daor
/d̪ˠeːɾˠ/ [d̪ˠëːə̯ɾˠ]
The Irish word for "expensive" is daor. Wiktionary also lists costasach and costasúil.
Meaning: having a high price or cost (adj)
Ways to say it
| Irish | IPA |
|---|---|
| daor | /d̪ˠeːɾˠ/ [d̪ˠëːə̯ɾˠ] (Munster) /d̪ˠiːɾˠ/ (Connacht) |
| costasach | |
| costasúil |
All three forms, daor, costasach and costasúil, are used to describe something that has a high price or cost.
Which one should you use?
While daor is the most common way to say 'expensive', costasach is a more formal or technical term often used in written contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective daor is an indeclinable adjective, meaning it does not change its form to agree with the gender or number of the noun it modifies.
How do you pronounce it?
/d̪ˠeːɾˠ/ [d̪ˠëːə̯ɾˠ]
Did you know?
- The word daor has a surprising history, originally meaning 'servile' or 'unfree' in Old Irish. It likely evolved from the idea of something being so costly it leaves a person in a state of servitude.
- In many Irish-speaking communities, describing a person as daor doesn't mean they are expensive, but rather that they are difficult to deal with or 'hard' to please.
- In Irish, the concept of 'cost' is expressed through costas, which is a loanword influenced by the English word 'cost'.
Examples in context
- Tá an carr seo an-daor.This car is very expensive.
- An bhfuil an t-éadaí seo daor?Is this clothing expensive?
Example conversation
Siobhán and Cian are looking at a dress in a shop.
- SiobhánBa mór an t-uirlis seo, a ChianI would like this tool, Cian.
- CianAch tá sé ródaorBut it is too expensive.
- SiobhánAn bhfuil sé daor go deo?Is it always expensive?
- CianTá, tá sé an-daorYes, it is very expensive.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “expensive” translations and entries daor, costasach, costasúil, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries costasach, costasúil, daor, CC BY-SA 4.0.
