-aí

See also: Appendix:Variations of "ai"

Irish

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /iː/

Etymology 1

From earlier -aidhe, originally the Old Irish accusative and vocative plural ending of d-stem nouns. For example Old Irish arae, plural arada.

Alternative forms

Suffix

-aí

  1. Ending of the plural of certain nouns.
    ‎beannacht (“blessing, greeting”) + ‎-aí → ‎beannachtaí
    ‎gnólacht (“commercial firm”) + ‎-aí → ‎gnólachtaí

Etymology 2

A merger of two different Old Irish suffixes. One the one hand, from Old Irish -id, from Proto-Celtic *-yatis, an extended variant of Proto-Celtic *-atis. On the other hand, from Old Irish -aige, from Proto-Celtic *sagyos (“seeker”).[1]

Alternative forms

Suffix

-aí m

  1. Agent suffix
    ‎roth (“wheel”) + ‎-aí → ‎rothaí (“cyclist”)
Declension
Declension of -aí

Fourth declension

Bare forms

Case Singular Plural
Nominative -aí -aithe
Vocative a -aí a -aithe
Genitive -aí -aithe
Dative -aí -aithe

Forms with the definite article

Case Singular Plural
Nominative an -aí na -aithe
Genitive an -aí na -aithe
Dative leis an -aí

don -aí

 leis na -aithe
Derived terms
Irish terms suffixed with -aí

Etymology 3

From Old Irish -ide, variant form of -de used after a syncopated vowel.

Alternative forms

Suffix

-aí

  1. Added to nouns to form adjectives.
Derived terms
Irish adjectives suffixed with -aí

References
  1. Kim McCone (1994) chapter II, in K. McCone, D. McManus, C. Ó Háinle, N. Williams, L. Breatnach, editors, Stair na Gaeilge: in ómós do P[h]ádraig Ó Fiannachta (in Irish), Maynooth: Roinn na Sean-Ghaeilge, Coláiste Phádraig, →ISBN, section 21.3, page 172
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