fair

adjective. quick, ready, prompt

Cognates

• ᴺQ. ferya “quick, ready, prompt”

Derivations

• ✶pheryā “quick, ready, prompt” ✧ PE17/181
  • √PHER “*ready, prompt” ✧ PE17/181

Element in

• S. fergar “soon done” ✧ PE17/181
• S. fergenol “quick to see or perceive, sharp-sighted or witted” ✧ PE17/181

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶pheryā > feir > fair	[pʰerjā] > [pʰerja] > [ɸerja] > [ferja] > [feria] > [feri] > [feir] > [fair]	✧ PE17/181

fair

noun. mortal

fair

noun. right (hand)

fair

adjective. quick

_adj. _quick, ready, prompt. >> feir

feir

noun. Mortal, Mortal, [N.] mortal man

A term used for Men meaning “Mortal”, appearing in the Quendi and Eldar essay of 1959-60, cognate to Q. Firya of the same meaning, both derived from √PHIR which was the basis of words for natural death (WJ/387). According to Tolkien this word was borrowed from Quenya, since the Noldor had pre-knowledge of the nature of Men having learned of them from the Valar. The plural form of Feir was Fîr and its class plural Firiath, the latter also appearing in contemporaneous Silmarillion drafts (WJ/219 footnote). It is unclear why this word did not become ✱Fair, since ei became ai in Sindarin monosyllables. Perhaps it remained Feir because it was an adaptation from Quenya, or it could be a conceptual remnant of its Noldorin form (see below).

Conceptual Development: Probably the first precursor to this word was ᴱN. fion “man, human being” from Index of Names for The Lay of the Children of Húrin compiled in the early 1920s (PE15/62), also appearing with the gloss “mortal man” in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the same period (PE13/143). In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien gaven N. {fîr “man, mortal” >>} feir pl. fîr “mortals” under the root ᴹ√PHIR (Ety/PHIR; EtyAC/PHIR), hence with basically the same form, meaning and etymology as it had in later Sindarin.

Cognates

• Q. Firya “Mortal” ✧ WJ/219; WJI/Feir; WJ/219

Derivations

• Q. Firya “Mortal” ✧ WJ/387
  • √PHIR “exhale, expire, breathe out, exhale, expire, breathe out; [ᴹ√] die of natural causes” ✧ WJ/387

Element in

• S. Fíriel
• S. Firieth “(Female) Mortal” ✧ WJ/387
• S. Firion “(Male) Mortal” ✧ WJ/387

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
Q. Firya > Feir	[firja] > [ferja] > [feria] > [feri] > [feir]	✧ WJ/387
Q. Firya > Fîr	[firji] > [firi] > [fir]	✧ WJ/387

feir

adjective. quick

_adj. _quick, ready, prompt. >> fair

fuir

adjective. north

@@@ likely from [pʰorja] as suggested by David Salo (GS/255), thus a later version of than feir “right (hand)” with a different phonetic development. In the 2008 version of his Sindarin Dictionary, Didier Willis suggested fair as the Sindarized form of N. feir (HSD/fair), but more recent research indicates that fuir < ✱phorya is more likely, as suggested to me in a private chat by Elaran on 2018-08-26; see the entry on how [[s|[œi] became [ui] or [y]]] in Sindarin for further details.

Derivations

• ᴹ√PHOR “right-hand”

Element in

• S. Eryn Fuir “North Wood” ✧ VT42/20

Variations

• Fuir ✧ VT42/20 (Fuir)

feir

noun. mortal

fuir

adjective. north

fair

mortal man

(human) fair (fír-), pl. fîr, coll. pl. firiath. Archaic sg. feir (WJ:387). Wheareas the above-mentioned terms are apparently gender-neutral, the following are gender-specific:

fair

mortal man

(fír-), pl. fîr, coll. pl. firiath. Archaic sg. feir (WJ:387). Wheareas the above-mentioned terms are apparently gender-neutral, the following are gender-specific:

fair

adjective. right (hand)

gwain

adjective. fair

adj. fair. . This gloss was rejected.

