beithir

Irish

Etymology

From Old Irish beithir, possibly from Proto-Celtic *betrixs.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbʲɛhəɾʲ/

Noun

beithir f (genitive singular beithre or beithreach, nominative plural beithreacha)

1. (literary) bear (animal)
2. (literary) warrior

Declension

Declension of beithir (second declension)

bare forms case singular plural nominative beithir beithreacha vocative a bheithir a bheithreacha genitive beithre beithreacha dative beithir beithreacha forms with the definite article case singular plural nominative an bheithir na beithreacha genitive na beithre na mbeithreacha dative leis an mbeithir don bheithir leis na beithreacha

Declension of beithir (fifth declension)

bare forms case singular plural nominative beithir beithreacha vocative a bheithir a bheithreacha genitive beithreach beithreacha dative beithir beithreacha forms with the definite article case singular plural nominative an bheithir na beithreacha genitive na beithreach na mbeithreacha dative leis an mbeithir don bheithir leis na beithreacha

Mutation

Mutated forms of beithir

radical	lenition	eclipsis
beithir	bheithir	mbeithir

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

Further reading

• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “beithir”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• Dinneen, Patrick S. (1904) “beiṫir”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, 1st edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 64
• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “beithir”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• Sjoestedt, M. L. (1931) Phonétique d’un parler irlandais de Kerry (in French), Paris: Librairie Ernest Leroux, page 72

Old Irish

Etymology

Possibly from Proto-Celtic *betrixs. The sense of “bear”, according to MacBain, was undoubtedly influenced by or borrowed from Proto-Germanic *berô, but the word also had the sense of “wild beast, serpent, monster”, and the like, which could be a Celtic descendant of the source of Latin bēstia (“wild beast”), itself of uncertain origin

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈbʲeθʲirʲ]

Noun

beithir f or m (genitive bethrach or beithre)

1. bear
2. warrior, hero

Inflection

Feminine k-stem
	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	beithir	bethraigL	bethraig
Vocative	beithir	bethraigL	bethracha
Accusative	bethraigN	bethraigL	bethracha
Genitive	bethrach	bethrach	bethrachN
Dative	bethraigL	bethrachaib	bethrachaib
Initial mutations of a following adjective: H = triggers aspiration L = triggers lenition N = triggers nasalization

Mutation

Mutation of beithir

radical	lenition	nasalization
beithir	beithir pronounced with /β(ʲ)-/	mbeithir

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

Further reading

• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “beithir”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Old Irish beithir, possibly from Proto-Celtic *betrixs.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpe.ɪɾʲ/

Noun

beithir m (genitive singular beathrach, plural beithrichean or beathraichean)

1. (regional) bear (animal)
2. serpent, viper
3. wild beast

Mutation

Mutation of beithir

radical	lenition
beithir	bheithir

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

Further reading

• MacBain, Alexander, Mackay, Eneas (1911) “beithir”, in An Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language‎^[2], Stirling, →ISBN
• Edward Dwelly (1911) “beithir”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary]‎^[3], 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “beithir”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language