chwaer

Welsh

Etymology

From Proto-Brythonic *hwehir (compare Breton c’hoar), from Proto-Celtic *swesūr (compare Old Irish siur), from Proto-Indo-European *swésōr.

Pronunciation

• (North Wales) IPA^(key): /χwaːɨ̯r/
• (South Wales, standard, colloquial) IPA^(key): /χwai̯r/
  • (South Wales, colloquial) IPA^(key): /ʍai̯r/, /wai̯r/, /ʍaːr/, /waːr/
• Rhymes: -aːɨ̯r

Noun

chwaer f (plural chwiorydd or chwioredd or chwaeoredd, diminutive chwaeren, not mutable)

1. sister, half-sister
   1. (figuratively) female mate, partner
2. maiden, sweetheart, mistress
3. female fellow member of church, society, etc.; nun, sister

Derived terms

• chwaer efell (“twin sister”)
• chwaer faeth (“foster sister”)
• chwaer fedydd (“god-sister”)
• chwaer ffydd (“sister in the faith”)
• chwaer un galon (“sister uterine”)
• chwaer yng nghyfraith, chwaer yn y gyfraith (“sister-in-law”)

 

Mutation

Welsh mutation
radical	soft	nasal	aspirate
chwaer	unchanged	unchanged	unchanged

References

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