CWM is somewhat well-known as one of the few English words where W is a vowel. Cognate with the more ordinary-looking “coombe“, now mostly found in place names, and also meaning some kind of valley. The Landreader Project says that in North Wales, a cwm is more like a cirque, whereas in South Wales, more loosely a valley.
The Nameless Cwm
Less Obviously Words
CEE
The letter C
CEP
A kind of edible mushroom. These days perhaps better known as porcino.
The Greek letter, or the alternative transliteration of QI
CIS
The opposite of TRANS. But, like, in the context of the arrangement of atoms in complex molecules
CRU
A French vineyard or wine-producing region, or the grade of wine produced there.
Some Abbreviations
CAF
café
CAG#
cagoule
CAL
calorie
CAZ#
casual. I don’t like when Z is used for the voiced palato-alveolar fricative, but English lacks much alternative. I recently discovered that Collins thinks there is a word spelled ZHOOSH, which is clearly incorrect, even for a word where all possible spellings will look incorrect.
CIG
cigarette
CIT#
citizen. Either as in civilian, non-military, or city-dweller; often disparagingly.
COZ
cousin
CUZ
cousin
Some Nonsense
These can go, thanks.
CAA#
Scots dialect for “call”
CHE#
Devonshire dialect for “I”. Current 1500s-1700s
CID#
With reference to El Cid (es Sayd), a (military) leader.
CLY#
To steal, or seize. Possibly cognate with “claw” via Dutch? Last used by Edward Bulwer-Lytton in the 1820s, dropping 17th century cant with an awkward clang, using phrases that look like they were taken directly from dictionaries. Seems to have been used mostly in set phrases anyway, e.g. “the ruffian cly thee” ~ “the devil take you”.
