KESCOWS NEBES MOY

CORNISH FOR EVERYDAY LIFE

Second Edition

Ian Jackson

Supplementary to Gerlyver Kescows

and continuously reviewed and expanded

SECTION 14

PHYSICAL WORLD

Last updated: 1 March 2025 (01:00)

You can download this section in pdf format here

or scroll the whole wordlist as webpage text

The purpose of Kescows Nebes Moy is to enable Cornish conversation about most non-specialist subjects without the need to switch into English. A first edition appeared in 2018. Cornish vocabulary items not found in Gerlyver Kescows were presented for the first time in classified lists that take the learner beyond elementary vocabulary, enabling conversation about more technical topics that nonetheless form part of everyday life.

The first edition was necessarily quite experimental, and was confined to just five thousand entries. Much has been learned since the first edition appeared. This second edition is being developed in more comprehensive form on-line. In particular we are considering families wishing to speak Cornish in the home, as well as the challenge of establishing potential for teaching through the medium of Cornish in primary and secondary schools.

You can search for what you want in this section, by Cornish or English word, using find on page or ctrl f.

You can browse the list of sections currently available here

Click or tap here for the Appendix ‘Word Building‘ which explains the principles of compounding, prefixation and suffixation.

We are very grateful to Professor Nicholas Williams and Michael Everson for the opportunity to coordinate these lists with drafts of their Gerlyver Brâs.

If you are supportive of revived traditional Cornish and the Kernowek Standard spelling system, please let us know in the event you find any errors or think something might be improved.

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A word has a single stress accent on the penultimate syllable in the absence of any specific indication. When this accent falls elsewhere, the underlined vowel marks the syllable which is stressed. The symbol ‖ after a word indicates that, instead of a single stress accent, two syllables of the word are given prominence. In the case of a disyllabic word the prominence is usually slightly stronger on the adjectival element.

14-A  PHYSICS

an bednrêwl  ancertuster the uncertainty principle

an carg elvednek the elementary charge

an constant Avogadro the Avogadro constant

an constant Boltzmann the Boltzmann constant

an constant Planck the Planck constant

an Model Standard the Standard Model

ascoth fallout (incl figuratively)

baryon m baryonow baryon

berus ughcrytycal m berusyon supercritical fluid

boson m bosonow boson

boson musur m bosonow gauge boson

bren m brênow brane

colpeseth leverage (incl figuratively)

criogenek adj cryogenic

criogenyk m & f cryogenics

cyclotron m cyclotronow cyclotron

damcanieth corden string theory

dehesyor hadronow m dehesyoryon hadron collider

dewbol m dewbolow dipole

dewynyans radiation

dyfysk inertia

dymensyon m dymensyons dimension

dyvass adj massless

dywasca decompress

dywascans decompression

dywaskedhy depressurize

dywaskedhyans depressurization

electrotenvenieth ‖ electromagnetism

electrotenvenek  adj electromagnetic

electron m electronow electron

entropy entropy

faljans sprusek nuclear fission

fermyon m fermyonow fermion

fors dyskerhek gravitational force

fors electrotenvenek ‖ electromagnetic force

fors sprusek crev strong nuclear force

fors sprusek gwadn weak nuclear force

fôton m fôtonow photon

fros dydro direct current (DC)

fros eylyansus alternating current (AC)

gassek adj gaseous

glûon m glûonow gluon

gogoskes penumbra

gordobma superheat

gorhembrynkyas m gorhembrynkysy superconductor

gorhemusureth supersymmetry

gorthtemygenf gorthtemygednow ‖ antiparticle

gorthvaterantimatter

goryêynhev supercool

gwascans compression

gwaskedhy pressurize

gwaskedhyans pressurization

hadron m hadronow hadron

hanter-oosm hanter-osow ‖ half-life

indùctans inductance

ion m ionow ion

ionegy ionize

ionek adj ionic

isotôp m isotôpow isotope

isrudh adj infrared

is-sonykadj subsonic

jagdon ‖ f jagdodnow ‖ shock wave

kenkeynek m kenkeynegyon [optical] prism

keyfordhyans qwantùm quantum tunnelling

lepton m leptonow lepton

lêsans amplitude (of wave)

