carfan

Welsh

Etymology

Inherited from Middle Welsh carvan. Related to Breton karvan (“warp beam; jaw”) and Irish carbad (“chariot”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkarvan/

Noun

carfan f (plural carfanau or carfannau)

1. weaver's beam
   • 1880 January, John Rhŷs, “Anerchiad Llywyddol y Proffeswr John Rhys i Eisteddfod Gadeiriol Eryri”, in Y Traethodydd‎^[1], volume 35, page 68:

     Mewn parthau o'r wlad defnyddir ef [y gair gwỳdd] am bren neu brenau wedi eu cyfaddasu at amcan neillduol, megys pan elwir carfan gwehydd yn wỳdd

     In parts of the country it [the word wood] is used for wood adapted to a specific purpose, such as when a weaver's beam is called a wood

   1. rail, bar, stave

      Synonyms: rheilen, cledren, bar, canllaw

   2. frame

      Synonyms: ystram, ffrâm

2. group, faction

   Synonyms: grŵp, plaid

3. (sports) squad, team

   Synonyms: sgwad, tîm

Derived terms

• carfan annog (“pressure group”)
• carfanyddiaeth (“factionalism”)

Mutation

Mutated forms of carfan

radical	soft	nasal	aspirate
carfan	garfan	ngharfan	charfan

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), “carfan”, in Gweiadur: the Welsh–English Dictionary, Gwerin