Focal an Lae #45
The Word of the Day in Irish
Word: airgead (AR-uh-guhd, A as in “cat”)
Meaning: airgead = silver; money
Usage:
- airgead póca (AR-uh-guhd POH-kuh) = pocket money
- airgead tirim (... CHIH-ruhm) = ready cash (lit., dry money)
- airgead beo (... BYOH) = quicksilver, mercury (lit. living silver)
History: Old Irish “argat” comes from Common Celtic *arganto- (compare Gaulish “arga(n)to-”, Welsh “arian” and Breton “arhant”),
which derives from the Indo-European root *arg- (to shine; white; silver).
Cognates in Engish include “argent” (as a technical term in heraldry for silver) and “Argentina”.
French “argent”, like “airgead”, means both silver and money.
Scottish Gaelic: airgead