Deirdre

• Derdriu (in mythology)

From Irish, from Old Irish Derdriu.

• (Ireland) IPA^(key): /ˈdeːɹdɹə/
• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈdɪədɹi/, /ˈdɪədɹə/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈdɪəɹdɹə/

Deirdre

1. (Irish mythology) The foremost tragic heroine in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. Daughter of Fedlimid mac Daill. At birth, Cathbad foretold that she would be very beautiful, but that kings and lords would go to war over her. She committed suicide.
2. A female given name.
   • 1885 Frances Mabel Robinson, Mr. Butler's Ward, Vizetelly, page 95:

     Deirdre, it seemed to him, was the most beautiful name in the world. But Mrs. Stanley had different views on nomenclature. She had never, she declared, heard so utterly preposterous a name. […] "Theatre and saltpetre are both spelt that way, Arthur; depend upon it, it is Deirder - a sort of peasant name like Darby and Biddy, a corruption of something else."

   • 1996, Maeve Binchy, This Year It Will Be Different: A Christmas Treasury, Hachette UK (2008) →ISBN

     His daughter was called Deirdre, a good Irish name, but now she signed herself Dee, and her man friend was called Fox.

• derider, redried

From Old Irish Derdriu.

• IPA^(key): [ˈdʲɛɾʲədʲɾʲə]

Deirdre f (genitive Deirdre)

1. A female given name.

• "Deirdre" in Foclóir Gaeilge-Béarla, An Gúm, 1977, by Niall Ó Dónaill.
• Entries containing “Deirdre” in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm, 1959, by Tomás de Bhaldraithe.
• Entries containing “Deirdre” in New English-Irish Dictionary by Foras na Gaeilge.

From Old Irish Derdriu.

• IPA^(key): /ˈtʲɛrtɾə/, /ˈtʲɛʈɾə/

Deirdre

1. A female given name.