Glossary of Gaelic origins of place names in Britain (D to F)

Place names are made up of components which are referred to as elements. These elements are simply the words people used to describe a place or their response to their environment. A more complete background to Scottish Gaelic in place names, pronunciation and spelling can be found in the accompanying Introduction to Gaelic origins of place names in Britain .

This is a glossary of the elements from Scottish Gaelic most frequently found in the place names of Britain. The meaning given is that which occurs in place names. Examples (with grid references) are given for each element.

There are usually three forms given for each noun: the first form is the basic form, called the nominative singular; the second form is the genitive singular; while the third form is the plural.

Abbreviations

adj	=	adjective	nm	=	noun masculine
f	=	feminine	nmf	=	noun sometimes used in masculine and in feminine
g	=	genitive	num	=	number
m	=	masculine	pl	=	plural
nf	=	noun feminine	pr	=	preposition

Element	Meaning	Examples
dà num	two	*Meall Dà Chloich* NN7962
dabhach nfdabhaich gdabhcha, dabhaichean pl	vat, large tub; land division, davoch	*Loch an Dabhaich* NN7296, Cnoc Dabhaich NC0723
dail nfdalach gdailean pl	haugh, level field by a river	*Dail an Eais* NM9964, Dail an Òir NN1625
dal	anglicised form of dail	*Dal More* NH6568, Dalbreck NC7415
damh nmdaimh gdaimh pl	ox, stag	*Creag an Daimh* NC9058, Dùn Daimh NN4863
daoine	see duine	*Lochan nan Daoine* NM4443
darach nmdaraich g	oak	*Tòrr an Daraich* NN0376, Coire Daraich NG4529
darroch	anglicised form of darach	*Knockdarroch* NN9655, Tordarroch NH6733
dearcag nfdearcaig gdearcagan pl	berry	*Tòrr nan Dearcag* ND0856, Allt Dearcaige NJ1113
dearg adj	red	*Allt Dearg* NH6580, Bealach Dearg NH2243
deas adj	south	*Croic a Deas* NF7129, Gleann Deas NR2169
derry	anglicised form of doire	*Glen Derry* NO0396, Loch Derry NX2573
dh-	A word starting dh is often a lenited form of a word starting d
dìg nfdìge gdìgean pl	ditch, wall of loose stones	*Allt na Dìge Moire* NC3144, Dìg Ghorm NR8764
dìollaid nfdìollaide gdìollaidean pl	saddle	*An Dìollaid* NO0797, Bealach na Dìollaide NS2297
dìseart nm	hermit's retreat	*Port an Dìseart* NM2924, Cladh an Dìseart NM2824
dìthreabh nfdìthreibh gdìthreabhan pl	wilderness, the less cultivated parts of a district	*Loch Dìthreabh na* *Cuileige* NG7741
dòbhran nmdòbhrain gdòbhrain pl	otter	*Cnap an Dòbhrain* NJ0806, Tòrr an Dòbhrain NR3343
doire nmfdoirean, doireachan pl	grove, thicket	*Sròn Doire* NR8378, Toll Doire NM5641
dòirlinn nfdòirlinne gdòirlinnean pl	isthmus, peninsula, stony part of the shore	*An Dòirlinn* NF7317, Tòrr na Dòirlinne NM6058
domhain	alternative form of domhainn	*Camas Domhain* NG8307, Gleann Domhain NM8610
domhainn adj	deep, hollow	*Allt Domhainn* NH6180, Chlais Domhainn NC1860
donn adj	brown	*Lochan Donn* NM7188, Maol Donn NM7431
dorch adj	dark, black, dusky, mysterious	*Rèidh Dorch* NJ1715, Glendorch NS8718
dorcha	alternative form of dorch	*Ruigh Dorcha* NN9273, Slochd Dorcha NM4771
dòrn nmdùirn gdùirn pl	fist, fist-sized pebble	*Dùn Dùirn* NR6907, Uamh Gill'an Dùirn NM6901
drim	anglicised form of druim	*Drimbuie* NN0322, Drimlee NN1416
