Rí

Rí, or commonly ríg (genitive), is an ancient Gaelic word meaning 'king'. It is used in historical texts referring to the Irish and Scottish kings, and those of similar rank. While the Modern Irish word is exactly the same, in modern Scottish Gaelic it is rìgh, apparently derived from the genitive. Cognates include GaulishRix, Latinrex/regis, Spanishrey, Frenchroi, Sanskritraja, and GermanReich.

There were three grades of rí: a ruiri or 'overking' was a major, regional king and superior to a rí túath 'king of [many] peoples' or a rí buiden 'king of a troop' either of whom, in turn, were superior to several figures known as rí benn 'king of peaks' or rí túaithe 'king of a single people'.