mwydyn

Welsh

Etymology

From Proto-Celtic *meit-, from Proto-Indo-European *meh₁i-ti-; compare Old Irish móith (“tender, soft”), Middle Breton boedenn (“pith, marrow”). Related to mwyn (“tender, mild”) and mwyd (“soaking, moistening”).

Pronunciation

• (North Wales) IPA^(key): /ˈmʊɨ̯dɨ̞n/
• (South Wales) IPA^(key): /ˈmʊi̯dɪn/
• Rhymes: -ʊɨ̯dɨ̞n

Noun

mwydyn m (plural mwydion or mwydod)

1. soft inner part, pith, pulp

   Synonym: bywyn

2. (South Wales) worm, earthworm

   Synonyms: abwydyn, pryf genwair

Derived terms

• mwydionog (“pithy, pulpy”)
• mwydion bara (“soft inside of a loaf”)
• mwydion coed (“wood pulp”)
• mwydion ffrwythau (“fruit pulp”)
• mwydion papur (“paper pulp”)

Mutation

Welsh mutation
radical	soft	nasal	aspirate
mwydyn	fwydyn	unchanged	unchanged
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

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