maoth

Irish

Alternative forms

• baoth

Etymology

From Middle Irish máeth, móeth (“soft, tender, yielding”), from Old Irish moíth, from Proto-Celtic *moytos (“tender”), from Proto-Indo-European *meyh₁- (“mild, soft”).

Pronunciation

• (Munster) IPA^(key): /mˠeːh/
• (Connacht) IPA^(key): /mˠiː/
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /mˠiː/, (older) /mˠɯ̃ː/

Adjective

maoth (genitive singular masculine maoith, genitive singular feminine maoithe, plural maotha, comparative maoithe)

1. soft, tender
2. weak, enervate
3. moist
4. soppy, sentimental

Declension

Declension of maoth

	Singular		Plural (m/f)
Positive	Masculine	Feminine	(strong noun)	(weak noun)
Nominative	maoth	mhaoth	maotha; mhaotha²
Vocative	mhaoith		maotha
Genitive		maoithe	maotha	maoth
Dative	maoth; mhaoth¹	mhaoth; mhaoith (archaic)	maotha; mhaotha²
Comparative	níos maoithe
Superlative	is maoithe

¹ When the preceding noun is lenited and governed by the definite article.
² When the preceding noun ends in a slender consonant.

Mutation

Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Eclipsis
maoth	mhaoth	not applicable
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “maoth”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Middle Irish máeth, móeth (“soft, tender, yielding”), from Old Irish moíth, from Proto-Celtic *moytos (“tender”), from Proto-Indo-European *meyh₁- (“mild, soft”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mɯː/

Adjective

maoth (comparative maoithe)

1. demulcent, moistened
2. effeminate
3. flaccid
4. innocent, undefiled
5. pliable, soft, gentle, tender, emollient

Mutation

Mutation of maoth

radical	lenition
maoth	mhaoth

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

Further reading

• Edward Dwelly (1911) “maoth”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan‎^[1], 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN