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)

  1. woman wearing coif
  2. small-faced woman
Declension
Declension of caifeach

Second declension

Bare forms

Case Singular Plural
Nominative caifeach caifeacha
Vocative a chaifeach a chaifeacha
Genitive caifí caifeach
Dative caifeach caifeacha

Forms with the definite article

Case Singular Plural
Nominative an chaifeach na caifeacha
Genitive na caifí na gcaifeach
Dative leis an gcaifeach

don chaifeach

 leis na caifeacha

Etymology 2

From Old Irish caithmech (“lavish, generous”), from caithem. By surface analysis, caitheamh +‎ -ach.

Adjective

caifeach (genitive singular masculine caifigh, genitive singular feminine caifí, plural caifeacha, comparative caifí)

  1. 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
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
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