sceith

Irish

Etymology

From Old Irish sceith, verbal noun of sceïd, from Proto-Indo-European *skeyt- (“to vomit, retch, shit”, literally “to shed”). The verb sceith is derived from the noun.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʃcɛ(h)/
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /ʃcɛç/

Noun

sceith f (genitive singular sceithe, nominative plural sceitheanna)

1. vomit
2. spawning, spawn
3. overflow
4. discharge

Declension

Declension of sceith

Second declension

Bare forms Case Singular Plural Nominative sceith sceitheanna Vocative a sceith a sceitheanna Genitive sceithe sceitheanna Dative sceith sceitheanna

Forms with the definite article Case Singular Plural Nominative an sceith na sceitheanna Genitive na sceithe na sceitheanna Dative leis an sceith don sceith leis na sceitheanna

Derived terms

• sceith aincise

Verb

sceith (present analytic sceitheann, future analytic sceithfidh, verbal noun sceitheadh, past participle sceite) (transitive, intransitive)

1. spew, vomit
2. spawn
3. overflow
4. discharge
5. give away, divulge, betray (a secret etc.)
6. burst forth, burst into
7. fray
8. calve (of iceberg, etc.)

Conjugation

conjugation of sceith (first conjugation – A)

		singular			plural			relative	autonomous
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative	present	sceithim	sceitheann tú; sceithir†	sceitheann sé, sí	sceithimid	sceitheann sibh	sceitheann siad; sceithid†	a sceitheann; a sceitheas	sceitear
	past	sceith mé; sceitheas	sceith tú; sceithis	sceith sé, sí	sceitheamar; sceith muid	sceith sibh; sceitheabhair	sceith siad; sceitheadar	a sceith / ar sceith*	sceitheadh
	past habitual	sceithinn	sceiteá	sceitheadh sé, sí	sceithimis; sceitheadh muid	sceitheadh sibh	sceithidís; sceitheadh siad	a sceitheadh / a sceitheadh*	sceití
future		sceithfidh mé; sceithfead	sceithfidh tú; sceithfir†	sceithfidh sé, sí	sceithfimid; sceithfidh muid	sceithfidh sibh	sceithfidh siad; sceithfid†	a sceithfidh; a sceithfeas	sceithfear
conditional		sceithfinn	sceithfeá	sceithfeadh sé, sí	sceithfimis; sceithfeadh muid	sceithfeadh sibh	sceithfidís; sceithfeadh siad	a sceithfeadh / a sceithfeadh*	sceithfí
subjunctive	present	go sceithe mé; go sceithead†	go sceithe tú; go sceithir†	go sceithe sé, sí	go sceithimid; go sceithe muid	go sceithe sibh	go sceithe siad; go sceithid†	—	go sceitear
	past	dá sceithinn	dá sceiteá	dá sceitheadh sé, sí	dá sceithimis; dá sceitheadh muid	dá sceitheadh sibh	dá sceithidís; dá sceitheadh siad	—	dá sceití
imperative		sceithim	sceith	sceitheadh sé, sí	sceithimis	sceithigí; sceithidh†	sceithidís	—	sceitear
verbal noun		sceitheadh
past participle		sceite

* indirect relative
† archaic or dialect form

Derived terms

• aol sceite m (“slaked lime”)
• béalsceiteach (“blabbing, indiscreet”, adjective)

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “sceith”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “sceith”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
• “sceith”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013-2024

Old Irish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sʲkʲeθʲ/

Noun

sceith f

1. verbal noun of sceïd

Inflection

Feminine ī-stem
	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	sceithL	—	—
Vocative	sceithL	—	—
Accusative	sceithiN	—	—
Genitive	sceitheH	—	—
Dative	sceithiL	—	—
Initial mutations of a following adjective: H = triggers aspiration L = triggers lenition N = triggers nasalization

Further reading

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