breth

noun. mast, *fallen nuts or acorns

A word in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “mast” (EtyAC/NEL) related to Ilk. breth “beech-mast”, both derived from the root ᴹ√BERETH “beech” (Ety/BERETH). This word may be the same in both Noldorin and Ilkorin given N. Brethil and N. Brethorn (Ety/NEL; EtyAC/NEL). While breth conceivably could refer to the mast of a ship, it more likely refers to the fallen nuts and acorns of beech, oak and chestnut trees used in ancient times to feed pigs, so “✱fallen nuts or acorns”, one of the senses of the Old English word “mæst”.

Conceptual Development: The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had G. delmos “beech nuts, mast” likewise related to G. deldron “beech” (GL/30); the second element in this Gnomish word might be G. môs “food”. G. delmos also appeared (unglossed) in the Gnomish Lexicon Slip (PE13/112).

Cognates

• Ilk. breth “(beech) mast, *beech nut”

Derivations

• ᴹ√BERETH “beech” ✧ Ety/NEL

Element in

• N. Brethorn “Forest of Brethil” ✧ EtyAC/NEL

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
ᴹ√BERÉTH > breth	[berétʰā] > [bretʰā] > [bretʰa] > [breθa] > [breθ]	✧ Ety/NEL