speir

== Irish == === Alternative forms === sbeir (obsolete) === Etymology === Alternative form of seir (from Old Irish seir (“heel”)) altered under the influence of spor (“spur”) (from Middle English spore and/or Old Norse spori, from Proto-Germanic *spurô). Both the native word and the Germanic loanword are from Proto-Indo-European *sperH- (“to kick”). The same conflation is found in Manx and Scottish Gaelic speir. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /sˠpʲeɾʲ/ === Noun === speir f (genitive singular speire, nominative plural speireacha) hock (tarsal joint of a digitigrade quadruped) (geography) spit (a generally low, narrow, pointed, usually sandy peninsula or bar) shin, shank (cut of beef) spur (projection from a mountain or mountain range) ==== Declension ==== ==== Derived terms ==== speireach === References === === Further reading === Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “speir”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language Dinneen, Patrick S. (1927), “speir”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla [Irish and English Dictionary], 2nd edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 1096; reprinted with additions 1996, →ISBN Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977), “speir”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla [Irish–English Dictionary], Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN == Scots == === Alternative forms === speer === Etymology === From Old English spyrian, from Proto-Germanic *spurjaną. Cognate with German spüren, Swedish spörja, Danish spørge. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /spiːr/ === Verb === speir (third-person singular simple present speirs, present participle speirin, simple past speirt or spure, past participle speirt) to ask, inquire === Noun === speir (plural speirs) inquiry, investigation A person who is continually asking questions; a prying, inquisitive person === References === “Speir”, in The Dictionary of the Scots Language, Edinburgh: Scottish Language Dictionaries, 2004–present, →OCLC, retrieved 14 May 2026.