Colour words in Irish

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dubh [d̪ˠʊw] - black, dark, black-haired, dismal, swarming (with people), darkness

Etymology: from the Old Irish dub, from the Proto-Celtic *dubu- (black), from the Proto-Indo-European *dʰewbʰ- (black).

Expressions

• scothdhubh - blackish
• bheith dubh dóite - to be fed up
• dubh dorcha - pitch black
• an Mhuir Dhubh - the Black Sea
• dubh le daoine - swarming (black) with pe ople
• an dubh a chur ina gheal ar dhuine - to pull the wool over sb's eyes
• ó dhubh go dubh (from black to black) - round the clock / from dawn to dusk
• dubhfhocal - enigma, conundrum

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bán [bɑːn] - white, blank, fallow, empty

Etymology: from the Old Irish bán, from the Proto-Celtic *bāno- (white).

Expressions

• béal bán (white mouth) - flattery, sweet talk
• chomh bán le mo léine (as white as my shirt) - as white as a sheet
• chomh bán le sneachta - as white as snow

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dearg [ˈʤʲɛrəɡ] - red, lit, glowing, raw, intense, real; to blush, light, glow, redden

Etymology (dearg): from the Old Irish derg, from the Proto-Celtic *dergo- (red, crimson).

rua [ruə] - red, red-haired, rusty, wild

Etymology (rua): from the Old Irish rúad, from the Proto-Celtic *rowdo-, from the Proto-Indo-European *h₁rewdʰ

Expressions

• dearg te - red hot
• deargbhréag - barefaced lie
• an téip dhearg - red tape
• airdeall dearg - red alert
• deargamadán - an utter fool
• dearg-ghráin - intense hatred
• deargiomaíocht - cutthroat competition
• níl pingin rua agam - I'm broke (I don't have a red penny)

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buí [bˠiː] - yellow

Etymology: from the Old Irish buide.

Expressions / Related words

• buíocán - yolk, primrose
• buíochán - jaundice
• le buíochan na gréine - with the mellowing (tanning) of the sunlight, in late afternoon
• buíochan an fhómhair - the ripening of the harvest, the mellowing change of autumn

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gorm ['gorəm] - blue, black (skin)

Etymology: from Old Irish gorm (blue), from the Proto-Celtic *gorsmo-, from *gor (warm, warm colour), from the Proto-Indo-European *wrmi- (worm), from the Proto-Indo-European *wer- (to turn, bend).

Shades of blue

• gormghlas - blue-green, azure
• gormuaine - blue-green

Expressions

• cloigín gorm - bluebell
• cuil ghorm - bluebottle

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glas [ɡl̪ˠasˠ] - green (of grass, trees, politics etc);
grey (of sheep, horses, cloth, wool, eyes, etc) , inexperienced (person)

Etymology (glas): from the Old Irish glas, from the Proto-Celtic *glasto- (green).

uaine [ˈuənʲə] - green (of painted or dyed items, or bright or lightly-coloured items)

Etymology (uaine): from the Old Irish úanne, possiblly from the Proto-Celtic *utnio-, from the Proto-Indo-European *wed- (wet).

Expressions

• glasraí - vegetables (greens)

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donn [du:n] - brown, brown haired, brunette, tawny, dun

Etymology; from the Old Irish donn, from the Proto-Celtic *dunno- (brown).

Expressions

• scothdhonn - brownish
• donnbhuí - buff
• arán donn - brown bread
• páipéar donn - brown paper
• siúcra donn - brown sugar

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bándearg - pink

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oráiste / flannbhuí - orange

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liath [ˈlʲiə] - grey, light-blue, grey haired

Etymology: from Early Irish líath. Related to the Welsh llwyd, the Old Breton loit, the Middle Breton loet, from *leito-/*pleito-/*peleito-, from Greek pelitnós, from the Proto-Indo-European root *pel- (grey, dull colour, pallor)

Expressions

• liathbhán - pale, pallid, wan
• liathbhuí - sallow
• liathchorcra - lilac

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corcra - purple

Etymology: from Old Irish corcur (purple), from Latin purpura (purple)

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bánchorca - mauve

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bánbhuí - cream

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