Sindarin 

fuin

fuin

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:120] -. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

fuin

noun. night, gloom, darkness, night, gloom, darkness, [N.] dead of night

Sindarin [NM/279; NM/283; PE17/120; RC/727; SA/fuin; UTI/Emyn-nu-Fuin; VT41/08] Group: Eldamo. Published by

fuin

noun. night, dead of night, gloom, darkness

Sindarin [Ety/354, Ety/382, S/431] Group: SINDICT. Published by

fuinur

masculine name. Fuinur

An evil Númenórean leader of the Haradrim at the end of the Second Age (S/293). His name seems to contain fuin “night”, as suggested by Christopher Tolkien (SA/fuin).

Sindarin [SA/fuin; SI/Fuinur] Group: Eldamo. Published by

fuin

dead of night

fuin (gloom, darkness, night, nightshade). No distinct pl. form.

fuin

night, nightshade, dead of night

fuin (gloom, darkness). No distinct pl. form.

fuin

nightshade

fuin (gloom, darkness, night, dead of night); no distinct pl. form.

fuin

gloom

(darkness, night, dead of night, nightshade). No distinct pl. form.

fuin

darkness

(gloom, night, dead of night, nightshade). No distinct pl. form.

fuin

nightshade

(gloom, darkness, night, dead of night); no distinct pl. form.

fuin

dead of night

(gloom, darkness, night, nightshade). No distinct pl. form.

fuin

night, nightshade, dead of night

(gloom, darkness). No distinct pl. form.

daw

gloom

1) daw (i dhaw) (nighttime), pl. doe (i noe), coll. pl. ?dawath or ?doath; 2) dim (i dhim) (sadness), no distinct pl. form except with article (i nim). Note: a homophone means ”stair”. 3) fuin (darkness, night, dead of night, nightshade). No distinct pl. form. 4) maur (i vaur), pl. moer (i moer) (VT45:35)

darkness

1) (i dhû) (night, nightfall, late evening, dusk), pl. dui (i nui) (SD:302), 2) fuin (gloom, night, dead of night, nightshade). No distinct pl. form. 3) môr (i vôr, construct mor), pl. mŷr (i mŷr) if there is a pl. (Letters:382); 4 morn (i vorn) (night), pl. myrn (i myrn). Note: the word môr, morn is also used as an adjective ”dark, black”. (Letters:386)

dúath

adjective. dark

_ adj. _dark, black shadow.

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:87] < _du-wath_. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

dúath

noun. darkness, shadow

Sindarin [Ety/354, S/430] Either the collective plural of dû, or a compound dû+gwath "night shade" (hence dúwath). Group: SINDICT. Published by

dúath

noun. nightshade

Sindarin [Ety/354, S/430] Either the collective plural of dû, or a compound dû+gwath "night shade" (hence dúwath). Group: SINDICT. Published by

night

_ n. _night (when viewed favourably). Q. lóme.

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:152] < _dōmē _< DOM. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

dûr

adjective. dark, sombre

Sindarin [Ety/354, S/430, UT/434] Group: SINDICT. Published by

dûr

dark

_ adj. _dark, gloomy, 'hellish'.

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:152] < _(n)dūrā_. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

gwath

noun. shade, shadow, dim light

Sindarin [Ety/397, S/432] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gwath

noun. stain

Sindarin [Ety/397, S/432] Group: SINDICT. Published by

hûl

noun. secret

A noun for “secret” of unclear derivation, appearing in notes on the Common Eldarin Article (CEA) from 1969 (PE23/136).

Sindarin [PE23/136] Group: Eldamo. Published by

lum

noun. shade

Sindarin [Ety/370, X/LH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

môr

noun. darkness, dark, night

Sindarin [Ety/373, Letters/382] Group: SINDICT. Published by

thurin

masculine name. Secret

A name that Finduilas gave to Túrin translated “Secret” (UT/157), simply the adjective thurin “secret, hidden” used as a name.

