Gaelic

American  

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

noun

1. 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.

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adjective

1. of or in Gaelic.

2. of or relating to the Gaels or their language.

Gaelic British  

/ ˈɡæl-, ˈɡeɪlɪk /

noun

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

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adjective

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

Other Word Forms

• anti-Gaelic adjective
• non-Gaelic adjective
• pro-Gaelic adjective

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

I played a lot of Gaelic football as a kid.

From BBC

Winning jockey Townend said after the race he was "fortunate" to be riding Gaelic Warrior, having been due to ride two-time Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs before his withdrawal.

From BBC

He is now learning Gaelic specifically to help with creating the game - something the money from Creative Scotland would help with.

From BBC

However, she stressed that some subjects that had a low uptake, such as Gaelic, would not be dropped because "it has importance in our community and in our society."

From BBC

Mescal was an athlete, competing in Gaelic football, but transitioned to acting and later graduated from the drama school at Trinity College Dublin in 2017.

From The Wall Street Journal