bean chéile

See also: bean-chèile and bean chèile

Irish

Alternative forms

• banchéile

Noun

bean chéile f (genitive singular mná céile, nominative plural mná céile)

1. wife

   Synonyms: bean, céile mná

   Coordinate term: fear céile

   bean chéile an rí ― queen consort (literally, “wife of the king”)

Declension

Declension of bean chéile

Irregular

Bare forms Case Singular Plural Nominative bean chéile mná céile Vocative a bhean chéile a mhná céile Genitive mná céile ban céile Dative bean chéile mnaoi chéile (archaic or dialectal) mná céile mnáibh céile (archaic)

Forms with the definite article Case Singular Plural Nominative an bhean chéile na mná céile Genitive na mná céile na mban céile Dative leis an mbean chéile; don bhean chéile leis an mnaoi chéile; don mhnaoi chéile (archaic or dialectal) leis na mná céile leis na mnáibh céile (archaic)

Mutation

Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Eclipsis
bean chéile	bhean chéile	mbean chéile
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

References

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

Further reading

• de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “bean chéile”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
• “bean chéile”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013-2024