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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 |
| g- | A word starting g may be a mutated form of a word starting c | |
| gafl nf geifl pl | fork | Bwlch yr Eifl SH3645 Yr Eifl SH3644 |
| gafr nf geifr pl | goat | Corngafr SN2722 Cae'r-geifr SH1628 |
| gallt (see allt ) | ||
| gardd nf gerddi, garddau pl | garden; enclosure | Yr Ardd-lîn SJ2615 Ardderfin SN3215 |
| garth nm | promontory, hill, enclosure | Llanfihangel-ar-arth SN4539 Penarth ST1871 |
| garw adj | coarse, rough | Blaengarw SS9092 Bryn Garw SN8077 |
| gast nf | bitch | Cefngast SN9147 Cwm Gast SH8509 |
| gefail, efail nf | smithy | Cefn-y-gefail SN7838 Efail-newydd SH3535 |
| geirw np | rush of waters, waterfall | Pont Aber-Geirw SH7629 Geirw SN7727 |
| genau nm | pass, opening of a valley | Llanfihangel Genau'r-glyn SN6286 Coedgenau SN9933 |
| glais, nm/f | brook | Y Glais SN7000 Dulais SS6190 |
| glan nf | river-bank, hillock | Glan-Clwyd SJ0573 Glan Adda SH5770 |
| glas adj gleision pl | green, when referring to grass, pasture or leaves; or blue, when relating to the sea or air | Glasallt-fawr SN7330 Bryn Glas SJ0877 |
| glo nm | charcoal, coal | Nant-y-glo SO1910 Cwm-y-glo SH5562 |
| glyn nm | deep valley, glen | Glyn-hir SN6415 Llanfihangel Glyn Myfyr SH9949 |
| godre nm | edge or foot of hill | Godre'r-graig SN7507 Godreaman SO0100 |
| gof nm | smith | Rhyd-y-gof-isaf SN5552 Bron-y-gof SJ0856 |
| gofer nm | rill, overflow of a well | Gofer SH8472 Blaengofer SN3425 |
| gogof (see ogof ) | ||
| golau adj | light, bright | Alltgolau SN5125 Wernolau SN3617 |
| gorffwysfa nf | resting place | Pengorffwysfa SH4692 Gorffwysfa SH2131 |
| goror nm/f gororau, gororion pl | boundary | Gororion SN8773 Oror SJ0847 |
| gorsedd nf | tumulus, barrow, hillock | Gorsedd SJ1576 Yr Orsedd SJ3657 |
| graean nm | gravel | Graeanryd SJ2156 Bwlch y Graean SN3049 |
| gris nm grisiau pl | step | Tanygrisiau SH6845 Esgair Gris SN8868 |
| gro nm/f | gravel; gravel hill | Gronant SJ0983 Ro-wen SH7571 |
| grofft nf grofftau pl | croft | Grofft SH8104 Cefn Rofft SJ0049 |
| grug nm | heath, heather | Cefn-y-grug SO1664 Grugfryn SH8273 |
| grwn nm | ridge between two furrows, ridge in a field | Grwnamlwg SJ1515 Grwn-oer SJ0218 |
| gwaelod nm | foot of hill, bottom | Gwaelod-y-garth ST1183 Gwaelod SJ1416 |
| gwair nm | hay | Llwyngwair SN0739 Pant-y-gwair SN6067 |
| gwal nf gwaliau pl | wall | Rhos-y-gwaliau SH9434 Bryn-y-gwalia SJ1924 |
| gwâl nf | lair | Gwal y Filiast SN1725 Gwal-yr-hwch SN5807 |
| gwar nf | ridge (nape of neck) | Gwar-y-felin SN9335 Gwarallt SN5458 |
| gwartheg np | cows, cattle | Cors y Gwartheg-llwydion SH8032 Dolgwartheg SN4661 |
| gwas nm | youth, servant | Bryn-gwas SS5493 Ynysygwas SS7891 |
| gwastad nm | plain | Gwastadannas SH6553 Gwastad-mawr ST2989 |
| gwastad adj | flat | Gwastad SO2305 Gwastadfryn SH6709 |
| gwaun nf gweunydd pl | moor, mountain meadow, moor-land field, moor-land field | Waunarlwydd SS6095 Abergwaun SM9537 |
| gwden nf | willow-tree, reeds | Glangwden SN9688 Dolgwden SN9589 |
| gweirglodd nf | hay-field, meadow | Gweirglodd-gilfach SH8926 Nantyweirglodd SN2332 |
| gwely nm | bed, resting-place, family land | Gwely'r Misgl SS7880 Pen y Gwely SJ2133 |
| gwen (see gwyn) | ||
| gwenith nm | wheat | Bryngwenith SS9682 Dolgwenith SN9887 |
| gwerdd (see gwyrdd) | ||
