Wes's Words

A treasure trove of goofy and seldom used words is Harry Potter and the Philosopher's/Sorcerer's Stone, available in Irish at Amazon.com 

Harry Potter in Irish

...wand, goblin, spell, wizard, talons, cauldron... Not exactly everyday words.

Wes's Words

gallóglach noun m1

- gallowglass 

modification of the Irish word, from gall foreigner + óglach young man, warrior

1: a mercenary or retainer of an Irish chief

2: an armed Irish foot soldier

Wes's Words

 aolchoinneal  noun f2

- stalagmite

aolchuisne noun m4

- stalactite

mar shampla...

Fásann aolchoinneal ar an urlár uaimhe, ach fásann aolchuisne os cionn.

A stalagmite grows on the floor of a cave, but a stalactite grows above.

Wes's Words

dreige noun f3
- meteor
mar shampla...
Bíonn dreige sa spás fós, ach nuair a thitfeadh sí go talamh, ba dhreigít í mar sin.
A meteor is still in space, but when it falls to earth, then it's called a meteorite.

Wes's Words

coguasach adj
- velar
as in...
Fuaimnítear consan coguasach i gcúl an bhéil.
One pronounces a velar consonant in the back of the mouth.

Wes's Words

bolgchainteoir n m3
- ventriloquist

as in...
Nuair a chuir siad gobán ina bhéal, d'fhuaimnigh sé a chuid focal mar a bheadh sé ina bholgchainteoir.

When they put the gag in his mouth, he pronounced his words as if he were a ventriloquist.

Wes's Words

adhall n m1
- reproductive heat

as in...
Ní ligim mo chat baineann amach den teach san oíche nuair a mbíonn sí faoin t-adhall, mar an uallfairt uafásach a bheadh ann.

I don't let my tabby out during the night when she's in heat, because of all the horrible caterwauling.

OK. Stop right there! I see what you're thinking, folks. "Caterwaul" looks like it comes from "cat ar bhalla", which is logically the place in all the cartoons where cats do their caterwauling, but the word actually comes from the Middle English word caterwawen, of the same general meaning. Remember to keep your fantasetymologies on a leash!

Wes's Words

plucamas n m1
- mumps
as in...
Bhí a h-aghaidh a ata as aithne nuair a bhí an plucamas uirthi.
Her face was swollen beyond recognition when she had the mumps.

My sincerest sympathies to those who use this word on a regular basis.

Wes's Words

dromán n m1
- camber
as in...
Tá bíomaí na deic cuartha chun a dromán a dhéanamh.
The beams of the deck are curved to make it's camber.

Wes's Words

meatán n m1
- methane
as in...
Eisfhearann na ba i bhfad níos mó meatáin ná na carraí.
Cows give off far more methane than cars do.

Wes's Words

breogan n m1
- crucible

Wes's Words

cosliacht n f3
- chiropody... aka... podiatry