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Introduction to Welsh origins of place names in Britain

Glossary of Welsh origins of place names in Britain

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Glossary of Welsh origins of place names in Britain (C)

Place names are made up of components which are referred to as elements. These elements are simply the words people used to describe a place or their response to their environment.  This is a glossary of the elements, generic and qualifying, most frequently found in the place names of Wales.   A more complete background to Welsh in place names, pronunciation and spelling can be found accompanying Introduction to Welsh origins of place names in Britain .

Each element is cited in its radical form, any common dialectal variant, its feminine form (in the case of an adjective), its plural (if found in place-names) and its gender.

The meaning given is that which occurs in place names. Some elements occur only in place names and others are prefixes, suffixes or particles that modify or qualify place names.

Two place names (with grid references) are cited as examples for each element. 

 

Abbreviations

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

 

A to B  | C | D to F | G to I | L to O | P to S | T to Y

Element Meaning Examples
caban nm cottage , cabin Caban-coch SN9163 Caban SH3938
cadair nf seat, stronghold Cadair SJ0060 Penacader SN4436
cadarn adj strong , powerful Crucadarn SO0942 Twyn Cerrig-cadarn SN9438
cadno nm fox Carreg Cadno SN8715 Clo Cadno SO1116
cadw nm preserve , spinney Maes-cadw SJ0147 Coed Cadw SH5978
cae nm caeau pl field , enclosure Pen-y-cae SJ2845 Rhes-y-cae SJ1870
caer nf caerau pl stronghold , fort Caernarfon SH4862 Caerdydd ST1876
caeth adj & nm/f caith pl captive Cricieth SH5038 Caethle SN6099
cafn nm ferry-boat Tal-y-cafn SH7871 Nant-y-cafn SN8107
cain adj fine , fair , beautiful; ridge Cilcain SJ1765 Pistyll Cain SH7327
calch nm lime , chalk Pen Cerrig-calch SO2122 Twyn Calch ST2699
caled adj & nm hard Sarn-y-bryn-caled SJ2105 Cae Caled SH4069
cam adj crooked , bent Pengam ST1597 Camros SM9220
camfa nf stile Nant Maes y gamfa SH8112 Camfa Derw SH6744
canol nm middle Y Felin Ganol SM8025 Tircanol SS6798
cantref nm hundred (territorial division) Cantref SO0525 Cantref ST2815
capel nm chapel Capel Curig SH7258 Capel Bangor SN6580
carn nf carnau pl heap of stones , tumulus Pen-y-garn SN5731 Aber-carn SN5731
carnedd nf/m carneddau , carneddi pl heap of stones , tumulus Penygarnedd SJ1023 Bryncarnedd SN6082
carreg nf cerrig pl stone , rock Llanbadarn y Garreg SO1148 Cerrigceinwen SH4273
carrog nf torrent , fast-flowing stream Carrog SH7647 Dolgarrog SH7767
carrog nf brook Carrog SJ1143 Carrog SH7647
carw nm stag Gallt-y-carw SH7521 Cilcarw SN4912
cas nm castle Cas-bach ST2583 Croes Cas-lai SM9125
caseg nf cesig pl mare Afon Caseg SH6566 Llyn Caseg-fraith SH6758
castell nm cestyll pl castle; small stronghold; fortified residence Castell Nedd SS7597 Castell-Paen SO1646
cath nf cat Carreg-y-gath SH5765 Rhyd-y-gath SN2131
cau adj hollow; enclosed Caubwll SJ0171 Cwm Cou SN6264
cawl nm sea-kale (soup) Porthcawl SS8277 Heol-y-cawl ST0887
cawr nm -es f ceiri , cewri pl giant Castell Cawr SH9376 Barclodiad y Gawres SH3270
