ceirtlín

Irish

Alternative forms

• ceairtlín, ceartlainn, ceartlinn, ceartlín, ceirthlín
• ceirtleog

Etymology

From ceirtle +‎ -ín.

Pronunciation

• (Munster) IPA^(key): /cɛɾˠhˈlʲiːnʲ/ (corresponding to the form ceirthlín)
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /ˈcaɾˠhl̠ʲiːnʲ/, /ˈcaɾˠtʲlʲiːnʲ/, /ˈcɛɾˠhl̠ʲiːnʲ/ (as if spelled cearthlín/ceairtlín/ceirthlín)

Noun

ceirtlín m (genitive singular ceirtlín, nominative plural ceirtlíní or ceirtlíneacha)

1. ball (quantity of string, thread, etc., wound into a spherical shape), clew
2. anything roughly ball-shaped

   Rinne an ghráinneog ceirtlín di féin.

   The hedgehog curled up into a ball.

3. heap, lump
4. well-set, well-built or beefy person

Declension

Declension of ceirtlín

Fourth declension

Bare forms Case Singular Plural Nominative ceirtlín ceirtlíní Vocative a cheirtlín a cheirtlíní Genitive ceirtlín ceirtlíní Dative ceirtlín ceirtlíní

Forms with the definite article Case Singular Plural Nominative an ceirtlín na ceirtlíní Genitive an cheirtlín na gceirtlíní Dative leis an gceirtlín don cheirtlín leis na ceirtlíní

Derived terms

• tochrais ar do cheirtlín féin (“to work in one's own interest, have an axe to grind”)
• déan ceirtlín díot féin (“to curl up (into a ball)”)

Mutation

Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Eclipsis
ceirtlín	cheirtlín	gceirtlín
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “ceirtlín”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• Dinneen, Patrick S. (1904) “ceirtlín”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, 1st edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 133
• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “ceirtlín”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN