_, the word fern means "dead" with reference to the (inevitable) death of mortals. Also gwann (departed), lenited wann; pl. gwain
Primitive elvish
phir
root. exhale, expire, breathe out, exhale, expire, breathe out; [ᴹ√] die of natural causes
Sindarin
fern
phir
Beware, older languages below! The languages below were invented during Tolkien's earlier period and should be used with caution. Remember to never, ever mix words from different languages!
Middle Primitive Elvish
phir
root. die of natural causes
This root first appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s as ᴹ√PHIR “die of natural causes” with derivatives like ᴹQ. fire/N. feir “mortal man” and ᴹQ. firin/N. fern “dead” (Ety/PHIR; EtyAC/ÑGUR). In one place it had a rejected variant ᴹ√SPIR (EtyAC/ÑGUR). In later notes, Tolkien explained that √PHIRI meant “exhale, expire, breathe out” and was initially unconnected to death (WJ/387). In this scenario, √PHIRI came to be associated with death through the passing of Q. Míriel, the most notable Elf to die of non-violent causes who “overcome by a great sorrow ... gave up her life in the body and went to the keeping of Mandos, [with] a deep sigh of weariness” (WJ/387). In this event, she was given the new name Q. Fíriel “She that died” but also meaning “She that sighed” (MR/250). From there it came to be used of the natural death of mortal men, something which the Elves had little experience with themselves.