# donn
## Central Franconian
### Alternative forms

* don (northern Moselle Franconian, some Ripuarian dialects)
* dun (southern Moselle Franconian)

### Etymology

From Middle High German duon, from Old High German *duon, northern variant of tuon, from Proto-West Germanic *dōn.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /don/

### Verb

donn (third-person singular present deet or deit, preterite dät, past participle jedon or jedonn)
* (many dialects of Ripuarian, including Kölsch) to do
* (same dialects) Used in the preterite with a following infinitive to form the paraphrastic preterite.
    Ich dät us der Finster luure. ― I looked out the window.
* (same dialects) Used in the subjunctive with a following infinitive to form the conditional tense.
    Ich dät jo noch jet blieve, ävver meng Frau well heem.I would stay some more, but my wife wants to go home.

#### Usage notes

* The past participle has an open vowel /ɔ/, either long or short, but never /o/ as in the infinitive.
* The paraphrastic preterite can be used with all verbs except auxiliaries and modals. It is preferred especially with regular verbs, though the regular preterite does remain functional in Ripuarian (unlike Moselle Franconian); thus alternatively: Ich luurten us der Finster. (“I looked out the window.”) As in colloquial Standard German the preterite as such is restricted semantically and syntactically, the past being predominantly expressed by the perfect tense.

#### Descendants

* Hunsrik: dun
* Kölsch: dunn
* Luxembourgish: doen

## Irish
### Pronunciation

* (Munster) IPA: /d̪ˠoun̪ˠ/, /d̪ˠəun̪ˠ/
* (Galway) IPA: /d̪ˠaun̪ˠ/
* (Mayo) IPA: /d̪ˠʊn̪ˠ/
* (Ulster) IPA: /d̪ˠʌn̪ˠ/

### Etymology 1

From Old Irish donn, from Proto-Celtic *dusnos (“brown”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰewh₂- (“smoke”).

#### Adjective

donn (genitive singular masculine doinn, genitive singular feminine doinne, plural donna, comparative doinne)
* brown
* brown-haired, brunette
* made of hard brown timber
* strong, solid
* used as intensifying term

##### Declension

$^1$ When the preceding noun is lenited and governed by the definite article. $^2$ When the preceding noun ends in a slender consonant.

###### Obsolete spellings

$^1$ When the preceding noun is lenited and governed by the definite article. $^2$ When the preceding noun ends in a slender consonant.

##### Derived terms

* abhac donn m (“brown dwarf”)
* arán donn m (“brown bread”)
* béar donn m (“brown bear”)
* breac donn m (“brown trout”)
* buídhonn (“fawn”, adjective)
* Donn Cuailgne
* donn- (“brownish”)
* donnaigh (“brown; tan, rust”, verb)
* donnrua (“brick red, chestnut; russet; bay”, adjective)
* francach donn m (“brown rat”)
* leann donn m (“brown ale”)
* scothdhonn (“brownish”, adjective)

#### Noun

donn m or f (genitive singular doinn or doinne)
* brown (colour)
* brown animal (masculine or feminine declined differently)
* hard brown timber

##### Declension

bare forms
case
singular
nominative
donn
vocative
a dhoinn
genitive
doinn
dative
donn
forms with the definite article
case
singular
nominative
an donn
genitive
an doinn
dative
leis an donn don donn :

###### Feminine (only used to refer to a female brown animal)

bare forms
case
singular
nominative
donn
vocative
a dhonn
genitive
doinne
dative
donn
forms with the definite article
case
singular
nominative
an donn
genitive
na doinne
dative
leis an donn don donn :

#### Verb

donn (present analytic donnann, future analytic donnfaidh, verbal noun donnadh, past participle donnta)
* (transitive, intransitive) Alternative form of donnaigh (“brown; tan, rust”)

