Focal an Lae #35
The Word of the Day in Irish
Word: uair (OO-ihr)
Meaning: uair = hour, time, occasion
Usage:
- gach uair (GAHX OO-ihr) = each time
- uair an chloig (OO-ihr uh XLEHG) = an hour (lit., an hour of the clock)
- nuair (NOO-ihr) = when (contraction of “an uair” = the time):
- nuair a bhí mé óg (NOO-ihr uh VEE may OHG) = when I was young
History: Old Irish “úar” is borrowed from Latin “hora” (hour), which itself was borrowed from Greek “hora” (season),
which derives from the suffixed o-grade *yōr-ā of the Indo-European root *yēr (year, season).
English cognates span the temporal gamut: “hour” and “year”!
Scottish Gaelic: uair (OO-ir)