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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
pabell nf , pebyll pl tent, grove Babell SJ1573 Cilybebyll SN7404
Listen to pabell
Listen to pebyll
pair nm cauldron Bryniau Pair SH8562 Nant-y-pair SN3422
Listen to pair
pâl nm palisaded enclosure Penrhiwpâl SN3445 Pen-pâl SN5418
palmant nm paved way Penpalmant SJ0668 Pen-y-Palmant SJ0475
Listen to palmant
pandy nm fulling-mill Pandy SJ1935 Tonypandy SS9992
Listen to pandy
pant nm hollow, valley Pant-glas SH4747 Cwmsychbant SN4746
Listen to pant
panwaun nf , panweunydd pl bog where cotton-grass grows Panwaun Pen-y-coetgae SN9000 Panwaun Pwll-gwellt SO0401
Listen to panwaun
Listen to panweunydd
parc nm , parcau , parciau pl park, field, enclosure Penparcau SN5880 Cwm-parc SS9596
Listen to parc
Listen to parcau
Listen to parciau
pedair f , pedwar num four Pedair Onnen SS9778 Pedair-ffordd SJ1124
Listen to pedair
Listen to pedwar
pelan nf knoll, hillock, tump;river bank, sea wall Pen-y-belan SJ1204 Belan SJ2004
Listen to pelan
pella(f) adj farthest Taipellaf SH9456 Ty Pellaf SH1121
Listen to pella(f)
pen nm , pennau pl head, top; end, edge Pen-y-bont-fawr SJ0824 Penfro SM9801
Listen to pen
Listen to pennau
penrhyn nm promontory Penrhyndeudraeth SH6139 Penrhyn-side SH8181
Listen to penrhyn
pentre(f) nm homestead, village Pentre-bach SN5547 Pentregwenlais SN6016
Listen to pentre(f)
perfedd nm middle, midst Treberfedd SJ3012 Banc Cefnperfedd SO0984
Listen to perfedd
perllan nf orchard Berllan SN1239 Berllandawel SN1727
Listen to perllan
perth nf , perthi pl bush, brake, hedge Arberth SN1014 Berth-ddu SO0185
Listen to perth
Listen to perthi
ph- A word starting ph may be a mutated form of a word starting p
pi nf , piod pl magpie Pentre-piod SH8930 Llwyn-y-piod SN5103
Listen to pi
Listen to piod
pia nm magpie Llwynypia SS9993 Castell y Pia ST1190
Listen to pia
pica adj pointed, sharp Bryniau Pica SN8066 Llan-pica SO2250
Listen to pica
pig nf point Pig y Baw SN0140 Nant-y-big SH3025
Listen to pig
pigyn nm point Pigyn Esgob SH7651 Pigyn Shon-Nicholas SN6635
Listen to pigyn
pistyll nm spout, waterfall Pistyll SH3242 Tan-y-pistyll SJ0729
Listen to pistyll
plas nm hall, mansion Plas Einion SJ1354 Plas-criafol SJ1131
Listen to plas
plwm nm lead Nant Felin-blwm SJ1380 Gwaun Ynys-plwm ST0383
Listen to plwm
plwyf nm parish Blaen-plwyf SN5775 Blaen Plwyf Ystrad SN5753
Listen to plwyf
poeth adj hot, burnt Cwmfelin-boeth SN1919 Coed-poeth SJ2851
Listen to poeth
ponc nf , ponciau pl hillock, tump Pen-y-bonc SH2181 Bonc SJ1637
Listen to ponc
Listen to ponciau
poncen , poncyn nm, nf small hillock Ponciau SJ2946 Clawdd Poncen SJ0744
Listen to poncen
Listen to poncyn
pont nf bridge Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr SN1745 Bontnewydd SH4859
Listen to pont
parchell pl , perchyll , porchell nm young pig Penporchell SH9967 Coed Wernporchell SH6371
Listen to parchell
Listen to perchyll
Listen to porchell
porth nf harbour, bay, landing-place, ferry Porthaethwy SH5572 Porthmadog SH5638
Listen to porth
porth nm gate, gateway Porth-y-rhyd SN5215 Porth-yr-aur SH4762
Listen to porth
pren nm tree Prenteg SH5841 Coed-saithpren SN5223
Listen to pren
prys(g) nm copse, brushwood Prys-mawr SH8630 Penprysg SS9682
Listen to prys(g)
pum(p) num five Llanpumsaint SN4129 Pumryd SH8719
Listen to pum(p)
pwll nm , pyllau pl pit, pool Llanfair Pwllgwyngyll SH5371 Glasbwll SN7397
Listen to pwll
Listen to pyllau