neul
/ɲial̪ˠ/masculine
In Gaelic, the word for "cloud" is neul. Wiktionary also lists sgòth.
Meaning: visible mass of water droplets suspended in the air (noun)
Ways to say it
| Gaelic | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| neul | /ɲial̪ˠ/ | masculine |
| sgòth | /s̪kɔː/ | feminine |
The word refers to a visible mass of water droplets suspended in the air. You may also encounter the idiom Tha do cheann anns an neul, which translates to "Your head is in the clouds".
Which one should you use?
There are two forms for cloud: the masculine neul and the feminine sgòth.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
neul is a masculine noun, while sgòth is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɲial̪ˠ/
Did you know?
- The word neul shares an ancient root with the English word 'nebula', which is used in astronomy to describe interstellar clouds of gas and dust.
- While neul refers to the weather phenomenon, the word sgòth is more commonly used to describe a shadow or a shade cast by something.
- The word sgòth can be used to describe a ghostly or ephemeral presence, much like a shadow appearing and disappearing.
Examples in context
- Bidh stoirm air tighinn bho na neulaibhA storm will come from the clouds
- Tha neul òir an seo.There is a golden cloud here.
Example conversation
Hamish and Eilidh are looking at the weather.
- HamishSeall air an neul sin, Eilidh!Look at that cloud, Eilidh!
- EilidhTha e coltach gu bheil e a' tighinn.It looks like it is coming.
- HamishTha an neul a' gluasad gu luath.The cloud is moving quickly.
- EilidhTha an t-àm airson a dhol a-steach.It is time to go inside.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cloud” translations and entries neul, sgòth, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries neul, CC BY-SA 4.0.