##### Conjugation

| | | singular | singular | singular | plural | plural | plural | relative | autonomous |
| | | first | second | third | first | second | third | relative | autonomous |
| indicative | present | donnim | donnann tú; donnir$^†$ | donnann sé, sí | donnimid | donnann sibh | donnann siad; donnid$^†$ | a dhonnann; a dhonnas / a ndonnann* | donntar |
| indicative | past | dhonn mé; dhonnas | dhonn tú; dhonnis | dhonn sé, sí | dhonnamar; dhonn muid | dhonn sibh; dhonnabhair | dhonn siad; dhonnadar | a dhonn / ar dhonn* | donnadh |
| indicative | past habitual | dhonninn / ndonninn‡‡ | dhonntá / ndonntá‡‡ | dhonnadh sé, sí / ndonnadh sé, sí‡‡ | dhonnimis; dhonnadh muid / ndonnimis‡‡; ndonnadh muid‡‡ | dhonnadh sibh / ndonnadh sibh‡‡ | dhonnidís; dhonnadh siad / ndonnidís‡‡; ndonnadh siad‡‡ | a dhonnadh / a ndonnadh* | dhonntí / ndonntí‡‡ |
| future | future | donnfidh mé; donnfad | donnfidh tú; donnfir$^†$ | donnfidh sé, sí | donnfimid; donnfidh muid | donnfidh sibh | donnfidh siad; donnfid$^†$ | a dhonnfidh; a dhonnfas / a ndonnfidh* | donnfar |
| conditional | conditional | dhonnfinn / ndonnfinn‡‡ | dhonnfá / ndonnfá‡‡ | dhonnfadh sé, sí / ndonnfadh sé, sí‡‡ | dhonnfimis; dhonnfadh muid / ndonnfimis‡‡; ndonnfadh muid‡‡ | dhonnfadh sibh / ndonnfadh sibh‡‡ | dhonnfidís; dhonnfadh siad / ndonnfidís‡‡; ndonnfadh siad‡‡ | a dhonnfadh / a ndonnfadh* | dhonnfí / ndonnfí‡‡ |
| subjunctive | present | go ndonn mé; go ndonnad$^†$ | go ndonn tú; go ndonnir$^†$ | go ndonn sé, sí | go ndonnimid; go ndonn muid | go ndonn sibh | go ndonn siad; go ndonnid$^†$ | — | go ndonntar |
| subjunctive | past | dá ndonninn | dá ndonntá | dá ndonnadh sé, sí | dá ndonnimis; dá ndonnadh muid | dá ndonnadh sibh | dá ndonnidís; dá ndonnadh siad | — | dá ndonntí |
| imperative | imperative | donnim | donn | donnadh sé, sí | donnimis | donnigí; donnidh$^†$ | donnidís | — | donntar |
| verbal noun | verbal noun | donnadh | donnadh | donnadh | donnadh | donnadh | donnadh | donnadh | donnadh |
| past participle | past participle | donnta | donnta | donnta | donnta | donnta | donnta | donnta | donnta |
* indirect relative † archaic or dialect form ‡‡ dependent form used with particles that trigger eclipsis

### Etymology 2

From Old Irish donn (“chief, lord, noble”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰus-no-.

#### Noun

donn m (genitive singular doinn, nominative plural doinn)
* (literary) noble, prince

##### Declension

bare forms
case
singular
plural
nominative
donn
doinn
vocative
a dhoinn
a dhonna
genitive
doinn
donn
dative
donn
doinn
forms with the definite article
case
singular
plural
nominative
an donn
na doinn
genitive
an doinn
na ndonn
dative
leis an donn don donn
leis na doinn :

##### Derived terms

* Donn m (proper noun)

### Etymology 3
#### Noun

donn f (genitive singular doinne, nominative plural donna)
* Alternative form of dronn (“hump; camber”)

##### Declension

bare forms
case
singular
plural
nominative
donn
donna
vocative
a dhonn
a dhonna
genitive
doinne
donn
dative
donn
donna
forms with the definite article
case
singular
plural
nominative
an donn
na donna
genitive
na doinne
na ndonn
dative
leis an donn don donn
leis na donna :

### Mutation

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Modern Irish. All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

### Further reading

* Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “donn”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
* Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “1 donn”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
* Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “2 donn”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
* de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “donn”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
* Finck, F. N. (1899) Die araner mundart [The Aran Dialect] (in German), volume II, Marburg: Elwert’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, page 63
* “donn”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013-2025
* Quiggin, E. C. (1906) A Dialect of Donegal, Cambridge University Press, page 24

## Maltese
### Etymology

From Arabic. Probably the imperfect of ظَنَّ (ẓanna, “to think, opine, conjecture”) in a phrase like أَظُنُّهُم مُتَضايِقِين (ʔaẓunnuhum mutaḍāyiqīn, “I think them despondent”). Then reconstrued as an adverb (or false verb). Alternatively from the related noun ظَنّ (ẓann, “opinion, conjecture”), but this seems unlikely.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /dɔnn/

### Adverb

donn-
* seemingly, by appearance
    Kienu donnhom imdejqin.They seemed despondent.(literally, “They were (by) their appearance despondent.”)
    Donnok ma tifhimx.You don’t seem to understand.(literally, “(By) your appearance you don’t understand.”)

