geimhreadh
/ˈɟaiɾʲə/masculine
geimhreadh is the Irish word for winter.
geimhreadh is a masculine noun referring to the fourth season of the year, characterized by the shortest days and the lowest temperatures.
Meaning: fourth season, marked by short days and the lowest temperatures (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈɟaiɾʲə/
Did you know?
- In traditional Irish folklore, the onset of winter was often associated with the transition into the 'dark half' of the year, a spiritual rather than just meteorological shift.
- The word geimhreadh shares an ancient ancestor with the English word 'winter' and the Greek word 'cheima', meaning they are distant linguistic cousins.
- The spelling of geimhreadh contains a 'dh' at the end, which is completely silent in most dialects, making the written word look much longer than it sounds.
Examples in context
- Beidh sé fuar i rith an geimhridh.It will be cold during the winter.
- Tá an aimsir go hálainn sa geimhreadh.The weather is beautiful in winter.
- Is maith liom an geimhreadh.I like winter.
Example conversation
Cathal and Niamh are discussing the weather.
- CathalTá an geimhreadh ag teacht go luath i mblionadh.Winter is coming early this year.
- NiamhTá mé ag tnúthleas an fhringil.I am looking forward to the frost.
- CathalNí deixaim an fuacht an geimhreadh.I don't like the winter cold.
- NiamhIs féidir linn fanacht laistigh, a Chathail.We can stay inside, Cathal.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “winter” translations and entries geimhreadh, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries geimhreadh, CC BY-SA 4.0.
