Focal an Lae #330
The Word of the Day in Irish
Word: meáchan (MYAW-khuhn) [m′aːxən]
Meaning: meáchan = weight
Usage:
- Chaill sé meáchan. (KHILE shay MYAW-khuhn) [xail′ s′eː m′aːxən] = He lost weight.
- Tá sí ag siúl amach le tógálaí meáchan. (TAW shee uh SHOOL uh-MAHKH luh TOH-gaw-lee MYAW-khuhn) [taː s′iː ə s′uːl əmax lə toːgaːliː m′aːxən]
= She’s dating a weight-lifter. (lit., is she at going out with lifter of-weights)
History: Middle Irish “medachán” (act of weighing, weight) comes from Old Irish “med” (scales, weight),
from Indo-European *medā, from the root *med- (to measure, take appropriate measures).
Cognates in English include “mete” and “mode”.
Related words in Modern Irish are “meá” (scales, scale) and “meas” (estimation, judgment).
Scottish Gaelic: meidh (balance, scales). “Cudthrom” (See Focal #167) is used for weight.