Frith

/frɪð/ noun

Definition

A narrow inlet of the sea; an estuary or arm of the sea extending into land, also spelled firth in Scottish English.

Etymology

From Old Norse fjörðr (fjord), entering English through Scandinavian maritime vocabulary. Frith and firth are variant spellings of the same word, showing how geographic terms reflect the Viking influence on British coastal language.

Kelly Says

Scotland's famous 'firths' (Firth of Forth, Firth of Tay) preserve Norse vocabulary that's over 1,000 years old—Vikings named these waterways, and Scots kept the names! It's like the landscape speaks Norse.

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