leath

See also: Leath

Irish

Etymology

From Old Irish leth (“side”), from Proto-Celtic *letos, perhaps cognate with Latin latus (“side”), or from Proto-Celtic *ɸletos.[1]

Celtic cognates include Welsh lled (“breadth, width, half”), Middle Breton let, led (“large”), and Cornish les.

Pronunciation

Noun

leath f (genitive singular leithe, nominative plural leatha)

  1. side; part, direction
  2. half; part, portion
    Is fearr leath ná meath. (proverb)
    Something is better than nothing.
    (literally, “"Half" is better than decay.”)

Declension

Declension of leath (second declension)
bare forms
singular plural
nominative leath leatha
vocative a leath a leatha
genitive leithe leath
dative leath
leith (in certain phrases) 		leatha
forms with the definite article
singular plural
nominative an leath na leatha
genitive na leithe na leath
dative leis an leath
don leath 		leis na leatha

Synonyms

Derived terms

Verb

leath (present analytic leathann, future analytic leathfaidh, verbal noun leathadh, past participle leata) (ambitransitive)

  1. to disperse, spread, cover
  2. to open wide, expand, (medicine) dilate
  3. to become confused, indistinct
  4. to perish
  5. (literary) to halve, divide, split (in half); diminish

Conjugation

conjugation of leath (first conjugation – A)
verbal noun leathadh
past participle leata
tense singular plural relative autonomous
first second third first second third
indicative
present leathaim leathann tú;
leathair† 		leathann sé, sí leathaimid leathann sibh leathann siad;
leathaid† 		a leathann; a leathas leatar
past leath mé; leathas leath tú; leathais leath sé, sí leathamar; leath muid leath sibh; leathabhair leath siad; leathadar a leath /
ar leath* 		leathadh
past habitual leathainn leatá leathadh sé, sí leathaimis; leathadh muid leathadh sibh leathaidís; leathadh siad a leathadh /
a leathadh* 		leataí
future leathfaidh mé;
leathfad 		leathfaidh tú;
leathfair† 		leathfaidh sé, sí leathfaimid;
leathfaidh muid 		leathfaidh sibh leathfaidh siad;
leathfaid† 		a leathfaidh; a leathfas leathfar
conditional leathfainn leathfá leathfadh sé, sí leathfaimis; leathfadh muid leathfadh sibh leathfaidís; leathfadh siad a leathfadh /
a leathfadh* 		leathfaí
subjunctive
present go leatha mé;
go leathad† 		go leatha tú;
go leathair† 		go leatha sé, sí go leathaimid;
go leatha muid 		go leatha sibh go leatha siad;
go leathaid† 		— go leatar
past dá leathainn dá leatá dá leathadh sé, sí dá leathaimis;
dá leathadh muid 		dá leathadh sibh dá leathaidís;
dá leathadh siad 		— dá leataí
imperative
– leathaim leath leathadh sé, sí leathaimis leathaigí;
leathaidh† 		leathaidís — leatar

* indirect relative
† archaic or dialect form

Derived terms

  • leathadóir (“flatter”)

References

  1. ^ Matasović, Ranko (2009), “*letos”, in Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 9), Leiden: Brill, →ISBN, pages 238–39
  2. ^ Sjoestedt, M. L. (1931), Phonétique d’un parler irlandais de Kerry [Phonetics of an Irish Dialect of Kerry] (in French), Paris: Librairie Ernest Leroux, § 80, page 43
  3. ^ Breatnach, Risteard B. (1947), The Irish of Ring, Co. Waterford: A Phonetic Study, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, →ISBN, section 44, page 11
  4. ^ Quiggin, E. C. (1906), A Dialect of Donegal, Cambridge University Press, § 222, page 83

Further reading

  • Dinneen, Patrick S. (1927), “leaṫ”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, 2nd edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 646; reprinted with additions 1996, →ISBN
  • Dinneen, Patrick S. (1927), “leaṫaim”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, 2nd edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 648; reprinted with additions 1996, →ISBN
  • Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977), “leath”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
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