damhán alla
/ˌd̪ˠuanˠ ˈal̪ˠɪː/masculine
The English word 'spider' is translated into Irish as damhán alla. Wiktionary also lists ruán alla and fíodóir.
Meaning: arthropod (noun)
Ways to say it
| Irish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| damhán alla | /ˌd̪ˠuanˠ ˈal̪ˠɪː/ (Ulster) /ˌd̪ˠuan̪ˠ ˈal̪ˠɪː/ (Ulster) |
masculine |
| ruán alla | masculine | |
| fíodóir | /fʲiːˈd̪ˠoːɾʲ/ (Munster) /ˈfʲiːd̪ˠoːɾʲ/ (Connacht) |
masculine |
The term is used to refer to the arthropod. You may also encounter ruán alla or the descriptive term fíodóir.
Which one should you use?
damhán alla is the common noun for the animal. In contrast, fíodóir literally means 'weaver' and is used metaphorically or descriptively to refer to the spider's action of weaving webs.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the plural 'spiders', use damhánna alla.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌd̪ˠuanˠ ˈal̪ˠɪː/
Did you know?
- The common term damhán alla literally translates to 'the fierce little stag'.
- The Irish word ruán is built from rua, meaning 'red', combined with a diminutive suffix.
- In Irish, the descriptive term fíodóir treats the spider as a professional 'weaver' rather than just an animal.
Examples in context
- Tá damhán alla sa seomra.There is a spider in the room.
Example conversation
Niamh and Cian are looking at a corner of the ceiling.
- NiamhCian, féach ar an damhán alla sin!Cian, look at that spider!
- CianÓ lár, tá sé an-mór!Oh my, it is very big!
- NiamhAn féidir leat é a bháistear?Can you get rid of it?
- CianNí féidir liom, tá eagla orm.I can't, I am scared.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “spider” translations and entries damhán alla, ruán alla, fíodóir, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries alla, damhán, damhán alla, fíodóir, ruán, CC BY-SA 4.0.