liv flux

livdewder ‖ flux density

lydnek adj liquid

maglyans qwantùm quantum entanglement

mass crytycal critical mass

mater baryonek baryonic matter

mater tewl dark matter

mecanek adj mechanical

mecanyk m & mechanics

mecanyk qwantùm m & quantum mechanics

mellyans interference

menowghter m menowghterow frequency

mêson m mêsonow meson

mûon m mûonow muon

nerth tewl dark energy

Newtônyan adj Newtonian

newtrînô m newtrînôs neutrino

newtron m newtronow neutron

nûcleon m nûcleonow nucleon

omdedhans sprusek nuclear fusion

orbytal m orbytalys orbital

ow resek yn tyrêwl phr runaway (reaction etc)

park electrotenvenekm parcow electromagnetic field

park skeulek m parcow scalar field

park tenvenek m parcow magnetic field

park vector m parcow vector field

pednrêwlexclûsyon Pauli phr the Pauli exclusion principle

perthynecter jeneral general relativity

perthynecter specyal special relativity

perthynecterek adj relativistic

perveth poster centre of gravity

pion (mêson py) m pionow pion

plasma plasma

plysken electron f plyskednow electron shell

polareth (polaryta) polarity

posytron m posytronow positron

poynt bryjyon boiling point

prôton m prôtonow proton

qwantùm m qwanta quantum

qwark m qwarcow quark

radyôwythresek adj radioactive

resystens resistance

rewboyntfreezing point

rùttyans friction

spâss-termyn space-time

spectrùm m spectra spectrum

sprusek adj nuclear

sprusen f sprusednow nucleus

stubmans golow refraction

syncrotron m syncrotronow synchrotron

temygen f temygednow particle

temygen elvednek f temygednow elementary / fundamental particle

temygen isatomek f temygednow subatomic particle

tenvenek (magnetyk) adj magnetic

tenvenieth magnetism

termyn m termynyow period (of wave)

thermodynamykm & f thermodynamics

todnfurv todnfurvyow ‖ waveform

todnhës  m tonhesow wavelength

torgh m torque

toth an golow the speed of light

troweyth m troweythow cycle

troyll gowlnyverek ‖ integer spin

troyll hanter-cowlnyverek ‖ half-integer spin

ughsonykadj supersonic

ughvyolet adj ultraviolet (UV)

