cnámh

See also: cnàmh

Irish

Alternative forms

cnáimh

Etymology

From Old Irish cnáim, from Proto-Celtic *knāmis, from Proto-Indo-European *kónh₂m (“leg”).

Pronunciation

(Munster) IPA^(key): /kn̪ˠɑːvˠ/, [kn̪ˠɑ̃ːvˠ]
(Aran) IPA^(key): /knɑːvʲ/, /knaːvʲ/ (corresponding to the spelling cnáimh)
(Ulster) IPA^(key): /kɾãːw/

Noun

cnámh f (genitive singular cnáimhe, nominative plural cnámha)
cnámh m (genitive singular cnámha, nominative plural cnámha)

(anatomy) bone
(in the plural) bones (musical instrument)

Declension

As a second-declension feminine noun

Declension of cnámh

Second declension

Bare forms

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	cnámh	cnámha
Vocative	a chnámh	a chnámha
Genitive	cnáimhe	cnámh
Dative	cnámh cnáimh (archaic, dialectal)	cnámha

Forms with the definite article

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	an chnámh	na cnámha
Genitive	na cnáimhe	na gcnámh
Dative	leis an gcnámh leis an gcnáimh (archaic, dialectal) don chnámh don chnáimh (archaic, dialectal)	leis na cnámha

As a third-declension masculine noun

Declension of cnámh

Third declension

Bare forms:

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	cnámh	cnámha
Vocative	a chnámh	a chnámha
Genitive	cnámha	cnámha
Dative	cnámh	cnámha

Forms with the definite article:

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	an cnámh	na cnámha
Genitive	an chnámha	na gcnámha
Dative	leis an gcnámh don chnámh	leis na cnámha

Derived terms

cnámhar (“ossiferous”)
créachta chnámh (“bone tuberculosis”)
deisiú cnámh (“bonesetting”)
mórchnámhach (“big-boned”)

Mutation

Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Eclipsis
cnámh	chnámh	gcnámh
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.