sliabh
/ʃlʲiəvˠ/masculine
The Irish word for mountain is sliabh.
sliabh is a noun used to describe a large mass of earth and rock.
Meaning: large mass of earth and rock (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
/ʃlʲiəvˠ/
Did you know?
- The term sliabh is used in the expression Luan an tSléibhe, which translates to 'Monday of the Mountain' but actually refers to Doomsday.
- In Irish folklore, mountains like sliabh were often seen as portals to the Otherworld or dwellings for the Sídhe (fairies).
- In Irish place names, sliabh often describes a rounded highland or a mountain range rather than a single jagged peak.
Examples in context
- Tá sliabh mór ann.There is a big mountain there.
- Tá an sliabh an-ard.The mountain is very high.
Example conversation
Siobhán and Oisín are looking at a map of the area.
- SiobhánAn sliabh seo anly an t-uaine?Is this mountain the greenest?
- OisínIs é, a Siobhán.It is, Siobhán.
- SiobhánAn bhfuil an sliabh gar anseo?Is the mountain near here?
- OisínTá, Oisín a rá go bhfuil sé gar anseo.Yes, Oisín says it is near here.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mountain” translations and entries sliabh, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries sliabh, CC BY-SA 4.0.
