nighean

nighean f (genitive singular nighne, nominative plural nighneacha)

1. superseded spelling of níon: alternative form of iníon

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “nighean”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• Dinneen, Patrick S. (1904) “niġean”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, 1st edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 519

• nigheann

From Old Irish ingen, from Primitive Irish ᚔᚅᚔᚌᚓᚅᚐ (inigena), from Proto-Celtic *enigenā, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁én (“in”) + *ǵenh₁- (“produce, give birth”) (compare Latin indigena (“native”), Ancient Greek ἐγγόνη (engónē, “granddaughter”)).

• (Lewis) IPA^(key): /ˈɲĩ.un/^[1]
• (Uist, Barra) IPA^(key): /ˈɲiˑ.ən/, /ˈɲiˑ.an/^[2][3]
• (Wester Ross) IPA^(key): /ˈɲĩ.ən/^[4]

nighean f (dative nighinn, genitive nighinn or nighinne or ìghne or inghinn, plural nigheanan or nigheannan or nighnean or ìghnean or ingheanan)

1. daughter, female offspring
2. girl
3. maiden, young woman

   Synonyms: ainnir, cailin, gruagach, maighdeann, òigh, rìbhinn

   An cluinn thu mi, mo nighean donn? ― Will you listen to me, my brown-haired girl?

Irregular declension:

• leas-nighean
• clann-nighean