caora
/ˈkʰɯːɾə/feminine
The Gaelic word for sheep is caora.
The word refers to the animal (noun).
Meaning: animal (noun)
Which one should you use?
caora is the singular form, while caoraich is the plural form. When referring to the sheep in the genitive case, such as 'of the sheep', the form changes to caorach.
How does it change in a sentence?
caora is a feminine noun. The plural form of caora is caoraich, and the genitive case form is caorach.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkʰɯːɾə/
Did you know?
- In certain folklore tales, the caora is associated with guardians of the land, reflecting the animal's central role in the survival of Gaelic rural communities.
- The word caora is part of a linguistic family where the Proto-Celtic root *kaɸerūxs suggests that the word for 'sheep' was distinct from the word for 'ram' long before the language split.
- In traditional Gaelic poetry, the caora is often used as a symbol of innocence or as a metaphor for a gentle soul in pastoral imagery.
Examples in context
- am bun nan caorachLooking after the sheepThis sentence illustrates the use of caora in the genitive case.
- o chrò nan caorachFrom the sheep-foldThis sentence demonstrates the use of caora in the genitive case.
- Mo mhallachd aig na caoraich mhòr.My curses on the big sheep.This sentence shows the use of caoraich as the plural form.Tatoeba #5745616 by Catriona, translation #5745618 by Catriona
Example conversation
Eilidh and Hamish are walking through a field.
- EilidhSeall air a’ chaora sin!Look at that sheep!
- HamishTha i gu math beag.It is very small.
- EilidhCiamar a thig an caora an seo?How did the sheep get here?
- HamishDh'fhalbh an geat fosgailte.The gate was left open.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sheep” translations and entries caora, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries caora, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0, Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
