sceith

Irish

Etymology

From Old Irish sceith, verbal noun of sceïd, from Proto-Indo-European *skeyt- (“to vomit, retch, shit”, literally “to shed”). Cognate with Welsh chwydu (“to vomit”) and English shit.

The verb sceith is derived from the noun.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʃcɛ(h)/
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /ʃcɛç/

Noun

sceith f (genitive singular sceithe, nominative plural sceitheanna)

1. vomit
2. spawning, spawn
3. overflow
4. discharge

Declension

Declension of sceith (second declension)

bare forms singular plural nominative sceith sceitheanna vocative a sceith a sceitheanna genitive sceithe sceitheanna dative sceith sceitheanna forms with the definite article singular plural nominative an sceith na sceitheanna genitive na sceithe na sceitheanna dative leis an sceith don sceith leis na sceitheanna

Derived terms

• sceith aincise

Verb

sceith (present analytic sceitheann, future analytic sceithfidh, verbal noun sceitheadh, past participle sceite) (ambitransitive)

1. spew, vomit
2. spawn
3. overflow
4. discharge
5. give away, divulge, betray (a secret etc.)
6. burst forth, burst into
7. fray
8. calve (of iceberg, etc.)

Conjugation

Conjugation of sceith (first conjugation – A)

indicative	singular			plural			direct relative	autonomous
	first	second	third	first	second	third
present	sceithim	sceitheann tú; sceithir†	sceitheann sé, sí	sceithimid; sceitheann muid	sceitheann sibh	sceitheann siad; sceithid†	a sceitheann; a sceitheas	sceitear
past	sceith mé; sceitheas	sceith tú; sceithis	sceith sé, sí	sceitheamar; sceith muid	sceith sibh; sceitheabhair	sceith siad; sceitheadar	a sceith	sceitheadh
past habitual	sceithinn	sceiteá	sceitheadh sé, sí	sceithimis; sceitheadh muid	sceitheadh sibh	sceithidís; sceitheadh siad	a sceitheadh	sceití
	singular			plural			direct relative	autonomous
	first	second	third	first	second	third
future	sceithfidh mé; sceithfead	sceithfidh tú; sceithfir†	sceithfidh sé, sí	sceithfimid; sceithfidh muid	sceithfidh sibh	sceithfidh siad; sceithfid†	a sceithfidh; a sceithfeas	sceithfear
conditional	sceithfinn	sceithfeá	sceithfeadh sé, sí	sceithfimis; sceithfeadh muid	sceithfeadh sibh	sceithfidís; sceithfeadh siad	a sceithfeadh	sceithfí
subjunctive	singular			plural			direct relative	autonomous
	first	second	third	first	second	third
present	go sceithe mé; go sceithead†	go sceithe tú; go sceithir†	go sceithe sé, sí	go sceithimid; go sceithe muid	go sceithe sibh	go sceithe siad; go sceithid†	—	go sceitear
past	dá sceithinn	dá sceiteá	dá sceitheadh sé, sí	dá sceithimis; dá sceitheadh muid	dá sceitheadh sibh	dá sceithidís; dá sceitheadh siad	—	dá sceití
imperative	singular			plural			direct relative	autonomous
	first	second	third	first	second	third
—	sceithim	sceith	sceitheadh sé, sí	sceithimis	sceithigí; sceithidh†	sceithidís	—	sceitear
past participle	sceite
verbal noun	sceitheadh

^† archaic or dialect form
^‡ dependent form

Derived terms

• aol sceite m (“slaked lime”)
• béalsceiteach (“blabbing, indiscreet”, adjective)

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977), “sceith”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla [Irish–English Dictionary], Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959), “sceith”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
• “sceith”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013–2026

Old Irish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsʲkʲeθʲ/

Noun

sceith f

1. verbal noun of sceïd

Inflection

Feminine ī-stem

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	sceithL	—	—
vocative	sceithL	—	—
accusative	sceithiN	—	—
genitive	sceitheH	—	—
dative	sceithiL	—	—

Initial mutations of a following adjective:

• ^H = triggers aspiration
• ^L = triggers lenition
• ^N = triggers nasalization

Further reading

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