maith

Irish

Pronunciation

• (Munster) IPA^(key): /mˠɑh/
• (Connacht) IPA^(key): /mˠa/
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /mˠaiç/

Etymology 1

From Old Irish maith (compare Scottish Gaelic math and Manx mie), from Proto-Celtic *matis (compare Welsh and Breton mad, Cornish mas).

Adjective

maith (genitive singular masculine maith, genitive singular feminine maithe, plural maithe, comparative fearr)

1. good

Usage notes

• Takes the adverbial construction go maith when used predicatively after a form of bí:

• Tá an t-anraith seo go maith. ― This soup is good.

Declension

Declension of maith

Positive	singular		plural
	masculine	feminine	strong noun	weak noun
nominative	maith	mhaith	maithe; mhaithe2
vocative	mhaith		maithe
genitive		maithe	maithe	maith
dative	maith; mhaith1	mhaith	maithe; mhaithe2
Comparative	níos fearr
Superlative	is fearr

¹ When the preceding noun is lenited and governed by the definite article.
² When the preceding noun ends in a slender consonant.

Derived terms

• chomh maith
• fíormhaith
• go maith as
• go raibh maith agat, agaibh
• is maith an t-anlann an t-ocras
• is maith le
• lá breithe maith agat
• maidin mhaith
• maith go leor
• maith thú

Noun

maith f (genitive singular maithe, nominative plural maithe)

1. good, goodness

Declension

Declension of maith (second declension)

bare forms singular plural nominative maith maithe vocative a mhaith a mhaithe genitive maithe maithe dative maith maithe forms with the definite article singular plural nominative an mhaith na maithe genitive na maithe na maithe dative leis an maith don mhaith leis na maithe

Synonyms

• maitheas

Etymology 2

From Old Irish maithid, from the adjective.

Verb

maith (present analytic maitheann, future analytic maithfidh, verbal noun maitheamh, past participle maite)

1. to forgive, pardon

Conjugation

conjugation of maith (first conjugation – A)

verbal noun	maitheamh
past participle	maite
tense	singular			plural			relative	autonomous
	first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative
present	maithim	maitheann tú; maithir†	maitheann sé, sí	maithimid	maitheann sibh	maitheann siad; maithid†	a mhaitheann; a mhaitheas / a maitheann*	maitear
past	mhaith mé; mhaitheas	mhaith tú; mhaithis	mhaith sé, sí	mhaitheamar; mhaith muid	mhaith sibh; mhaitheabhair	mhaith siad; mhaitheadar	a mhaith / ar mhaith*	maitheadh
past habitual	mhaithinn / maithinn‡‡	mhaiteá / maiteᇇ	mhaitheadh sé, sí / maitheadh sé, s퇇	mhaithimis; mhaitheadh muid / maithimis‡‡; maitheadh muid‡‡	mhaitheadh sibh / maitheadh sibh‡‡	mhaithidís; mhaitheadh siad / maithidís‡‡; maitheadh siad‡‡	a mhaitheadh / a maitheadh*	mhaití / mait퇇
future	maithfidh mé; maithfead	maithfidh tú; maithfir†	maithfidh sé, sí	maithfimid; maithfidh muid	maithfidh sibh	maithfidh siad; maithfid†	a mhaithfidh; a mhaithfeas / a maithfidh*	maithfear
conditional	mhaithfinn / maithfinn‡‡	mhaithfeá / maithfeᇇ	mhaithfeadh sé, sí / maithfeadh sé, s퇇	mhaithfimis; mhaithfeadh muid / maithfimis‡‡; maithfeadh muid‡‡	mhaithfeadh sibh / maithfeadh sibh‡‡	mhaithfidís; mhaithfeadh siad / maithfidís‡‡; maithfeadh siad‡‡	a mhaithfeadh / a maithfeadh*	mhaithfí / maithf퇇
subjunctive
present	go maithe mé; go maithead†	go maithe tú; go maithir†	go maithe sé, sí	go maithimid; go maithe muid	go maithe sibh	go maithe siad; go maithid†	—	go maitear
past	dá maithinn	dá maiteá	dá maitheadh sé, sí	dá maithimis; dá maitheadh muid	dá maitheadh sibh	dá maithidís; dá maitheadh siad	—	dá maití
imperative
–	maithim	maith	maitheadh sé, sí	maithimis	maithigí; maithidh†	maithidís	—	maitear

* indirect relative
† archaic or dialect form
‡‡ dependent form used with particles that trigger eclipsis

Mutation

Mutated forms of maith

radical	lenition	eclipsis
maith	mhaith	not applicable

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

Further reading

• Dinneen, Patrick S. (1927), “maiṫ”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, 2nd edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 701; reprinted with additions 1996, →ISBN
• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977), “maith”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN

Old Irish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmaθʲ/

Etymology 1

From Proto-Celtic *matis, from Proto-Indo-European *meh₂tis (“ripe, good”), from *meh₂- (“to ripen, to mature”). Cognate with Welsh mad and Gaulish mat.

Alternative forms

• maid

Adjective

maith (comparative ferr, superlative dech)

1. good
2. (nominalized, neuter) good

For quotations using this term, see Citations:maith.

Declension

i-stem

singular	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	maith	maith	maith
vocative	maith
accusative	maith	maith
genitive	maith	maithe	maith
dative	maith	maith	maith
plural	masculine	feminine/neuter
nominative	maithi	maithi
vocative	maithi
accusative	maithi
genitive	maith* maithe
dative	maithib

*not when substantivized

Derived terms

• mad (adverb)

Descendants

• Irish: maith
• Manx: mie
• Scottish Gaelic: math

Further reading

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

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

·maith

1. third-person singular present indicative conjunct of maidid

Mutation

Mutation of maith

radical	lenition	nasalization
maith also mmaith in h-prothesis environments	maith pronounced with /β̃-/	maith also mmaith

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in Old Irish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Scottish Gaelic

Verb

maith (past mhaith, future maithidh, verbal noun mathadh, past participle maithte)

1. alternative form of math

Noun

maith m

1. genitive singular of math

Welsh

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mai̯θ/
• Rhymes: -ai̯θ

Adjective

maith (feminine singular maith, plural meithion, equative maithed, comparative maithach, superlative maithaf)

1. long, far, large, extensive, numerous
2. long-lasting, tedious, tiresome

   Synonyms: hir, hirfaith

3. great (of quality)
4. sad, bitter
5. wise, clever, cunning, sly

Derived terms

• amser maith yn ôl (“a long time ago”)
• hirfaith, gorfaith (“prolonged”)

Mutation

Mutated forms of maith

radical	soft	nasal	aspirate
maith	faith	unchanged	unchanged

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

References

• R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “maith”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies