# ráth
## Irish
### Pronunciation

* (Munster, Connacht) IPA: /ɾˠɑː/
* (Ulster) IPA: /ɾˠaːx/

### Etymology 1

From Old Irish ráth (“earthen rampart, fort, rath”).

#### Noun

ráth m (genitive singular rátha, nominative plural ráthanna)
* earthen rampart
* ring-fort, rath
* layer
* shoal (of fish)
    Synonyms: báire, scoil
* pod (of dolphins)

##### Declension

bare forms
case
singular
plural
nominative
ráth
ráthanna
vocative
a ráth
a ráthanna
genitive
rátha
ráthanna
dative
ráth
ráthanna
forms with the definite article
case
singular
plural
nominative
an ráth
na ráthanna
genitive
an rátha
na ráthanna
dative
leis an ráth don ráth
leis na ráthanna :

##### Derived terms

* ráth sneachta
* ráthaigh

#### References

* ↑ Quiggin, E. C. (1906) A Dialect of Donegal, Cambridge University Press, page 10

#### Further reading

* Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “ráth”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
* Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “2 ráth ‘earthen rampart’”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
* de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “ráth”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
* “ráth”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013-2025

### Etymology 2

From Old Irish ráth (“suretyship, guarantee, pledge”).

#### Noun

ráth m (genitive singular rátha, nominative plural ráthanna)
* guarantee
    Synonym: ráthaíocht

##### Declension

bare forms
case
singular
plural
nominative
ráth
ráthanna
vocative
a ráth
a ráthanna
genitive
rátha
ráthanna
dative
ráth
ráthanna
forms with the definite article
case
singular
plural
nominative
an ráth
na ráthanna
genitive
an rátha
na ráthanna
dative
leis an ráth don ráth
leis na ráthanna :

#### Further reading

* Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “ráth”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
* Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “1 ráth ‘surety, guarantor’”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
* de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “ráth”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
* “ráth”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013-2025

## Old Irish
### Pronunciation

* IPA: /r͈aːθ/

### Etymology 1

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

#### Noun

ráth f (genitive ráithe, nominative plural rátha)
* (law) surety, guarantor
* (law) suretyship, guarantee, pledge

##### Inflection

Feminine ā-stem :
| | Singular | Dual | Plural |
| Nominative | ráth$^L$ | ráith$^L$ | rátha$^H$ |
| Vocative | ráth$^L$ | ráith$^L$ | rátha$^H$ |
| Accusative | ráith$^N$ | ráith$^L$ | rátha$^H$ |
| Genitive | ráithe$^H$ | ráth$^L$ | ráth$^N$ |
| Dative | ráith$^L$ | ráthaib | ráthaib |
| Initial mutations of a following adjective: $^H$ = triggers aspiration $^L$ = triggers lenition $^N$ = triggers nasalization ||||

##### Synonyms

* (suretyship, guarantee): ráthaigecht

##### Derived terms

* ráthaiges, ráthachas
* ráthaigid
* ráthus, ráithius

##### Descendants

* Middle Irish: ráith
** Irish: ráth
** ⇒ Scottish Gaelic: ràthan
** ⇒ Manx: raane

### Etymology 2

From Proto-Celtic *rātis, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂erh₃- (“to plough”).

#### Alternative forms

* ráith

#### Noun

ráth m or f
* earthen rampart surrounding a chief's residence, fort, rath

##### Inflection

Feminine ā-stem :
| | Singular | Dual | Plural |
| Nominative | ráth$^L$ | ráith$^L$ | rátha$^H$ |
| Vocative | ráth$^L$ | ráith$^L$ | rátha$^H$ |
| Accusative | ráith$^N$ | ráith$^L$ | rátha$^H$ |
| Genitive | ráithe$^H$ | ráth$^L$ | ráth$^N$ |
| Dative | ráith$^L$ | ráthaib | ráthaib |
| Initial mutations of a following adjective: $^H$ = triggers aspiration $^L$ = triggers lenition $^N$ = triggers nasalization ||||

##### Derived terms

* ráthach
* ráthbuige
* ráthmogaid
* ráthmug
** ráthmuigecht

##### Descendants

* Irish: ráth
* Scottish Gaelic: ràth
* Manx: raah
* → English: rath

### Mutation

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in Old Irish. All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

### Further reading

* Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “1 ráth ‘surety, guarantor’”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
* Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “2 ráth ‘earthen rampart’”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language