baintreach

Irish

Alternative forms

baintreabhach (superseded)
baintreách

Etymology

PIE word
*gʷḗn

From Middle Irish baintrebthach,^[1] originally “landlady”, from ban- (combining form of ben (“woman”)) + trebthach (“householder”), from Old Irish treb (“farm, holding”), from Proto-Celtic *trebā (“settlement”) (compare Welsh tref (“town”)), from Proto-Indo-European *treb- (“settlement”) (compare Old English þorp (“village”), Lithuanian troba (“house”)). Replaced now archaic feadhbh, from Old Irish fedb.

Pronunciation

(Munster) IPA^(key): /ˈbˠainʲtʲ(ə)ɾʲəx/^[2]^[3]
(Connacht) IPA^(key): /ˈbˠan̠ʲtʲɾʲəx/^[4], (Cois Fharraige) [ˈbˠaːn̠ʲtʲɾʲəx]^[5], /ˈbˠanʲtʲɾʲəx/^[6]; (Aran) /ˈbʲanʲtʲɾʲəx/^[7]
(Ulster) IPA^(key): /ˈbˠæn̠ʲtʲɾʲa(x)/^[8], /ˈbˠɑn̠ʲtʲɾʲæ(x)/^[9]

Noun

baintreach f (genitive singular baintrí, nominative plural baintreacha)

widow

Declension

Declension of baintreach (second declension)

bare forms
	singular	plural
nominative	baintreach	baintreacha
vocative	a bhaintreach	a bhaintreacha
genitive	baintrí	baintreach
dative	baintreach baintrigh (archaic, dialectal)	baintreacha

forms with the definite article
	singular	plural
nominative	an bhaintreach	na baintreacha
genitive	na baintrí	na mbaintreach
dative	leis an mbaintreach leis an mbaintrigh (archaic, dialectal) don bhaintreach don bhaintrigh (archaic, dialectal)	leis na baintreacha

Synonyms

baintreach mná

Coordinate terms

baintreach fir (“widower”)

Derived terms

baintreach an rí (“queen dowager”)
baintreach dhuair (“dowager”)
baintreach dhubh (“black widow”)
baintreachas m (“widowhood”)
cianóg na baintrí f (“the widow's mite”)
feisteas baintrí m (“weeds”)

Mutation

Mutated forms of *baintreach*
radical	lenition	eclipsis
baintreach	bhaintreach	mbaintreach

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

References

^ Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “baintrebthach”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
^ Sjoestedt, M. L. (1931), Phonétique d’un parler irlandais de Kerry [Phonetics of an Irish Dialect of Kerry] (in French), Paris: Librairie Ernest Leroux, § 195, page 98
^ Ó Sé, Diarmuid (2000), Gaeilge Chorca Dhuibhne [The Irish of Corkaguiny] (in Irish), Institiúid Teangeolaíochta Éireann [Linguistics Institute of Ireland], →ISBN, section 219, page 105
^ de Búrca, Seán (1958), The Irish of Tourmakeady, Co. Mayo: A Phonemic Study, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, →ISBN, section 293, page 57
^ de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1977), Gaeilge Chois Fhairrge: An Deilbhíocht [The Irish of Cois Fharraige: Accidence] (in Irish), 2nd edition, Institiúid Ard-Léinn Bhaile Átha Cliath [Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies], page 303
^ Mhac an Fhailigh, Éamonn (1968), The Irish of Erris, Co. Mayo: A Phonemic Study, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, section 56, page 15
^ Finck, F. N. (1899), Die araner mundart [The Aran Dialect] (in German), Zweiter Band: Wörterbuch [Second volume: Dictionary], Marburg: Elwert’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, page 39
^ Quiggin, E. C. (1906), A Dialect of Donegal, Cambridge University Press, § 171, page 64
^ Wagner, Heinrich (1959), Gaeilge Theilinn: Foghraidheacht, Gramadach, Téacsanna [The Irish of Teelin: Phonetics, Grammar, Texts] (in Irish), Institiúid Ard-Léinn Bhaile Átha Cliath [Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies], § 445 A (c), page 163; reprinted 1979