brith

noun. gravel

A noun for “gravel” seen in several late names like S. Brithiach and S. Brithon (UT/54).

Conceptual Development: In The Etymologies of the 1930s N. brith was glossed “gravel” and derived from primitive ᴹ✶b’rittē, though in this document it was a loan word from Ilkorin (Ety/BIRÍT). After Tolkien abandoned Ilkorin, it must have become a native Sindarin word.

brithombar

place name. *Brithon Home

A haven at the mouth of the river Brithon in Beleriand (S/120), a combination of the river name with bâr “home” (SA/brith, bar), hence “✱Brithon Home”.

Conceptual Development: This name appeared in the Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (SM/227, LR/180). In The Etymologies, the name Ilk. Brithombar was designated Ilkorin (Ety/BIRÍT), with a derivation probably similar to the above. In the Quendi and Eldar essay from 1959-60 it was named Brithonbar with an n (WJ/380), but this may simply have been a slip.

Brithombar

noun. land of river Brithon

Brithon (name of the river “pebbly” [HKF]) + (m-)bar (“dwell, inhabit”)

brithiach

place name. *Gravel Ford

A ford in the river Sirion (S/131), a combination of brith “gravel” and iach “ford” (SA/brith, UT/54), hence: “✱Gravel Ford”.

Brithiach

noun. gravel ford

brith (Ilk. “broken stones, gravel”) + #iach (“ford”)

brithon

place name. Pebbly

A river in western Beleriand (S/196), it is simply the adjective brithon “pebbly” used as a name (Ety/BIRÍT).

Conceptual Development: This name appeared in early Silmarillion maps from the 1930s (SM/227). In The Etymologies, the name Brithon was designated Ilkorin with the translation “pebbly” (Ety/BIRÍT), which is the source of the derivation given above.

brith

gravel

brith (i vrith), no distinct pl. form expect with article (i mrith) if there is a pl.

brith

gravel

(i vrith), no distinct pl. form expect with article (i mrith) if there is a pl.

brithon Speculative

adjective. pebbly

Used as the name of the river S. Brithon. In The Etymologies of the 1930s, this word was Ilkorin and translated Ilk. brithon “pebbly” (Ety/BIRÍT). This word likely became Sindarin after Tolkien abandoned the Ilkorin language, perhaps with the same meaning.

Brithon

pebbly

brithon (lenited vrithon, pl. brithoen). Archaic *brithaun.

brithon

pebbly

(lenited vrithon, pl. brithoen). Archaic ✱brithaun.