cefn
Welsh
Etymology
From Middle Welsh keuen, from Proto-Celtic *kebno- (“back”), related to Breton kein (“back”), Cornish keyn (“back”), Gaulish Cebenna (“ridge, height”) (whence (deprecated template usage) [etyl] French Cévennes).
Pronunciation
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 333: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "cy-N" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /kɛvn/
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 333: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "cy-S" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. Lua error in Module:parameters at line 333: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "standard" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. Lua error in Module:parameters at line 333: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "colloquial" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /kɛvn/, [ˈkʰɛvn̩]
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 333: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "cy-S" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. Lua error in Module:parameters at line 333: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "colloquial" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ˈkeːvɛn/, /ˈkɛvɛn/
Noun
cefn m (plural cefnau or cefnoedd or cefnydd)
- back, rear; (figuratively) support, second; body as needing clothing, etc.
- support, ridge; butt of ploughed land between two parallel furrows; opening furrows of such a butt; (biblical) furlong; vertical fissure or fault in a rock
- middle, centre
Derived terms
- ar gefn (“in addition to, as a consequence of, with regard to; at the expense of; on top, upon, up to”)
- cefn cynhaeaf (“mid-harvest; prime of life”)
- cefn dydd; cefn dydd golau (“midday, broad daylight”)
- cefn dyn (“successful man, man of substance”)
- cefn esgid (“uppers”) (of a boot)
- cefn gefn, cefngefn (“back to back, addorsed; at variance”)
- cefn gweilgi (“mid-ocean”)
- cefn gwlad (“mid-country, heart of the countryside”)
- cefn llaw (“back of the hand; back-hander”)
- cefn lloer (“full moon; crescent of the moon, half moon”)
- cefn nos, cefn y nos (“midnight, dead of night”)
- cefn troed (“instep”)
- cefn y drin (“rearguard”)
- wrth gefn (“in reserve; following, in support”)
- yng nghefn (“behind one's back, underhand; following, pursuing”)
Mutation
Welsh mutation | |||
---|---|---|---|
radical | soft | nasal | aspirate |
cefn | gefn | nghefn | chefn |
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), “cefn”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies