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Cymraeg
Cymraeg

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
m- A word starting m may be a mutated form of a word starting b
ma- nf , -fa plain, place Machynlleth SH7400 Gabalfa
Listen to ma-
mab nm , meibion pl son Nantymab SN5322 Moel y Mab SJ2405
Listen to mab
Listen to meibion
maen nm , main , meini pl stone Rhyd-y-main SH8022 Pont-faen SN9934
Listen to maen
Listen to main
Listen to meini
maenol nf stone-built residence of chieftain of district ; manor Maenol SN9583 Faenol-Broper SJ0174
Listen to maenol
maerdre(f) nf lord's demesne Llanilltud Faerdref ST0886 Gwaralltyfaerdre SN4349
Listen to maerdre(f)
maerdy nm steward's house, dairy Y Maerdy SS9798 Y Maerdy SJ3015
Listen to maerdy
maes nm , meysydd pl open field, plain Maes-glas ST3086 Maes-teg SS8591
Listen to maes
Listen to meysydd
magwyr nf (dry) stone wall, hedge ; ruin Magwyr ST4287 Clwydyfagwyr SO0206
Listen to magwyr
maharen nm , meheryn pl ram, wether Gellifaharen SN4143 Rhosmeheryn SN8971
Listen to maharen
Listen to meheryn
maen , main
Listen to maen
Listen to main
main adj thin, narrow Gell-fain SN8432 Bylchau Rhos-fain SN7517
Listen to main
march nm , meirch pl horse, stallion Rhos-meirch SH4677 Drenewydd Gelli-farch ST4793
Listen to march
Listen to meirch
marchog nm knight, horseman Felindre Farchog SN1039 Marchogdir SN8826
Listen to marchog
marian nm holm, gravel, gravelly ground, rock debris Marian-glas SH5084 Marian Prysau SJ1274
Listen to marian
marl nm marl, chalky clay Parc-y-marl SN0424 Gwern-y-marl SJ2268
Listen to marl
mawn nm peat Rhos-y-mawn SH8566 Waun Mawn SN0834
Listen to mawn
mawnog nf peat-bog Mawnog SN7994 Pen Bryn-y-fawnog SH9527
Listen to mawnog
mawr adj big, great Llanbadarn Fawr SN6080 Waunfawr SH5359
Listen to mawr
medd nm mead Nant-y-medd SN6150 Llanerchymedd SH4184
Listen to medd
meillion pl , meillionen nf clover Cwm Meillionen SH5648 Maes-meillion SH9230
Listen to meillion
Listen to meillionen
melin nf mill Felin-fach SN5255 Melin-coed SH8160
Listen to melin
melindref nf mill-town Felindre SO1836 Felindre SN7027
Listen to melindref
melen f , melyn adj yellow Trefelen SN0721 Melynllyn SH7065
Listen to melen
Listen to melyn
menyn nm , ymenyn butter Brynmenyn SS9084 Dolmenyn SN9649
Listen to menyn
Listen to ymenyn
merch nf daughter Afon Merch SH6352 Crugiau Merched SN7245
Listen to merch
merched pl , merddwr nm stagnant water Merddwr SH8950 Banc y Merddwr SH8335
Listen to merched
Listen to merddwr
merllyn nm stagnant pool Merllyn SJ2668 Merllyn SJ1356
Listen to merllyn
merthyr nm burial place, church Merthyr Tudful SO0506 Merthyr Cynog SN9837
Listen to merthyr
meudwy nm hermit Ynysymeudwy SN7305 Porth Meudwy SH1625
Listen to meudwy
mh- A word starting mh may be a mutated form of a word starting p
mign nf , mignedd , mignen pl bog, quagmire Migneint SH7842 Tal-y-mignedd SH5252
Listen to mign
Listen to mignedd
Listen to mignen
milgi nm greyhound Ffynnon Maen Milgi SJ0634 Ffynnon y Milgi SJ1251
Listen to milgi
miliast nf greyhound bitch Gwal y Filiast SN1725 Carnedd y Filiast SH6162
Listen to miliast
min nm margin side Minffordd SH5770 Minffrwd SJ0523
Listen to min
moch pl , mochyn nm pig Mochdre SH8278 Crug-moch SN3333
Listen to moch
Listen to mochyn
moel nf bare hill Y Foel SH9911 Rhyd-y-foel SH9176
Listen to moel
moel adj bare, bald Nant-y-moel SS9392 Moelfre SH5186
Listen to moel
morfa nm marsh, fen Morfa Bychan SH5437 Morfa Nefyn SH2840
Listen to morfa
moryd nf estuary, channel Afon Foryd SH4457 Foryd SH4559
Listen to moryd
mur nm , muriau pl wall Castell Tomen-y-mur SH7038 Mur Melyn SH1728
Listen to mur
Listen to muriau
mwdwl nm stack, cock of hay Mwdwl-eithin SH9154 Pen y Mwdwl SH9266
Listen to mwdwl
mwnws nm refuse heap Rhiw Fwnws SO1653 Castell y Mwnws ST0280
Listen to mwnws
mwyalch nf , mwyalchen blackbird Croes-y-mwyalch ST3092 Llechwedd-fwyalchen SH8627
Listen to mwyalch
Listen to mwyalchen
mwyn nm ore, mine Rhandir-mwyn SN7843 Rhyd-y-mwyn SJ2066
Listen to mwyn
menych , mynach nm , mynaich , mynych pl monk Capel Coed-y-mynach SO3402 Ystradmynach ST1494
Listen to menych
Listen to mynach
Listen to mynaich
Listen to mynych
mynachdy nm monastic grange Trwynmynachdy SM6922 Mynachdy SN7995
Listen to mynachdy
mynachlog nf monastery Mynachlog-ddu SN1430 Mynachlog SJ2367
Listen to mynachlog
mynwent nf churchyard, cemetery Penyfynwent SH4388 Esgair-fynwent SN5334
Listen to mynwent
mynydd nm mountain, moorland Penmynydd SH5074 Gwernymynydd SJ2162
Listen to mynydd