Gaelic

American

[gey-lik, gol-ik] / ˈgeɪ lɪk, ˈgɒl ɪk /

noun

a Celtic language that includes the speech of ancient Ireland and the dialects that have developed from it, especially those usually known as Irish, Manx, and Scottish Gaelic: Gaelic constitutes the Goidelic subbranch of Celtic.

adjective

of or in Gaelic.
of or relating to the Gaels or their language.

Gaelic British

/ ˈɡæl-, ˈɡeɪlɪk /

noun

any of the closely related languages of the Celts in Ireland, Scotland, or (formerly) the Isle of Man Compare Goidelic

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

of, denoting, or relating to the Celtic people of Ireland, Scotland, or the Isle of Man or their language or customs

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

Gaelics

plural

Etymology

Origin of Gaelic

First recorded in 1590–1600; Gael + -ic (representing Scots Gaelic Gaidhlig, derivative of Gaidheal Gael )

Compare meaning

How does gaelic compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

Gaelic vs. Celtic

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Scotland's deputy first minister at the time, Kate Forbes - a Gaelic speaker - called it a "historic milestone".

From BBC • May 29, 2026

He has listed his high school in Hawaii as beneficiary on two of his brokerage accounts, so he’s certainly got a “grá” — that’s Gaelic for deep affection — for charitable endeavors.

From MarketWatch • May 20, 2026

Killybegs was dominated by two sports - football, or soccer as it's often known in the north west, and Gaelic football, which is Ireland's traditional national sport.

From BBC • May 15, 2026

Last week, Croke Park stadium chief executive Peter McKenna suggested a long-awaited fight for Taylor at the 82,000-capacity home of Gaelic games could happen on a card shared with Tyson Fury.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

Or rather, they were whispering in a strange mixture of Gaelic and of the Old Language of chivalry—which had been taught to them because they would need it when they were grown.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023