-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

• -aidhe (obsolete)
• -í (slender form)
• -idhe (obsolete slender form)

Suffix

-aí

2. 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”).

Alternative forms

• -aidhe, -oidhe, -uidhe (obsolete)
• -í (slender form)
• -idhe (obsolete slender form)

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

• -aidhe, -idhe (superseded)
• -í (slender form)

Suffix

-aí

1. Added to nouns to form adjectives.

Derived terms

Irish adjectives suffixed with -aí