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Glossary

Acknowledgement

The Royal Commission is grateful to both the Ordnance Survey and Bangor University for permission to reproduce this glossary, an expanded version of which can be viewed on the Ordnance Survey website. Particular acknowledgement must be given to Professor Hywel Wyn Owen, Dr Geraint Wyn Jones and Gruffudd Prys of Bangor University who worked with the Ordnance Survey to develop their 'Glossary of Welsh place-name elements'.

adj = adjective nf = noun feminine
adv = adverb nm = noun masculine
f = feminine np = noun plural
m = masculine pr = preposition
pl = plural num = number

Glossary of place-name elements

Element English Translation Examples Sound
l- A word starting l may be a mutated form of a word starting ll
lawnd , lawnt nf open space in woodland, glade Lawnt SJ0412 Lawnt SJ0465
Listen to lawnd
Listen to lawnt
llaeth nm milk Llaethbwlch SJ1116 Wernllaeth SN5165
Listen to llaeth
llaethdy nm milk-house, dairy Blaenllaethdy SN0924 Pantllaethdy SN4942
Listen to llaethdy
llain nf , lleiniau pl narrow strip of land Llainfachwen SH5649 Llain-lwyd SN2818
Listen to llain
Listen to lleiniau
llam nm leap Llam Carw SH4593 Llam-march SO2111
Listen to llam
llan nf church, monastery Llandudno SH7881 Llanelli SN5000
Listen to llan
llannerch nf clearing, glade Llannerch-y-medd SH4184 Rhosllannerchrugog SJ2946
Listen to llannerch
llawr nm level area, floor of valley Llawr-y-glyn SN9391 Llawr-y-cwm-bach SN7185
Listen to llawr
lle nm place, position Lle'r Gaer ST0587 Lle'r-neuaddau SN7584
Listen to lle
llech nf , llechau pl slab, stone, rock, rock Benllech SH5182 Harlech SH5831
Listen to llech
Listen to llechau
llechwedd nf hillside Cwmllechwedd SO1375 Llechwedd SH9512
Listen to llechwedd
lled nm & pr breadth; rather, almost, partly Lledfron SJ1120 Llednant SN9054
Listen to lled
lleian nf nun Llanlleiana SH3894 Llan Lleian-wen SS6799
Listen to lleian
llethr nf slope Llethr SO0776 Esgair Llethr SN7254
Listen to llethr
llety nm small abode, quarters Bron-llety-Ifan SH6312 Cefn-Pen-llety SJ0336
Listen to llety
llidiard nm , llidiardau , llidiart pl , llidiartau gate Llidiart-cae-hir SJ1430 Llidiardau SN6374
Listen to llidiard
Listen to llidiardau
Listen to llidiart
Listen to llidiartau
llin nm/f flax Pant Llin Bach SH8163 Bryn-llin-fawr SH7729
Listen to llin
llo nm , lloi pl calf Nant Cwm-lloi SH9526 Nant-llo SN3452
Listen to llo
Listen to lloi
lloc nm fold Lloc SJ1476 Lloc SH5861
Listen to lloc
llofft nf high place (loft) Llofft-y-bardd SN8953 Llofftyddgleision SN9371
Listen to llofft
lluest nm shieling, cottage, hut Lluest SH9708 Lluest-wen SS8489
Listen to lluest
llwch nm , llychau pl lake; dust Amlwch SH4493 Talyllychau SN6332
Listen to llwch
Listen to llychau
llwm adj , lom f bare, exposed Cwm-llwm SH9962 Grinllwm SH7762
Listen to llwm
Listen to lom
llwybr nm path Llwybr-hir SJ1275 Penllwybr SN4057
Listen to llwybr
llwyd adj , llwydion pl grey, brown; holy Pentre Llwyn-llwyd SN9654 Braich Llwyd SH6654
Listen to llwyd
Listen to llwydion
llwyf pl , llwyfen nf elm Aberllefenni SH7709 Llwyfen SO1521
Listen to llwyf
Listen to llwyfen
llwyn nm , llwynau , llwyni pl grove, bush Llwyngwril SH5909 Llwyndyrys SH3741
Listen to llwyn
Listen to llwynau
Listen to llwyni
llwynog nm fox Cwmllwynog SJ0706 Trwyn Llwynog SM8634
Listen to llwynog
llydan adj broad Carreglydan SH3271 Cefn-llydan SO0696
Listen to llydan
llygad nm source of river or stream (eye) Llygad-y-cleddau SM9733 Llyn Llygad Rheidol SN7987
Listen to llygad
llygod pl , llygoden nf mouse Heol Llygoden SO1729 Tre-pys-llygod SH8868
Listen to llygod
Listen to llygoden
llem f , llym adj sharp, acute Carreg Blaen-Llym SH6643 Carreg Lem SN8017
Listen to llem
Listen to llym
llyn nm/f lake Maes-llyn SN3644 Crymlyn ST2198
Listen to llyn
llynwyn nm pool, puddle; moat Bryn Llynwyn-ddwr SS9099 Llynwyn Glas SS9894
Listen to llynwyn
llys nm/f court, hall Henllys ST2693 Llys-y-frân SN0424
Listen to llys
lôn nf lane, road Lôn-las SH4240 Lôn SO0267