Medb

See also: medb

Middle Irish

Etymology

From Proto-Celtic *medwā, from Proto-Indo-European *médʰu. Compare Middle Irish medb (“intoxicating”), from Proto-Celtic *medwos.

Pronunciation

• (earlier, before ca. 1250) IPA^(key): /mʲeðβ/
• (later, after ca. 1250) IPA^(key): /mʲɛɣβ/

Proper noun

Medb f

1. a female given name, equivalent to English Maeve, born notably by the queen of Connacht in the Ulster Cycle
   • c. 1000, “The Tale of Mac Da Thó's Pig”, in Ernst Windisch, editor, Irische Texte, volume 1, published 1800, section 1:

     Tancas o Ailill ocus o Meidb do chungid in chon.

     People were sent from Ailill and from Medb to ask for the dog.

Inflection

• Genitive singular: Meidbe
• Accusative/dative singular: Meidb

Descendants

• Irish: Méabh, Meadhbh, Méadhbh (superseded); Méibh
  • → English: Maeve

Mutation

Middle Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Nasalization
Medb	Medb pronounced with /β̃(ʲ)-/	unchanged
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.