uncail
/ˈuːŋkəlʲ/masculine
The Irish word for uncle is uncail.
The noun refers to the brother (or brother-in-law) of someone's parent.
Meaning: brother (or brother-in-law) of someone’s parent (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The word uncail is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈuːŋkəlʲ/
Did you know?
- The root of uncail can be traced back to the Latin word avunculus, which literally means 'little grandfather'.
- Because Irish uses a system of initial mutations, the first letter of uncail may change depending on the word that comes before it.
- While uncail is the standard term, some Irish dialects historically distinguished between a maternal uncle and a paternal uncle using different descriptors.
Examples in context
- Thug m'uncail bronntanas dó.My uncle gave him a present.This sentence is useful for showing how to use uncail in a sentence involving giving a present.Tatoeba #627080 by niq, translation #250240 by CH
- Ba mhaith liom labhairt le d'uncail.I want to talk with your uncle.This sentence is useful for showing how to use uncail when expressing a desire to speak with someone.Tatoeba #625524 by niq, translation #70572 by CK
Example conversation
Siobhán and Conor are looking at old family photographs.
- SiobhánCé an fear seo i bprintáil an phictiúir?Who is this man in the photo print?
- ConorIs é seo m'uncail, an dearthair sin.This is my uncle, that brother.
- SiobhánAn bhfuil d'uncail i gcónaí i gCill Dara?Does your uncle live in Kildare?
- ConorTá, tá sé ansin anois.Yes, he is there now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “uncle” translations and entries uncail, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries uncail, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
