niwl

Welsh

Etymology

From Middle Welsh nywl. Cognate with Irish néal; a Celtic loanword either from Vulgar Latin *nībulus, a modification of Latin nūbilus (“cloudy”), or from Proto-Germanic *nebulaz (“cloud, mist”). See also nifwl (“nebula”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /nɪu̯l/
• Rhymes: -ɪu̯l

Noun

niwl m (plural niwloedd, not mutable)

1. mist, fog, haze
   • Saying:

     Niwl o'r mynydd, gwres ar gynnydd / Daw niwl o'r môr â glaw yn stôr.

     Mist from the mountain, heat is increasing; / Mist comes from the sea with rain in store.

   • Saying:

     Niwl y gaea, arwydd eira; / Niwl y gwanwyn, gwaeth na gwenwyn.

     Winter mist, sign of snow / Spring mist, worse than poison.

Synonyms

• niwlen
• nudden
• tarth

Derived terms

• glas y niwl (“love-in-a-mist”)
• niwlen (“cataract”)
• niwlio (“to bemist”)
• niwlog (“misty”)

Further reading

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