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Glite Dictionary
Manannan mac Lir

Manannan mac Lir

9.9
A sea god in Celtic stories who is the son of Ler
  • proper noun
  • Literature
translation icon : Manannan mac Lir
  • Legends speak of Manannan mac Lir as the son of Ler and a revered figure in ancient Irish tales.

Examples

  • Some Irish poems pay tribute to Manannan mac Lir as the powerful lord of the sea.

  • According to legend, Manannan mac Lir traveled across the waves in a magical chariot.

  • Many stories describe Manannan mac Lir as a guardian of the Otherworld.

  • According to legend, Manannan mac Lir controls the waves.

  • Have you heard the story of Manannan mac Lir?

  • In Celtic mythology, Manannan mac Lir is depicted as a powerful god of the sea who protects sailors.

  • According to folklore, Manannan mac Lir uses his magical abilities to guide spirits to the Otherworld.

Synonyms

Manannan
vsManannan mac Lir
  • Literature
1 9.9

A sea god from old Irish stories, son of Ler, linked with magical islands, mist, and sailors

is broader in scope, applying across Celtic rather than only Irish tradition

Surface Forms

Manannan mac Lir main

Morphology

Manannan + mac + Lir

Although 'mac' was not defined in the supplied dictionary, it is a common Gaelic patronymic meaning 'son of', so the sequence Manannan + mac + Lir composes transparently as 'Manannan, son of Lir' and thus signals parentage and the sea-god identity given Lir. This name-building pattern (name + 'son of' + name) is cross-linguistically familiar, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent meanings could derive the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Manannan mac Lir comes from old Irish tales; mac means 'son of' and Lir means 'sea', so the name says 'son of the sea'. In stories he crosses the waves in a magic boat and makes mist to hide the Otherworld, so he is remembered as a powerful sea god.