asarlaíocht
/ˈasˠəl̪ˠɾˠia(x)t̪ˠ/feminine
Sorcery in Irish can be said as asarlaíocht or draíocht.
Meaning: magical power (noun)
Ways to say it
| Irish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| asarlaíocht | /ˈasˠəl̪ˠɾˠia(x)t̪ˠ/ (Ulster) | feminine |
| draíocht | /d̪ˠɾˠiəxt̪ˠ/ | feminine |
Both words refer to magical power, but they carry different connotations in practice.
Which one should you use?
draíocht is the more common and general word used for magic or enchantment. In contrast, asarlaíocht often implies a more specific or darker sense of sorcery or wizardry.
How does it change in a sentence?
asarlaíocht is a feminine noun. Because of this, the definite article used with it is an (e.g., an asarlaíocht). When using the singular genitive case, such as to say 'the power of sorcery', the word changes to asarlaíochta.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈasˠəl̪ˠɾˠia(x)t̪ˠ/
Did you know?
- The term asarlaíocht actually began as a colloquial version of the word for 'astrology', astralaíocht, before it came to mean 'sorcery'.
- In Irish folklore, draíocht was often associated with the 'Sidhe' or the people of the mounds, rather than just human practitioners.
- The word for 'magic' in Irish, draíocht, can be used to describe much more mundane things than 'sorcery', such as the 'magic' of a talented musician.
Example sentences for Irish are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Siobhán and Cian are discussing a fantasy novel.
- SiobhánAn bhfuil asarlaíocht sa leabhar seo, a Chian?Is there sorcery in this book, Cian?
- CianTá, tá an príomhcharactar ag iontú asarlaíocht.Yes, the main character is practicing sorcery.
- SiobhánAn bhfuil sé sin uaine nó dearg?Is it green or red?
- CianTá an asarlaíocht go hiontach gorm.The sorcery is a wonderful blue.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sorcery” translations and entries asarlaíocht, draíocht, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries asarlaíocht, draíocht, CC BY-SA 4.0.
