a confluence of waters; applied, in topography, to places at the conf. of streams, or at the embouchure of a river. The derivation of the term has been traced by some etymologists to the conjunction of _ath_ (Gael.), a ford, and _bior_, water; by others to Cym.-Cel. _at_ (at) and _bior_ (water). This prefix is general in many of the counties of Scotland, throughout Wales, and, in a few instances, in Ireland, although in the latter country the synonyms _inver_ and _cumar_ are more frequent. Both words are found in the topography of the Picts, but the Scots of Argyleshire used only _inver_ before they came from Ireland to settle in that district. The word _aber_ seems to have become obsolete among them; and as there are no _abers_ in Ayrshire, Renfrew, and Lanarkshire, the word had probably become obsolete before the kingdom of Strathclyde was formed. Dr. Joyce, in his _Irish Names of Places_, traces its use as prefix or affix to the Irish root _abar_ (a mire), as in the little stream Abberachrinn (_i.e._ the river of the miry place of the tree). In Wales we find Aberconway, Aberfraw, Aberistwyth, Aberavon, Aberayron, Aberdare, Aberdaron, Abergavenny, at the embouchure of the _Conway_, _Fraw_, _Istwyth_, _Avon_, _Aeron_, _Dar_, _Daron_, _Gavenny_. Barmouth, corrupt. from Aber-Mowddy, a seaport in Merioneth, at the mouth of the R. Mowddy. Berriew, corrupt. from Aber-Rhiw (at the junction of the R. Rhiw with the Severn); Aberdaugledden, the Welsh name for Haverford-west, at the mouth of twin rivers resembling two swords (_gledden_), which unite at Milford Haven. It is called by the Welsh now Hwlford (the sailing road) because the tide comes up to the town. Aberhonddu, at the mouth of the R. Honddi or Honddu (the county town of Brecknock), and Aberdovey, at the embouchure of the R. Dovey in Wales. In Scotland, Aberbrothwick or Arbroath, Abercorn, anc. _Aeber-curnig_, Aberdour, Abergeldie, Abernethy, at the embouchure of the _Brothock_, _Cornie_, _Dour_, _Geldie_, and _Nethy_. Aberchirder is _Abhir-chiar-dur_ (the conf. of the dark water); Abercrombie (the curved conf.); Aberfeldy, _i.e._ _Abhir-feathaile_ (the smooth conf.); Aberfoyle (the conf. of the pool, _phuill_); Aberlemno (the conf. of the leaping water, _leumnach_); Arbirlot, anc. _Aber-Elliot_ (at the mouth of the Elliot); Applecross for _Abhir-croisan_ (the conf. of trouble); Old Aberdeen and New Aberdeen, at the mouths of the Don and Dee, Lat. _Devana-castra_; Fochabers (the _plain_, at the river mouth), Gael. _faigh_, a plain; Lochaber (at the mouth of the loch); Barmouth, in Wales, corrupt, of _Aber-Mawdoch_ or _Maw_. [Sidenote: ABI (Turc.),] a river; _e.g._ Abi-shiran (sweet river); Abi-shur (salt river); Abi-gurm (warm river); Abi-gard (yellow river); Abi-kuren (the river of Cyrus); Ab-Allah (God’s river). [Sidenote: ABT (Teut.), an abbot, Lat. _abbatis_. ABIE, an abbey.]