fáilte

See also: fàilte

Irish

Pronunciation

• (Munster, Connacht) IPA^(key): /ˈfˠɑːlʲtʲə/
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /ˈfˠæːlʲtʲə/

Etymology

From Old Irish fáilte, from Proto-Celtic *wāletiyā, from Proto-Indo-European *welh₁-.

Noun

fáilte f (genitive singular fáilte, nominative plural fáiltí)

1. A welcome (with roimh plus the person being welcomed)

   Bhí fáilte is fiche aige romham.

   He had a great welcome for me (lit. ‘He had 21 welcomes before me’)

   D’fhear sí fáilte romhainn.

   She welcomed us (lit. ‘She provided a welcome before us’)

2. (archaic) delight, joy

Declension

Declension of fáilte

Fourth declension

Bare forms Case Singular Plural Nominative fáilte fáiltí Vocative a fháilte a fháiltí Genitive fáilte fáiltí Dative fáilte fáiltí

Forms with the definite article Case Singular Plural Nominative an fháilte na fáiltí Genitive na fáilte na bhfáiltí Dative leis an bhfáilte don fháilte leis na fáiltí

Derived terms

Terms derived from fáilte

• anfháilte f (“cold welcome”)
• céad míle fáilte (“a hundred thousand welcomes”)
• cuir fáilte roimh (“welcome”, verb)

• fáilteach, fáiltiúil (“joyous, glad; welcoming”)
• fáilteoir m (“welcomer; receptionist”)
• fáilte Uí Cheallaigh f (“a very hearty welcome (lit. O’Kelly’s welcome)”)

• fáiltigh (“be glad, rejoice; welcome”, verb)
• fuarfháilte f (“lukewarm welcome”)
• tá fáilte romhat/romhaibh (“you’re welcome”)

Related terms

• fáilteachas m (“welcoming, welcoming manner”)

Interjection

fáilte

1. Welcome!

Mutation

Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Eclipsis
fáilte	fháilte	bhfáilte
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

References

• “fáilte, faílte” in Dictionary of the Irish Language, Royal Irish Academy, 1913–76.
• “fáilte” in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, Irish Texts Society, 2nd ed., 1927, by Patrick S. Dinneen.
• "fáilte" in Foclóir Gaeilge-Béarla, An Gúm, 1977, by Niall Ó Dónaill.

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Old Irish

Etymology

From Proto-Celtic *wāletiyā. Equivalent to fáilid +‎ -e.

Cognate with Old English wele, wela, willan (“to wish”), Latin volō (“to want”).

Noun

fáilte f

1. salute
2. welcome

Inflection

Feminine iā-stem
	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative
Vocative
Accusative
Genitive
Dative
Initial mutations of a following adjective: H = triggers aspiration L = triggers lenition N = triggers nasalization

Descendants

• Irish: fáilte
• Manx: failt
• Scottish Gaelic: fàilte

Mutation

Old Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Nasalization
fáilte	ḟáilte	fáilte pronounced with /v(ʲ)-/
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

References

• “fáilte, faílte” in Dictionary of the Irish Language, Royal Irish Academy, 1913–76.