bain

fair

_ adj. _fair, good, blessed, wholesome, favourable, without evil/bad element, not dangerous, evil or hostile. bân or bain << bân pl. bain. >> bân

bân

adjective. fair

_ adj. _fair, good, wholesome, favourable, not dangerous, evil or hostile. bân or bain << bân pl. bain. >> bain

gwân

adjective. fair

_ adj. _fair, pale.

gwana

noun/adjective. fair

Changes

• gwain → gwana “fair, general word for Elves” ✧ PE17/140

Derivations

• ✶wanasō ✧ PE17/140

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶wanasō > gwana	[wanasō] > [wanaso] > [wanaho] > [gwanaho] > [gwanah] > [gwana]	✧ PE17/140

Variations

• gwain ✧ PE17/140 (gwain)

lind

adjective. fair

Derivations

• √LIN “sing, make a musical sound, sing, make a musical sound, [ᴱ√] gentle”

Element in

• S. Linhir “Fair Stream” ✧ RC/587

Variations

• lin ✧ RC/587 (lin)

bain

adjective. fair, beautiful; good, wholesome, favorable; fair-haired, beautiful; good, wholesome, favorable; fair, fair-haired

Cognates

• Q. vaina “blonde, fair of hair” ✧ PE17/155
• Q. vanya “fair, beautiful, unmarred; fair-haired (yellow to golden), fair, beautiful, unmarred; fair-haired (yellow to golden); [ᴱQ.] good (not evil), holy” ✧ PE17/150; PE17/154; PE17/165
• Q. wenya “fair, beautiful” ✧ PE17/191

Derivations

• √BAN “beauty (due to lack of fault or blemish); fair, beautiful” ✧ PE17/150
• √(G)WAN “pale, fair” ✧ PE17/154
• √GWAY ✧ PE17/154
• ✶banya “beautiful” ✧ PE17/165
  • √BAN “beauty (due to lack of fault or blemish); fair, beautiful” ✧ PE17/165
• ✶gwenyā “fair, beautiful” ✧ PE17/191
  • √GWEN “fair, beautiful; (probably originally) fresh, fair, unblemished (especially of beauty of youth)” ✧ PE17/191

Element in

• ᴺS. banath “beauty”
• ᴺS. beinas “beauty”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√BAN > bân	[ban] > [bān]	✧ PE17/150
√GWAN > bain	[gwanja] > [banja] > [bania] > [benia] > [beni] > [bein] > [bain]	✧ PE17/154
√GWAY > baen	[gwain] > [bain] > [baen]	✧ PE17/154
✶banya > bain	[banja] > [bania] > [benia] > [beni] > [bein] > [bain]	✧ PE17/165
✶gwenyā > bein > bain	[gwenjā] > [benjā] > [benja] > [benia] > [beni] > [bein] > [bain]	✧ PE17/191

Variations

• bân ✧ PE17/150
• baen ✧ PE17/155 (baen)

gwân

adjective. pale, fair

Cognates

• Q. vanya “fair, beautiful, unmarred; fair-haired (yellow to golden), fair, beautiful, unmarred; fair-haired (yellow to golden); [ᴱQ.] good (not evil), holy” ✧ PE17/165

Derivations

• √(G)WAN “pale, fair” ✧ PE17/165

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√GWAN > gwân	[gwana] > [gwan] > [gwān]	✧ PE17/165

fuir

right

1) (adj, of direction), also used as noun "right hand": fuir (north), pl. fŷr (VT42:20). In ”Noldorin” the word appeared as (”foeir” =) föir, feir (LR:382 s.v. PHOR). 2) (direction, not "correct") fôr (north), pl. fŷr. 3) (straight) tîr (lenited dîr, no distinct pl. form) Note: a homophone means ”looking, view, glance” (noun).

bain

adjective. beautiful, fair

bân

adjective. fair, good, wholesome, favorable

fael

adjective. fair minded, just, generous

maer

adjective. good, excellent, fair, good, excellent, fair; [N.] useful, fit, good (of things)

