Hiraeth

Welsh uncountable noun.

- A nostalgic longing for a place.

It can also be used for places that once existed that have now changed or disappeared.

However, It is not used to refer to people, nor is it used for places that don't exist or never have (such as a fantasy or dream land).

- Addition by native Welsh speaker from Gwynedd.

Please don't listen to other definitions as most of them are nonsense. The word is frequently over romanticised, twisted or made to be more poetic or more exclusive than it is by people who don't speak the language and who spread misinformation. They are people who generally want to find an extra special word that suits their own wishes & needs instead of accepting its true authentic meaning.

In Welsh, we would say 'I have hiraeth for the hills where I grew up' 'I have hiraeth for home' 'I have hiraeth for the village where I grew up'.

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