caifeach
Irish
Etymology 1
(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)
Noun
caifeach f (genitive singular caifí, nominative plural caifeacha)
- woman wearing coif
- small-faced woman
Declension
Declension of caifeach
Second declension
Bare forms
| Forms with the definite article
|
Related terms
- beannán, caidhp (“coif”)
Etymology 2
From Old Irish caithmech (“lavish, generous”), from caithem; synchronically, caitheamh + -ach.
Adjective
caifeach (genitive singular masculine caifigh, genitive singular feminine caifí, plural caifeacha, comparative caifí)
- given to spending; prodigal, wasteful
Declension
Declension of caifeach
| Singular | Plural (m/f) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positive | Masculine | Feminine | (strong noun) | (weak noun) |
| Nominative | caifeach | chaifeach | caifeacha; chaifeacha² | |
| Vocative | chaifigh | caifeacha | ||
| Genitive | caifí | caifeacha | caifeach | |
| Dative | caifeach; chaifeach¹ | chaifeach; chaifigh (archaic) | caifeacha; chaifeacha² | |
| Comparative | níos caifí | |||
| Superlative | is caifí | |||
¹ When the preceding noun is lenited and governed by the definite article.
² When the preceding noun ends in a slender consonant.
Alternative forms
- caitheamhach
Derived terms
- baothchaifeach (“prodigal, profligate”)
- caifeachán m (“prodigal, profligate, squanderer”)
- caifeachas m (“prodigality, wastefulness”)
Mutation
| Irish mutation | ||
|---|---|---|
| Radical | Lenition | Eclipsis |
| caifeach | chaifeach | gcaifeach |
| Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs. | ||
Further reading
- Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977), “caifeach”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
- G. Toner, M. Ní Mhaonaigh, S. Arbuthnot, D. Wodtko, M.-L. Theuerkauf, editors (2019), “caithmech”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
- Entries containing “caifeach” in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm, 1959, by Tomás de Bhaldraithe.
- Entries containing “caifeach” in New English-Irish Dictionary by Foras na Gaeilge.