brèideach

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From brèid (“patch, kerchief, woman's headdress”) +‎ -each (noun suffix). Stems from the tradition of Highland women wearing a white linen kerchief after their wedding night; maidens wore the stiom, a headband, but were otherwise bareheaded until marriage.

Noun

brèideach f (genitive singular brèidich, plural brèidich)

1. (obsolete) matron, married woman, wife