Sindarin [UT/157; UTI/Thurin; WJI/Thurin] Group: Eldamo. Published by

dae

shade

(i dhae) (shadow), no distinct pl. form except with article (i nae)

daw

gloom

(i dhaw) (nighttime), pl. doe (i noe), coll. pl. ?dawath or ?doath

daw

nighttime

(i dhaw) (gloom), pl. doe (i noe), coll. pl. ?dawath or ?doath.

dim

gloom

(i dhim) (sadness), no distinct pl. form except with article (i nim). Note: a homophone means ”stair”.

dolen

secret

(hidden), lenited dholen, pl. dolin

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.

doll

dark

(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.

dúath

dark shadow

(i dhúath) (nightshade), pl. dúaith (i núaith);

dúath

nightshade

dúath (i dhúath) (dark shadow), pl. dúaith (i núaith).

dúath

nightshade

(i dhúath) (dark shadow), pl. dúaith (i núaith).

night

1) (i dhû) (nightfall, dusk, late evening, darkness), pl. dui (i nui) (SD:302), 2) morn (i vorn) (darkness), pl. myrn (i myrn). Note: the word is also used as an adjective ”dark, black” (Letters:386).

darkness

(i dhû) (night, nightfall, late evening, dusk), pl. dui (i nui) (SD:302)

night

(i dhû) (nightfall, dusk, late evening, darkness), pl. dui (i nui) (SD:302)

dûr

dark

dûr (sombre), lenited dhûr, pl. duir

dûr

dark

(sombre), lenited dhûr, pl. duir

golu

secret lore

(i ngolu = i ñolu, o n’golu = o ñgolu) (secret lore), analogical pl. gely (in gely = i ñgely) if there is a pl. Archaic golw, hence golwath as the likely coll. pl. 

graurim

dark people

(VT45:16);

graw

dark

graw (swart), lenited raw, pl. groe. (VT45:16)

graw

dark

(swart), lenited ’raw, pl. groe. (VT45:16)

guldur

dark sorcery

(i nguldur = i ñuldur), pl. gyldyr (in gyldyr = i ñgyldyr)

gwâth

shade

(noun) 1) gwâth (i **wâth; construct gwath) (shadow, dim light), pl. gwaith (in gwaith) (UT:261), 2) dae (i dhae) (shadow), no distinct pl. form except with article (i nae), 3) lûm (pl. luim**).

gwâth

shade

(i ’wâth; construct gwath) (shadow, dim light), pl. gwaith (in gwaith) (UT:261)

lûm

shade

(pl. luim).

maur

gloom

(i vaur), pl. moer (i moer) (VT45:35)

morn

dark

morn (black), pl. myrn, lenited vorn. Note: the latter word is also used as a noun ”darkness, night”. (Letters:386)

morn

dark

(black), pl. myrn, lenited vorn. Note: the latter word is also used as a noun ”darkness, night”. (Letters:386)

morn

night

(i vorn) (darkness), pl. myrn (i myrn). Note: the word is also used as an adjective ”dark, black” (Letters:386).

môr

dark

môr (black), lenited vôr, pl. mŷr (Letters:382), also

môr

dark

(black), lenited vôr, pl. m**ŷr* (Letters:382)*, also

môr

darkness

(i vôr, construct mor), pl. m**ŷr (i m**ŷr) if there is a pl. (Letters:382); 4 morn (i vorn) (night), pl. myrn (i myrn). Note: the word môr, morn is also used as an adjective ”dark, black”. (Letters:386)

thurin

secret

(adjective) 1) thurin (hidden); no distinct pl. form, 2) dolen (hidden), lenited dholen, pl. dolin;

thurin

secret

(hidden); no distinct pl. form

tinnu

early night without a moon

(i dinnu, o thinnu) (dusk, twilight), pl. tinny (i thynny) if there is a pl.

Noldorin 

fuin

noun. night, dead of night

Noldorin [Ety/DOƷ; Ety/ÑGOROTH; Ety/PHUY; EtyAC/LOƷ] Group: Eldamo. Published by

fuin

noun. night, dead of night, gloom, darkness

Noldorin [Ety/354, Ety/382, S/431] Group: SINDICT. Published by

fuin gorgoroth

place name. *Night of Deadly Fear

Another name for Taur-na-Fuin appearing in The Etymologies from the 1930s, a combination of fuin “night” and the name Gorgoroth “Deadly Fear” (Ety/ÑGOROTH).

Noldorin [Ety/ÑGOROTH] Group: Eldamo. Published by

muin

adjective. secret

Noldorin [EtyAC/MUY] Group: Eldamo. Published by

gwathfuin-daidelos

place name. Deadly Nightshade

An earlier name for S. Deldúwath appearing in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, glossed “Deadly Nightshade” (LR/133) or “Night of Dread’s Shadow” (LR/406). It is a combination of gwath “shade”, fuin “night” and Daedhelos “Shadow of Fear”.

