Afon

Afon is the Welsh word for river. In Welsh-language usage, afon denotes a natural watercourse that flows toward the sea or toward another body of water. It is a common element in Welsh toponymy and appears in many river names, as well as in descriptive phrases. The plural form is afonydd.

Etymology and cognates: Afon is native to Welsh. It has cognates in other Celtic languages, including Irish abhainn, Scottish Gaelic abhainn, and Breton avon, all meaning river or stream. The term belongs to the same semantic field as other watercourse words in Insular Celtic languages.

Usage and examples: Many rivers in Wales are officially named with Afon in Welsh, for example Afon Teifi and Afon Dyfi. In bilingual contexts, the word is often left untranslated in English-language maps as “River Teifi” or simply “the Teifi” when the Welsh form is used. The word also features in place names such as Afonwen and Afon-wen, reflecting the landscape and its linguistic landscape.

The term is central to Welsh toponymy and to the way people refer to their rivers in daily life, literature, and signage. Related topics include the rivers of Wales, the Welsh language, and toponymy.