Gwyddel

Welsh

Etymology

From Middle Welsh Gwyðyl, Guoiðel, from Proto-Brythonic *Guɨðel (compare Breton Gouezel and Old Irish Goídel, a loanword from Brythonic), from Proto-Celtic *wēdus (“wild”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁weydʰh₁- (“wood, wilderness”) (compare Old English wāþ (“hunt”)).

Pronunciation

• (North Wales) IPA^(key): /ˈɡwɨ̞ðɛl/
• (South Wales) IPA^(key): /ˈɡʊi̯ðɛl/, /ˈɡwɪðɛl/

Noun

Gwyddel m (plural Gwyddelod or Gwyddelaid or Gwyddeliaid or Gwyddyl, feminine Gwyddeles)

1. Irishman, Gael (of Ireland)

Derived terms

• Gwyddeleg (“Irish language”)
• Gwyddeles (“Irishwoman”)
• Gwyddelig (“Irish”)

Mutation

Welsh mutation
radical	soft	nasal	aspirate
Gwyddel	Wyddel	Ngwyddel	unchanged
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

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