naomh
/n̪ˠeːvˠ/masculine
The English word "saint" is translated into Irish as naomh.
naomh is a noun used to refer to a person proclaimed as a saint.
Meaning: person proclaimed as saint (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
naomh is the singular form of the noun. When using Naomh to refer to saints, it is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/n̪ˠeːvˠ/
Did you know?
- While naomh refers to a saint, the word naomhóg refers to a 'little saint' or a very pious person, often used affectionately or slightly ironically.
- The Old Irish root noíb meant 'consecrated', which implies a sense of being 'set apart' rather than just being 'good'.
- In Ireland, the word naomh is frequently used as a prefix for townland names, often indicating that the land was once owned by a particular saint or their monastery.
Examples in context
- An raibh a fhios agat go raibh Naomh Bríd ina banphrionsa i gCill Dara?Did you know that Saint Brigid was a princess in Kildare?
Example conversation
Cian and Aoife are visiting an old church.
- CianCé hé an naomh seo, a Aoife?Who is this saint, Aoife?
- AoifeIs é Colmcille é.It is Colmcille.
- CianAn raibh sé anseo go deo?Was he here always?
- AoifeNí raibh, ach bhí sé anseo ar feadh tamaill.No, but he was here for a while.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “saint” translations and entries naomh, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries naomh, CC BY-SA 4.0.
