Wales (w lz) A principality of the United Kingdom west of England on the island of Great Britain. Incorporated with England since the Act of Union (1536), Wales has maintained its own distinct culture and a strong nationalist sentiment. Cardiff is the capital and the largest city. Population: 2,970,000. Word History: Although Celtic-speaking peoples were living in Britain before the arrival of the invaders from Friesland and Jutland whose languages would eventually develop into English, it was the Celts and not the invaders who came to be called "strangers" in English. Our words for the descendants of one of the Celtish peoples, Welsh, and for their homeland, Wales, come from the Old English word wealh, meaning "foreigner, stranger, Celt." Its plural wealas is the direct ancestor of Wales, literally "foreigners." The Old English adjective derived from wealh, wælisc or welisc, is the source of our Welsh. The Germanic form for the root from which wealh descended was *walh-, "foreign." We also have attested once in Old English the compound walhhnutu in a document from around 1050; its next recording appears in 1358 as walnottes. This eventually became walnut in Modern English, which is thus literally the "foreign nut." The nut was "foreign" because it was native to Roman Gaul and Italy. |
Wales [weɪlz]
n
(Placename) a principality that is part of the United Kingdom, in the west of Great Britain; conquered by the English in 1282; parliamentary union with England took place in 1536: a separate Welsh Assembly with limited powers was established in 1999. Wales consists mainly of moorlands and mountains and has an economy that is chiefly agricultural, with an industrial and former coal-mining area in the south. Capital: Cardiff. Pop.: 2 903 085 (2001). Area: 20 768 sq. km (8017 sq. miles) Welsh name Cymru Medieval Latin name Cambria
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. |  Wales - one of the four countries that make up the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; during Roman times the region was known as CambriaSealyham terrier, Sealyham - a wire-haired terrier with short legs that was first bred in Sealyham Britain, Great Britain, U.K., UK, United Kingdom, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - a monarchy in northwestern Europe occupying most of the British Isles; divided into England and Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland; `Great Britain' is often used loosely to refer to the United Kingdom Aberdare - a mining town in southern Wales Bangor - a university town in northwestern Wales on the Menai Strait Cardiff - the capital and largest city of Wales Newport - a port city in southeastern Wales Sealyham - a village in southwestern Wales where the Sealyham terrier was first bred Swansea - a port city in southern Wales on an inlet of the Bristol Channel Menai Strait - a strait in northern Wales between Anglesey Island and the mainland River Severn, Severn, Severn River - a river in England and Wales flowing into the Bristol Channel; the longest river in Great Britain Amaethon - the farmer god; ancient god of agriculture Arawn - Celtic deity who was the lord of Annwfn (the other world or the land of fairies) Don - Celtic goddess; mother of Gwydion and Arianrhod; corresponds to Irish Danu Dylan - Celtic god of the waves; son of Arianrhod Gwyn - Celtic underworld god Llew Llaw Gyffes - son of Gwydion and Arianrhod; supported by magic of Gwydion; cursed by Arianrhod LLud - a Celtic warrior god Llyr - Celtic deity who was the father of Manawydan; corresponds to Irish Lir Manawydan, Manawyddan - Celtic sea god; son of Llyr |
Wales
Translations
Wales [ˈweɪlz] n → pays m de Galles
in Wales → au pays de Galles
to Wales → au pays de Galles
I'm from Wales → je suis gallois
the Prince of Wales → le prince de Galles
in Wales → au pays de Galles
to Wales → au pays de Galles
I'm from Wales → je suis gallois
the Prince of Wales → le prince de Galles
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