Cognates

• Q. maira “admirable, excellent, precious, splendid, sublime” ✧ PE17/163; PE17/163; PE17/172
• Q. mára “good, proper, good, proper; [ᴹQ.] useful, fit, good (of things), [ᴱQ.] excellent; mighty, power, doughty” ✧ PE17/172

Derivations

• √MAY “excellent, admirable, beautiful; make [art]; suitable, useful, proper, serviceable; right” ✧ PE17/162; PE17/163; PE17/163
• √MAG “good (physically); to thrive, be in a good state, good (physically); to thrive, be in a good state; [ᴹ√] use, handle” ✧ PE17/172

Element in

• ᴺS. maeras “goodness”
• ᴺS. novaer “goodbye, farewell, (lit.) be well”
• ᴺS. navaer “farewell, (lit.) be well”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√MAY > maer	[mairā] > [maira] > [mair] > [maer]	✧ PE17/162
√MAG > maer	[magrā] > [magra] > [maɣra] > [maira] > [mair] > [maer]	✧ PE17/172

fuir

right

(north), pl. fŷr (VT42:20). In ”Noldorin” the word appeared as (”foeir” =) föir, feir (LR:382 s.v. PHOR).

bain

fair

bain (beautiful). Lenited vain. No distinct pl. form.

bain

fair

(beautiful). Lenited vain. No distinct pl. form.

bain

good

_ adj. _good, wholesome, blessed, fair (esp. of weather). . This gloss was rejected.

bain

beautiful

bain (fair). Lenited vain. No distinct pl. form.

bain

beautiful

(fair). Lenited vain. No distinct pl. form.

maer

good

_(”useful” of things _ not of moral qualities) maer (lenited vaer, no distinct pl. form) (fit, useful). For ”good” as an adjective describing human qualities, the word fael ”fair-minded, just, generous” may be considered.

maer

good

(lenited vaer, no distinct pl. form) (fit, useful). For ”good” as an adjective describing human qualities, the word fael ”fair-minded, just, generous” may be considered.

rîdh

noun. sown field, sown field, [N.] acre

A noun for a “sown field” in the Outline of Phonology (OP2) derived from primitive ✶reddā (PE19/91). The Etymologies of the 1930s had N. rîð “‘sown’, sown field, acre” also from primitive ᴹ✶reddā under the root ᴹ√RED “scatter, sow” (Ety/RED; EtyAC/RED). The form N. rîð did not appear in The Etymologies as published in The Lost Road (LR/383), but Carl Hostetter and Patrick Wynne noted its existence in their Addenda and Corrigenda to the Etymologies (VT46/11).

Conceptual Development: There were several other “field” words in Tolkien’s earlier writings. G. garw “sown-field” appeared in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, also functioning as an adjective meaning “tilled” (GL/38). ᴱN. gwas “field” appeared in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s (PE13/146).

Cognates

• Q. resta “sown field, tilled ground, acre; *fair” ✧ PE19/092

Derivations

• ✶reddā “sown field, acre” ✧ PE19/091; PE19/092
  • √RED “scatter, sow” ✧ PE19/091; PE19/092

Element in

• ᴺS. rídhas “the country, countryside, farmland”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶reddā > rezdā > rîdh	[reddā] > [rezdā] > [rezda] > [rēda] > [rēða] > [rīða] > [rīð]	✧ PE19/091

Variations

• ríð ✧ PE19/092 (ríð)

Fíriel

noun. mortal maid

bain

beautiful

_ adj. _beautiful. Q. vanya.

calen

adjective. green

calen

green

(galen) _ adj. _green (fresh, vigorous). galen after a sg. noun. Q. kălina (lit. illumined) sunny, light.

