cefn

See also: Cefn

Welsh

Etymology

From Middle Welsh keuen. Related to Breton kein (“back”), Cornish keyn (“back”), Gaulish Cebenna (“ridge, height”) (whence French Cévennes).

Pronunciation

Noun

cefn m (plural cefnau or cefnoedd or cefnydd)

  1. (anatomy) back, rear
    1. (figuratively) back, support
      Synonyms: cefnogaeth, cynorthwywr
  2. ridge
    Synonym: trum
    1. (agriculture) ridge (ploughed land between two parallel furrows)
    2. (geology) vertical furrow, fissure or fault in a rock
      Synonyms: agen, hollt
    3. garden bed
      Synonyms: gwely gardd, talwrn
    4. (biblical) furlong (unit of length equivalent to a stadion)
      Synonym: ystad
  3. middle, center
    Synonyms: canol, craidd, perfedd

Derived terms

  • ar gefn (“in addition to, as a consequence of, with regard to; at the expense of; on top, upon, up to”)
  • cefngoch (“red-backed”)
  • 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”)
  • (horse tackle) cefndres (“backband”)
  • cefnddu (“black-backed”)
  • cefnog (“backed, having a back; strong, stout brave”)
  • cefnu (“forsake, abandon, back off”)
  • (rugby) cefnwr (“fullback”)
  • cefnwyn (“white-backed”)
  • cefnwyrdd (“green-backed”)
  • cenllif (“flood, torrent”)
  • gwarcefn (“nape”)
  • tu cefn (“behind”)
  • wrth gefn (“in reserve; following, in support”)
  • yng nghefn (“behind one's back, underhand; following, pursuing”)
  • (agriculture) rhych (“furrow”)

Mutation

Mutated forms of cefn
radical soft nasal aspirate
cefn gefn nghefn chefn

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Welsh.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Further reading

  • D. G. Lewis, N. Lewis, editors (2005–present), “cefn”, in Gweiadur: the Welsh–English Dictionary, Gwerin
  • 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
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