Ered Nimrais

noun. whitehorn mountains

ered (pl. of orod “mountain”), nimp (“white”) + rais (pl. of ras “horn”) The original form of ras is probably rass with the final s dropped at the end of a polysyllable [HKF].

ered nimrais

place name. White Mountains, (lit.) White-horns Mountains

Sindarin name of the “White Mountains” (LotR/258), more literally “White-horns Mountains” (UTI/Ered Nimrais). This name is a combination of the plural of orod “mountain” and the plural of Nimras “White Horn” (SA/nim, ras; PE17/89, 168).

Conceptual Development: In Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, these mountains were first called N. Eredvyrn or Ered Myrn “Black Mountains” (TI/124), later changed to “White Mountains” with numerous Elvish forms: N. Hebel Orolos >> Hebel Uilos (WR/137) >> Hebel or Ephel Nimrais (WR/137) >> Hebel or Ered Nimrath (WR/137, 167) >> Ered Nimras (WR/168), then briefly to Eredfain before finally Ered Nimrais (WR/288). In later writings it occasionally appeared with the proper Sindarin plural of orod: S. Eryd (PE17/168, WJ/385).

Elements

Word	Gloss
orod	“mountain”
Nimras	“White Horn”

Variations

• Eryd Nimrais ✧ PE17/168; WJI/Eryd Nimrais

ered nimras

place name. White Mountains

Earlier name for S. Ered Nimrais (WR/168), with singular ras “horn” instead of plural rais “horns”. The plural was introduced later (WR/288).

Elements

Word	Gloss
orod	“mountain”
nimp	“pale”
rhas	“horn [of both animals and mountains]”

Variations

• Ered Nimrais ✧ SDI1/Ered Nimrais; WR/288; WRI/Ered Nimrais

ered nimrath

place name. White Mountains

Earlier name for S. Ered Nimrais (WR/137), with a final element rath “course” (“?climb”) instead of rais “horns”, as suggested by Roman Rausch (EE/3.14). It also appeared as Hebel Nimrath (WR/167).

Changes

• Hebel Nimrath → Ered Nimras “White Mountains” ✧ WR/168

Elements

Word	Gloss
orod	“mountain”
nimp	“pale”
rath	“course, river-bed”

Variations

• Hebel Nimrath ✧ WR/167; WRI/Ered Nimrais

hebel uilos

place name. White Mountains

Earlier name for S. Ered Nimrais appearing in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s with the gloss “White Mountains” (WR/137). It is a combination of hebel and Uilos “Ever-snow”. The second element was initially (rejected) Orolos, perhaps meaning “?Mountain Snow” as suggested by Roman Rausch (EE/3.14).

Changes

• Hebel Orolos → Hebel Uilos ✧ WR/137
• Hebel Uilos → Hebel Nim[?rais] “White Mountains” ✧ WR/137

Elements

Word	Gloss
hebel	“?fence”
Uilos	“Everlasting Snow”

Variations

• Hebel Orolos ✧ WR/137 (Hebel Orolos); WRI/Ered Nimrais