ban-

• bain- (sometimes used before a slender consonant or vowel)

From bean (“woman”).

ban-

1. A prefix appended to words to make a female form, similar to -ette or -ess in English

   ‎ban- + ‎ab (“abbot”) → ‎ban-ab (“abbess”)

   ‎ban- + ‎draíodóir (“magician”) → ‎bandraíodóir (“enchantress”)

   ‎ban- + ‎stiúrthóir (“director; conductor”) → ‎banstiúrthóir (“directress, directrix; conductress”)

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “ban-”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN

From Proto-Celtic *bano-. Related to ben (“woman”).

ban-

1. A prefix appended to words to make a female counterpart, similar to -ette or -ess in English.

   ‎ban- + ‎éces (“poet”) → ‎banéces (“poetess”)

   ‎ban- + ‎airchinnech (“leader, superior”) → ‎banairchinnech (“female leader, superior”)

• Middle Irish: ban-
  • Irish: ban-
  • Scottish Gaelic: ban-

• bain-, bana-

From bean (“woman”).

ban-

1. A prefix appended to words to make a female form, similar to -ette or -ess in English.

   Coordinate term: fear-

   ‎ban- + ‎actair (“actor”) → ‎ban-actair (“actress”)

   ‎ban- + ‎ìmpire (“emperor”) → ‎ban-ìmpire (“empress”)

   ‎ban- + ‎prionnsa (“prince”) → ‎bana-phrionnsa (“princess”)

• The use of the ban- prefix with many words is now considered somewhat dated.

• neach-