uaisle
feminine
The English phrase nobility is translated into Gaelic as uaisle. If unsure, use uaisle. It is also spelled uaisleachd.
Meaning: noble or privileged social class (noun)
Ways to say it
| Gaelic | Note |
|---|---|
| uaisle | feminine |
| uaisleachd | feminine, alternative form |
The term is used to describe a noble or privileged social class.
Which one should you use?
The form uaisle typically refers to the people of the nobility themselves, while the form uaisleachd is often used to refer to the abstract quality or state of being noble.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Irish Gaelic, the word Uaisleacht is used to express nobility.
How does it change in a sentence?
To refer to the nobility as a collective social class, use the definite article an with the noun, as in an uaisle. Both forms of the word are feminine nouns.
Did you know?
- In ancient Gaelic society, nobility was tied to enech, a legal status of honor. Unlike hereditary titles in some cultures, this status could be stripped away if a person committed certain crimes.
- While English nobility was traditionally based on land ownership and titles like 'Duke', Gaelic nobility was often measured by lineage and the ownership of cattle.
- Historically, the uaisle were expected to provide patronage for professional poets called filidh. These poets held an incredibly high social status, sometimes equal to that of the nobility themselves.
Examples in context
- Tha urramachd aigeHe has nobility
Example conversation
Isla and Finlay are visiting an old castle museum.
- IslaSeall air an uaisle anns an Dealbh seo, Finlay.Look at the nobility in this picture, Finlay.
- FinlayTha iad coltach gu bheil iad beairg.They look like they are wealthy.
- IslaBha an uaisle gu math cumhachdach an tìde sin.The nobility were very powerful at that time.
- FinlayTha sin sosnaidh.That is interesting.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “nobility” translations and entries uaisle, uaisleachd, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
