bóthar

Irish

Etymology

From Old Irish bóthar, from Proto-Celtic *bow-itros (“cow path”), equivalent to *bāus + *itos, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁itós. MacBain instead compares Ancient Greek βαίνω (baínō, “I walk”), from *gʷem- (“to step”).

Cognate with Welsh beidr (“lane, track”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbˠoːhəɾˠ/
• (Cois Fharraige) IPA^(key): /ˈbˠoːɾˠ/
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /ˈbˠɔhəɾˠ/

Noun

bóthar m (genitive singular bóthair, nominative plural bóithre or bóithrí) (abbreviated Br.)

1. road

   Synonyms: bealach, ród

   Téigh trasna an bhóthair. ― Cross the road.

2. way, manner

   Synonym: bealach

3. stream (of blood, sweat)

Declension

Declension of bóthar

First declension

Bare forms: Case Singular Plural Nominative bóthar bóithre Vocative a bhóthair a bhóithre Genitive bóthair bóithre Dative bóthar bóithre

Forms with the definite article: Case Singular Plural Nominative an bóthar na bóithre Genitive an bhóthair na mbóithre Dative leis an mbóthar don bhóthar leis na bóithre

• Alternative plural: bóithrí (Cois Fharraige)

Derived terms

• bóithreán (“road dust”)
• bóithreoir (“road-walker; traveller, vagrant”)
• bóithrín (diminutive)
• bóthar cuarach, cuarbhóthar
• bóthar dola, bóthar paidhce
• bóthar iarainn
• bóthar mór (“main road”)
• bóthar rochtana
• bóthar trasna (“cross-road”)
• crosbhóthar
• deisitheoir bóithre (“road-mender”)
• fobhóthar
• go n-éirí an bóthar leat
• leabhar bóithre (“road-book”)
• léarscáil bóithre (“road-map”)
• mórbhóthar
• seachbhóthar
• sliosbhóthar
• suirbhéir bóithre (“road-surveyor”)
• trébhóthar

 

Descendants

• → Yola: boagher, bogher, bargher, bater

Mutation

Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Eclipsis
bóthar	bhóthar	mbóthar
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “bóthar”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “bóthar”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
• Finck, F. N. (1899) Die araner mundart (in German), volume II, Marburg: Elwert’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, page 48
• “bóthar”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013-2024