HeyRuaHow to say “cowardly” in Irish
- Irish:
- meata
- English:
- cowardly, sickly
- Word type:
- adjective
- More cowardly:
- níos meata
- Most cowardly:
- is meata
- Pronunciation:
- “MA-ta” /mʲatə/
What does “meata” mean?
“Meata” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- cowardly
- Lacking courage; afraid to face danger or difficulty.Also: craven, faint-hearted, timid.
1 other meaning: sickly
- 2sickly
- Pale, weak or failing in health or growth.Also: pale, feeble, decayed.
Other Irish adjectives for cowardly: cladhartha (cowardly)
“Meata” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is meata after saighdiúir (soldier, masculine), after bean (woman, feminine) and after a plural.
séimhiú (the h) the ending
After a feminine noun the adjective gets a séimhiú, an h after its first letter: bean mheata. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: saighdiúir meata.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, meata. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant; after other plurals it does not: mná meata.
More cowardly, most cowardly, very cowardly
Bhí sé níos meata ná a dheartháir. He was more cowardly than his brother.
| more cowardly | níos meata | in the past tense: ní ba mheata |
|---|---|---|
| most cowardly | is meata | in the past tense: ba mheata |
| as cowardly as | chomh meata le | no change after chomh |
| very cowardly | an-mheata | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too cowardly | rómheata | ró- lenites |
“Meata” in a sentence: Irish examples
With a masculine noun, a feminine noun, a plural, a comparison and on its own.
Other adjectives in Irish
More everyday Irish adjectives to learn next.
Cowardly in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for cowardly?
The Irish for cowardly is meata (pronounced “MA-ta”). It comes after the noun: saighdiúir meata, a cowardly soldier; bean mheata, a cowardly woman.
How do you say more cowardly and most cowardly in Irish?
níos meata is more cowardly and is meata is most cowardly. In the past tense they become ní ba mheata and ba mheata.
Why does meata become mheata?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So bean mheata (a cowardly woman) but saighdiúir meata (a cowardly soldier), because saighdiúir is masculine.
How do you say very cowardly in Irish?
an-mheata. Too cowardly is rómheata, and as cowardly as is chomh meata le.
Does meata have more than one meaning?
Yes. Meata can mean cowardly or sickly, depending on context; the first is the most common.
What is the difference between 'meata' and 'cladhartha'?
Both mean cowardly; 'cladhartha' is the more common everyday word, while 'meata' can also mean sickly or decayed.
