aithrí

Irish

Alternative forms

• aithrighe (superseded)

Etymology

From Middle Irish aithrige, from Old Irish aithirge, the verbal noun of ad·eirrig (“to improve”), from ath- + ar- + Proto-Celtic *regeti (compare at·reig (“to rise”)).

Pronunciation

• (Cork) IPA^(key): /aɾʲˈhiː/
• (Aran) IPA^(key): /ˈæɾʲiː/
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /ˈæhɾʲi/

Noun

aithrí f (genitive singular aithrí)

1. penitence, penance, repentance [with i ‘for’]
   • 1899, Franz Nikolaus Finck, Die araner mundart [The Aran Dialect], volume II (overall work in German), Marburg: Elwert’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, page 28:

     ńī ʒau ēn fȧkəx gə nə flȧhəš gon æŕī ə jīnə n-ə xørəxī.

     [Ní ghabhfaidh aon pheacach do na flaithis gan aithrí a dhéanamh ina choireacha.]

     No sinner will go to heaven without doing penance for his sins.

     mar ə ńīnə myȷ æŕī ə n-r̥ bȧkī, tā myȷ əŕ fad kāĺcə.

     [Mara ndéanfaidh muid aithrí inár bpeacaí, tá muid ar fad caillte.]

     Unless we do penance for your sins, we are all lost.

Declension

Declension of aithrí (fourth declension, no plural)

bare forms case singular nominative aithrí vocative a aithrí genitive aithrí dative aithrí forms with the definite article case singular nominative an aithrí genitive na haithrí dative leis an aithrí don aithrí

Derived terms

• aithríoch (“penitent”, adjective)
• aithríoch m (“penitent”)
• oifig aithrí f (“penitentiary (papal office)”)
• sagart aithrí m (“penitentiary (priest)”)

Related terms

• aithreachas m (“repentance, regret”)

Mutation

Mutated forms of aithrí

radical	eclipsis	with h-prothesis	with t-prothesis
aithrí	n-aithrí	haithrí	not applicable

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) “aithrí”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• Dinneen, Patrick S. (1904) “aiṫriġe”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, 1st edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 22
• de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “aithrí”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
• “aithrí”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013-2025