_adj. _dark (with evil implications, e.g. Barad-dûr). >> Barad-dûr
Sindarin
dûr
adjective. dark, sombre
dûr
dark
dûr
dark (with evil implications
dûr
adjective. dark (with evil implications), gloomy, hellish
The basic Sindarin adjective for “dark” derived from primitive ✶(n)dūrā from the root √NDU “under, down” (PE17/152), but it acquired an “evil” sense by association with names like Barad-dûr and words like guldur “sorcery” (PE17/31), hence also “gloomy, hellish”. A more neutral word is morn, but strictly speaking that is the colour “black” rather than “dark”.
Conceptual Development: The earliest precursor of this word seems to be ᴱN. drú “dark” from Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s (PE13/142). N. dûr appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s, but as a derivative of ᴹ√DOƷ “night” rather than ᴹ√NDŪ “go down” (Ety/DOƷ). Later on, S. dûr was only influenced by dû “night” rather than being directly related to it (PE17/152).
Cognates
- Q. lúna “*dark” ✧ PE17/022
Derivations
Element in
- S. Barad-dûr “Dark Tower” ✧ PE17/022; PE17/031; PE17/085; RC/274; SA/dûr
- S.
Mengas Dûr“?Dark Gap in the Way”- S. Caragdûr “*Dark-spike” ✧ SA/dûr
- S. Dol Guldur “Hill of Sorcery” ✧ SA/dûr
- S. Durthang “Dark Oppression” ✧ SA/dûr
- S. Emyn Duir “Dark Mountains” ✧ UT/280
- S. Glindûr “*Dark Glance”
- S. guldur “black arts, sorcery” ✧ PE17/125
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources ✶(n)dūrā > Dûr [ndūrā] > [ndūra] > [dūra] > [dūr] ✧ PE17/152 Variations
- Dûr ✧ PE17/152
dúath
adjective. dark
_ adj. _dark, black shadow.
dûr
dark
dûr (sombre), lenited dhûr, pl. duir
dûr
sombre
dûr (dark), lenited dhûr, pl. duir
doll
dark
doll (dusky, misty, obscure), lenited noll, pl. dyll. Note: In ”Noldorin”, this word appeared as dolt as well as doll, but the latter seems the best form in S.
graw
dark
graw (swart), lenited raw, pl. groe. (VT45:16)
morn
dark
morn (black), pl. myrn, lenited vorn. Note: the latter word is also used as a noun ”darkness, night”. (Letters:386)
môr
dark
môr (black), lenited vôr, pl. mŷr (Letters:382), also
_ adj. _dark, gloomy, 'hellish'.