Gwrach Y Rhibyn
/ˈɡwraːχ ə ˈr̥iːbɨn/noun
A frightening figure in Welsh folklore whose scream is believed to foretell an impending death.
Did you know?In Welsh legend, Gwrach y Rhibyn may appear near a dying person’s home, shrieking the person’s name or warning that death is approaching.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Celtic, proposed
Proto-Celtic
*wroxxā
“A proposed ancestor of Welsh gwrach, probably referring to a hag or frightening female figure; the deeper derivation is uncertain.”
Medieval Welsh
Welsh
gwrach
“Hag, witch, or frightening old woman.”
Medieval Welsh
Welsh
y
“The; the definite article.”
Medieval Welsh
Welsh
rhibyn
“A specter or frightening apparition; the precise historical sense in the name is debated.”
19th Century
Welsh folklore
Gwrach y Rhibyn
“A supernatural hag whose cry announces or accompanies death.”
Modern English
English
Gwrach y Rhibyn
“The name used in English-language accounts of this Welsh death-omen figure.”