caws nm cheese Nant-y-caws SN4518 Cerrig Caws SH9556
ceffyl nm ceffylau pI horse Bryn Ceffyl SH7837 Allt y Ceffylau SH6747
cefn nm cefnydd pI r idge Cefn-brith SH9350 Cefn-coch SJ1351
cefnen nf ridge Cefnen SH8776 Cefnen Wen SH8854
cegid np hemlock Cegidfa SJ2211 Bryniau Ystumcegid SH5041
cegin nf kitchen Abercegin SH5972 Gegin SJ2752
cegyr np hemlock Cwm-cegyr SO2517 Dolycegyr SN9054
cei nm quay Ceinewydd SN3859 Cei Ystagbwll SR9995
ceiliog nm cock Caergeiliog SH3078 Croesyceiliog SN4016
ceirch , cyrch nm oats Bryn-ceirch SN4739 Cae-ceirch SH7719
ceisiad nm ceisiaid pl bailiff Nant-y-ceisiad ST2089 Llain Ceisiad SN1728
cell nf celloedd , cellau pl cell Gell-fain SN8432 Dolgellau SH7217
celli nf grove Y Gelli Gandryll SO2242 Pencelli SO0925
celynnen nf celyn pl holly tree Llwyncelyn SN4459 Trecelyn ST2197
celynnog , clynnog nf holly grove Clynnog SH4149 Ffridd Celynnog SH8019
cemais , (cemaes) nm (from np) bend in river or coastline Cemaes SH3693 Cemais Comawndwr SO3404
cennin np leeks Llanbedrycennin SH7569 Cilcennin SN5260
cerddinen , cerdinen nf cerddin , cerdin pl mountain-ash Blaencerdinfach SN3748 Bryn-Cerdin SN3848
cerwyn nf vat , pot-hole Foel Cwmcerwyn SN0931 Cwmcerwyn SS8390
cesail nf hollow Cesailgwm SH6921 Coed y Gesail SH8210
cest nf belly , swelling Porth-y-gest SH5637 Brongest SN3245
ceulan nf river bank Cwm Ceulan SN7090 Fforch Ceulan SN7520
ceunant nm ravine , gorge Pen-y-ceunant SJ0823 Mynydd Ty'n-y-ceunant SH7308
ch- A word starting ch may be a mutated form of a word starting c  
chwaen nf piece of land , breezy , windy place Chwaen Bach SH3983 Chwaen-wen SH3682
chwilog nf land infested with beetles Chwilog SH4338 Chwilog Fawr SH4438
ci nm cŵn pI dog Tre-cŵn SM9632 Carnedd y Ci SJ0534
cigfran nf cigfrain pl raven Craig Nyth-y-gigfran SH6845 Cwmgigfran SN4519
cil nm ciliau pl retreat , recess , corner Llanycil SH9134 Ciliau Aeron SN5058
cilfach nf nook Gilfachreda SN4058 Y Gilfach-goch SS9889
cist nf chest Cist Cerrig SH5438 Gist Wen SO0621
cistfaen nm stone-chest Cistfaen SN8677 Cistfaen SH9938
clafdy nm hospital Clafdy SH3569 Rhyd-y-clafdy SH3234
clawdd nm cloddiau pl ditch , hedge Penclawdd SS5495 Clawddnewydd SJ0852
clegyr nm rock , cliff Clegyr-mawr SJ0549 Penclegyr SM7629
clip nm -iau pl precipice , crag , steep slope Clip SH6532 Clipiau SH4146
cloch nf bell Maenclochog SN0827 Clochfaen SN9078
clochydd nm sexton , parish clerk Dôl-y-clochydd SH7321 Bryn-y-clochydd SH8760
clog nf clogau pl crag , precipice Clogfryn SN4462 Carn Pen-y-clogau SN7118
clogwyn nm precipice , steep rock hanging on one side Clogwyn SH7217 Clogwynygarreg SH5553
clos nm yard before a house Clos SN1840 Closglas SN6424
clun nm meadow , moor Clunderwen SN1219 Cluncoch SN3732
clwt , clwtyn nm clytiau pl patch Clwt-y-bont SH5762 Clwt SJ3245
clwyd nf clwydydd pl hurdle , gate Clwydygraig SO1624 Pentreclwydau SN8405
clyd adj sheltered Cwm-clyd SN6273 Lletty-clyd SN2737
cnap , cnepyn nm top , summit of hill , short sharp ascent Pen-y-cnap SN5121 Bryn-cnap SH9465
cnol nf hillock , knoll Twyn-y-gnol ST2296 Cnol Wen SN8260
cnwc nm hillock Cefn Cnwc SN7759 Pencnwc SN2222
cnwch nm hillock Cnwch-coch SN6775 Cefn Cnwcheithinog SN7549
