maith

Irish

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

From Old Irish maith[4] (compare Scottish Gaelic math and Manx mie), from Proto-Celtic *matis (compare Welsh and Breton mad, Cornish mas).

Adjective

maith (genitive singular masculine maith, genitive singular feminine maithe, plural maithe, comparative fearr)

  1. good
Usage notes
  • Takes the adverbial construction go maith when used predicatively after a form of :
  • Tá an t-anraith seo go maith.This soup is good.
Declension
Declension of maith
Positive singular plural
masculine feminine strong noun weak noun
nominative maith mhaith maithe;
mhaithe2
vocative mhaith maithe
genitive maithe maithe maith
dative maith;
mhaith1
mhaith maithe;
mhaithe2
Comparative níos fearr
Superlative is fearr

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

Noun

maith f (genitive singular maithe, nominative plural maithe)

  1. good, goodness
Declension
Declension of maith (second declension)
bare forms
singular plural
nominative maith maithe
vocative a mhaith a mhaithe
genitive maithe maithe
dative maith maithe
forms with the definite article
singular plural
nominative an mhaith na maithe
genitive na maithe na maithe
dative leis an maith
don mhaith
leis na maithe
Synonyms

Etymology 2

From Old Irish maithid,[5] from the adjective.

Verb

maith (present analytic maitheann, future analytic maithfidh, verbal noun maitheamh, past participle maite)

  1. to forgive, pardon
Conjugation
Conjugation of maith (first conjugation – A)
indicative singular plural direct relative autonomous
first second third first second third
present maithim maitheann tú;
maithir
maitheann sé, sí maithimid; maitheann muid maitheann sibh maitheann siad;
maithid
a mhaitheann; a mhaitheas maitear
past mhaith mé; mhaitheas mhaith tú; mhaithis mhaith sé, sí mhaitheamar; mhaith muid mhaith sibh; mhaitheabhair mhaith siad; mhaitheadar a mhaith maitheadh
past habitual mhaithinn /
maithinn
mhaiteá /
maiteá
mhaitheadh sé, sí /
maitheadh sé, sí
mhaithimis; mhaitheadh muid /
maithimis; maitheadh muid
mhaitheadh sibh /
maitheadh sibh
mhaithidís; mhaitheadh siad /
maithidís; maitheadh siad
a mhaitheadh mhaití /
maití
singular plural direct relative autonomous
first second third first second third
future maithfidh mé;
maithfead
maithfidh tú;
maithfir
maithfidh sé, sí maithfimid;
maithfidh muid
maithfidh sibh maithfidh siad;
maithfid
a mhaithfidh; a mhaithfeas maithfear
conditional mhaithfinn /
maithfinn
mhaithfeá /
maithfeá
mhaithfeadh sé, sí /
maithfeadh sé, sí
mhaithfimis; mhaithfeadh muid /
maithfimis; maithfeadh muid
mhaithfeadh sibh /
maithfeadh sibh
mhaithfidís; mhaithfeadh siad /
maithfidís; maithfeadh siad
a mhaithfeadh mhaithfí /
maithfí
subjunctive singular plural direct relative autonomous
first second third first second third
present go maithe mé;
go maithead
go maithe tú;
go maithir
go maithe sé, sí go maithimid;
go maithe muid
go maithe sibh go maithe siad;
go maithid
go maitear
past maithinn maiteá maitheadh sé, sí maithimis;
maitheadh muid
maitheadh sibh maithidís;
maitheadh siad
maití
imperative singular plural direct relative autonomous
first second third first second third
maithim maith maitheadh sé, sí maithimis maithigí;
maithidh
maithidís maitear
past participle maite
verbal noun maitheamh

archaic or dialect form
dependent form

Mutation

Mutated forms of maith
radical lenition eclipsis
maith mhaith not applicable

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

References

  1. ^ Sjoestedt, M. L. (1931), Phonétique d’un parler irlandais de Kerry [Phonetics of an Irish Dialect of Kerry] (in French), Paris: Librairie Ernest Leroux, § 90, page 50
  2. ^ Finck, F. N. (1899), Die araner mundart [The Aran Dialect] (in German), Zweiter Band: Wörterbuch [Second volume: Dictionary], Marburg: Elwert’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, page 199
  3. ^ Quiggin, E. C. (1906), A Dialect of Donegal, Cambridge University Press, § 290, page 103
  4. ^ Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “maith”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
  5. ^ Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “maithid”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language

Further reading

  • Dinneen, Patrick S. (1927), “maiṫ”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, 2nd edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 701; reprinted with additions 1996, →ISBN
  • Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977), “maith”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN

Old Irish

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈmaθʲ/

Etymology 1

From Proto-Celtic *matis, from Proto-Indo-European *meh₂tis (ripe, good), from *meh₂- (to ripen, to mature). Cognate with Welsh mad and Gaulish mat.

Alternative forms

Adjective

maith (comparative ferr, superlative dech)

  1. good
  2. (nominalized, neuter) good

For quotations using this term, see Citations:maith.

Declension
i-stem
singular masculine feminine neuter
nominative maith maith maith
vocative maith
accusative maith maith
genitive maith maithe maith
dative maith maith maith
plural masculine feminine/neuter
nominative maithi maithi
vocative maithi
accusative maithi
genitive maith*
maithe
dative maithib

*not when substantivized

Derived terms
Descendants
  • Irish: maith
  • Manx: mie
  • Scottish Gaelic: math

Further reading

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

·maith

  1. third-person singular present indicative conjunct of maidid

Mutation

Mutation of maith
radical lenition nasalization
maith
also mmaith in h-prothesis environments
maith
pronounced with /β̃-/
maith
also mmaith

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

Scottish Gaelic

Verb

maith (past mhaith, future maithidh, verbal noun mathadh, past participle maithte)

  1. alternative form of math

Noun

maith m

  1. genitive singular of math

Welsh

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /mai̯θ/
  • Rhymes: -ai̯θ

Adjective

maith (feminine singular maith, plural meithion, equative maithed, comparative maithach, superlative maithaf)

  1. long, far, large, extensive, numerous
  2. long-lasting, tedious, tiresome
    Synonyms: hir, hirfaith
  3. great (of quality)
  4. sad, bitter
  5. wise, clever, cunning, sly

Derived terms

Mutation

Mutated forms of maith
radical soft nasal aspirate
maith faith unchanged unchanged

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

References

  • R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke, et al., editors (1950–present), “maith”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies