liath

See also: líath

Irish

Etymology

From Old Irish líath, from Proto-Celtic *ɸlētos (compare Welsh llwyd, Cornish loys, Breton loued), from Proto-Indo-European *pelH- (“grey”) (compare English fallow).

Pronunciation

• (Munster) IPA^(key): /lʲiəh/
• (Connacht, Ulster) IPA^(key): /l̠ʲiə/

Adjective

liath (genitive singular masculine léith, genitive singular feminine léithe, plural liatha, comparative léithe)

1. grey
2. light blue
3. grey-haired

   Is minic duine liath lúfar. (proverb)

   Grey hairs need not signify old age.

Declension

Declension of liath

	Singular		Plural (m/f)
Positive	Masculine	Feminine	(strong noun)	(weak noun)
Nominative	liath	liath	liatha
Vocative	léith		liatha
Genitive		liathe	liatha	liath
Dative	liath	liath; léith (archaic)	liatha
Comparative	níos liathe
Superlative	is liathe

Derived terms

• arán liath (“mouldy bread”)
• bainne liath (“watery milk”)
• béar liath (“grizzly bear”)
• caróg liath (“hooded crow”)
• ceannliath
• cromán liath
• dúliath
• líne liath
• manach liath (“Cistercian monk”)
• scothliath
• sioc liath (“hoar-frost”)
• véarsa liath (“stray verse”)

 

Noun

liath m (genitive singular léith, nominative plural liatha)

1. grey (colour)
2. grey-haired person; grey horse

Declension

Declension of liath

First declension

Bare forms: Case Singular Plural Nominative liath liatha Vocative a léith a liatha Genitive léith liath Dative liath liatha

Forms with the definite article: Case Singular Plural Nominative an liath na liatha Genitive an léith na liath Dative leis an liath don liath leis na liatha

Noun

liath f (genitive singular léithe)

1. grey cow

Declension

Declension of liath

Second declension

Bare forms Case Singular Plural Nominative liath liatha Vocative a liath a liatha Genitive léithe liath Dative liath liatha

Forms with the definite article Case Singular Plural Nominative an liath na liatha Genitive na léithe na liath Dative leis an liath don liath leis na liatha

Verb

liath (present analytic liathann, future analytic liathfaidh, verbal noun liathadh, past participle liata)

1. (intransitive) turn grey; become faded
2. (transitive) give someone grey hairs, wear someone out; colour water, tea (with milk)

Conjugation

First Conjugation (A)

		singular			plural			relative	autonomous
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative	present	liathaim	liathann tú; liathair†	liathann sé, sí	liathaimid	liathann sibh	liathann siad; liathaid†	a liathann; a liathas	liatar
	past	liath mé; liathas	liath tú; liathais	liath sé, sí	liathamar; liath muid	liath sibh; liathabhair	liath siad; liathadar	a liath / ar liath*	liathadh
	past habitual	liathainn	liatá	liathadh sé, sí	liathaimis; liathadh muid	liathadh sibh	liathaidís; liathadh siad	a liathadh / a liathadh*	liataí
	future	liathfaidh mé; liathfad	liathfaidh tú; liathfair†	liathfaidh sé, sí	liathfaimid; liathfaidh muid	liathfaidh sibh	liathfaidh siad; liathfaid†	a liathfaidh; a liathfas	liathfar
conditional		liathfainn	liathfá	liathfadh sé, sí	liathfaimis; liathfadh muid	liathfadh sibh	liathfaidís; liathfadh siad	a liathfadh / a liathfadh*	liathfaí
subjunctive	present	go liatha mé; go liathad†	go liatha tú; go liathair†	go liatha sé, sí	go liathaimid; go liatha muid	go liatha sibh	go liatha siad; go liathaid†	—	go liatar
	past	dá liathainn	dá liatá	dá liathadh sé, sí	dá liathaimis; dá liathadh muid	dá liathadh sibh	dá liathaidís; dá liathadh siad	—	dá liataí
imperative		liathaim	liath	liathadh sé, sí	liathaimis	liathaigí; liathaidh†	liathaidís	—	liatar
verbal noun		liathadh
past participle		liata

* Indirect relative
† Archaic or dialect form

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977), “liath”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• G. Toner, M. Ní Mhaonaigh, S. Arbuthnot, D. Wodtko, M.-L. Theuerkauf, editors (2019), “líath”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• Quiggin, E. C. (1906) A Dialect of Donegal, Cambridge University Press, page 62
• Sjoestedt, M. L. (1931) Phonétique d’un parler irlandais de Kerry (in French), Paris: Librairie Ernest Leroux, page 43

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Old Irish líath, from Proto-Celtic *ɸlētos, from Proto-Indo-European *pelH- (“grey”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʎiə/

Adjective

liath (comparative lèithe)

1. grey, grey-coloured
2. grey-headed, grey-haired
3. mouldy
4. lilac
5. pale
6. (dyeing) pale or bright blue

Derived terms

• aois-liath
• athair-liath
• boinne-liath
• breac-liath
• bric-liath
• buidh-liath
• càl liath-ghlas
• ceann-liath
• ceinn-liath
• clòimh-liath
• cluas-liath
• craobh-liath-ghorm
• dubh-liath
• eun-liath
• glas-liath
• gormag-liath
• lach-liath
• liath-bhàine
• liath-bhàn
• liath-bhrochan
• liath-bhuidhe
• liath-chluasach
• liath-chòrcra
• liath-ghorm
• liath-phurpur
• liath-reòthadh

 

See also

Colors in Scottish Gaelic · dathan (layout · text)

bàn, geal	glas	dubh
dearg; ruadh	orainds; donn	buidhe; donn
uaine	uaine	gorm
liath; glas	liath	gorm
purpaidh; guirmean	pinc; purpaidh	pinc

Further reading

• Edward Dwelly (1911), “liath”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary], 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN
• G. Toner, M. Ní Mhaonaigh, S. Arbuthnot, D. Wodtko, M.-L. Theuerkauf, editors (2019), “líath”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language