badhbh

• badhb, baidhbhe

From Old Irish badb (“crow, witch”).

• IPA^(key): /bˠəivˠ/

badhbh f (genitive singular baidhbhe, nominative plural badhbha)

1. war-goddess
2. hooded crow
   • between 1583 and 1591, Tadhg Dall Ó hUiginn, “Cath Droma Lighean”, in The bardic poems of Tadhg Dall Ó Huiginn‎:

     Budh iomdha ar madoin go moch/ proinn dá caitheamh go corrach;/ laoich ag ionnráithne a n-arm ngéar,/ iolgháirthe badhbh is brainéan.

     In the morn betimes/ there will be many a meal consumed without comfort,/ warriors whetting (?) their keen weapons,/ shrieks of scaldcrows and ravens.

3. vulture or other ravenous bird
   • bef. 1639, Muircheartach Óg Ó Cíonga, transl., “Lev. 11:14”, in An Bíobla Naomhtha:

     An badhbh, préacháin na gcéarc do réir a chinnéil;

     and the vulture, and the kite after his kind

   Synonyms: bultúr, garrfhiach

4. a scold or curser
5. a female fairy said to be attached to certain families and to foretell death, appearing as a hooded crow
   • 1974, Béaloideas, volume 42-47, page 99:

     ... deirtí go bhfeictí an bhadhbh i bhfoirm mná breá dathúil, gruaig fhada de dhath an óir síos go sála uirthí, i ina suí ar an gcathaoir so agus í ag cíoradh a cinn.

     ... it was said that the badhbh was seen in the shape of a fine good-looking woman with long golden hair down to her heels sitting on this chair and she combing her hair.

   Synonym: bean sí

• → English: bibe

• "badhbh" in Foclóir Gaeilge-Béarla, An Gúm, 1977, by Niall Ó Dónaill.
• “baḋḃ” in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, Irish Texts Society, 2nd ed., 1927, by Patrick S. Dinneen.
• “badb” in Dictionary of the Irish Language, Royal Irish Academy, 1913–76.
• Entries containing “badhbh” in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm, 1959, by Tomás de Bhaldraithe.
• Entries containing “badhbh” in New English-Irish Dictionary by Foras na Gaeilge.