trefn
Welsh
Etymology
Originally meant "room, building, home", from Proto-Celtic *trebā, from Proto-Indo-European *treb-. Doublet of tref (“town”).
Pronunciation
- (North Wales) IPA(key): /trɛvn/
- (South Wales, standard, colloquial) IPA(key): /trɛvn/, [ˈtr̥ʰɛvn̩]
- (South Wales, colloquial) IPA(key): /ˈtreːvɛn/, /ˈtrɛvɛn/
- Rhymes: -ɛvn
Noun
trefn f (usually uncountable, plural trefnau)
- order, sequence, routine
- yn nhrefn yr wyddor ― in alphabetical order
- Maen nhw yn y drefn anghywir.
- They're in the wrong order.
- Sut mae trefn yr wythnos yn edrych i chi?
- What does your weekly routine look like?
- order (conformity with law)
- cyfraith a threfn ― law and order
- Mae eisiau rhywun all gadw trefn ar y plant 'ma.
- We need someone who can keep these kids in order.
- order, procedure
- Beth yw'r drefn os ydw i am wneud cais?
- What's the procedure if I want to apply?
- Dyna'r drefn, yn anffodus.
- That's how things are done, unfortunately.
- (religion) providence (usually with the definite article)
- Synonym: rhagluniaeth
- diolch i'r drefn ― providentially (lit. "thanks to the providence")
Derived terms
- anhrefn (“disorder”)
- cadw trefn (“to keep order”)
- di-drefn (“disorganised”)
- dodrefn (“furniture”)
- dweud y drefn (“to lay down the law”)
- mewn trefn (“in order, ordered”)
- trefn ffiwdal (“feudal system”)
- trefn yr wyddor (“alphabetical order”)
- trefnu (“to organise, to arrange”)
Mutation
| radical | soft | nasal | aspirate |
|---|---|---|---|
| trefn | drefn | nhrefn | threfn |
Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Welsh.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.
References
- R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “trefn”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies