rhew

See also: Rhew

Welsh

rhew

Etymology

From Proto-Celtic *ɸreswos (compare Cornish rew, Breton rev, Irish reo, Old Irish réud), from Proto-Indo-European *prews- (compare English freeze).

Pronunciation

• (North Wales) IPA^(key): /r̥eːu̯/
• (South Wales) IPA^(key): /r̥ɛu̯/

Noun

rhew m (plural rhewogydd)

1. frost
2. (North Wales) ice

   Synonym: iâ

Usage notes

• As a standalone word for "ice", iâ is used in south Wales while northeners prefer rhew. In derived terms all over the country, rhew is usually found as an initial element, e.g. rhewlif (“glacier”), rhewgell (“freezer”), rhewynt (“freezing cold wind”), while iâ is usually a final element, e.g. hufen iâ (“ice cream”), hoci iâ (“ice hockey”), cloch iâ (“icicle”).

Derived terms

• rhew du (“black ice”)
• rhew-wastadiant (“cryoplanation”)
• rhewbriddeg (“cryopedology”)
• rhewbwynt (“freezing point”)
• rhewdyrfiad (“congeliturbation”)
• rhewddrylliog (“ice shattered”)
• rheweiddio (“to refrigerate”)
• rhewfriw (“ice shattered”)
• rhewgaeth (“ice bound”)
• rhewgell (“freezer”)
• rhewgist (“deep freeze, chest freezer”)
• rhewgraith (“chattermark”)
• rhewgwymp (“ice fall”)
• rhewi (“to freeze”)
• rhewlif (“glacier”)
• rhewlin (“isoryme, frost line”)
• rhewynt (“very cold wind”)

 

Mutation

Mutated forms of rhew

radical	soft	nasal	aspirate
rhew	rew	unchanged	unchanged

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

Further reading

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