bregda

Middle Irish

Etymology

From Brega (“Bregia, the country around Tara”) +‎ -da (adjectival suffix). The meaning of “fine” by association with the scene of the magnificence of the high-kings. Possibly related to brí (“hill”) and bríg (“power, strength, authority”).

Pronunciation

• (earlier) IPA^(key): /ˈbʲrʲeɣðə/
• (later) IPA^(key): /ˈbʲrʲeɣə/

Adjective

bregda

1. Bregian, related to Bregia, the country around the Hill of Tara
2. fine, fair, excellent

Descendants

• Irish: breá
• Manx: breagh
• Scottish Gaelic: brèagha

Mutation

Middle Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Nasalization
bregda	bregda pronounced with /β(ʲ)-/	mbregda
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “bregda”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• MacBain, Alexander, Mackay, Eneas (1911) “brèagh”, in An Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language‎^[1], Stirling, →ISBN, page 48
• note 11 in Ua Laoghaire, Peadar (1895 December) “Séadna”, in Irisleabhar na Gaedhilge‎^[2], volume 6, number 8, Dublin, page 134