Glossary of Names


A
áONa river
aecer/akrOE/ONa cultivated piece of land
aeppel/epliOE/ONan apple (tree)
aescOEan ash tree
aidOEold
alorleiriOE/ONalder bushes
á-motOEa confluence of rivers
austrONeast
B
baecstanOEa baking stone
bãkstãnMEa flat stone such as bread could be baked on
bandMEthe ridge of a hill
bannaONa cowshed
bassONto curse or swear
bëamOEa tree trunk
beinvithrONa holly tree (literally 'bone-wood')
bekkrONa stream, a beck
beldeMEa bield or shelter, an animal's den
beorg/bergOE/ONa hill, a mountain
bereOEbarley
bielddiala shelter, an animal's den (see 'belde')
birkiONbirch trees
bjalliONa round or bell-shaped hill
bjorkONa birch tree
bláONdark, deep blue
blaec/blakkrOE/ONblack
blaenWelsha top, a summit
bleikrONa light or pale colour
blindOE/ONhaving no outlet, hidden, overgrown
boga/bogiOE/ONa bend (in a river or valley); bow-shaped
borgONa fort
bõthODana hut or herdsman's cottage
bõtlOEa house, a dwelling
botm/botnOE/ONa low-lying place, a depression, valley bottom
boughtDiala sheepfold
bouzhtMEa bend (in a river or valley)
brakenMEbracken
brameMEa bramble or blackberry
brantOEsteep
breithrONbroad, wide
brekkaONa hill or slope
brende/brentOE/ONburned
brócOEa brook
brocc/brokkrOE/ONa badger
brycg/bryggjaOE/ONa bridge
ONa homestead
bucc/bukkrOE/ONa buck
bucca/bokkiOE/ONa he-goat
bulaOEa bull
bulder-stãnOEa large boulder, a boulderstone
búrONa storehouse
bürOEa herdsman's cottage
burgaesnOEa burial place
burhOEa fortified place
burnaOEa stream
buskrONa bush
butereOEbutter
buthONa hut, a bothy
byODanan isolated farmstead, a village, a hamlet
byggONbarley
býrONan isolated farmstead, a village, a hamlet
bÿreOEa byre, a cowshed
C
caesterOEa walled fortress (from Latin castrum)
cald/kaldrOE/ONcold
caledWelshrapid, rocky, (of a stream)
calf/kalfrOE/ONa calf
cambOEa crest or ridge
carrecOWelsha rock
castelOEa castle or fort (from Latin castellum)
cateirWelsha chair
catt/kattrOE/ONa wild-cat
caucieOFra causeway or raised road
cawmWelsha reed
cempeOEa warrior
cëseOEcheese
clapperMEa rough bridge of large stones
cleughOEa ravine
clif/klifOE/ONa very steep slope or hillside
cokelaykMEa place where birds play (? a mating dance)
colOEcharcoal
collenWelshhazel
cotOEa cottage
craggeMEa crag
creicBra rock
cringolOEwrinkled, twisted
crosOEa cross
crumbacoBrcrooked
cumb/cwmOEa valley (usually on the flank of a hill)
cunetioBra sacred stream
CymryWelshthe Welsh people (applied to the Cumbrian people)
cyningOEa king
D
daelOEa dale or valley
dakruBra teardrop
dalrONa valley or dale
daskaONa slap
deigrWelsha teardrop
denuOEa narrow wooded valley, a dene
derwBran oak tree
derwentioBrabounding in oak trees
djúpONdeep
docceOEdock, sorrel, water-lily
doddeMEa rounded hill usually bare or grassy
drag/dregONa place where boats must be dragged. A portage
dubdiala deep pool, a pond
dubacoOWelshthe dark one
dubroBra stream, a river
dúfaONa dove or pigeon
dunGaela hill-fort, a stronghold
dor/doruOEa door or gap
dwfrWelsha stream, a river
dyrONa deer
E
ëaOEa river
earnOEan eagle
ëastOEeast
efriOEflat, level, even
eglesBra church
eikONoak
elptrONa swan
elriONalder bushes
endiONthe end
engONa meadow or outlying pasture
EnglaOEof the Angles
ëöwuOEa ewe
epliONan apple (tree)
ergONa shieling, an outlying pasture
ermiteMEa hermit
eskOWelshwater
eskiONan ash-tree
espiONthe aspen tree
eyONa small island, a water meadow
eyrrONa gravel bank
F
faeger/fagrOE/ONfair, pleasant
faldOEa fold
féhúsONa cattle shed
fjallONa fell, a mountain
fitONa meadow, especially a water-mead
flatrONflat, level
flói/flowON/Dialan open peat-bog, a watery moss
fordOEa ford
