Focal an Lae #110
The Word of the Day in Irish
Word: mallacht (MAH-luhkht) [maləxt]
Meaning: mallacht = curse
Usage:
- Chuir sí a mallacht air. (KHWIHR shee uh MAH-luhkht EHR) [xvir′ s′iː ə maləxt er′] = She cursed him. (lit., she put her curse on-him)
- An Mac Mallachta = Satan (lit., the son of curse)
- “Lig sé cúpla mallacht fhíorthocsaineach as...” = He let fly with a few really toxic curses...
(from the poem “(Positively) Sráid Fhearchair” by Michael Davitt)
History: Old Irish “maldacht” was borrowed from Latin “maledictio”, from the verb “maledicere” (to curse),
which derives from two Indo-European roots: *mel- (bad) and *deik- (to show; to pronounce solemnly).
The cognate in English is “malediction”.
Scottish Gaelic: mallachd