màthair

See also: Màthair and máthair

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *méh₂tēr

Proto-Celtic *mātīr

Old Irish máthir

Scottish Gaelic màthair

From Old Irish máthir, from Proto-Celtic *mātīr, from Proto-Indo-European *méh₂tēr.

Pronunciation

• (Lewis) IPA^(key): /ˈmãːhəð/, [ˈmãːhəð̥ʲ]
• (Southern Hebridean, Skye) IPA^(key): /ˈmaːhaɾʲ/, /ˈmaːhɪɾʲ/, /ˈmaːhɛɾʲ/, (careful pronunciation) /ˈmaːhæɾʲ/
• (Wester Ross) IPA^(key): /ˈmɛ̃ːhəɾʲ/
• (Islay, Gigha) IPA^(key): /ˈmɛːɾ/

Noun

màthair f (genitive singular màthar, plural màthraichean)

1. mother

   Tha gaol agam air mo mhàthair. ― I love my mother.

2. dam (of a beast)
3. cause, source

Declension

Declension of màthair (type Vb feminine noun)

indefinite
	singular	plural
nominative	màthair	màthraichean
genitive	màthar	mhàthraichean
dative	màthair	màthraichean
definite
	singular	plural
nominative	(a') mhàthair	(na) màthraichean
genitive	(na) màthar	(nam) màthraichean
dative	(a') mhàthair	(na) màthraichean
vocative	mhàthair	mhàthraichean

Coordinate terms

• athair (“father”), bràthair (“brother”), mac (“son”), nighean (“daughter”), piuthar (“sister”)

Derived terms

• an leanabh a dh'fhàgar dha fhèin, cuiridh e a mhàthair gu nàire (“the child who is left by himself, he shall bring his mother to shame”)
• àrd-mhàthair (“matriarch”)
• bràthair-màthar (“maternal uncle”)
• Là nam Màthraichean (“Mother's Day”)
• leas-mhàthair (“stepmother”)
• màthair-altraim f (“nurse”)
• màthair-bhaiste (“godmother”)
• màthair-chèile (“mother-in-law”)
• piuthar-màthar (“maternal aunt”)
• taobh màthar (“maternal (genealogical)”)

Mutation

Mutation of màthair

radical	lenition
màthair	mhàthair

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Scottish Gaelic.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.