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Annwn

Annwn

1 9.9
A world in Welsh stories where fairies and the dead live
  • proper noun
  • Literature
translation icon : Annwn
  • Both she and her divine children were said to inhabit a world parallel to that of observable "mainland" reality—one centered in offshore islands, or in Annwn, the Welsh underworld.

Examples

  • In Welsh mythology, Annwn is described as the beautiful otherworld where the souls of the dead reside.

  • The story tells of brave heroes who journey to Annwn in search of lost loved ones.

  • Legends say that Annwn is filled with lush landscapes and magical creatures, captivating those who enter.

Synonyms

netherworld
vsAnnwn
  • Literature
10 8.8

A dark world below the earth where the dead live

also includes a paradisiacal fairy area, not only a place for the dead
Annwfn
vsAnnwn
  • Literature
9.9

A magical Welsh land where fairies live and people never grow old

adds the presence of the dead to the paradisiacal realm

Surface Forms

Annwn main

Etymology

Annwn comes from Welsh stories and means the 'otherworld', a magical land of fairies and the dead. A helpful way to remember Annwn is to think of it like the English underworld or a faraway paradise beyond human life, which is why heroes in tales go there to find magic or lost souls.