fuaim
/fuəm/masculine
The Gaelic word for sound is fuaim.
fuaim is used to refer to a sensation perceived by the ear.
Meaning: sensation perceived by the ear (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
/fuəm/
Did you know?
- In Gaelic folklore, hearing the fuaim of the 'Sìth' or fairies is often seen as a warning or a sign of their presence.
- The term fuaimseamh transforms the concept of 'sound' into a technical verb meaning to 'probe' or 'sound' the depths of water.
- The word fuaim shares the same ancient root as the English word 'voice' and the Latin 'vox'.
Examples in context
- Tha fuaim ann.There is a sound.
- Chan eil ach crùn an seo.There's nothing but noise here.
- Bha guth àlainn aig an seinneadair sin.That singer had a beautiful voice.
- Tha an fuaim gu math an-dràsta.The sound is very good right now.
- Dè an fuaim a chluinneas tu?What sound do you hear?
Example conversation
Mairead and Hamish are in a quiet library.
- MaireadHamish, an cluinn thu fuaim?Hamish, did you hear a sound?
- HamishCha chluinn mi dad, Mairead.I didn't hear anything, Mairead.
- MaireadBha e coltach ri fuaim beag.It sounded like a small sound.
- HamishIs e dìreach an gaoth a th' ann.It is just the wind.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sound” translations and entries fuaim, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries fuaim, CC BY-SA 4.0.
