dafad
/ˈdavad/feminine
The Welsh word for sheep is dafad. Wiktionary also lists defaid.
Meaning: animal (noun)
Ways to say it
| Welsh | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| dafad | /ˈdavad/ (North Wales) /ˈda(ː)vad/ (South Wales) |
feminine |
| defaid | /ˈdɛvai̯d/ (North Wales, colloquial, standard) /ˈdɛvɛd/ (North Wales, colloquial) |
plural |
dafad refers to the animal, specifically a sheep.
Which one should you use?
dafad is the singular form, while defaid is the plural form.
How does it change in a sentence?
In Welsh, defaid is the plural form of dafad.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈdavad/
Did you know?
- Welsh uses the word dafad to describe the animal, but the word for 'wool' is gwlan, which is a cognate of the English word 'wool'.
- In Welsh folklore and traditional song, the sheep is often depicted not just as livestock but as a central figure in pastoral poetry that defines the identity of the Welsh landscape.
- The word dafad comes from the Proto-Celtic word *dametos, which was used across ancient Celtic cultures to describe these animals.
Examples in context
- Mae'r defaid yn y cae heddiw.The sheep are in the field today.
- Fyddai'n well gen i brynu dau oen.I would prefer to buy two sheep.
- Gwelais i dafad ar y bryn.I saw a sheep on the hill.
Example conversation
Owain and Rhiannon are walking through a field.
- OwainEdrychwch ar y dafad hon.Look at this sheep.
- RhiannonMae hi'n rhygai iawn.It is very fluffy.
- OwainYdy hi'n gwisgo cymin?Is it wearing a bell?
- RhiannonDoes, mae'r dafad yn swnu.Yes, the sheep is ringing.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sheep” translations and entries dafad, defaid, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dafad, CC BY-SA 4.0.
