Focal an Lae #242
The Word of the Day in Irish
Word: tearmann (CHAR-uh-muhn) [t′ærəmən]
Meaning: tearmann = sanctuary, refuge
Usage:
- tearmann éan (... AY-uhn) [... eːn] = bird sanctuary
- teach tearmainn (CHAKH CHAR-uh-mwihn) [t′æx t′ærəmən′] = house of refuge
- faoina dtearmann (FWEE-nuh JAR-uh-muhn) [fiːnə d′ærəmən] = under their patronage or protection
History: Old Irish “termonn” (church land affording right of sanctuary; refuge) was borrowed from Latin “terminus” (limit, boundary),
which came from Indo-European *ter-men- (boundary marker), from the base *ter- (peg, post, marker).
The obvious cognate in Engish is “terminus”.
Scottish Gaelic: tèarmann