carfan

Welsh

Etymology

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

2. group, faction

   Synonyms: grŵp, plaid

3. (sports) squad, team

   Synonyms: sgwad, tîm

Derived terms

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

Mutation

Welsh mutation
radical	soft	nasal	aspirate
carfan	garfan	ngharfan	charfan
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.