Elements 'Y'

y, yr, 'r   W, def. article ‘the'. e.g  Y Barri, Y Bontfaen, Pontypridd; Yr Hendy, Tonyrefail; Pentre'r eglwys, Godre'r graig.  

ycha   v.  uchaf

ychain, ychen    Welsh, masc. fem. sing. n. 'ox; a general name for male or female of common domestic cattle (bull and cow) esp. a castrated male of the species; 'CED, plural, ych. e.g.Waun yr Ychain, Mynachdy Farm, Llanwynno. Pen Ychen, Cantref name; Blaenau Penychen contained the two commotes of Glynrhondda and Meisgyn. Poul Penychen, is named as ruler of Penychen, in the Life of  St.Cadog.(lived 5th/6th century, thought to have been written by Lifris in the 12th.cent.) Cae ychen uchaf/ysaf, Morfa yr ychen. Lltbnt.

ydlan   W, fem. sing. n., pls. ydlannau, ydlannoedd, ‘rickyard'. e.g. Cae dan yrydlan. Lltbnt.

ynys   W, fem. sing. n., pl. ynysoedd, ‘river meadow; island'. When ynys occurs in the countryside it usually infers a riverside meadow. Sometimes ynys is contracted to a mere letter s, as in Sgeti/Sketty (Ynys Ceti), Smintan (ynys Mintan), Smidw (Ynys Meudwy) etc. e.g. Ynys Farm, Ynys-lletty, Ynys Llwchwr. Lltbnt. Ynysawdre (< Ynyshafdre) Glam. Ynys-boeth, Cwm Ynysmintan, Ynyscynon, Ynyswendraeth, Ynysybŵl, Cynon Valley. Ynysowen, Merthyr Vale. Ynysmaerdy, Neath and Pontypridd. Ystalyfera, Cwm Tawe. Sgiwen/Skewen, Neath. Ynys Bŷr/Caldey Island, Pembs.

ysbyty   W, masc. sing. n. ‘hospice, hospital; lodging hose for pilgrims, almshouse.' pl. ysbytai, dial. sbyty, spitty. e.g. Ysbyty Ystwyth, Cards. Yspitty Works, Llanelli.           

ysgair    Welsh, esgair   ‘ridge' .e.g.Ysgair y Llaethdy. Aberdare.

ysgallog   Welsh, adj. ‘of thistles, thistly'. e.g. Cae Sgallog, Wern Sgallog, Ysgubor Wen. Aberdare. Ynis ysgallog, Lltbnt. Pant Ysgallog, Merthyr Tydfil.

ysgawen   Welsh, fem. sing. n. 'elder tree'. e.g. Pant Ysgawen. Aberdare.

ysgiach    W, from Ir. Gael. sceach ‘hawthorn'. e.g. Ysgiach Uchaf/Isaf, Cwm Dulais.

[Sir Ifor Williams disagrees with this etymology and suggests a link with OW 'ysgi' of uncertain meaning.]

ysgubor   Welsh, 'barn; building in which grain, hay etc. are stored'.dial. sgibor, sgipor, skipor, plural, ysguboriau, Gwentian dial. skiporia. Dem. dial. sgiborie; Cornish sciber, prob.> Eng. skipper, barn.outbuilding. e.g. Ysgubor-fach, Cae scybor (several), Cae o flaen y scybor. Lltbt. Ysgubor Wen, Aberdare. Tonsguboriau, Llantrisant.

ystarn    W, fem. sing. n. ‘saddle, harness'. ? Cil-yr-ystarn. Lltbnt. also v. starn.

ystrad   W, masc. fem. sing. n. ‘valley floor, river valley, vale', pl. ystradau Dem. dial. strade. e.g. Ystradgynlais, Ystradfellte, Brecs. Ystrad Dyfodwg, Ystradowen, Ystradmynach, Glam. Y Strade, Llanelli, Carms. Ystradaeron, Cards.  

ystum     Welsh, 'bend in a river or lake'. (RJT.) e.g. Ystyn y Gamlyn Ycha, Aberdare. c.1700. RR. (RJT). Ystum Llwynarth > Oystermouth, Gower. Ystum Enlli > Stomenlle, Yr Hendy, Llanedi. Ystumtuen, Cards.

ywen   Welsh, fem. sing. n. 'yew tree'. e.g. Tir yr Ywen. Aberdare.