trefn

Welsh

Etymology

Originally meant "room, buiding, 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)

1. 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?

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. (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”)
• 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

Mutated forms of trefn

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