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

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 léithe liatha liath
Dative liath liath;
léith (archaic)		 liatha
Comparative níos léithe
Superlative is léithe

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
conjugation of liath (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

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

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
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