uskys’heortemygednow m uskys’heoryon ‖ particle accelerator

uskytter velocity

zêrô absolût absolute zero

14-B  CHEMISTRY

acydek adj acidic

alcalîn adj alkaline

alcaly m alcalys alkali

alcân m alcânow alkane, paraffin

alkên m alkênow alkene, olefin

alotrôp m alotrôpow isotope

amînotrenken f amînotrenkednow amino-acid

An Tâbel Peryodek The Periodic Table

anassoyladow adj insoluble

ankemyskadow adj immiscible

anorgenek adj inorganic

arwedhen gemegyl f arwedhednow kemegyl chemical symbol

assay lytmùs m assayes litmus test

assoylyas m assoylyasow solution

assoylyor m assoylyoryon solvent

assoyladow adj soluble

bas m basow base

basek adj basic

catalyth m catalydhyon catalyst

colm m colmow bond

colm dobyl m colmow double bond

colm tryflek m colmow triple bond

colm udnyk colmow single bond

crystal m crystalow crystal

crystalegy crystallize

dasoberus adj reactive

dasoberuster reactivity

dasoberyans m dasoberyansow reaction

dasoberyans gorthrym dasoberyansow substitution reaction

dasoberyans gorthtrailadowm dasoberyansow reversible reaction

dasoberyth m dasoberydhyon reagent

dowr a grystalegyans phr water of crystallization

dydhowr adj anhydrous

dydhowra dehydrate

dysplewyans diffusion

dystyllyans fracsyonek fractional distillation

electrolît m electrolîtow electrolyte

electron talvos m electronow valence electron

electrotalvosek ‖ adj electrovalent

element treusyansek m elementys transition element

elven wordanow f elvednow gordanow trace element

emolsyon emulsion

endothermek ‖ adj endothermic

ensîm m ensîmow enzyme

ester m esterow ester

ether m etherow ether

ewony v effervesce

ewonyans m effervescence

exothermek ‖ adj exothermic

fôtosynthesîsa ‖ photosynthesize

fôtosynthesys ‖ photosynthesis

glûth condensate

glûthya condense

glûthyans condensation

godhas m godhojyon precipitate

godhojy (codha in godhas) precipitate

godhojyans precipitation

gorlanwans saturation

gorlenwel saturate

gossena rust

group gwythresek m groupys functional group

gwascas osmôtek osmotic pressure

hevuf adj volatile

hevufter volatility

hydrât m hydrâtow hydrate

hydrolîsans hydrolysis

hyly saline solution

îsomer m îsomerow isomer

kemygyl adj chemical

kemyk fysygyl physical chemistry

kemyskadow adj miscible

kesstoff m kesstoffow compound

kestalvosek adj covalent

ketôn m ketônow ketone

kromatografieth chromatography

lygand m lygandow ligand

menegor m menegoryon indicator

molecûl m molecûlow molecule

molecûlek adj molecular

osmotek adj osmotic

osmôsys osmosis

oxydîsa oxidize

oxydîsor oxydîsoryon oxidizing agent

oyl essencyal essential oil

pH abbr pH

polymer m polymerow polymer

polymerîsans polymerization

purva f purvaow refinery

radycal m radycalys radical

radycal frank m radycalys free radical

redox redox

redûcya reduce

redûcyor m redûcyoryon reducing agent

redùcyson reduction

stât oxydacyon m stâtys oxidation state

stoykyometrek adj stoichiometric

synthesîsa synthesize

talvos valence, valency

tanow'he (dowrhe) dilute

tewder concentration

tew'he  concentrate

tîtrâtyans titration

troyll dhobyl double helix

tyntour m tyntours tincture

14-C  LAND, RIVERS

awan yêy f awenow glacier

bës calgh m besias stalagtite

bùt m bùttys butte

calghbostm calghbostow  stalagmite

cappa yêy m cappys ice cap

carst karst

cavarn grotto

casek ergh snowball (large) Note phrase tevy kepar ha casek ergh = snowball verb

codna tir m conaow isthmus

coodh carygy rockfall

coos ergh m cosow taiga

cosow gwyls pl backwoods

crandirscrubland

dasqwylsegy rewild

dorgrigm dorgrigow ‖ crevasse (in mountainside)

fogô (gogô, ogô) f fogevyow cave

fowus adj cavernous

gwastattir plateau; steppe(s)

gwastattir rew tundra

gwerva f gervaow oasis

gwry glow m gwriow coal seam

gwylcos m gwylcosow jungle

keyn dewdhowr m keynow watershed

keynans ‖ m keynansow canyon

keyndir ‖ (keynwlas m hinterland

leswastattir ‖ peneplain

maryan m maryanow moraine

massîf m massîfow massif

mêsa m mêsas mesa

meurbras ‖ m meurbrasow  prairie

panelva howlek v panelvaow solar panel farm

pollen troyllya f polednow eddy

strastir m strastiryow  polder

tirslynk ‖ m tirslynkyow ‖ landslide, landslip

tobmen ergh f tomednow snowdrift

towarghtir ‖ peatland

towarhek f towarhegow peat bog

trobmlivm tromlîvyow flash flood

yêygrigm yêygrigow ‖ crevasse (in glacier etc)

14-D  SEA

arvorek adj coastal

astell yêy estyll ice shelf

bank m bancow sandbank

barr-rifbarrier reef

basla m basleow shoal (shallow)

bejeth an mor phr surface

casygy gwydn pl white horses (waves)

corn dowr m kern creek

cudhfrosm cudhfrosow ‖ undercurrent (incl figuratively), undertow

culvornarrows, strait(s)

Fros an MorblegThe Gulf Stream

gorlanwes spring tide

gwely an mor phr seabed

gwylar (coral) coral

kelghenysf kelghenesow ‖ atoll

kellyn oyl oil spill / slick

keynvor deep sea, main, ocean

lagoun (morlyn ‖) m lagouns lagoon

level an mor phr sea level

lonklynf lonklydnow ‖ whirlpool; vortex (incl figuratively)

marvor neap-tide

meneth rew m menydhyow iceberg

mordanphosphorescence

mordonf mordodnow ‖ billow, ocean wave

mordros surf (sound)

morek adj marine, maritime

morrew ‖ m floe

nywlen f nywlednow fog bank

ôceanyk adj oceanic

packrewpack-ice

rif m rîfyow reef

tednyk f tenygow wavelet

todnek adj choppy

troyll dhowr f troyllyow waterspout

tsùnamy m tsùnamiow tsunami

14-E  SKY, WEATHER

airedhieth climatology

airedhyth m airedhydhyon climatologist

altôcomolcol altocumulus [clouds]

altôstratùsm altostratus [clouds]

An Ardar (An Aradar, Carr Arthùr) The Plough, Charles's Wain

An Fordh Lethwydn ‖ (Fordh Sèn Jamys) The Milky Way

An Jetliv  (Styfliv ) The Jetstream

An Ors Bian The Little Bear (Ursa Minor)

