Focal an Lae #231
The Word of the Day in Irish
Word: uachtar (OO-uhkh-tuhr) [uːəxtər]
Meaning: uachtar = top, surface, cream
Usage:
- ar uachtar an uisce (ehr OO-uhkh-tuhr uhn ISH-kyuh) [er′ uːəxtər ən is′k′ə] = on top of the water
- uachtar reoite (... ROH-chuh) [... roːt′ə] = ice cream
- Tá an lámh in uachtar agat. (TAW uhn LAWV uhn OO-uhkh-tuhr AH-guht) [taː ən laːv ən uːəxtər agət]
= You have the upper hand. (lit., is the hand in top at-you)
History: Old Irish “úachtar, óchtar” comes from Common Celtic *(o)uxs-tero-, from Indo-European *(o)ups-tero-,
from the word *upo (up from under, over). English cognates include “up” and “open”.
Scottish Gaelic: uachdar