breitheamh

Irish

Etymology

From Old Irish brithem, breithem.

Pronunciation

• (Munster) IPA^(key): /ˈbʲɾʲehəvˠ/
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /ˈbʲɾʲehu/

Noun

breitheamh m (genitive singular breithimh or breitheamhan, nominative plural breithiúna or breitheamhain)

1. (law, sports) judge

Declension

Standard inflection (first declension):

Declension of breitheamh (first declension)

bare forms singular plural nominative breitheamh breithiúna vocative a bhreithimh a bhreithiúna genitive breithimh breithiúna dative breitheamh breithiúna forms with the definite article singular plural nominative an breitheamh na breithiúna genitive an bhreithimh na mbreithiúna dative leis an mbreitheamh don bhreitheamh leis na breithiúna

Alternative inflection (fifth declension):

Declension of breitheamh (fifth declension)

bare forms singular plural nominative breitheamh breitheamhain vocative a bhreitheamh a bhreitheamhain genitive breitheamhan breitheamhan dative breitheamh breitheamhain (archaic, dialectal) breitheamhain forms with the definite article singular plural nominative an breitheamh na breitheamhain genitive an bhreitheamhan na mbreitheamhan dative leis an mbreitheamh leis an mbreitheamhain (archaic, dialectal) don bhreitheamh don bhreitheamhain (archaic, dialectal) leis na breitheamhain

Derived terms

• binse breithimh (“judge's bench; tribunal”)
• breithiúnach (“judicial; judicious, discerning; severe, critical”)
• breithiúnacht
• breithiúnaí (“judge, assessor”)
• breithiúnas
• gúna breithimh (“judge's gown”)
• príomh-bhreitheamh (“chief justice”)

Descendants

• → English: brehon

Mutation

Mutated forms of breitheamh

radical	lenition	eclipsis
breitheamh	bhreitheamh	mbreitheamh

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Modern Irish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “breitheamh”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• Dinneen, Patrick S. (1904) “breitheamh”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, 1st edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 86
• de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “breitheamh”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
• “breitheamh”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013–2025

Scottish Gaelic

Noun

breitheamh m (genitive singular breitheimh, plural breitheamhan)

1. Alternative form of britheamh

Mutation

Mutation of breitheamh

radical	lenition
breitheamh	bhreitheamh

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Scottish Gaelic.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.