aol
/eːl̪ˠ/
The Irish word for the green citrus fruit lime is aol.
The word aol is used as a noun to refer to the lime fruit. It can also be used as a verb meaning to treat something with lime.
Meaning: green citrus fruit (noun)
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /eːl̪ˠ/.
Did you know?
- If you order a 'lime' juice in an Irish-speaking area using only the word aol, you might be met with confusion. Because the word traditionally refers to the mineral, most people use the loanword 'leim' or 'limé' for the fruit.
- The word aol describes a substance that is chemically alkaline, creating a stark contrast to the acidic nature of the lime fruit it is used to name in English.
- In traditional Irish building, aol was a critical component of mortar and plaster used to protect stone walls from the damp climate.
Example conversation
Saoirse and Conor are preparing drinks in the kitchen.
- SaoirseAn bhfuil aol fágtha agat, a Chonaire?Do you have a lime left, Conor?
- ConorTá ceann amháin ansin.There is one there.
- SaoirseGo raibh maith agat, bheidh aol sa choirp.Thank you, there will be a lime in the drink.
- ConorNíl aon fhadhb a bhí ann.There was no problem at all.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry aol, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
