a ridge; e.g. Griesen-balken (sandy ridge); Moes-balken (mossy ridge); Schieren-balken (clear ridge)—the word is applied to chains of mountains in general.
BALTA (Scand.),
BALTEUS (Lat.),
a strait or belt; e.g. Balta (the island of the strait); Baltia (the country of belts or straits), the ancient name of Scandinavia. The Great and Little Belts, or straits.
BAN (Gadhelic),
white, fair; e.g. Rivers Bann, Bane, Bain, Bana, Banon, Bandon, Banney, etc.; Banchory (the fair valley).
BAN (Cym.-Cel.),
a hill or height; e.g. Cefn-y-fan (the hill-ridge); Tal-y-fan (the face of the hill), in Wales. B by mutation becomes f.
BANT, BANZ (Ger.),
POINT and PAINT, Ahd,
a district or enclosure, from Old Ger. pyndan (to confine), cognate with Cym.-Cel. pant; e.g. Brabant, i.e. Brach-bant (the ploughed district); Altenbanz (the old); Ostrevant (the eastern); Grunnenbant (the green district); Hasel-point (hazel field); Pound-stock (the enclosed place), in Germany; Drenthe, corrupt. from Thri-banta (the three districts), in Holland; Bantz, in Bavaria. From pant we have in Monmouth, Panteg (beautiful valley, têg); Pant-y-goitre (the valley of the town in the wood).
BANYA (Hung.),