dris nfdrise gdrisean pl	bramble	*Allt Doire na Drise* NM6283, Beinn na Drise NM4742
driseach adj	covered in brambles	*Rubha Driseach* NR9896, Torran Driseach NM5652
drochaid nfdrochaide gdrochaidean pl	bridge	*Càrn na Drochaide* NO1293, Drochaid a' Chadha NG8640
droigheann nmdroighinn g	bramble, blackthorn	*Port nan Droigheann* NM4419, Lagan Droigheann NR7148
droma, dromannan	see druim	*Sròn an Droma* NM7600
druid nmdruidean pl	starling	*Tòrr nan Druidean* NM9779, Cnoc Druidean NM2723
druim nmdroma gdromannan pl	ridge	*Ploc an Droma* NG8186
drum	anglicised form of druim	*Drumbain* NJ2749, Drumbeg NC1232
dubh adj	black	*Poll Dubh* NH4061, Rubha Dubh NC8068
duine nmduine gdaoine pl	man, person, people	*Leac an Duine* NN1106, Sloc nan Daoine NF8315
dùirn	see dòrn	*Dùn Dùirn* NR6907, Uamh Gill'an Dùirn NM6901
dùn nmdùin gdùin pl	fortress, castle, heap	*An Dùn* NC8566, Dùn a' Bhealaich NR7376
each nmeich geich pl	horse	*Mòine nan Each* NN5013, Rubha nan Each NB0320
eadar pr	between	*Cnoc Eadar Dà Bheinn* NB1402, Ùidh Eadar Dà Loch NC2749
eag nfeige geagan pl	notch, gap	*Druim na h-Eige* NB4257, Sgùrr na h-Eige NH0527
eagachadj	jagged	*Aonach Eagach* NN1558
eaglais nfeaglaise geaglaisean pl	church	*Allt na h-Eaglaise* NC8659, Beinn na h-Eaglaise NG9052
eala nfeala, ealaidh gealachan pl	swan	*Loch nan Ealachan* NC6751
ear adj	east	*Tràigh Ear* NF8276, Cathadail an Ear NB0910
earb nfearba gearbaichean pl	roe	*Lòn nan Earb* NG4168, Rubha na h-Earba NM9155
earrann nfearrainn gearrannan pl	share, portion, section of land	*Cnoc nan Earrannan* NR5164, Dubh Earrainn NR7458
eas nmeasa geasan pl	waterfall, cataract	*Allt an Eas Mhòir* NO1599, Eas a' Bhàinne NH2703
easg nmfeasga geasgan pl	marsh, swamp, ditch formed by nature	*An t-Easg Leathain* NN8069
eich	see each	*Allt an Eich Dhuibh* NH4112
eidheann nfeidhne g	ivy	*Creag na h-Eidhne* NM5539, Badan Eidhne NM9114
eige	see eag	*Bealach na h-Eige*NH1327
èilde, èildean	see eilid
eileach nmeilich geilichean pl	stony place, mill lade, mill dam, mound, islet	*Eileach an Naoimh* NM6309, An t-Eileach NN6496
èileag nfèileige gèileagan pl	deer-trap	*Loch Èileag* NC3006, Allt Èileag NC3007
eilean nmeilein geileanan pl	island	*Eilean a' Bhàta* NG8034, Eilean a' Chait NG8034
eilich, eilichean	see eileach	*Loch an Eilich* NG9991
eilid nfèilde gèildean pl	hind, female of the red deer	*Beinn Èilde* NN5685, Camas na h-Èilde NM7084
eldrick, eldrig	anglicised forms of èileag	*Black Eldrick* NX7354, High Eldrig NX2569
ellan	anglicised form of eilean	*Ellanmore* ND2337, Ellangowan NX9874
elrick	anglicised form of èileag	*Little Elrick* NJ9244, Drumelrick Hill NJ5518
eòin	see eun	*Loch an Eòin* NC7014
eòrna nm	barley	*Eilean an Eòrna* NC4401, Aonan an Eòrna NR3776
eun nmeòin geòin pl	bird, fowl	*Loch nan Eun* NC9254, Coire nan Eun NH2047
fada adj	long	*Allt Fada* NC7551, Bogha Fada NM2154
fadhail nffadhail, fadhlach gfadhlaichean pl	extensive beach, tidal ford	*Fadhail Losgaintir* NG0698, Fadhail Sheileboist NG0697
faing nffainge gfaingean pl	sheep pen, fank	*Tom na Faing* NB4248, Tràigh na Fainge NB4636
faire nffairean pl	watch, lookout	*Beinn na Faire* NR6017, Allt na Faire NH3489
fàl nmfàil gfàil pl	hedge, fence, fold	*Sgeir Fàil* NB1137, Allt Àirigh Fàil NB2225