#### Usage notes

* As above, the word takes pronominal suffixes according to the subject.

## Old Irish
### Alternative forms

* dond

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /don͈/

### Etymology 1

From Proto-Celtic *dusnos (“brown”).

#### Adjective

donn
* brown, tawny, dun
* hazel (of eyes)
* chestnut (of animals)

##### Inflection

o/ā-stem :
| Singular | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter |
| Nominative | donn | donn | donn |
| Vocative | duinn* donn** | donn | donn |
| Accusative | donn | duinn | donn |
| Genitive | duinn | duinne | duinn |
| Dative | donn | duinn | donn |
| Plural | Masculine | Feminine/neuter | Feminine/neuter |
| Nominative | duinn | donna | donna |
| Vocative | donnu donna† | donna | donna |
| Accusative | donnu donna† | donna | donna |
| Genitive | donn | donn | donn |
| Dative | donnaib | donnaib | donnaib |
| Notes | *modifying a noun whose vocative is different from its nominative **modifying a noun whose vocative is identical to its nominative † not when substantivized | *modifying a noun whose vocative is different from its nominative **modifying a noun whose vocative is identical to its nominative † not when substantivized | *modifying a noun whose vocative is different from its nominative **modifying a noun whose vocative is identical to its nominative † not when substantivized |
Alternative declension:
o/ā-stem :
| Singular | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter |
| Nominative | donn | donn | donn |
| Vocative | doinn* donn** | donn | donn |
| Accusative | donn | doinn | donn |
| Genitive | doinn | doinne | doinn |
| Dative | donn | doinn | donn |
| Plural | Masculine | Feminine/neuter | Feminine/neuter |
| Nominative | doinn | donna | donna |
| Vocative | donnu donna† | donna | donna |
| Accusative | donnu donna† | donna | donna |
| Genitive | donn | donn | donn |
| Dative | donnaib | donnaib | donnaib |
| Notes | *modifying a noun whose vocative is different from its nominative **modifying a noun whose vocative is identical to its nominative † not when substantivized | *modifying a noun whose vocative is different from its nominative **modifying a noun whose vocative is identical to its nominative † not when substantivized | *modifying a noun whose vocative is different from its nominative **modifying a noun whose vocative is identical to its nominative † not when substantivized |

##### Descendants

* Irish: donn
* Manx: dhone
* Scottish Gaelic: donn

### Etymology 2

From Proto-Indo-European *dʰus-no-.

#### Noun

donn m
* chief, lord, noble
    Synonyms: mál, toísech, túathach
* lordship, chieftainship
    Synonyms: flaith, tigernas

##### Declension

Masculine o-stem :
| | Singular | Dual | Plural |
| Nominative | donn | donn$^L$ | duinn$^L$ |
| Vocative | duinn | donn$^L$ | donnu$^H$ |
| Accusative | donn$^N$ | donn$^L$ | donnu$^H$ |
| Genitive | duinn$^L$ | donn | donn$^N$ |
| Dative | donn$^L$ | donnaib | donnaib |
| Initial mutations of a following adjective: $^H$ = triggers aspiration $^L$ = triggers lenition $^N$ = triggers nasalization ||||

##### Descendants

* Irish: donn

#### Adjective

donn
* princely, noble

##### Declension

o/ā-stem :
| Singular | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter |
| Nominative | donn | donn | donn |
| Vocative | duinn* donn** | donn | donn |
| Accusative | donn | duinn | donn |
| Genitive | duinn | duinne | duinn |
| Dative | donn | duinn | donn |
| Plural | Masculine | Feminine/neuter | Feminine/neuter |
| Nominative | duinn | donna | donna |
| Vocative | donnu donna† | donna | donna |
| Accusative | donnu donna† | donna | donna |
| Genitive | donn | donn | donn |
| Dative | donnaib | donnaib | donnaib |
| Notes | *modifying a noun whose vocative is different from its nominative **modifying a noun whose vocative is identical to its nominative † not when substantivized | *modifying a noun whose vocative is different from its nominative **modifying a noun whose vocative is identical to its nominative † not when substantivized | *modifying a noun whose vocative is different from its nominative **modifying a noun whose vocative is identical to its nominative † not when substantivized |