| gwerfa nf | cool spot on mountain side where cattle or sheep seek shade | Werfa SS9194 Bwlch y Werfa SS9283 |
| gwern, gwernog nf | place where alders grow, swamp | Cilgwern SO2414 Pengwern SJ0176 |
| gwernen nf gwern pl | alder tree | Gwernaffield SJ2064 Gwernymynydd SJ2162 |
| gwiber nf | viper | Carregwiber SO0859 Allt y wiber SN4628 |
| gwig nf gwigau pl | grove, wood | Melin-y-wig SJ0348 Cefn-wig SN4761 |
| gwinllan nf | grove (vineyard) | Marianywinllan SH6270 Winllan SJ2121 |
| gwlad nf | region | Coed-y-wlad SJ2209 Cors-y-wlad SH4447 |
| gwlyb adj gwleb f | wet | Gwlybycoed SH4689 Gelli-wlyb SN8824 |
| gwndwn (see gwyndwn ) | ||
| gwrach nf | hag, witch | Rhyd-y-wrach SN1619 Blaen-gwrach SN8605 |
| gwreiddyn, gwraidd nm gwreiddiau pl | root | Gwreiddyn SH9474 Gwreiddiau SJ0419 |
| gwrych nm | (quickset) hedge | Gwrych Bedw SJ1048 Hen Wrych SH9278 |
| gwryd nm | fathom | Llangwryd-isaf SJ2337 Nantygwryd SH6856 |
| gwter (see cwter ) | ||
| Gwyddel nm Gwyddyl, Gwyddelod pl | Irishman | Gwyddel SH1425 Gwyddelwern SJ0746 |
| gwydden, gwŷdd nf pl | tree | Llyn y Grinwydden SJ0206 Glanwydden SH8180 |
| gwyddfa nf | mound, tumulus | Yr Wyddfa SH6054 Graig Trewyddfa SS6697 |
| gwylfa nf | look-out point | Gwylfa Hiraethog SH9459 Foel Wylfa SJ1933 |
| gwyn adj gwen f gwynion pl | white | Gaerwen SH4871 Bron-gwyn SN2843 |
| gwyndwn, gwndwn nm | grassland, lea | Gwndwn SN4737 Gwndwngwyn SM9027 |
| gwynt nm | wind | Tre-gwynt SJ0306 Moel y Gwynt SS8598 |
| gwyrdd adj gwerdd f gwyrddion pl | green | Dolaugwyrddon SN5546 Dolwerdd SN4924 |
| gyrfa nf | racecourse | Llannerch-yrfa SN8355 Pant-yr-yrfa ST2593 |
| hafn nf | gorge, ravine | Maeshafn SJ2060 Yr Hafnau SH9738 |
| hafod nf | summer dwelling | Nant-yr-hafod SN8791 Hafod-dywyll SH6815 |
| hafoty nm | summer dwelling | Hafoty SH8365 Hafoty'r Bwlch |
| haidd nm | barley | Maes-yr-haidd SN5630 Nant-yr-haidd SN9366 |
| halog adj | dirty, muddy | Rhydhalog ST0279 Pwllhalog SJ0877 |
| hardd adj | fine, fair | Pentre-hardd SN5907 Harlech SH5831 |
| haul nm | sun | Bolahaul SN4218 Bron Haul SH9669 |
| hebog nm/f | hawk | Moel Hebog SH5646 Mynydd Pwllyrhebog SS9691 |
| helfa nf | hunting-ground | Dolhelfa SN9273 Helfa SH5857 |
| heli nm | brine | Y Felinheli SH5267 Pwllheli SH3735 |
| helygen nf helyg pl | willow | Llanfihangel Helygen SO0464 Brynhelygen ST0578 |
| hen adj | old | Brynhenllan SN0039 Hendy-gwyn ar daf SN2016 |
| hendre(f) nf | winter dwelling, old home, permanent abode | Capel Hendre SN5911 Hendre SJ1967 |
| heol, hewl nf | street, road | Heol-las SS6998 Heol-y-cyw SS9484 |
| hesgen nf hesg pl | rush | Cwm-hesgen SH7829 Nant Hesgog SN9168 |
| hesgyn nm | bog | Penhesgyn SH5374 Ffridd Cwmhesgyn SH8742 |
| hir adj | long | Ynys-hir ST0292 Pont-hir ST3292 |
| hwch nf | sow, swine | Stryt-yr-hwch SJ3346 Gorsyrhwch SN6633 |
| hwnt adj | yonder | Pentrehwnt SS9275 Tu-hwnt-i'r-afon SH8167 |
| hwrdd nm hyrddod pl | ram | Cornhwrdd SN5402 Llwyn-yr-hwrdd SN2232 |
| hydd nm hyddod pl | stag | Moel-yr-hydd SH6745 Penhydd Fawr SS8093 |
| iet nf | gate | Iet-y-bwlch SN1628 Bwlch-yr-iet SN3021 |
| is pr | below, lower | Bangor Is-coed SJ3945 Is-afon SH9131 |
| isa(f) adj | lowest | Penisa'r-waun SH5563 Llangwryd-isaf SJ2337 |
| isel adj | low | Nant Ffriddisel SJ1241 Ffynnon Isel SJ0421 |
| iwrch nm iyrchod pl | roebuck | Nantiwrch SN7039 Pwlliwrch SH8301 |