fornONold
forsONa waterfall, a force
fül/fúllOE/ONmuddy, dirty
fyrtheOEa wood
G
gafiONa gable
gäraOEa gore or wedge-shaped piece of land
garthrONan enclosure, a farmyard
gásONa goose
gätOEa goat
gataONa road, a path
gaukrONa cuckoo
gauthONbarking, 'echoing'
geatOEa gate
geitONa goat
gemotOEa meeting place
geocOEa ridge or yoke
gilONa narrow ravine (later the stream in the 'gill')
gildriONa snare, a trap
gliúfrONa ravine
glynWelsha wooded valley, a glen
gnipaONa steep rock
golONthe wind
goldeOEthe marigold, the kingcup
gösOEa goose
gowandialthe marsh marigold
graegOEgrey
graes/gresOE/ONgrass
grangeME/Fran outlying farm (usually of a monastery)
greinONthe fork in a valley where streams meet
grëneOEgreen
grëot/grjótOE/ONgrave, stone, small rocks
gríssONa pig
gwynWelshwhite
gylpingOEa gushing stream
gymbrONa yearling sheep, a gimmer
H
haeg/hagiOE/ONan enclosure, usually for hunting purposes
hafriONoats
halhOEa secluded nook of land (often by a river)
halsONa narrow pass, a col, a 'hause'
hárONhigh
härOEa boundary (from an association with land marks)
haraONa hare
hárrONhoary, covered with lichen
harthrONrough, rocky, hard
haugrONa hill, a 'how'
haukrOEa hawk
hëafodOEthe highest part of a hill, a headland
hëahOEhigh
hëapOEa heap of stones
heorotONa hart
hestrOE/ONa horse
hindONa hind
hjálmrONa helmet, a cattle-shelter
hjólONa wheel
hjortrONa hart
hlathaOEa barn
hlithONa slope or hillside
hlóra ONa roaring (stream)
hofuthOEthe highest part of a hill, a headland
höhOE/ONa ridge, a spur
höl/holrOEa hole or hollow
holegnONholly
holmrOE/ONan island or land almost surrounded by water
höp/hópdiala small valley
howONa small hill, a knoll, a mound (from ON haugr)
hrafnONa raven
hramsaONwild garlic
hreysiONa cairn or large heap of stones
hrjóstrONrough, rugged
hrossONa horse
hrycg/hryggrOE/ONa ridge, usually with steep slopes
hüs/húsOE/ONa house
hvelprONa whelp, a cub
hvinONfurze, gorse
hvítrONwhite
hvonnOEa hill
hyllONangelica
hylrONa pool
hyrstOEa copse, a wooded hillside
I
ikorniONa squirrel
illrONsteep; also evil, malevolent
ingasOE thepeople who live at
intakONland enclosed from waste, intake land
irWelshfresh, green
IriONbelonging to the Irishmen (i.e. Norse settlers)
J
jafnONflat, level, even
K
kampiONa warrior
kartrONrough or rocky ground
kattrONa wild-cat
kaupalandONland acquired by purchase; 'bought' land
keldaONa spring, a well
kerlingONan old woman, a witch
kideMEa kid, a young goat
kirkjaONa church
kithONa kid, a young goat
kjarrONa marsh
kleifONa steep slope
knútrONa craggy hill, a rocky outcrop
kolONcharcoal
konungrONa king
kotONa cottage, a hut
kraONa corner
krókrONa crook or bend (in a river)
krossONa cross
kukraBrcrooked
kviONa fold or shelter for animals
kvigaONa heifer
L
laeferOEreedy, rushy
lädOEa vein of ore, a lode
lágrONlow
langrONlong
látrONan animal's lair
laufONleafy
lauthrONfoam, lather
lëahOEa clearing in a wood, a meadow
leikrONplay
lettirGaela slope
limOElime (a sticky substance)
lïn/linOE/ONflax
lindONa lime tree
liwcylBrbright, shining
ljósONlight, shining
llyfynWelshsmooth
lochGaela lake
lummeOEa pool
lundrONa grove, a small wood
lykkjaONa curve or loop
lyngONheather, ling
M
maenWelshstony
mallachtGaelcursed
mathraONthe madder plant
meighBrto urinate, to drizze
melocWelsha little hill
melrONa sandhill, a sandbank
meosOEa marsh
mereOEa lake or pool
micel/mikillOE/ONlarge, great
middelOEmiddle
mimetoBrnoise
mithrONmiddle
mochynWelshswine
moelWelsha hill, usually round and grassy
moldiONa hilltop
mörOEmoorland, wasteland
mos/mosiOE/ONmoss, peat, peat-bog, marsh
(ge) motOEa meeting or meeting-place
mylnOEmill
