# mealltach
## Irish
### Etymology

From Old Irish melltach (“deceiving, deceitful”). By surface analysis, meallta +‎ -ach.

### Adjective

mealltach (genitive singular masculine mealltaigh, genitive singular feminine mealltaí, plural mealltacha, comparative mealltaí)
* beguiling, enticing, coaxing
* deceptive, deceitful; disappointing
* alluring, appealing, appetizing (of prospect), arresting, inviting, irresistible (extremely desirable), taking, winning
* aspirational (of brand, lifestyle, etc)
* attractive (interesting, enticing)
* charismatic (of person)
* charming (attractive but unreliable), engaging, enticing, entrancing
* convincing (persuasive)
* disarming
* flirtatious
* foxy (attractive)
* horny, luscious, lush, pouting, provocative, sexy (sexually attractive)
* illusive, illusory
* magnetic (very attractive)
    Synonym: tarraingteach
* seductive (sexually; attractive)
* sensual (person)
    Synonyms: gnéasach, téisiúil
* sensuous (of sexual pleasure)
* siren
* smoky (voice)
    Synonym: gnéasúil
* smooth-tongued
    Synonyms: milis, plámásach, síodúil
* smouldering (person, eyes, etc)
    Synonyms: meallacach, téisiúil
* (Internet, of a website) sticky
* sultry (sensual)
* tantalizing (enticing; appetizing)
* teasing (of hint, glimpse)
    Synonym: meallacach
* tempting
    Synonym: tarraingteach

#### Declension

| | Singular | Singular | Plural (m/f) | Plural (m/f) |
| Positive | Masculine | Feminine | (strong noun) | (weak noun) |
| Nominative | mealltach | mhealltach | mealltacha; mhealltacha² | mealltacha; mhealltacha² |
| Vocative | mhealltaigh | mhealltach | mealltacha | mealltacha |
| Genitive | mhealltaigh | mealltaí | mealltacha | mealltach |
| Dative | mealltach; mhealltach¹ | mhealltach; mhealltaigh (archaic) | mealltacha; mhealltacha² | mealltacha; mhealltacha² |
| Comparative | níos mealltaí | níos mealltaí | níos mealltaí | níos mealltaí |
| Superlative | is mealltaí | is mealltaí | is mealltaí | is mealltaí |
¹ When the preceding noun is lenited and governed by the definite article. ² When the preceding noun ends in a slender consonant.

### Adverb

mealltach
* temptingly
    Synonyms: meallacach, tarraingteach
* winsome

### Further reading

* Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “mealltach”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
* Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “melltach”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
* de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “mealltach”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
* “mealltach”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013-2024

## Scottish Gaelic
### Etymology

From Old Irish melltach (“deceiving, deceitful”). By surface analysis, meallta +‎ -ach.

### Adjective

mealltach (genitive singular masculine mealltaich, comparative mealltaiche)
* false, deceitful, spurious, sham
    Synonym: meallta
* deceptive, delusive, delusory
* alluring

#### Derived terms

* sgiath mhealltach

#### Related terms

* meall

### Further reading

* Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “melltach”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language