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”).^[1]

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

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

Declension of bóthar

First declension

• 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.

References

1. MacBain, Alexander, Mackay, Eneas (1911) “bóthar”, in An Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language‎, Stirling, →ISBN, page 44

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