cîw

adjective. fresh, new

dail

adjective. lovely

_ adj. _lovely, beautiful. Q. lelya. >> deil

deil

lovely

_ adj. _lovely, beautiful. Q. lelya. >> dail

firiath

noun. mortals, human beings

firieth

noun. mortal woman

firin

adjective. mortal

adj. mortal. >> firen

firion

noun. mortal man

for

adjective. north

forn

adjective. north, north, [N.] right

Cognates

• Q. formen “north, north, [ᴹQ.] right-hand [direction]” ✧ PE17/018; SA/formen

Element in

• S. Cirith Forn en Andrath “High-Climbing Pass of the North”
• ᴺS. Forchalad “aurora, (lit.) northern radiance”
• S. Forfalas “North Falas”
• S. Forlindon “Lindon north of the Gulf of Lune”
• S. Forlond “North Haven”
• S. Forlonnas “North-harbourage”
• S. Fornarthan “North Beacon” ✧ VT42/30
• S. Fornost “Norbury, (lit.) Northern Fortress” ✧ RC/774; SA/formen

Variations

• for ✧ PE17/018
• for(n)- ✧ VT42/30

forn

noun. right, north

forod

noun. north

forod

noun. north

Cognates

• Q. formen “north, north, [ᴹQ.] right-hand [direction]” ✧ LotR/1123; PE17/018; SA/formen

Element in

• S. Forochel “*Northern Ice” ✧ PE17/116
• S. Forodwaith “North-region, Northmen”

forvo

noun. right hand

forvo

noun. right side

fíreb

adjective. mortal

fíreb

noun. Mortal

Cognates

• Q. Fírima “Mortal, (lit.) One Apt to Die” ✧ WJ/387

fíreb

adjective. mortal

An adjective meaning “mortal”, more literally “those apt to die”, a Sindarin adaptation of Q. fírima of the same meaning, both based on the root √PHIR having to do with natural death (WJ/387). It was also used as Fíreb to refer to Mortal Men, a variant of Feir of similar meaning. Tolkien said “Fíreb as compared with Fírima shows the use of a different suffix, since the S equivalent of Q -ima (✱-ef) was not current” (WJ/387).

Derivations

• √PHIR “exhale, expire, breathe out, exhale, expire, breathe out; [ᴹ√] die of natural causes” ✧ WJ/387

Element in

• S. Fíreb “Mortal” ✧ WJ/387

Elements

Word	Gloss
fir-	“to fade, *die”
-eb	“adjective suffix”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√PHIRI > Fíreb	[pʰīrikwā] > [pʰīripā] > [pʰīripa] > [ɸīripa] > [ɸīrepa] > [fīrepa] > [fīrep] > [fīreb]	✧ WJ/387

Variations

• Fíreb ✧ WJ/387

laeb

adjective. green

_ adj. _green. A theoretical equivalent to Q. laiqua but that did not exist in Sindarin.

laeb

adjective. fresh

laeg

green

_ adj. _green. >> Legolas

laeg

adjective. green

_ adj. _green (of leaves, herbage). Q. laika.

laeg

adjective. "viridis", fresh and green

Seldom used (replaced by calen )

laew

adjective. fresh

_ adj. _fresh.

laew

adjective. fresh

Derivations

• √LAY “*be alive, flourish, [ᴱ√] be alive, flourish” ✧ PE17/159

Element in

• ᴺS. laeweth “freshness”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√LAY > laew	[laiwa] > [laiw] > [laew]	✧ PE17/159

lain

adjective. free, freed

ma

adjective. good

_ adj. _good. Archaic and obsolete except as interjection 'good, excellent, that's right'.

maer

good

_ adj. _good.

maer

good

adj. good, proper, excellent. Q. mára good, proper, Q. maira excellent. >> mae-. This gloss was rejected.

maer

adjective. excellent

_ adj. _excellent. Q. maira admirable, excellent, precious. >> maer-, maeron

melui

adjective. lovely, sweet

This word only occurs in the place name Imloth Melui, a vale where roses grew

nimp

adjective. pale

adj. pale, pallid. nimp << nim (PE17:168). >> niphred

raud

excellent

_ adj. _excellent, noble, eminent.

rîdh

noun. sown field

sown field, tilled ground

adleitha

free

(i adleitha, in adleithar), also †adleg- (i adleg, in edlegir), pa.t. adlenc, pp. adlengen, pl. edlengin).

