ròn
/rɔːn/masculine
The Gaelic word for seal is ròn.
ròn is used to refer to the pinniped animal.
Meaning: pinniped (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
ròn is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/rɔːn/
Did you know?
- In Gaelic folklore, the ròn is often central to stories of the 'selkie', mythical creatures that can shed their seal skins to become human.
- The word ròn is a cognate with the Breton reunig and Cornish reun, showing a linguistic link between the Gaelic languages and the Brythonic languages of Brittany and Cornwall.
- The association of the ròn with the sea is so strong in Gaelic culture that the animal is often used in idioms to describe someone who is very comfortable in the water.
Examples in context
- Bha ròn ann air a’ chladach.There was a seal on the shore.This sentence shows how to use ròn to describe a seal's location on the shore.Tatoeba #851891 by marloncori, translation #851969 by marloncori
- Bha ròn ann anns an uisge, agus air a’ chladach.There was a seal in the water and another on the shore.This sentence illustrates using ròn to describe a seal in both the water and on the shore.Tatoeba #851985 by marloncori, translation #851986 by marloncori
- Feicfidh tú rón mhara i gCarna.You will see a sea seal in Carna.
- Tha an ròn beag.The seal is small.
Example conversation
Finlay and Mairead are walking along the coast.
- FinlayA bheil ròn an sin?Is there a seal there?
- MaireadTha, tha ròn beag ann.Yes, there is a small seal.
- FinlayIs e ròn brèagha a th' ann.It is a beautiful seal.
- MaireadTha i cho naise!It is so cute!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “seal” translations and entries ròn, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ròn, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