An Ors Brâs The Great Bear (Ursa Major)

An Steren Wesper The Evening Star (Venus)

An Try Mytern (Lath Maria) Orion's Belt

anterth zenith

Borlowen f The Morning Star (Venus)

celestyal adj celestial

chaunjyans aireth climate change

comol col comolen cumulus [clouds]

comolocyrrùs cumulocirrus [clouds]

comolonymbùs cumulonimbus [clouds]

coodh dor (sedhas) subsidence

coodh ergh snowfall

corwynsm corwynsow  tornado

cowas gwyns f cowosow gust, squall

cowas keser f cowosow hailstorm

cowas nywl f cowosow [thick] fog

cowas ster codha f cowosow meteor shower

cowldhyfyk ‖ total eclipse

cyrrocomol ‖ col cirrocumulus [clouds]

cyrrostratùs m cirrostratus [clouds]

cyrrùs cirrus [clouds], mare's tails

declînyans declination

dowrgoodh m precipitation

dyfyk howl [solar] eclipse

dyllans gass gwederjy ‖ greenhouse gas emission(s)

eskynans (eskynyans) kewar right ascension

Fakel an Grows phr the Southern Lights, the Aurora Australis

Fakel an Ors phr the Northern Lights, the Aurora Borealis

front tobm m frontys warm front

front yêyn m frontys cold front

gleberghsleet

golow an jëdh phr daylight

gorthkelghwynsm gorthkelghwynsow ‖ anticyclone

gorwer cloud cover

grugys gwascas isel phr area of low pressure

grugys gwascas uhel phr area of high pressure

gwarnyans kewar ahas m gwarnyansow severe weather warning

gwascas an airgelgh phr atmospheric pressure

gwyns clor m gwynsow [gentle] breeze

hager-gowasf hager-gowosow  cloudburst, downpour

hâv AmereyndekIndian summer

hedro adj changeable

herdhwynsm herdhwynsow  hurricane

howldrevelsunrise

hynon fine weather

hynony brighten up

inter (ter) an dhew wolow phr at dusk

îsobarîsobarow ‖ isobar

Jùbyter Jupiter

kelghwynsm kelghwynsow  cyclone

kelghwynsekadj cyclonic

Kensa Poynt an Hordh phr the First Point of Aries

kil an loor phr last quarter of the moon

loor an drevas phr harvest moon

loor gernek crescent moon

loor las blue moon

loor leun (leunloor ‖) full moon

loor nowyth new moon; first quarter of the moon

loor vrâs supermoon

loorganmoonlight

loorwolowysadj moonlit

loosrew ‖ (glyt, kenlyst mon) hoar frost

luhes cabm col luhesen forked lightning

monsoun m monsouns monsoon

musurel glaw f musurellow rain gauge

musurel wyns f musurellow anemometer

nymbostratùs m nimbostratus [clouds]

nymbùs (cloudys glaw) nimbus [clouds]

nywldardhcloudburst

nywlek adj misty; hazy (incl figuratively)

nywlek tew phr foggy

nywlen rew freezing fog

nywlglawdrizzle

ragwolok wàr an awel phr weather forecast

ragwolok wàr an awel bell phr long-range weather forecast

randhyfyk partial eclipse

seher drought

spanell (spavnell) howlek f spanellow sunny spell

sterbarram sterbarrys constellation

steredny twinkle

Steren an North The Pole Star

steren codha f sterednow meteor, shooting star

stergan starlight

stratocomol col stratocumulus [clouds]

stratocyrrùs stratocirrus [clouds]

stratùs m stratus [clouds]

tan nos will-o'-the-wisp, jack-o'-lantern

tan takyl St Elmo's fire

taredna v thunder

teweth ergh m snowstorm, blizzard

todn wres f todnow gweres heatwave

worth golow nos phr under cover of darkness

zêrô elyn net zero

14-F  OUR PLANET

ascris m ascrîsyow aftershock

brâstirek ‖ adj continental

carrek danek carygy tanek igneous rock

carrek dhyfelebys f carygy dyfelebys metamorphic rock

carrek wely f carygy gwely bedrock

carrek wodhojek f carygy godhojek sedimentary rock

colonen avàn outer core

colonen awoles inner core

doregor m doregoryon geologist

dororieth geology

dorgrîsek ‖ adj seismic (incl figuratively)

