HeyRuaHow to say “destructive” in Irish
- Irish:
- millteach
- English:
- destructive, pernicious, enormous
- Word type:
- adjective
- More destructive:
- níos milltí
- Most destructive:
- is milltí
- Plural:
- millteacha
- Pronunciation:
- “MIL-tchakh” /ˈmʲiːl̠ʲtʲəx/
What does “millteach” mean?
“Millteach” has three alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- destructive
- Causing great damage or ruin.Also: ruinous, damaging, devastating.
2 other meanings: pernicious or enormous
- 2pernicious
- Harmful in a way that does lasting damage.Also: baneful, harmful, deadly.
- 3enormous
- Used informally to mean huge or extreme, like English 'terrible' or 'awful' as an intensifier.Also: extreme, tremendous, terrible.
Other Irish adjectives for destructive: scriosach (destructive)
“Millteach” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is millteach after ionsaí (attack, masculine), after stoirm (storm, 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: stoirm mhillteach. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: ionsaí millteach.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, millteacha. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant; after other plurals it does not: stoirmeacha millteacha.
More destructive, most destructive, very destructive
Bhí an dara tine níos milltí ná an chéad cheann. The second fire was more destructive than the first.
| more destructive | níos milltí | in the past tense: ní ba mhilltí |
|---|---|---|
| most destructive | is milltí | in the past tense: ba mhilltí |
| as destructive as | chomh millteach le | no change after chomh |
| very destructive | an-mhillteach | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too destructive | rómhillteach | ró- lenites |
“Millteach” 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.
Destructive in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for destructive?
The Irish for destructive is millteach (pronounced “MIL-tchakh”). It comes after the noun: ionsaí millteach, a destructive attack; stoirm mhillteach, a destructive storm.
How do you say more destructive and most destructive in Irish?
níos milltí is more destructive and is milltí is most destructive. In the past tense they become ní ba mhilltí and ba mhilltí.
Why does millteach become mhillteach?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So stoirm mhillteach (a destructive storm) but ionsaí millteach (a destructive attack), because ionsaí is masculine.
What is the plural of millteach?
With a plural noun millteach becomes millteacha: ionsaithe millteacha, stoirmeacha millteacha.
How do you say very destructive in Irish?
an-mhillteach. Too destructive is rómhillteach, and as destructive as is chomh millteach le.
Does millteach have more than one meaning?
Yes. Millteach can mean destructive, pernicious or enormous, depending on context; the first is the most common.
How is 'millteach' different from 'scriosach'?
Both mean destructive; 'millteach' comes from 'mill' (spoil, ruin) and is the more common everyday word, while 'scriosach' comes from 'scrios' (destroy).
