carchost

place name. Fang Fort

One of the Towers of the Teeth along with its companion Narchost (LotR/900), translated “Fang Fort” in Tolkien’s “Unfinished Index” of The Lord of the Rings (RC/601). This name is a combination of carch “fang” and ost “fort(ress)” (SA/carak).

Conceptual Development: When it was first named specifically in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, this fort was already called N. Carchost (SD/23), though the earlier names N. Gorgos “Dire-castle” (TI/344) and N. Kirith Naglath “Cleft of the Teeth” (WR/137) may have been precursors to this name.

Carchost

noun. fang citadel

carch (“tooth, fang”) + ost (“fortress, stronghold”)

Carchost

Carchost

The name Carchost is translated as "fang fort". It contains two Sindarin elements: carch, meaning "tooth, fang", and ost meaning "fortress".