Snowdon

The name "Snowdon" is first recorded in 1095 as ''Snawdune'', and is derived from the [[Old English]] elements ''{{lang|ang|[[:wikt:snaw|snaw]]}}'' and ''{{lang|ang|[[:wikt:dun|dun]]}}'', meaning "snow hill".<ref name="Marsh22" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last1=Owen |first1=Hywel Wyn |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8vGxEAAAQBAJ |title=Dictionary of the Place-Names of Wales |last2=Morgan |first2=Richard |date=2022-05-20 |publisher=Y Lolfa |isbn=978-1-80099-239-9 |page=443}}</ref>

The name "Snowdon" is first recorded in 1095 as ''Snawdune'', and is derived from the [[Old English]] elements ''{{lang|ang|[[:wikt:snaw|snaw]]}}'' and ''{{lang|ang|[[:wikt:dun|dun]]}}'', meaning "snow hill".<ref name="Marsh22" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last1=Owen |first1=Hywel Wyn |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8vGxEAAAQBAJ |title=Dictionary of the Place-Names of Wales |last2=Morgan |first2=Richard |date=2022-05-20 |publisher=Y Lolfa |isbn=978-1-80099-239-9 |page=443}}</ref>

The Welsh name of the mountain, {{lang|cy|Yr Wyddfa|italic=yes}}, is fisrt record several centuries later in 1284, in the form Weddua vaur (likely an approximation of Pen y Wyddfa Fawr). This is probably an approximation of {{lang|cy|Pen y Wyddfa Fawr|italic=yes}}. The element {{lang|cy|gwyddfa|italic=yes}} in this context means 'height, promontory', and also appears in the Welsh name for the town of [[Mold, Flintshire|Mold]], {{lang|cy|Yr Wyddgrug|italic=yes}}.<ref name=":1" />

The Welsh name of the mountain, {{lang|cy|Yr Wyddfa|italic=yes}}, is first recorded in [[Latin]] as {{lang|la|Weddua vaur|italic=yes}}1284. This is probably an approximation of {{lang|cy|Pen y Wyddfa Fawr|italic=yes}}. The element {{lang|cy|gwyddfa|italic=yes}} in this context means 'height, promontory', and also appears in the Welsh name for the town of [[Mold, Flintshire|Mold]], {{lang|cy|Yr Wyddgrug|italic=yes}}.<ref name=":1" />

{{lang|cy|Gwyddfa|italic=yes}} later developed the meaning "burial cairn", and there is a legend that the giant [[Rhitta Gawr|Rhita]] is buried under the mountain's summit cairn.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Academy |first=Welsh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=P51iAAAAMAAJ&q=gwyddfa+rhita |title=The Oxford Companion to the Literature of Wales |date=1986 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-211586-7}}</ref> One legend claims that Rhita was defeated and buried on the mountain by [[King Arthur]], and another states that Rhita was killed by the giant [[Idris Gawr|Idris]] who lived on the mountain [[Cadair Idris]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Gwyndaf |first=Robin |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ApSEknvrLboC&dq=gwyddfa+rhita&pg=PA46 |title=Chwedlau Gwerin Cymru |date=1989 |publisher=National Museum Wales |isbn=978-0-7200-0326-0 |pages=46}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Ellis |first=Peter Berresford |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GsgoAAAAYAAJ&q=gwyddfa+rhita |title=The Chronicles of the Celts: New Tellings of Their Myths and Legends |date=1999 |publisher=Robinson |isbn=978-1-85487-887-8}}</ref> The mountain is also linked to other figures from Arthurian legend, a legendary ''{{lang|cy|[[Afanc]]}}'' (water monster) and the {{lang|cy|[[Tylwyth Teg]]}} (fairies).<ref name="Marsh22">{{harvnb|Marsh|1984}}</ref>

{{lang|cy|Gwyddfa|italic=yes}} later developed the meaning "burial cairn", and there is a legend that the giant [[Rhitta Gawr|Rhita]] is buried under the mountain's summit cairn.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Academy |first=Welsh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=P51iAAAAMAAJ&q=gwyddfa+rhita |title=The Oxford Companion to the Literature of Wales |date=1986 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-211586-7}}</ref> One legend claims that Rhita was defeated and buried on the mountain by [[King Arthur]], and another states that Rhita was killed by the giant [[Idris Gawr|Idris]] who lived on the mountain [[Cadair Idris]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Gwyndaf |first=Robin |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ApSEknvrLboC&dq=gwyddfa+rhita&pg=PA46 |title=Chwedlau Gwerin Cymru |date=1989 |publisher=National Museum Wales |isbn=978-0-7200-0326-0 |pages=46}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Ellis |first=Peter Berresford |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GsgoAAAAYAAJ&q=gwyddfa+rhita |title=The Chronicles of the Celts: New Tellings of Their Myths and Legends |date=1999 |publisher=Robinson |isbn=978-1-85487-887-8}}</ref> The mountain is also linked to other figures from Arthurian legend, a legendary ''{{lang|cy|[[Afanc]]}}'' (water monster) and the {{lang|cy|[[Tylwyth Teg]]}} (fairies).<ref name="Marsh22">{{harvnb|Marsh|1984}}</ref>