coc , cocyn nm cociau pl tump , hillock Bryn-cocyn SH9968 Ffridd Cocyn SH6204
coch adj cochion pl red Penrhyn-coch SN6484 Bryn-coch SS7499
coeden nf coed pl tree Coed-elái ST0185 Coed-duon ST1797
coedlan nf copse , coppice , woodland glade , grove Coedlannau SN4648 Llannerch Coedlan SO0940
coetan nf quoit Carreg Coetan SN0639 Coetan Arthur SH3981
coetgae nm woodfield , field recovered from forest; palisaded enclosure Coetgae Du SO0316 Panwaun Pen-y-coetgae SN9000
collen nf cyll , coll pl hazel Cwrt y Gollen SO2317 Cyll SN9788
colomen nf colomennod pl dove Colomendy SJ3045 Moel Golomen SN7087
colwyn nm whelp Bae Colwyn SH8678 Tregolwyn SS9475
comin nm comins pl common Comins-coch SN6182 Comin-y-garth SN9854
congl nf corner Congl-y-cae SH2133 Gongl-gam SH3471
copa nf crest , summit Copa Ceiliog SH8748 Copa Shôn SN7899
cored nf weir Pant-y-cored SO0432 Gored Goch SH5471
corlan nf sheep-fold Corlan Fraith SH6300 Corlannau SS7690
corn nf stall , crib Llanfihangel Rhos-y-corn SN5534 Corn y Fan SN9835
cornant nf brook Pantycornant SS9688 Cornant SN4952
cornel nf corner Plas-yn-cornel SH9366 Pwllcornel SN3742
coron nf crown Goron SO1094 Goron-ddu SO1896
cors nf corsydd pl bog Llan-gors SO1327 Y Gors-las SN5713
craf nm garlic Aber-craf SN8112 Crafnant SH6129
craig nf creigiau pl rock Craig-y-nos SN8415 Graig SH8074
crau nm piggery , sty; stronghold Llanfihangel-y-creuddyn SN6676 Pont Creuddyn SN5552
criafolen nf criafol pl mountain-ash Waun y Griafolen SH8129 Pant-y-griafolen SH9149
crib nf cribau pl crest , summit Cribyn SN5251 Cefn Crib SO2300
crin adj withered Cefn-crin SO0272 Cringoed SH8801
crochan nm cauldron Foel Crochan SH7610 Maes-y-crochan ST2383
croes nf cross Pen-y-groes SN5813 Tŷ-croes SH3472
croesffordd , croesheol , croeslon nf cross-roads Groesffordd SO0728 Ty'n-y-groesffordd SJ1359
crofft nf crofftau pl croft Grofft SH8104 Bryn-y-crofftau SN7463
crug nm crugiau pl heap , tump Crug-y-bar SN6537 Yr Wyddgrug SJ2363
crwm adj crooked , bent Crymlyn ST2198 Crymych SN1833
crwth nm tump , hillock Cwmcrwth SN5724 Llwyn y Crwth SJ2000
cul adj narrow Cefn Cul SN8618 Esgair Gul SN8856
cut nm cutiau pl shed , sty Cutiau SH6317 Ffynnon Cut-y-geifr SH9833
cwar nm cwarrau pI quarry Pen y Cwar SN6308 Cwarrau-mawr ST1489
cwm nm cymau , cymoedd pl valley , dale Cwmcewydd SH8713 Cwmaman ST0099
cwmwd nm commote (territorial division) Mynydd Tir-y-cwmwd SH3230 Cefn Cwmwd SH4374
cŵn (see ci)    
cwrn nm cyrn , cyrnau pI stack , peak , point Pencyrn ST0077 Trecyrn SN2426
cwrt nm court , yard Cwrtnewydd SN4847 Cwrt Henry SN5522
cwrw nm ale Pwll-y-cwrw SO0935 Bryn Cwrw SN0007
cyff , cyffyll nm stock , stump Y Gyffylliog SJ0557 Pont Rhyd-y-cyff SS8789
cyffin nm boundary , frontier Gyffin SH7776 Penisacyffin SJ0513
cyfrwy nm ridge between two summits (saddle) Pen y Cyfrwy SM7524 Carn Gyfrwy SN1432
cyfylchi nf circular fortress Gyfylchi SS8195 Dwygyfylchi SH7377
cyfyng adj narrow strait Cyfyng SH7753 Pont Gyfyng SH5245
cyll (see collen)    
cymer nm cymerau pl confluence Rhydcymerau SN5738 Pentrellyncymer SH9752
cythraul nm devil Craig y Cythraul SJ2347 Cadair y Cythraul SH3964
cytir nm common Cytir SH8715 Cytir-bach SN2449

A to B  | C | D to F | G to I | L to O | P to S | T to Y

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