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In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, Caranthir is a fictional character, the fourth of the sons of Fëanor, was also the harshest, and the quickest to anger; he was also called "Caranthir the Dark". His Quenya name was Morifinwë "The Dark Finwë". Nerdanel gave him the mother name Carnistir, which means "Red Face".

As the other Sons of Fëanor, Caranthir was bound by an oath to recover his father's Silmarils, which had been stolen by the Dark Lord Morgoth. This oath took the seven brothers to Middle-earth during the First Age where they established realms in exile, waged war against the armies of Morgoth, fought their own Elvish kind, and eventually brought ruin upon themselves.

Caranthir was present at Alqualondë, and also at the burning of the ships at Losgar. In the council of Noldor princes at Mithrim after the abdication of Maedhros, he spoke out harshly against Angrod, and was rebuked by Maedhros. He had little love for his cousins, the sons of Finarfin. Caranthir accompanied his brother to East Beleriand, and build forts on the western slopes of mount Rerir. Caranthir's realm was in Thargelion, and was sometimes called Dor Caranthir (Caranthir's land) ; his abode was on the shores of Lake Helevorn. After the Dagor Bragollach he fled south to Amon Ereb with his brother Amrod.

Caranthir controlled the Dwarven traffic through his realms and thus gained great wealth. He was haughty in dealing with the Naugrim and thus there was little warmth between the Noldor and the Dwarves. He rescued the Edain lady Haleth and her people, the Haladin, as they were besieged by Orcs. He then saw the valour of Men, and offered the Haladin free lands in the North, but Haleth, thanking him, refused and left. The Folk of Ulfang swore fealty to him, and was allowed to settle in Thargelion. Ulfang's son Uldor would betray the Noldor during the fifth battle.

Caranthir perished along with his brothers Celegorm and Curufin during the Second Kinslaying — the attack by the Sons of Fëanor on Menegroth to recover the Silmarils from Elven King Dior of Doriath.

He was called Cranthor in The Book of Lost Tales and Cranthir in early versions of The Quenta Silmarillion. In one version of the tale, Caranthir attacked and destroyed the Dwarves of Nogrod after their sack of Doriath.