Irish

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Pronunciation

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Etymology 1

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From earlier -aidhe, originally the Old Irish accusative and vocative plural ending of d-stem nouns. For example Old Irish arae, plural arada.

Alternative forms

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Suffix

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-aí

  1. Ending of the plural of certain nouns.
    beannacht (blessing, greeting) + ‎-aí → ‎beannachtaí
    gnólacht (commercial firm) + ‎-aí → ‎gnólachtaí

Etymology 2

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A merger of two different Old Irish suffixes. One the one hand, from Old Irish -id, from Proto-Celtic *-yatis, an extended variant of Proto-Celtic *-atis. On the other hand, from Old Irish -aige, from Proto-Celtic *sagyos (seeker).[1]

Alternative forms

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Suffix

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-aí m

  1. Agent suffix
    roth (wheel) + ‎-aí → ‎rothaí (cyclist)
Declension
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Derived terms
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Etymology 3

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From Old Irish -ide, variant form of -de used after a syncopated vowel.

Alternative forms

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Suffix

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-aí

  1. Added to nouns to form adjectives.
Derived terms
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References

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  1. ^ Kim McCone (1994) chapter II, in K. McCone, D. McManus, C. Ó Háinle, N. Williams, L. Breatnach, editors, Stair na Gaeilge: in ómós do P[h]ádraig Ó Fiannachta (in Irish), Maynooth: Roinn na Sean-Ghaeilge, Coláiste Phádraig, →ISBN, section 21.3, page 172