amháin

Irish

Etymology

From Middle Irish amáin, from Old Irish nammá (“only, merely”), a petrified phrase derived from a negated form of má (“more”) (a comparative form of mór, már (“great”)), thus ‘not more’.

Pronunciation

(Munster) IPA^(key): [əˈvˠɑːnʲ]
(Connacht) IPA^(key): [əˈwɑːnʲ]
(Ulster) IPA^(key): [əˈwæːnʲ]

Adverb

amháin

one
capall amháin ― one horse
only
mise amháin ― only me
same

Derived terms

(aon) uair amháin (“once; formerly”)
(ach) amháin (“except”)
(fiú) amháin (“even”)
é amháin go, amháin go (“even though”)

References

"amháin" in Foclóir Gaeilge-Béarla, An Gúm, 1977, by Niall Ó Dónaill.

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