carw

Welsh

Etymology

From Middle Welsh carw, from Old Welsh caru, from Proto-Brythonic *karw, from Proto-Celtic *karwos, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱr̥h₂wós, from *ḱerh₂- (“horn”).

Pronunciation

• (North Wales) IPA^(key): /ˈkarʊ/
• (South Wales) IPA^(key): /ˈka(ː)ru/
• Rhymes: -arʊ

Noun

carw m (plural ceirw)

1. deer, hart (Cervidae)
2. male deer, stag, buck

   Synonyms: hydd, bwch

3. (informal) reindeer

   Es i â'r plant i weld Siôn Corn a'i geirw.

   I took the kids to see Father Christmas and his reindeer.

4. (figuratively) lord, nobleman, patron, etc.

Usage notes

Carw is used informally to refer to "reindeer" in the context of Christmas. The standard word for "reindeer" is carw Llychlyn.

Related terms

• elain (“fawn”)
• ewig (“doe”)
• hydd (“stag”)

Derived hyponyms

• carw coch (“red deer”)
• carw dŵr (“water deer”)
• carw Llychlyn (“reindeer”)
• carw mwntjac (“muntjac deer”)
• carw sica (“sika deer”)

 

Other hyponyms

• danas (“fallow deer”)
• iwrch (“roe deer”)

 

Mutation

Welsh mutation
radical	soft	nasal	aspirate
carw	garw	ngharw	charw
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

References

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