Noldorin [LR/133; LR/147; LR/406; LRI/Fuin Daidelos; LRI/Gwathfuin-Daidelos; SM/311; SMI/Gwath-Fuin-daidelos; SMI/Math-Fuin-delos] Group: Eldamo. Published by

math-fuin-delos

place name. Deadly Nightshade

Earliest name for S. Deldúwath appearing in Silmarillion drafts from the early 1930s, glossed “Deadly Nightshade” (SM/299). It is a combination of G. math “dusk”, N. fuin “night” and a variant form delos of deloth “abhorrence”.

Noldorin [SM/299; SM/311; SMI/Gwath-Fuin-daidelos; SMI/Math-Fuin-delos] Group: Eldamo. Published by

gwath

noun. shade

Noldorin [Ety/DYEL; Ety/WATH] Group: Eldamo. Published by

daw

noun. night-time, gloom

Noldorin [Ety/354] Group: SINDICT. Published by

deldúwath

place name. Deadly Nightshade

Noldorin [Ety/DYEL; LR/147; LR/282; LRI/Deldúwath; TII/Deldúath] Group: Eldamo. Published by

doll

adjective. dark, dusky, obscure

Noldorin [Ety/355, Ety/376, Tengwestie/20031207] Group: SINDICT. Published by

dolt

adjective. dark, dusky, obscure

Noldorin [Ety/355, Ety/376, Tengwestie/20031207] Group: SINDICT. Published by

dúath

noun. darkness, shadow

Noldorin [Ety/354, S/430] Either the collective plural of dû, or a compound dû+gwath "night shade" (hence dúwath). Group: SINDICT. Published by

dúath

noun. nightshade

Noldorin [Ety/354, S/430] Either the collective plural of dû, or a compound dû+gwath "night shade" (hence dúwath). Group: SINDICT. Published by

dúwath

noun. darkness, shadow

Noldorin [Ety/354, S/430] Either the collective plural of dû, or a compound dû+gwath "night shade" (hence dúwath). Group: SINDICT. Published by

dúwath

noun. nightshade

Noldorin [Ety/354, S/430] Either the collective plural of dû, or a compound dû+gwath "night shade" (hence dúwath). Group: SINDICT. Published by

dûr

adjective. dark, sombre

Noldorin [Ety/354, S/430, UT/434] Group: SINDICT. Published by

dûr

adjective. dark

Noldorin [Ety/DOƷ; WR/113] Group: Eldamo. Published by

gwath

noun. shade, shadow, dim light

Noldorin [Ety/397, S/432] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gwath

noun. stain

Noldorin [Ety/397, S/432] Group: SINDICT. Published by

lhum

noun. shade

Noldorin [Ety/370, X/LH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

lhum

noun. shade

A word appearing as N. lhum “shade” in The Etymologies of the 1930s, derived from the root ᴹ√LUM, most notably an element in the name N. Hithlum (Ety/LUM). It was the cognate of ᴹQ. lumbe, and thus derived from primitive ✱lumbē, which explains why the final m survived as a reduction of mb.

Conceptual Development: The earliest iteration of this word was G. lôm {“pool, sl...” >>} “gloom, shade” from the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, based on primitive ᴱ✶lou̯me (GL/54) and probably derived from the early root ᴱ√LOMO as suggested by Christopher Tolkien (LT1A/Hisilómë). In this early document, G. lum or glum was “a cloud” (GL/55), likely a derivative of ᴱ√LUVU for “✱dark weather” as also suggested by Christopher Tolkien (LT1A/Luvier). In Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s Tolkien had ᴱN. {lom >>} lhom “shadow” (PE13/149). This became N. lhum “shade” in The Etymologies, as noted above.

Neo-Sindarin: In later writings, Hithlum was designated North Sindarin and its final element was based on a loan from Q. lómë “dusk”, with the m surviving only because it was from the North dialect (PE17/133; WJ/400). However, the root √LUM “shadow, darkness” also survived in later writings (PE17/168), so I think N. lhum “shade” can be salvaged, though if adapted to Neo-Sindarin it would need to become ᴺS. lum as suggested in HSD (HSD). Given the later use of Q. lumbo for “(dark) cloud”, I think the Gnomish sense G. lum “[dark] cloud” can be salvaged as well.

