bláthach

See also: blàthach

Irish

Pronunciation

• (Munster) IPA^(key): /ˈbˠl̪ˠɑːhəx/
• (Connacht) IPA^(key): /ˈbˠlˠɑːx/, /ˈbˠl̪ˠɑːx/
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /ˈbˠlˠaːx/, /ˈbˠl̪ˠaːx/

Etymology 1

From Middle Irish bláthach (“buttermilk”), from Old Irish bláthach.

Noun

bláthach f (genitive singular bláthaí or bláithche)

1. buttermilk

Declension

Declension of bláthach (second declension, no plural)

bare forms case singular nominative bláthach vocative a bhláthach genitive bláthaí dative bláthach bláthaigh (archaic, dialectal) forms with the definite article case singular nominative an bhláthach genitive na bláthaí dative leis an mbláthach leis an mbláthaigh (archaic, dialectal) don bhláthach don bhláthaigh (archaic, dialectal)

• Alternative genitive singular: bláithche (archaic, Ulster)

Etymology 2

From bláth (“flower”) +‎ -ach (adjectival suffix).

Adjective

bláthach (genitive singular masculine bláthaigh, genitive singular feminine bláthaí, plural bláthacha, comparative bláthaí)

1. flowery, floral

Declension

Declension of bláthach

	singular		plural (m/f)
Positive	masculine	feminine	(strong noun)	(weak noun)
nominative	bláthach	bhláthach	bláthacha; bhláthacha2
vocative	bhláthaigh		bláthacha
genitive		bláthaí	bláthacha	bláthach
dative	bláthach; bhláthach1	bhláthach; bhláthaigh (archaic)	bláthacha; bhláthacha2
Comparative	níos bláthaí
Superlative	is bláthaí

¹ When the preceding noun is lenited and governed by the definite article.
² When the preceding noun ends in a slender consonant.

Mutation

Mutated forms of bláthach

radical	lenition	eclipsis
bláthach	bhláthach	mbláthach

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) “bláthach”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “bláthach”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• Dinneen, Patrick S. (1904) “bláthach”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, 1st edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 70
• de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “bláthach”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
• “bláthach”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013-2025

Old Irish

Etymology

From bláth (“blossom”) +‎ -ach.

Noun

bláthach f

1. buttermilk

Inflection

Feminine ā-stem
	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	bláthachL	bláthaigL	bláthchaH
Vocative	bláthachL	bláthaigL	bláthchaH
Accusative	bláthaigN	bláthaigL	bláthchaH
Genitive	bláthchaeH	bláthachL	bláthachN
Dative	bláthaigL	bláthchaib	bláthchaib
Initial mutations of a following adjective: H = triggers aspiration L = triggers lenition N = triggers nasalization

Descendants

• Middle Irish: bláthach
  • Irish: bláthach
  • Scottish Gaelic: blàthach
  • → Faroese: blak
  • → Norn: blatho

Mutation

Mutation of bláthach

radical	lenition	nasalization
bláthach	bláthach pronounced with /β(ʲ)-/	mbláthach

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

Further reading

• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “bláthach”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language