fàil	see fàl
fang nf	alternative form of faing	*Fang Bhuidhe* NN2142, Fang nan Each NG1553
faodhail nffaodhalach gfaodhalaichean pl	alternative form of fadhail	*Faodhail Dhubh* NM6471, Allt na Faodhalach NS1493
faoileag nffaoileige gfaoileagan pl	sea gull	*Eilean na Faoileige* NH2903, Loch na Faoileige NC2119
faoileann nffaoilinn gfaoileannan pl	alternative form of faoileag	*Loch na Faoilinn* NF8051, Port na Faoilinn NM7430
fas nm	non-standard form of fasadh	*Fas na Cloiche* NN0248
fàsach nmffàsaich gfàsaichean pl	wilderness, mountain, hill edge, border	*Fàsach* NG1849, Rubha nam Fàsaichean NM7290
fasadh nmfasaidh g	stance, station, level spot	*Fasadh an Fhamhair* NM7870
fasgadh nmfasgaidh gfasgadhean pl	shelter, fold, pen-fold for cattle	*Am Fasgadh* NN0169, Tigh Fasgaidh NG8727
feadag nffeadaige gfeadagan pl	flute, whistle, plover	*Bàgh nam Feadag* NF8757, Cnoc na Feadaige ND0769
feadan nmfeadain gfeadanan pl	reed, canal, opening, streamlet	*Allt Feadain Bhàin* NN2054, Bealach an Fheadain NG8132
feannag nffeannaige gfeannag pl	crow, lazy bed	*Rubha nam Feannag* NM4199, Druim nam Feannag NH2997
fear nmfir gfir pl	man	*Blàr nam Fear Mòra* NC1425, Fear an Fhèilidh NM6020
fearann nmfearainn g	land, estate, farm, earth	*Fearann Làimhrige* NM4196, Fearann-Coille NS1674
feàrna nf	alder tree	*Rubha Feàrna* NM9977, Allt Feàrna NC7532
fèidh	see fiadh	*Eilean Ceann Fèidh* NM7284
fèith nffèithe gfèithichean pl	bog, underground stream, bog channel	*Allt na Fèithe Baine* NH0759, Bealach na Fèithe NC3741
feòir	see feur	*Eilean Feòir* NM5338
fern	anglicised form of feàrna	*Ardfern* NM8004, Bogfern NJ7758, Drimfern NN0814
feur nmfeòir g	grass, hay	*Sgeir an Fheòir* NG8037, Creag an Fheòir NH2411
feusag nffeusaig gfeusagan pl	beard	*Creag Feusag* NH2133, Glac na Feusaige NN1339
fh-	A word starting fh is often a lenited form of a word starting f
fiacail nffiacla gfiaclan pl	tooth	*Càrn nam Fiaclan* NH1245, Fiaclan Garbha NN2494
fiaclach adj	serrated, tooth-shaped	*Àth Fiaclach* NM8316, Druim Fiaclach NM8078
fiadh nmfèidh gfèidh pl	deer	*Eilean an Fhèidh* NH0596, Creag an Fhèidh NN3218
fin	anglicised form of fionn	*Fincraigs* NO3622, Fingask NO3918
fiodhag nffiodhaige gfiodhagan pl	bird-cherry, wild fig	*Allt nam Fiodhag* NH3223, Loch nam Fiodhag NH3123
fionn adj	white, fair, blessed, holy	*Craigfionn* NX4593, Fionn Phort NM7533
fir	see fear	*Fir Bhreugach* NG4470
fireach nmfirich gfirichean pl	high barren ground, mountain, moor	*Fireach na Mòine* NN2326, Am Fireach NH0978
fitheach nmfithich gfithich pl	raven	*Creag an Fhithich* NC2553, Cnoc an Fhithich NC9758
fliuch adj	wet	*Fliuch Choire* NH2372, Eas Fliuch Leirg NN2830
fo dheasadj	non-standard form of bho dheas	*Cas fo Dheas* NF8231
fo thuathadj	non-standard form of bho thuath	*Tràigh Baile fo Thuath* NF9087
fraoch nmfraoich g	heather	*Àird an Fhraoich* NF7270, Coire an Fhraoich NH0474
frith adj	small	*An Fhrith Aìrd*NG8303
frìth nffrìthe gfrìthean pl	deer forest, heath, moor	*Abhainn na Frìthe* NC8327, Srath na Frìthe NC8327
fuar adj	cold, chilly	*Fuar Achadh* NR9148, Allt Fuar NJ1420
fuaran nmfuarain gfuarain, fuaranan pl	well spring, green spot	*Fuaran Mòr* NC4640, Cnoc Fuarain ND1134