ecologieth ecology

ecologyl adj ecological

ecologyth m ecologydhyon ecologist

ecosystemm ecosystemow ‖ ecosystem

exosfêr exosphere

fowt m fowtow fault

hanter-pelf hanter-pelyow ‖ hemisphere

inter (ter) an trovadnow phr in the tropics

ionosfêr ionosphere

lava lava

magma magma

magnetosfêr magnetosphere

men cowas m meyn meteorite

nerth nowedhadow renewable energy

omgelhek adj environmental

ôzônosfer ozone layer

pel an nor phr the globe

plât tectonek m plâtyow tectonic plate

pluven mantel f pluvednow mantle plume

tectonek adj tectonic

tectonyk m & [plate] tectonics

trovan (trova) f trovadnow tropic

tropek (trovadnek) adj tropical

torrva f torrvaow rift

troposfêr troposphere

zêrôegy gorvok carbon phr reduce carbon emissions to zero

14-G  OUTER SPACE, COSMOS

An Cloud Magellan Bian m The Small Magellanic Cloud

An Cloud Magellan Brâs m The Large Magellanic Cloud

An Cloud Oort The Oort Cloud

an dysk scattrys the scattered disc

An Gevreth Howlek The Solar System

An Grugys Kuiper The Kuiper Belt

an gwyns howlek the solar wind

an hêlyosfêr the heliosphere

an main interstêrek the interstellar medium

an pedngevresthe main sequence

an Tednor Brâs the Great Attractor

aneghlecter eccentricity (of orbit)

bodny m bonies cluster

bodny ôpyn m bonies open cluster

bothan cres m bothadnow central bulge (of galaxy)

bregh droyllek f brehow troyllek spiral arm (of galaxy)

centaur m centraurs centaur

comet (steren lesky) m comettys comet

coodhva collapse

corrblanet ‖ m corrblanettys ‖ minor / dwarf planet

cosmologieth cosmology

cosmologyth m cosmologydhyon cosmologist

cosmos cosmos

cowr gass m kewry gas giant

cowr rew m kewy ice giant

crenvodnym crenvonies ‖ globular cluster

dewynyans an gilva gorrdodnek  gosmyk phr the cosmic microwave background radiation

dydorrva spâss ha termyn phr space-time continuum

dysk kenplanetekdyscow proto-planetary disc

entardha implode

exoplanetm exoplanettys ‖ exoplanet

galeth dhewgeynek f galethow dewgeynek lenticular galaxy

galeth hirgelhek f galethow elliptical galaxy

galeth troyllek f galethow spiral galaxy

galeth troyllek gans barr phr barred spiral galaxy

galethek adj galactic

golowgelghm golowgelhow ‖ halo

gorvodny m gorvonies supercluster

gorwel wharvedhyans event horizon

gwacter cosmyk m gwacterow cosmic void

gwedrygyans dyskerhek gravitational lensing

howlspotm howlspottys ‖ sunspot

jàg an dewedhans phr the termination shock

jàg an pedn arâg phr bow shock

lêsans termyn time dilation

liesvÿsmultiverse

metolecter metallicity

mirjy m mirjiow observatory

momentùm elydnek angular momentum

neujen gosmyk f neujednow cosmyk cosmic filament

nywlen f nyelednow nebula

parallax parallax

park dyskerhek m parcow gravitational field

planet atla m planettys rogue planet

planetek adj planetary

planetten f planetednow asteroid

planetygen f planetygednow planetesimal

polseren f polserednow pulsar

qwaseren f qwaserednow quasar

rudhyans red shift

seren newtron f serednow neutron star

splander absolût absolute magnitude

splander omdhyswedhyansek apparent magnitude

sterek adj stellar

steren dhewek f sterednow dewek binary star

steren jaunjus f sterednow chaunjus variable star

toll du m tell black hole

toll du a’n dalathfos phr primordial black hole

toll prëv m tell wormhole

ughnovam & f ughnovaow ‖ supernova

whêlva hirgelhek elliptical orbit

whethfyans cosmyk cosmic inflation

14-H  MISCELLANEOUS VOCABULARY

clehy icicle(s)

dryppyn m drypydnow droplet

glawen f glawednow raindrop

godhas sediment

gwrîhony v spark

lis lenky quickmud; quagmire (incl figuratively)

mycrocosm ‖ m mycrocosmow ‖ microcosm

pluv ergh col pluven snowflakes

tedhergh ‖ (lîsergh ‖) slush

treth lenky quicksand

whyflyn (whylfyn) adj roaring (of fire or wind)