myrrONa marsh, mire, swampy ground
N
nabbiONa projecting spur, usually with a steep fall
naddrONa wedge-shaped piece of land or valley
nesONa headland or promontory
nîwe/nýrOE/ONnew
O
ongulONa fishing hook
ornONan eagle
orriONa blackcock
orrustaONa battle
óssONthe outfall of a lake, a rivermouth
P
pen/pennoWelsha top; head, chief, main
pîc/píkOE/ONa peak, a sharp summit
pol/póllrOE/ONa pool or sluggish stream
portcweneOEa harlot
pot/potteON/MEa deep hole, pool or pit
R
ONboundary mark
rannOlrisha share (of land)
rautandeONroaring (present participle of 'rauta')
rauthiONtrout
rauthrONred
rëadOEred
reik (rák)ONa path up a hill, a 'rake'
rhedynWelshbracken
rhuddawcWelshred
rhydWelsha ford
riggingMEa ridge
rilleOEa rill or brook
rugr/rygeON/OErye
rühOErough
S
saerONwater, lake
saetrONhill pastures used in the summer
sandOEa sandbank
saurONmuddy
scëäpOEsheep
scearuOEa boundary
sefONsedge
seylaONa muddy place, a dark screen
shepmanMEa shepherd
sîc/síkOE/ONa ditch or a drainage channel; a marshy stream
sinedialto drain away, to dry up
skálivONa hut, usually away from the farm, e.g. at a saeter
skalliONbare, bald
skammrONshort
skarthONa gap in a ridge often used of a mountain pass
skerONa steep crag or precipice, a scar
skith ONa billet of wood, firewood
skjallrONnoisy, resounding (usually of water)
skógrONa wood
skrithaONa landslip, a scree
skúti/skótONa rocky projection, a rising ridge
skytiONan archer
slaedOEa valley
slakkiONa depression or shallow valley
slettaONa level pasture or field
smáONsmall, narrow
smetheOEsmooth
smjorONbutter
snittlediala snare or noose
spönOEa wood-chipping such as for roof shingles
sprettaONto spurt or gush
staefOEa stave
stakkrONa pillar of rock, steep rocks
stänOEstone
stang/stongOE/ONa pole or stake, often to mark a boundary
stede/stathrOE/ONthe site of a building, a farmstead
steinnONa stone
stëörOEa steer, a young bullock
sterWelshstream
sticeleOEa steep place
stig/stigrOE/ONa steep path, a ladder
stigelOEa steep path, a high ridge, (later also a stile)
stikillONa sharp peak or Summit
stjórrONa steer, a young bullock
stocOEa landholding, a demesne
stocc/stokkrOE/ONthe trunk or stump of a tree
straetOEa paved way
strandOE/ONthe shore of a lake, the bank of a stream
stradOEmarsh overgrown with brushwood
sútari/sutereON/OEa cobbler, a shoemaker
svartrONdark, black
svinONpig, swine
svithinnONland cleared by burning
T
thakONthatch, i.e. reeds etc. used for thatching
thornOE/ONthorn bushes
thräël/thráellOE/ONa thrall, serf or slave
thveitONa clearing for pasture
thyrelOEa hollow
thyrs/thursOE/ONa giant (with supernatural overtones)
tjornONa tarn or small lake
torfONturf, cut peat
tottledialto be unsteady, in danger of toppling over
trëöw/tréOE/ONa tree
trühtOEa trout
tün/túnOE/ONa farmstead, an enclosed piece of land, a hamlet
tungaONa tongue of land
tyriONresinous fir or pine-wood
U
üle/uglaOE/ONan owl
úlfrONa wolf
V
vandrONan osier
varthrONa cairn, a heap of stones
vathONa ford
vatnONa stretch of water, a lake
veithrONhunting, fishing
vethrONa wether, a castrated ram
vikONa creek, an inlet (usually on the coast)
vinstriONthe left-hand side
vithrONa wood
vráONa corner or secluded nook of land, often close to water
vrangrONcrooked, twisting, convoluted
vreiniONa stallion
W
waeterOEwater, lake
wagenOEquagmire, quicksand
wellaOEa stream
wetherOEa castrated ram, a wether
whinneMEfurze, gorse
wîcOEa dairy farm
withigOEa willow tree
wreyneMEtwisting, winding, convoluted
writhanOEtwisting, winding, convoluted
wundenOEtwisting, winding (of a stream)

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