mí-

From Old Irish mí- (compare Scottish Gaelic mì-), from Proto-Indo-European *mei- (“to change”). Cognate with English mis-, Latin minus (“lesser”), Ancient Greek μείων (meíōn, “less”).

mí-

1. Having a negative or missing quality

   bad, ill-, evil, dis-, mis-, mal-

2. not

   un-, in-, dis-, mis-

• Does not change form for broad or slender nouns;
• Triggers lenition when attached to a noun or adjective beginning with a consonant:

  ‎mí- + ‎ceart (“right, correct”) → ‎mícheart (“incorrect, wrong”)

  ‎mí- + ‎cothrom (“equal; balanced; level”) → ‎míchothrom (“uneven”)

• Written with a hyphen when attached to nouns or adjectives beginning with a vowel:

  ‎mí- + ‎ordú (“order”) → ‎mí-ordú (“disorder”)

• ain-
• do-
• neamh-
• ro-

• "mí-" in Foclóir Gaeilge-Béarla, An Gúm, 1977, by Niall Ó Dónaill.
• Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language, Alexander MacBain, Eneas Mackay, 1911

• C. Marstrander, E. G. Quin et al., editors (1913–76), “mí-”, in Dictionary of the Irish Language: Based Mainly on Old and Middle Irish Materials, Dublin: Royal Irish Academy, →ISBN

Possibly from mis (“less”). Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *mei- (“to change”).

mí-

1. (derogatory) evil, ill, sinister

• Irish: mí-
• Manx: mee-
• Scottish Gaelic: mì-

• C. Marstrander, E. G. Quin et al., editors (1913–76), “mí-”, in Dictionary of the Irish Language: Based Mainly on Old and Middle Irish Materials, Dublin: Royal Irish Academy, →ISBN