bychan

Welsh

Etymology

From Middle Welsh bych, from Proto-Brythonic *bɨx, from Proto-Celtic *biggos (“small”). Cognate with Breton bihan, Irish beag.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbəχan/
• Rhymes: -əχan

Adjective

bychan (feminine singular bechan, plural bychain, equative lleied or bychaned, comparative llai, superlative lleiaf)

1. small; little

   Synonym: bach

Derived terms

• bychanu (“to belittle”)
• cegid fechan (“cuckoo”)
• clustlys bychan (“least earwort”)
• clustlys garw bychan (“lesser rough earwort”)
• rhafnwydd bychain (“dwarf buckthorn”)

Mutation

Mutated forms of bychan

radical	soft	nasal	aspirate
bychan	fychan	mychan	unchanged

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Welsh.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Further reading

• D. G. Lewis, N. Lewis, editors (2005–present), “bychan”, in Gweiadur: the Welsh–English Dictionary, Gwerin
• R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke, et al., editors (1950–present), “bychan”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies