S. Belegost loc. “Mickleburg, (lit.) Great Fortress”
Sindarin name of the Dwarven city of Kh. Gabilgathol, translated “Mickleburg” (S/91) and “Great Fortress” (WJ/209). This name is a compound of beleg “mighty” and ost “fortress” (SA/beleg, os(t)).
Conceptual Development: The name G. Belegost appeared in the earliest Lost Tales, already with the etymology given above (LT2/230, LT2A/Belegost). In one place it appeared in an extended form Ost Belegost (LT2/244).
The name reappeared in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, where it was translated “Great Fortress” alongside its Dwarven name Gabilgathol (LR/274). The name N. Belegost was translated “Great City” in The Etymologies (Ety/BEL), where its decomposition was made explicit as Beleg-ost (EtyAC/OS).
References ✧ LotRI; MRI; PMI; S/91; SA/beleg, os(t); SI/Belegost, Mickleburg; UTI; WJ/209, 389; WJI/Belegost, Gabilgathol, Turosto
Glosses
Elements
| beleg | “great, mighty; large, big” | ✧ SA/beleg |
| ost | “fort, fortress, stronghold, citadel; fortified town; enclosure” | ✧ SA/os(t) |
Cognates
N. Belegost loc. “Great Fortress, Great City”
References ✧ Ety/BEL, OS; EtyAC/OS; LR/274; LRI/Belegost, Gabilgathol; SMI; TII
Glosses
Variations
Changes
Elements
| beleg | “great, large” | ✧ Ety/BEL | |
| ost | “city, town (with wall round)” | ✧ Ety/OS | |
| ᴹ√OS | “round, about” | ✧ Ety/BEL | |
Cognates
G. Belegost loc. “*Great City”
References ✧ LT2A/Belegost; LT2I/Belegost, Ost Belegost
Variations
Elements
| beleg | “mighty, great” | ✧ LT1A/Haloisi Velikë |
| ost¹ | “enclosure, yard; town” | ✧ LT2A/Belegost |