flaithn.
/flɑː/, U.S. /flɑ/, Irish English /flæh/ Irish History.
The chief of an ancient family or fine.
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society > authority > rule or government > ruler or governor > lord > [noun]
lordOE
lordingOE
sire1297
damc1300
lordlingc1300
flaith1861
flath1873
society > authority > rule or government > rule or government of family or tribe > head of family, tribe, or clan > [noun] > Irish
flaith1861
society > society and the community > social class > nobility > rank > lord or lady > [noun] > lord > feudal lord
lordOE
liege lord1297
seignior1393
liegec1440
seigneur1592
señor1845
flaith1861
flath1873
1861 E. O'Curry Lect. Manuscript Materials Anc. Irish Hist. ix. 202 The hereditary proprietors, the Flaiths (pronounced ‘flahs’), or landlords.
1876 Encycl. Brit. V. 799/2 An aire whose family held the same land for three generations was called a flaith.
1876 Encycl. Brit. V. 800/1 The rank of a flaith depended upon the number of his ceiles.
1898 J. Heron Celtic Church 15 The ‘nobles’ or ‘flaiths’ possessed not only cattle but deis.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1933; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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n.1861