maur

noun. gloom

Noldorin [Ety/373] Group: SINDICT. Published by

maur

noun. gloom

A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “gloom” appearing under the root ᴹ√MOR (Ety/MOR). A nearby primitive form ᴹ✶mǭri is the likely basis for this word as suggested by Carl Hostetter and Patrick Wynne (EtyAC/MOR), where the primitive ǭ became au as was the usual sound change in both Noldorin and later Sindarin (PE18/46, 96).

môr

noun. darkness, dark, night

Noldorin [Ety/373, Letters/382] Group: SINDICT. Published by

ogol < ogl

gloom

n/adj gloom, gloomy

Noldorin Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

thurin

adjective. secret, hidden

Noldorin [LB/304, Ety/394] Group: SINDICT. Published by

Quenya 

Fuinur

fuinar

Fuinur (misprint "Fuinar" in the Silmarillion Index) masc. name, evidently derived from fuinë "shadow" (Silm; cf. the stem PHUY in the Etymologies)

Fui

night

Fui noun "Night" (PHUY) - variant Hui, which form is probably to be preferred in light of Tolkien's later insight that the related word fuinë (see below) is actually Telerin, the proper Quenya form being huinë.

fuinë

deep shadow

fuinë noun "deep shadow" (PHUY; cf. "Qenya" fuin "night" in MC:221). According to VT41:8, fuinë is not a Quenya form at all, but Telerin for Quenya huinë (but unquestionably, fuinë is quoted as a Quenya form in certain earlier sources; cf. also Fuinur below - perhaps we may assume that fuinë was borrowed into Quenya from Telerin and thus came to co-exist with huinë?

fuine

noun. deep shadow

PQ. deep shadow, night shade

Quenya [PE 19:31] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

huinë

noun. gloom, (unrelieved) darkness, deep shadow, night shade; dark (as a substance)

A word for “gloom” and “unrelieved darkness” such as a night without stars or moon (VT41/8), with an archaic form †fuinë [ɸuine] (PE19/71). In one place Tolkien said it is was used of darkness as an ethereal substance, the opposite of Q. linquë which was ethereal light (NM/279, 283). While light as a substance is an idea somewhat supported by reality (e.g. photons), darkness as a substance is necessarily poetic or mythic.

Conceptual Development: The earliest iteration of this word was ᴱQ. hui or fui “fog, dark, murk, night” from the early root ᴱ√ǶUẎU (QL/41), also appearing with the gloss “dark, murk” in the Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/41). It was equated to ᴱQ. Fui, the name of the Death-goddess Nienna (QL/40). In the Oilima Markirya from around 1930, the word hui was given the translation “evening” in the phrase hui oilima man kiluva “Who shall see the last evening?” (MC/214).

In The Etymologies of the 1930s it was ᴹQ. fuine, huine “deep shadow” under the root ᴹ√PHUY (Ety/PHUY), and in various iterations of the ᴹQ. Lament of Atalante of the 1930s and 40s, huine was glossed “shadow” (LR/47, 56; SD/246, 310). In the Outline of Phonetic Development (OP1) of the 1940s, it was glossed “deep shadow, nightshade”, with fuine being its normal form but huine being its form in the {Lindarin >>} Vanyarin dialect (PE19/31). However in the Outline of Phonetic Development (OP2) of the 1950s, Tolkien revised this so that huine was its normal Quenya form in all dialects, fuine being archaic and pronounced with a pure labial “f” [ɸ] rather than the later labio-dental “f” [f] (PE19/71).

In writings after this point, it usually as huine (VT41/8; SA/fuin), but in some notes from the late 1960s Tolkien considered making huine the Vanyarin form again, with fuine being the form in Noldorin Quenya (NM/279).

Neo-Quenya: I prefer the notion that [[q|[ɸu] became [hu]]] in all Quenya dialects before [[q|[ɸ] became [f]]], so I would use the form huine. I would use it with the sense “darkness, deep shadow” for a particularly lightless darkness, but only metaphorically or poetically for darkness as ethereal substance in and of itself, as I believe the Elves would have been well aware that darkness was actually the absence of light.

Quenya [NM/279; NM/283; PE19/071; SA/fuin; VT41/08] Group: Eldamo. Published by

huinë

deep shadow

huinë noun "deep shadow" (PHUY), "gloom" (VT41:8), "gloom, darkness" (SA:fuin), also used for "shadow" = Sauron (LR:56). Possessive (adjectival) form huinéva in the name Taurë Huinéva, q.v. In earlier sources, huinë is quoted as a variant of fuinë, but according to VT41:8, huinë is the proper Quenya form and fuinë is Telerin.With prefix nu- "under" and allative ending -nna in nuhuinenna (SD:246); also unuhuinë "under-shadow" (LR:47).

