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Glossary

Acknowledgement

The Royal Commission is grateful to both the Ordnance Survey and Bangor University for permission to reproduce this glossary, an expanded version of which can be viewed on the Ordnance Survey website. Particular acknowledgement must be given to Professor Hywel Wyn Owen, Dr Geraint Wyn Jones and Gruffudd Prys of Bangor University who worked with the Ordnance Survey to develop their 'Glossary of Welsh place-name elements'.

adj = adjective nf = noun feminine
adv = adverb nm = noun masculine
f = feminine np = noun plural
m = masculine pr = preposition
pl = plural num = number

Glossary of place-name elements

Element English Translation Examples Sound
d- A word starting d may be a mutated form of a word starting t
dafad nf , defaid pl sheep Carreg y Ddafad SN2751 Pantyddafad SN6768
Listen to dafad
Listen to defaid
dafadfa nf sheep-fold Dafadfa-isaf SN6821 Dafadfa Uchaf SN6921
Listen to dafadfa
dalfa nf pound Ddalfa SN8931 Cors y Ddalfa SH4147
Listen to dalfa
dan , tan
Listen to dan
Listen to tan
dâr nf , deri pl oak Aberdâr SO0002 Bwlch-y-ddâr SJ1622
Listen to deri
das , tas
Listen to das
Listen to tas
dau num , dwy f two Aberdauddwr SN6954 Bryn-ddwy-nant SO2035
Listen to dau
Listen to dwy
dd- A word starting dd may be a mutated form of a word starting d
dail pl , deilen nf leaf Tir-y-dail SN6212 Castell y Dail SO0989
Listen to dail
Listen to deilen
delw nf image Carnedd y Ddelw SH7070 Craig y Ddelw SS9298
Listen to delw
deon nm dean Caerdeon SH6518 Cae'r Deon SH3385
Listen to deon
derlwyn nm oak-grove Carregyderlwyn SN8070 Cefn Derlwyn SO9347
Listen to derlwyn
derw pl , derwen nf oak Derwen-las SN7299 Derwen-gam SN4558
Listen to derw
Listen to derwen
dibyn nm steep slope, precipice Dibyn Du SN7965 Cwm Pont-bren Dibyn SH8800
Listen to dibyn
diffwys nm precipice, abyss Diffwys SJ0257 Llechwedd Diffwys SH8915
Listen to diffwys
din nm hill-fortress Dinbych SJ0566 Caerfyrddin SN4120
Listen to din
dinas nm/f hill-fortress; city Dinas Dinlle SH4356 Pendinas SJ2251
Listen to dinas
diserth nm hermitage Diserth SJ0579 Dyserth SJ0579
Listen to diserth
disgwylfa nf place of observation, look-out point Twyn Disgwylfa SN9531 Disgwylfa SN5009
Listen to disgwylfa
dôl nf , dolau pl , dolydd meadow Dolbenmaen SH5043 Dôl-y-bont SN6288
Listen to dolau
Listen to dolydd
dorglwyd , torglwyd
Listen to dorglwyd
Listen to torglwyd
draenen nf , drain pl thorn Draenen Pen-y-graig ST1783 Ffynnon-ddrain SN4021
Listen to draenen
Listen to drain
draenllwyn nm thorn-bush Draenllwyn-du SN7051 Esgair Draenllwyn SN9294
Listen to draenllwyn
draw adj yonder Heol-draw SO1820 Pen-draw SH5561
Listen to draw
dreiniog adj thorny Bryndreiniog SJ0825 Domen Ddreiniog SH5903
Listen to dreiniog
drud nm , drudion pl hero, fighter Cerrigydrudion SH9548 Cerrig Drudion SN6250
Listen to drud
Listen to drudion
drum , trum
Listen to drum
Listen to trum
drws nm gap, narrow pass (door) Drws Gwyn SH7959 Drws-y-coed SH5453
Listen to drws
dryll nm small piece of land Y Gelligandryll SO2242 Dryll SJ2646
Listen to dryll
dryslwyn nm bramble bush Dryslwyn SN5520 Dryslwyn SN6242
Listen to dryslwyn
du adj , duon pl black, dark Dulais SS6190 Ynys-ddu ST1892
Listen to du
Listen to duon
dofn , dwfn adj , dyfn f deep Dyfnant SO0260 Wernddofn SN2136
Listen to dofn
Listen to dwfn
Listen to dyfn
dwfr nm , dwr water Erw-ddwfr SH7232 Llwyn-dwfr SN1023
Listen to dwfr
dyffryn nm valley Dyffryn SS8593 Llanbedr Dyffryn Ceiriog SJ1459
Listen to dyffryn
dylif nm flood, deluge, torrent Dylife SN8694 Afon Dylif SH6144
Listen to dylif
dylluan , tylluan
Listen to dylluan
Listen to tylluan
dyrys adj wild, rough Cefndyrys SO0473 Fronddyrys SO1559
Listen to dyrys