sáil
/sˠɑːlʲ/feminine
The Irish word for the anatomical heel of the foot is sáil.
sáil is a noun used to refer to the back part of the human foot.
Meaning: anatomy: part of the foot (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
sáil is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/sˠɑːlʲ/
Did you know?
- In Irish, the word for 'heel' is distinct from the word for 'heel' used in footwear, such as a high heel.
- The linguistic connection between sáil and the Middle Irish word sádaile, meaning 'comfort', suggests an ancient association between the heel and a sense of ease.
Examples in context
- An gcreideann tú gur bhris mé mo chíoch arís?Can you believe I broke my heel again?
Example conversation
Cian and Niamh are talking about a long walk.
- CianAn bhfuil do sáil go maith, a Niamh?Is your heel okay, Niamh?
- NiamhNíl sí, tá sí ró-dearg.It isn't, it is too red.
- CianAn bhfuil plaister agat don sáil?Do you have a plaster for the heel?
- NiamhTá, go raibh maith agat, a Chian.I do, thank you, Cian.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “heel” translations and entries sáil, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries sáil, CC BY-SA 4.0.
