riabhach

Irish

Alternative forms

• riach

Etymology

From Middle Irish ríabach; surface analysis riabh +‎ -ach, from Proto-Celtic *reibâko, from a Proto-Indo-European root shared with Latvian raibs (“multicolored”), Albanian rrebe (“caprice”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɾˠiəvˠəx/
• IPA^(key): /ˈɾˠiəwəx/
• IPA^(key): /ˈɾˠeːwa(x)/, (older) /ˈɾˠɤːwa(x)/

Adjective

Cat riabhach

riabhach (genitive singular masculine riabhaigh, genitive singular feminine riabhaí, plural riabhacha, not comparable)

1. brindled
2. striped, streaked
3. dun, gray, swarthy
4. tabby (cat)

Declension

Declension of riabhach

	Singular		Plural (m/f)
Positive	Masculine	Feminine	(strong noun)	(weak noun)
Nominative	riabhach	riabhach	riabhacha
Vocative	riabhaigh		riabhacha
Genitive		riabhaí	riabhacha	riabhach
Dative	riabhach	riabhach; riabhaigh (archaic)	riabhacha
Comparative	(not comparable)
Superlative	(not comparable)

Derived terms

• bán, dubh nó riabhach

Noun

Riabhach san Íoslainn

riabhach f (genitive singular riabhaí, nominative plural riabhacha)

1. brindled cow

Declension

Declension of riabhach

Second declension

Bare forms Case Singular Plural Nominative riabhach riabhacha Vocative a riabhach a riabhacha Genitive riabhaí riabhach Dative riabhach riabhaigh (archaic, dialectal) riabhacha

Forms with the definite article Case Singular Plural Nominative an riabhach na riabhacha Genitive na riabhaí na riabhach Dative leis an riabhach leis an riabhaigh (archaic, dialectal) don riabhach don riabhaigh (archaic, dialectal) leis na riabhacha

Derived terms

• laethanta na riabhaí (“borrowing days”)

Further reading

• “riabhach”, in Historical Irish Corpus, 1600–1926, Royal Irish Academy
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “ríabach”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• Dinneen, Patrick S. (1904) “riaḃaċ”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, 1st edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 567
• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “riabhach”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN

---

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Middle Irish ríabach, from Proto-Celtic *reibâko, from a Proto-Indo-European root shared with Latvian raibs (“multicolored”), Albanian rrebe (“caprice”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈrˠiəvəx/

Adjective

riabhach

1. brindled, speckled, streaked

Derived terms

• riabhag-choille

Further reading

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