Focal an Lae #248
The Word of the Day in Irish
Word: cuan (KOO-uhn) [kuːən]
Meaning: cuan = harbour, bay, haven
Usage:
- Cuan na Gaillimhe (... nuh GAHL-yih-vuh) [... nə gal′əv′ə] = Galway Bay
- Bhuail an bád cuan. (WOO-ihl uh BAWD KOO-uhn) [vuːəl′ ə baːd kuːən] = The boat reached harbour.
History: Old Irish “cúan” comes from Indo-European *kapno-, from the root *kap- (to grasp).
Cognates in English include “haven”, from Germanic *hafnō- (place that “holds” ships), “haft” and “capture”, from Latin “capere” (to catch).
Scottish Gaelic: cuan (= sea)