tenau

Welsh

Etymology

From Proto-Celtic *tanauyos (compare Old Irish tanae), from Proto-Indo-European *ténh₂us (compare Ancient Greek ταναός (tanaós, “outstretched, tall”), Latin tenuis, Old Norse þunnr).

Pronunciation

• (North Wales, standard) IPA^(key): /ˈtɛnaɨ̯/
  • (North Wales, colloquial) IPA^(key): /ˈtɛnɛ/, /ˈtɛna/
• (South Wales, standard) IPA^(key): /ˈteːnai̯/, /ˈtɛnai̯/
  • (South Wales, colloquial) IPA^(key): /ˈteːnɛ/, /ˈtɛnɛ/
• Rhymes: -ɛnaɨ̯

Adjective

tenau (feminine singular tenau, plural teneuon, equative teneued, comparative teneuach, superlative teneuaf)

1. thin, slender

   Synonym: main

2. watery, thin
3. scarce, rare

   Synonym: prin

Derived terms

• teneuwe (“gauze, film”)

Mutation

Welsh mutation
radical	soft	nasal	aspirate
tenau	denau	nhenau	thenau
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

References

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