puisín
/pˠɪˈʃiːnʲ/masculine
The Irish word for kitten is puisín. Wiktionary also lists piscín.
Meaning: a young cat (noun)
Ways to say it
| Irish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| puisín | /pˠɪˈʃiːnʲ/ (Munster) /ˈpˠɪʃiːnʲ/ (Connacht) |
masculine |
| piscín | masculine |
The word refers to a young cat.
Which one should you use?
Both piscín and puisín are masculine forms used for a kitten.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Connacht dialect, the word for kitten is Caitín.
How do you pronounce it?
/pˠɪˈʃiːnʲ/
Did you know?
- The word puisín can be used as a term of endearment for a person, similar to how 'honey' or 'sweetheart' is used in English.
- In some interpretations, the word puisín is thought to stem from the Irish word 'pus', which refers to a 'pout' or a 'protruding mouth'.
- The term puisín is a 'hybrid' word, meaning it blends sounds from two different languages to create a single term.
Examples in context
- An bhfuil an puisín anseo?Is the kitten here?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “kitten” translations and entries puisín, piscín, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries puisín, CC BY-SA 4.0.
