cic
/cic/
The Irish word for kick is cic.
cic is a verb meaning to strike with or raise the foot or leg.
Meaning: strike with or raise the foot or leg (verb)
Which one should you use?
While cic is the verb for the action of kicking, it can also be used as a noun to mean a hit or strike with the leg or foot. The word speach is also used as a noun for a kick or strike with the leg or foot.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/cic/
Did you know?
- The Irish word cic is a direct loanword from the English 'kick', meaning it entered the language relatively recently compared to many other Irish verbs.
- The verb cic follows a specific pattern of initial consonant mutation that changes its starting sound in different sentence structures.
- In some highly traditional areas, using the loanword cic instead of a native-rooted verb might be seen as a sign of 'Hiberno-English' influence.
Example conversation
Conor and Aoife are playing football in the park.
- ConorCic an balla chugam, a Aoife.Kick the ball to me, Aoife.
- AoifeTá mé ag cic an balla anois.I am kicking the ball now.
- ConorGo hiontach!Great!
- AoifeAn bhfuil sé agat, a Chonaire?Do you have it, Conor?
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry cic, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cic, CC BY-SA 4.0.
