athair-baistidh
masculine
The Gaelic word for godfather is athair-baistidh. Wiktionary also lists goistidh.
Meaning: man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner (noun)
Ways to say it
| Gaelic | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| athair-baistidh | masculine | |
| goistidh | /ˈkɔʃtʲɪ/ | masculine |
A godfather is a man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner.
Which one should you use?
While athair-baistidh is a compound word, goistidh is a more concise, single-word alternative that also means godfather.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both athair-baistidh and goistidh are masculine nouns.
Did you know?
- The term goistidh shares a surprising ancestral link with the English word 'gossip', as both stem from the Old English word 'godsibb' meaning a godparent.
- In traditional Gaelic culture, the role of the goistidh was often as important for social networking and tribal alliances as it was for religion.
- The Old English root of goistidh refers to a 'sib' or relative, implying that a godfather becomes a spiritual member of the family.
Examples in context
- Is e sin an athair-baistidh a thàinig.That is the godfather who came.
- An d'fhàg an athair-baistidh an leabhar?Did the godfather leave the book?
Example conversation
Mairead and Finlay are discussing the baby's christening.
- MaireadCò an athair-baistidh don leanabh, a Finlay?Who is the godfather to the baby, Finlay?
- FinlayTha mi an t-athair-baistidh dhuinn fhèin!I am the godfather myself!
- MaireadSin naidheachdan math a th' ann.That is good news.
- FinlayTha mi toilichte a bhith mar athair-baistidh.I am happy to be the godfather.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “godfather” translations and entries athair-baistidh, goistidh, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries goistidh, CC BY-SA 4.0.
