cailín

== Irish == === Etymology === From caile (“maid”) +‎ -ín (diminutive suffix). === Pronunciation === (Munster) IPA(key): /kɑˈlʲiːnʲ/ (Connacht) IPA(key): /ˈkalʲiːnʲ/ (Ulster) IPA(key): /ˈkælʲinʲ/, /ˈkal̠ʲinʲ/ === Noun === cailín m (genitive singular cailín, nominative plural cailíní) girl; young, unmarried woman Synonyms: gearrchaile, girseach girlfriend Synonym: girseach female servant, maid useful thing (referring to a feminine noun) ==== Usage notes ==== Cailín is masculine because of the suffix -ín. Nevertheless, the feminine pronouns sí and í are used to refer to it. ==== Declension ==== ==== Coordinate terms ==== bean (“woman”) buachaill (“boy, unmarried young man”) fear (“man”) ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Descendants ==== → English: colleen Shelta: lakeen === Mutation === === References === === Further reading === Dinneen, Patrick S. (1927), “cailín”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla [Irish and English Dictionary], 2nd edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 147; reprinted with additions 1996, →ISBN Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977), “cailín”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla [Irish–English Dictionary], Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959), “cailín”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm “cailín”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013–2026