eitheb

adjective. thorny, sharp

A word appearing as {aitheb >>} eitheb “thorny” in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s (PE13/142). In the contemporaneous Early Noldorin Dictionary it was glossed “thorny, sharp” (PE13/158). It was an adjectival form of ᴱN. aith “thorn, †spear”.

Conceptual Development: Similar words in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s include G. aithra “piercing, sharp; thorny” and G. aithog “thorny”, both based on G. aith “thorn” (GL/18). Gnomish Lexicon Slips modifying that document had {aithreg >>} G. aitheb “sharp, piercing” (PE13/108).

Neo-Sindarin: Since the noun [N.] aith/eith “spear-point” reappeared in Tolkien’s later writing, I would retain ᴺS. eitheb “thorny” for purposes of Neo-Sindarin, perhaps with an original sense “✱full of points”. However, I would not use this word for “sharp”, since there are other later words with this meaning like S. aeg.

Changes

• aitheb → eitheb “thorny” ✧ PE13/136

Element in

• En. daneitheb “thornless”

Variations

• aitheb ✧ PE13/136 (aitheb)