cromlech

From Welsh, from crom (“bowed, arched”, feminine of crwm) + llech (“flat stone”).

First element is a Germanic borrowing (compare Irish crom (“bent over”)) from Proto-Germanic *krumpaz; second element is from Proto-Celtic *ɸlikkā, compare German Fläche (“flat surface”).

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈkɹɒmlɛk/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈkɹɑmlɛk/
• Hyphenation: crom‧lech

cromlech (plural cromlechs)

1. A dolmen or ancient underground tomb in Wales, usually made with stones disposed in a circular shape.

   Synonym: bowing stone

   • 1922, James Joyce, Ulysses:

     The scenes depicted on the emunctory field, showing our ancient duns and raths and cromlechs and grianauns and seats of learning and maledictive stones, are as wonderfully beautiful and the pigments as delicate as when the Sligo illuminators gave free rein to their artistic fantasy long long ago in the time of the Barmecides.

•   Dolmen on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Ultimately from Welsh cromlech.

• IPA^(key): /kromlet͡ʃ/ [krõm.let͡ʃ]
• Rhymes: -omletʃ

cromlech inan

1. stone circle

   Synonyms: harrespil, mairu-baratze

• “cromlech”, in Euskaltzaindiaren Hiztegia, Euskaltzaindia

From crom (“bowed, arched”, feminine of crwm) +‎ llech (“flat stone”).

First element is a Germanic borrowing (compare Irish crom (“bent over”)) from Proto-Germanic *krumpaz; second element is from Proto-Celtic *ɸlikkā.

• IPA^(key): /ˈkrɔmlɛχ/

cromlech f (plural cromlechi)

1. cromlech (Welsh dolmen or underground tomb)

• The Journal of Indo-European Studies (1999)