taibhse
/ˈt̪ˠɑiʃə/
The Irish word for spectre is taibhse.
taibhse refers to a ghost or a spirit of a dead person that appears to people.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈt̪ˠɑiʃə/
Did you know?
- In some regional Irish traditions, seeing a taibhse is not always a sign of horror but can be a premonition or a warning of an upcoming family event.
- In Irish folklore, a taibhse is distinct from a púca, which is more of a mischievous shapeshifter than a spirit of a deceased human.
- The word taibhse is built from an ancient root meaning 'to become', suggesting that a ghost is seen as something that is in the process of appearing or manifesting.
Examples in context
- Chonaic mé an taibhse sa halla – bhí sé dochreidte!I saw the spectre in the hall – it was incredible!
- Chonaic mé taibhse sa ghleann.I saw a ghost in the glen.
- Níl aon taibhse sa seomra seo.There is no ghost in this room.
Example conversation
Oisín and Niamh are walking past an old house.
- OisínAn bhfuil taibhse sa teach seo?Is there a ghost in this house?
- NiamhTá an multiséir ag rá go bhfuil.The local lore says there is.
- OisínNí chreidim i taibhse ar aon chóir.I don't believe in ghosts at all.
- NiamhBeidh tú ag creidiú go aiféin go luath!You'll be believing soon enough!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry taibhse, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries taibhse, CC BY-SA 4.0.
