sebon

Esperanto

Noun

sebon

1. accusative singular of sebo

Welsh

Etymology

Uncertain. The sense “semen” is older than the sense “soap” (the former attested in Middle Welsh, the latter not until Early Modern Welsh), so it may be a conflation of Latin sēmen with Latin sāpō, although the vowels do not match either word. (If the Latin words had been borrowed into Proto-Brythonic, sēmen, sēminis would be expected to give Welsh *swyf(yn), while sāpō(nis) would give *sawb or *sobun.) Hypothesizing a borrowing from Old English sāpe (accusative sāpan) also leaves the vowels (and the early semantics) unaccounted for.

Pronunciation

• (North Wales) IPA^(key): /ˈsɛbɔn/
• (South Wales) IPA^(key): /ˈseːbɔn/, /ˈsɛbɔn/

Noun

sebon m (plural sebonau, not mutable)

1. soap (substance used for cleaning)
2. (obsolete) semen (male reproductory fluid)

Derived terms

• sebon golchi llestri (“dish soap”)
• sebon meddal (“soft soap”)
• sebonaidd (“saponaceous”, adjective)
• sebonfaen (“soapstone”)
• seboni (“lather”, verb)
• sebonllyd (“soapy”, adjective)

 

Further reading

• R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “sebon”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies