mwynwr

Welsh

Etymology

Inherited from Middle Welsh mwynwr, analysable as mwyn (“mine”) +‎ -wr. The bird sense is a calque from English.

Pronunciation

(North Wales) IPA^(key): /ˈmʊɨ̯nʊr/
(South Wales) IPA^(key): /ˈmʊi̯nʊr/
Rhymes: -ʊɨ̯nʊr

Noun

mwynwr m (plural mwynwyr)

miner (someone who works in a mine)
Synonym: mwyngloddiwr
sapper
Synonym: cloddiwr
miners (Geositta spp.)

Usage notes

Not used for birds of genus Manorina, also called miners in English. For birds of this genus, see adar cloch.

Derived terms

mwynwr adeingoch (“rufous-banded miner”)
mwynwr adeindywyll (“dark-winged miner”)
mwynwr cyffredin (“common miner”)
mwynwr llwyd (“greyish miner”)
mwynwr pigbraff (“thick-billed miner”)
mwynwr pigfain (“slender-billed miner”)
mwynwr pigfyr (“short-billed miner”)
mwynwr tinwyn (“short-rumped miner”)
mwynwr y campo (“campo miner”)
mwynwr y glannau (“coastal miner”)
mwynwr y pwna (“puna miner”)

Mutation

Mutated forms of *mwynwr*
radical	soft	nasal	aspirate
mwynwr	fwynwr	unchanged	unchanged

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Welsh.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Further reading

Cymdeithas Edward Llwyd (2018), “Y Bywiadur”, in Llên natur‎^[1], retrieved 23 October 2025.
R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke, et al., editors (1950–present), “mwynwr”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies