Meanings
firth1
plural firths · alternative frith
- An arm or inlet of the sea; a river estuary.First known use c. 1600
They drove on, every rise in the road lifting their sightline clear of the drystone dykes along the roadside, gifting glimpses of the firth and the islands, the blue peaks of Arran.
2022, Liam McIlvanney, The Heretic, page 4401 more example
The descent continues, still more steeply to Dundee (Tay Bridge), and approaching from the bridge itself this sharp descent gives the curious appearance that the station is below the level of the firth.
1947 January and February, O. S. Nock, “"The Aberdonian" in Wartime”, in Railway Magazine, page 7
firth2
Firth3
plural Firths
- countableuncountableA surname.
- countableuncountableA town in Bingham County, Idaho, United States.
- countableuncountableA village in Lancaster County, Nebraska, United States.
- countableuncountableA parish on the Bay of Firth, Mainland, Orkney Islands council area, Scotland (OS grid ref HY3514 (approx.)
- countableuncountableA small village in north-east Mainland, Shetland Islands council area, Scotland (OS grid ref HU4473).
- countableuncountableA hamlet south-east of Lilliesleaf, Scottish Borders council area, Scotland (OS grid ref NT5423).
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
firth · noun
- Proto-Indo-European*pértus“crossing”
- Proto-Germanic*ferþu
- Old Norsefjǫrðr“firth, fjord”
- Old Englishford
- Northern Middle Englishfyrth
- Scotsfirth
- Englishfirth
Borrowed from Scots firth, furth, from Northern Middle English fyrth, from either or both of Old English ford and Old Norse fjǫrðr (“firth, fjord”), from Proto-Germanic *ferþu, *ferþuz (“inlet, fjord”), from Proto-Indo-European *pértus (“crossing”), from *per- (“to carry forth”) + *-tus (suffix forming action nouns from verb roots). The English word is a doublet of fjord, ford, port, and fjard.
More words from Scots, Northern Middle English, Old English
Full word history & related roots →firth · noun
- Proto-Indo-European*pérkus“oak”
- Proto-Germanic*furhiþją“forest, wooded country”
- Proto-West Germanic*furhiþi“forest, woodland”
- Old Englishfyrhþe
- Middle Englishfyrth
- Englishfirth
From Middle English fyrth, a metathetic variant of frith (“forest”), from Old English fyrhþe, fyrhþ (“forest, wooded country; game preserve, hunting ground”), from Proto-West Germanic *furhiþi (“forest, woodland”), Proto-Germanic *furhiþją (“forest, wooded country”), *furhiþǭ, from *furhu (“fir; pine”), from *furahō, *furhō (“fir; pine; (fir or pine) forest”), from Proto-Indo-European *pérkus (“oak”), from *perkʷ- (“oak”).
More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-West Germanic
Full word history & related roots →Firth · proper noun
- Old Norsefjǫrðr“firth”
- Old Englishfyrhþe“forest”
- EnglishFirth
* As an English and Scottish surname, from Old English fyrhþe (“forest”). * As a Scottish surname, from Firth in Orkney, itself from Old Norse fjǫrðr (“firth”). * As a Welsh surname, from ffrith, itself borrowed from the first sense.
More words from Old English, Old Norse
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian тесен залив
- тесен залив (tesen zaliv)arm or inlet of the sea
Czech ústí řeky
- ústí řekyarm or inlet of the sea
Finnish estuaari, lahti
- estuaariarm or inlet of the sea
- lahtiarm or inlet of the sea
- vuonoarm or inlet of the sea
Russian лима́н
- лима́н (limán)arm or inlet of the sea
Scottish Gaelic caol, linne
- caolarm or inlet of the sea
- linnearm or inlet of the sea
Spanish ría
- ríaarm or inlet of the sea
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with firth
Anagrams
Cite this entry
firth. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/firth
“firth.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/firth. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “firth,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/firth.
Source: firth on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.