nathair

Irish

Etymology

From Old Irish nathir, from Proto-Celtic *natrixs (compare Welsh neidr, Breton naer), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)néHtr̥, from *(s)neh₁- (“to spin, twist”) (compare German Natter, English adder, Latin natrīx (“water snake”)).

Pronunciation

• (Munster) IPA^(key): /ˈn̪ˠɑhəɾʲ/
• (Aran) IPA^(key): /ˈn̪ˠæhəɾʲ/

Noun

nathair f (genitive singular nathrach, nominative plural nathracha)

1. snake

Declension

Declension of nathair

Fifth declension

Bare forms Case Singular Plural Nominative nathair nathracha Vocative a nathair a nathracha Genitive nathrach nathracha Dative nathair nathraigh (archaic, dialectal) nathracha

Forms with the definite article Case Singular Plural Nominative an nathair na nathracha Genitive na nathrach na nathracha Dative leis an nathair leis an nathraigh (archaic, dialectal) don nathair don nathraigh (archaic, dialectal) leis na nathracha

Derived terms

• nathairín (“serpentine”)
• nathartha (“snake-like”)

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “nathair”, 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 46

Old Irish

Noun

nathair f

1. Alternative spelling of nathir

Mutation

Old Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Nasalization
nathair also nnathair after a proclitic	nathair pronounced with /n(ʲ)-/	unchanged
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Old Irish nathir, from Proto-Celtic *natrixs (compare Welsh neidr, Breton naer), from Proto-Indo-European *nh₁trih₂, from *sneh₁- (“to spin, twist”) (compare snìomh, English adder, Latin natrīx (“water snake”)). Related to snàth (“thread”), snàthad (“needle”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈn̪ˠahɪɾʲ/

Noun

nathair f (genitive singular nathrach, plural nathraichean)

1. A snake, serpent, or adder