Cú Chulainn
See also: Cúchulainn
English
Alternative forms
Etymology
From Irish cú (“hound”) + Culann. The latter name could be related to Ancient Greek κυλλός (kullós, “crooked, crippled”).[1]
Pronunciation
- (Ireland) IPA(key): /ˈkuːxulin/, [ˈkuːxulinʲ]
Proper noun
Cú Chulainn
- (Irish mythology) The pre-eminent hero of Ulster in the Ulster Cycle, almost undefeatable due to his spear the Gae Bulg, but cursed to reach an early grave; son of Lugh and Deichtine.
References
- ^ Hyde, D. (1899). Irish Texts Society. (n.p.): Nutt, p. 133
Old Irish
Alternative forms
- Cú Chulaind
Etymology
From cú (“dog, hound”), a common element in some male Old Irish given names, and Culann, another male given name; hence the name means "Culann's hound". Mythologized by the Táin Bó Cúailnge, in which Cú Chulainn gains this moniker after an incident in which Cú Chulainn replaced a guard dog of Culann's that was killed in self-defense.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈkuː xu.lən͈ʲ/
Proper noun
Cú Chulainn m (genitive Con Culainn)
- (Irish mythology) Cú Chulainn, a mythological hero.
Inflection
| singular | dual | plural | |
|---|---|---|---|
| nominative | Cú ChulainnL | — | — |
| vocative | Cú ChulainnL | — | — |
| accusative | Coin CulainnL | — | — |
| genitive | Con CulainnL | — | — |
| dative | Coin ChulainnL, Cú ChulainnL | — | — |
Initial mutations of a following adjective:
- H = triggers aspiration
- L = triggers lenition
- N = triggers nasalization
Descendants
- Middle Irish: Cú Chulainn
- Irish: Cú Chulainn
- Manx: Cuchulainn
- Scottish Gaelic: Cù-Chulainn
- → English: Cúchulainn