Mwdwl

Mwdwl is a Welsh noun meaning "thought" or "consciousness." The word appears in contemporary spoken and written Welsh and is often used in philosophical, literary, and everyday contexts. In Welsh, nouns are typically not marked for grammatical case, but modifiers can agree in number and gender, so the plural form is mwdwlau. Although the term itself is common, it is sometimes contrasted with the verb eldref (to think) or the noun hug (mind).

The ancestral form of mwdwl is reconstructed as *mwdwl, related to the Old Welsh mwatl and the modern Welsh adjective ymwybodol ("aware"). The root can be traced to the Proto-Celtic *mǭdhlo-, meaning "noise" or "rumor," which evolved semantically toward internal mental processes. Mwdwl appears frequently in Welsh poetry, often paired with phrases such as "mwdwl ymhell" (a stray thought) or "mwdwl groel" (deep thought). In Welsh classical literature, it is sometimes used metaphorically to represent divine inspiration or prophetic insight, as in the "Mwdwl o’r Bru" tradition in the tale of Cân Cilydd.

In contemporary discourse, "mwdwl" underlies several idioms. The expression "gan seeni i mewn i gyd" translates literally as "to make one mind," an idiomatic way to ask for consensus. Mwdwl also features in educational contexts, appearing in the title of the Welsh-language televised series "Cymruwr Mwdwl," which explores cognitive strategies in learning.

See also: Welsh language, cognates in Celtic languages, psychology in Wales.