###### Alternative declension

o/ā-stem :
| Singular | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter |
| Nominative | donn | donn | donn |
| Vocative | doinn* donn** | donn | donn |
| Accusative | donn | doinn | donn |
| Genitive | doinn | doinne | doinn |
| Dative | donn | doinn | donn |
| Plural | Masculine | Feminine/neuter | Feminine/neuter |
| Nominative | doinn | donna | donna |
| Vocative | donnu donna† | donna | donna |
| Accusative | donnu donna† | donna | donna |
| Genitive | donn | donn | donn |
| Dative | donnaib | donnaib | donnaib |
| Notes | *modifying a noun whose vocative is different from its nominative **modifying a noun whose vocative is identical to its nominative † not when substantivized | *modifying a noun whose vocative is different from its nominative **modifying a noun whose vocative is identical to its nominative † not when substantivized | *modifying a noun whose vocative is different from its nominative **modifying a noun whose vocative is identical to its nominative † not when substantivized |

### Etymology 3

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

#### Noun

donn (gender unknown, genitive duinn)
* theft, stolen property

##### Inflection

Its gender is unknown, although Binchy in his edition of Críth Gablach provisionally treats it as neuter.
Neuter o-stem :
| | Singular | Dual | Plural |
| Nominative | donn$^N$ | donn$^N$ | donn$^L$, donna |
| Vocative | donn$^N$ | donn$^N$ | donn$^L$, donna |
| Accusative | donn$^N$ | donn$^N$ | donn$^L$, donna |
| Genitive | duinn$^L$ | donn | donn$^N$ |
| Dative | donn$^L$ | donnaib | donnaib |
| Initial mutations of a following adjective: $^H$ = triggers aspiration $^L$ = triggers lenition $^N$ = triggers nasalization ||||

### Mutation

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in Old Irish. All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

### Further reading

* Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “1 donn”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
* Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “2 donn”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
* Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “3 donn”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language

## Plautdietsch
### Adverb

donn
* then, at that time

## Scottish Gaelic
### Etymology

From Old Irish donn, from Proto-Celtic *dusnos (“brown”), from Proto-Indo-European *dusnos-, *donnos- (“dark”), from *dʰewh₂- (“smoke”).

### Pronunciation

* (Lewis) IPA: /d̪̊ɔ̃ũn̪ˠ/, [d̪̊ɔ̃ʊ̃n̪ˠ]
* (North Uist) IPA: /d̪̊oun̪ˠ/
* (Barra) IPA: [d̪̊ɔ̝un̪ˠ]

### Adjective

donn (comparative duinne)
* brown
* (hair color) brown-haired, brunette

#### Derived terms

* comhachag-dhonn
* dreathan donn

### Mutation

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Scottish Gaelic. All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

### See also

Colors in Scottish Gaelic · dathan (layout · text) :
| bàn, geal | glas | dubh |
| dearg; ruadh | orains; donn | buidhe; donn |
| uaine | uaine | gorm |
| liath; glas | liath | gorm |
| purpaidh; guirmean | pinc; purpaidh | pinc |

### References

* ↑ Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “1 donn”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
* ↑ Oftedal, M. (1956) A linguistic survey of the Gaelic dialects of Scotland, Vol. III: The Gaelic of Leurbost, Isle of Lewis, Oslo: Norsk Tidsskrift for Sprogvidenskap
* ↑ John MacPherson (1945) The Gaelic dialect of North Uist (Thesis)‎, Edinburgh: University of Edinburgh
* ↑ Borgstrøm, Carl Hj. (1937) The dialect of Barra in the Outer Hebrides, Oslo: Norsk Tidsskrift for Sprogvidenskap

### Further reading

* Edward Dwelly (1911) “donn”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary]‎, 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN
* MacBain, Alexander, Mackay, Eneas (1911) “donn”, in An Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language‎, Stirling, →ISBN