leath

See also: Leath

Irish

Etymology

From Old Irish leth (“side”), from Proto-Celtic *letos, perhaps cognate with Latin latus (“side”), or from Proto-Celtic *ɸletos.

Celtic cognates include Welsh lled (“breadth, width, half”), Middle Breton let, led (“large”), and Cornish les.

Pronunciation

• (Munster) IPA^(key): /lʲah/
• (Waterford, extinct Tipperary, extinct Kilkenny) IPA^(key): /lʲæx/(Can we verify⁽⁺⁾ this pronunciation?)
• (Connacht) IPA^(key): /l̠ʲah/
• (Cois Fharraige) IPA^(key): /l̠ʲæ/
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /l̠ʲa/

Noun

leath f (genitive singular leithe, nominative plural leatha)

1. side; part, direction
2. half; part, portion

   Is fearr leath ná meath. (proverb)

   Something is better than nothing.

   (literally, “"Half" is better than decay.”)

Declension

Declension of leath

Second declension

Bare forms Case Singular Plural Nominative leath leatha Vocative a leath a leatha Genitive leithe leath Dative leath leith (in certain phrases) leatha

Forms with the definite article Case Singular Plural Nominative an leath na leatha Genitive na leithe na leath Dative leis an leath don leath leis na leatha

Synonyms

• roinn

Derived terms

• a leath catha
• ar leath pá
• ar leith
• do leath
• do leith
• Dubhdáleithe
• duine ar leith
• faoi leith
• go ceann dhá lá go leith
• go leith
• i leith is go
• i leith (le)
• in áit ar leith
• in áit faoi leith
• leath aife
• leath ar leath
• leath bealaigh (go)
• leath deiridh
• leath is leath
• leath má leath
• leath slí (go)
• leath tosaigh
• leath tuile
• leath-
• leith ar leith
• ó na ceithre leathaibh

 

Verb

leath (present analytic leathann, future analytic leathfaidh, verbal noun leathadh, past participle leata) (transitive, intransitive)

1. disperse, spread, cover
2. open wide, expand, (medicine) dilate
3. become confused, indistinct
4. perish
5. (literary) halve, divide, split (in half); diminish

Conjugation

conjugation of leath (first conjugation – A)

		singular			plural			relative	autonomous
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative	present	leathaim	leathann tú; leathair†	leathann sé, sí	leathaimid	leathann sibh	leathann siad; leathaid†	a leathann; a leathas	leatar
	past	leath mé; leathas	leath tú; leathais	leath sé, sí	leathamar; leath muid	leath sibh; leathabhair	leath siad; leathadar	a leath / ar leath*	leathadh
	past habitual	leathainn	leatá	leathadh sé, sí	leathaimis; leathadh muid	leathadh sibh	leathaidís; leathadh siad	a leathadh / a leathadh*	leataí
future		leathfaidh mé; leathfad	leathfaidh tú; leathfair†	leathfaidh sé, sí	leathfaimid; leathfaidh muid	leathfaidh sibh	leathfaidh siad; leathfaid†	a leathfaidh; a leathfas	leathfar
conditional		leathfainn	leathfá	leathfadh sé, sí	leathfaimis; leathfadh muid	leathfadh sibh	leathfaidís; leathfadh siad	a leathfadh / a leathfadh*	leathfaí
subjunctive	present	go leatha mé; go leathad†	go leatha tú; go leathair†	go leatha sé, sí	go leathaimid; go leatha muid	go leatha sibh	go leatha siad; go leathaid†	—	go leatar
	past	dá leathainn	dá leatá	dá leathadh sé, sí	dá leathaimis; dá leathadh muid	dá leathadh sibh	dá leathaidís; dá leathadh siad	—	dá leataí
imperative		leathaim	leath	leathadh sé, sí	leathaimis	leathaigí; leathaidh†	leathaidís	—	leatar
verbal noun		leathadh
past participle		leata

* indirect relative
† archaic or dialect form

Derived terms

• leathadóir (“flatter”)

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “leath”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• Quiggin, E. C. (1906) A Dialect of Donegal, Cambridge University Press, page 83
• Sjoestedt, M. L. (1931) Phonétique d’un parler irlandais de Kerry (in French), Paris: Librairie Ernest Leroux, page 43