dealan-dè shares the root dealan with the word for 'lightning' and 'electricity'.
- In some Gaelic folk traditions, butterflies were seen as spirits or messengers due to their flickering light-like movement.
Example sentences for Gaelic are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Eilidh and Finlay are walking in a field.
- EilidhCoimhead, a Finlaigh! Dealan-dè!Look, Finlay! A butterfly!
- FinlayTha e glè dathach.It is very colorful.
- EilidhIs toilig e dhomh a bhith a' coimhead air dealan-dè.I like looking at a butterfly.
- FinlayTha iad sgoinneil.They are wonderful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “butterfly” translations and entries dealan-dè, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
