caifeach

Irish

Pronunciation

• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /ˈkaːfʲa(x)/

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

Related terms

• beannán, caidhp (“coif”)

Etymology 2

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

Alternative forms

• caitheamhach
• caithmheach (superseded)

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.

Derived terms

• baothchaifeach (“prodigal, profligate”)
• caifeachán m (“prodigal, profligate, squanderer”)
• caifeachas m (“prodigality, wastefulness”)

Mutation

Mutated forms of caifeach

radical	lenition	eclipsis
caifeach	chaifeach	gcaifeach

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