Merthyr Tydfil

[mur-ther tid-vil, mer-thir tuhd-vil]

noun

1. a county in southern Wales. 43 sq. mi. (113 sq. km).

2. a city in the county of Merthyr Tydfil, in southern Wales.

Merthyr Tydfil

/ ˈmɜːθə ˈtɪdvɪl /

noun

1. a town in SE Wales, in Merthyr Tydfil county borough: formerly an important centre for the mining industry. Pop: 30 483 (2001)

2. a county borough in SE Wales, created from part of N Mid Glamorgan in 1996. Pop: 55 400 (2003 est). Area: 111 sq km (43 sq miles)

Word History and Origins

Origin of Merthyr Tydfil¹

From Welsh Merthyr Tudful, equivalent to merthyr “martyr, martyr's shrine” + Tudful (Welsh spelling), a Welsh saint martyred by pagan Welsh or Saxons about 480