brêg

quick

brêg (sudden, lively), lenited vrêg, pl. brîg

brêg

quick

(sudden, lively), lenited vrêg, pl. brîg

calen

green

1) (etymologically "bright") calen (lenited galen), pl. celin (attested in lenited form in the name Pinnath **Gelin, "Green Ridges"). 2) laeg (fresh), no distinct pl. form. (Note: a homophone means ”keen, sharp, acute”.) In the Woodland dialect lêg, whence leg- in the name Legolas** ”Greenleaf” (Lettters:282, 386).

calen

green

(lenited galen), pl. celin (attested in lenited form in the name Pinnath Gelin, "Green Ridges").

cîw

fresh

1) cîw (lenited gîw; no distinct pl. form) (new), 2) laeb (no distinct pl. form). Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” lhoeb (LR:368 s.v. LÁYAK) 3) laeg (green), no distinct pl. form. (Note: a homophone means ”keen, sharp, acute”.) In the Woodland dialect lêg, whence leg- in the name Legolas ”Greenleaf” (Lettters:282, 386).

elu

pale blue

(analogical pl. ely). Archaic elw (pl. ilw?).

firieth

mortal woman

(pl. firith).

firin

mortal

?firin. No distinct pl. form.

firin

mortal

. No distinct pl. form.

firion

mortal man

firion (pl. firyn).

firion

mortal man

firion (pl. firyn) and

forod

north

#forod (isolated from Forodrim ”northmen”), also fôr (the latter also = right). The term Forven may refer to ”north” as a direction rather than a region (the element -ven means ”way”).

forod

north

(isolated from Forodrim ”northmen”), also fôr (the latter also = right). The term Forven may refer to ”north” as a direction rather than a region (the element -ven means ”way”).

fíreb

mortal

(adj. and noun) fíreb (pl. fírib), coll. pl. firebrim. The literal meaning is "apt to die" (WJ:387).

fíreb

mortal

(pl. fírib), coll. pl. firebrim. The literal meaning is "apt to die" (WJ:387).

fôr

right

(north), pl. fŷr.

gael

pale

(glittering), lenited ’ael; no distinct pl. form.

gwind

pale blue

(lenited ’wind; no distinct pl. form).

laeg

green

(fresh), no distinct pl. form. (Note: a homophone means ”keen, sharp, acute”.) In the Woodland dialect lêg, whence leg- in the name Legolas ”Greenleaf” (Lettters:282, 386). 

lasgalen

leaf-green

(pl. lesgelin).

leitha

set free

(i leitha, i leithar)

maidh

pale

1) maidh (lenited vaidh; no distinct pl. form) (fallow, fawn), 2) nimp (nim-) (white); no distinct pl. form, 3) thind (grey); no distinct pl. form; 4) gael (glittering), lenited ael; no distinct pl. form. 5) *malu (lenited valu; analogical pl. mely; lenited valu) (fallow). Cited in archaic form malw (LR:386 s.v. SMAL).

maidh

pale

(lenited vaidh; no distinct pl. form) (fallow, fawn)

malu

pale

(lenited valu; analogical pl. mely; lenited valu) (fallow). Cited in archaic form malw (LR:386 s.v. SMAL).

milui

loving

milui (lenited vilui; no distinct pl. form) (friendly, kind)

milui

loving

(lenited vilui; no distinct pl. form) (friendly, kind)

mith

pale grey

(lenited vith; no distinct pl. form). David Salo would read mîth with a long vowel. Note: a homophone means ”white fog, wet mist”.

nimp

pale

(nim-) (white); no distinct pl. form

rain

free

rain (wandering, erratic). No distinct pl. form. Note: a homophone means ”border” (VT46:10; suggested Sindarin form of ” Noldorin” rhain)

rîdh

sown field

rîdh (acre); no distinct pl. form except possibly with article (idh rîdh)

rîdh

sown field

rîdh (acre); no distinct pl. form except possinly with article (idh rîdh) (VT46:11)

thind

pale

(grey); no distinct pl. form

tîr

right

(lenited dîr, no distinct pl. form) Note: a homophone means ”looking, view, glance” (noun).