bríathar

From Proto-Celtic *brētrā; compare Welsh brwydr (“fight, combat”).

• IPA^(key): /ˈbʲrʲiːa̯θar/

bríathar f (genitive bré(i)thre, nominative plural bríathra)

1. word
   • c. 800, Würzburg Glosses on the Pauline Epistles, published in Thesaurus Palaeohibernicus (reprinted 1987, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies), edited and with translations by Whitley Stokes and John Strachan, vol. I, pp. 499–712, Wb. 17b5

     Ammi túailṅge ar mbréthre.

     We are potent in our word.

     (literally, “We are of the ability of our word.”)

   • c. 800, Würzburg Glosses on the Pauline Epistles, published in Thesaurus Palaeohibernicus (reprinted 1987, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies), edited and with translations by Whitley Stokes and John Strachan, vol. I, pp. 499–712, Wb. 29a12

     indhí pridchite et for·chanat bréthir Dǽ

     those who preach and teach God’s word

2. speech, talk
3. (linguistics) verb
   • c. 845, St. Gall Glosses on Priscian, published in Thesaurus Palaeohibernicus (reprinted 1975, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies), edited and with translations by Whitley Stokes and John Strachan, vol. II, pp. 49–224, Sg. 159a3

     Is airi ní táet comṡuidigud fri rangabáil, húare as coibnesta do bréthir: ar is lour comṡuidigud fri suidi, air bid comṡuidigud etarscartha comṡuidigud rangabálae.

     This is why composition does not occur with a participle, because it is akin to a verb: for composition with the latter is sufficient, for composition of a participle will be separated composition.

• Irish: briathar
• Scottish Gaelic: briathar

• C. Marstrander, E. G. Quin et al., editors (1913–76), “bríathar”, in Dictionary of the Irish Language: Based Mainly on Old and Middle Irish Materials, Dublin: Royal Irish Academy, →ISBN
• Matasović, Ranko (2009) Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 9), Leiden: Brill, →ISBN, page 77