Hui

night

Hui noun "Night" (PHUY), in earlier "Qenya" defined as "evening" _(MC:214) or"fog, dark, murk, night" (LT1:253)._

hróva

dark, dark brown

hróva adj. "dark, dark brown", used to refer to hair (PE17:154)

laimë

shade

laimë noun "shade" (DAY; in an earlier version the gloss was "shadow (cast by an object or form)"; see VT45:8-9. Perhaps Tolkien transferred this meaning to lëo when giving laimë the more general meaning "shade".)

lomba

secret

lomba adj.or noun "secret" (LT1:255)

lumbë

gloom, shadow

lumbë noun "gloom, shadow" (LUM)

lëo

shade, shadow cast by any object

lëo noun "shade, shadow cast by any object" (DAY)

night, a night

(1) noun "night, a night" (DO3/DŌ, VT45:28)

lómin

shade, shadow

lómin noun "shade, shadow" (LT1:255)

lóna

dark

?lóna (4) adj. "dark" (DO3/DŌ). If this is to be the cognate of "Noldorin"/Sindarin dûr, as the context seems to indicate, lóna is likely a misreading for *lóra in Tolkien's manuscript.

lúmë

darkness

lúmë (2) noun "darkness" (one wonders if Tolkien confused lúmë "time, hour" and lómë "night") (Markirya)

lúmë

noun. darkness

A noun in the 1960s versions of the Markirya glossed “darkness” (MC/222), perhaps derived from a root √DU as suggested by David Salo in a post to the Elfling mailing list in 2012 (Elfling/362.96).

Neo-Quenya: I’d generally use Q. huinë for “darkness” in Neo-Quenya, but that word is more for total darkness, whereas lúmë might be a less severe form of darkness, a variant of Q. lómë “night, dusk”.

lúna

dark

lúna adj. *"dark" in Lúnaturco and Taras Lúna, Quenya names of Barad-dûr (Dark Tower). (PE17:22). In the Etymologies, lúnë "blue" was changed by Tolkien from lúna (VT45:29).

lúrëa

dark, overcast

lúrëa adj. "dark, overcast" (LT1:259)

mor

darkness

mor noun "darkness" (Letters:308; probably just an Elvish "element" rather than a complete word; Namárië has mornië for "darkness")

mori

night

mori noun "night" (LT1:261, in Tolkien's later Quenya mórë, morë)

mori-

dark, black

mori- "dark, black" in a number of compounds (independent form morë, q.v.):Morimando "Dark Mando" = Mandos (MBAD, VT45:33), morimaitë "black-handed" (LotR3:VI ch. 6, VT49:42). Moriquendi "Dark Elves" (SA:mor, WJ:361, 373), Moringotto "Black Foe", Sindarin Morgoth, later name of Melkor. The oldest form is said to have been Moriñgotho (MR:194). In late material, Tolkien is seen to consider both Moringotto and Moricotto _("k") _as the Quenya form of the name Morgoth (VT49:24-25; Moricotto also appears in the ablative, Moricottollo). Morion "the dark one", a title of Morgoth (FS). Morifinwë "dark Finwë", masc. name; he was called Caranthir in Sindarin (short Quenya name Moryo). (PM:353) In the name Morinehtar, translated "Darkness-slayer", the initial element is defined would thus seem to signify "darkness" rather than "dark" as an adjective (see mórë). (PM:384, 385)

morna

dark, black

morna adj. "dark, black" (Letters:282, LT1:261; also used of black hair, PE17:154), or "gloomy, sombre" (MOR). Used as noun in the phrase mi…morna of someone clad "in…black" (PE17:71). In tumbalemorna (Letters:282), q.v. Pl. mornë in Markirya**(the first version of this poem had "green rocks", MC:215, changed to ondolisse mornë** "upon dark rocks" in the final version; see MC:220, note 8).

mornië

darkness

mornië noun "darkness" (Nam, RGEO:67), "dark, blackness" (PE17:73). Early "Qenya" also has Mornië "Black Grief", "the black ship that plies between Mandos and Erumáni" (LT1:261). This is probably a compound of mor- "black" and nië "tear".

morĭ

adjective. dark

PQ. dark

Quenya [PE 19:81] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

móri

dark

móri adj. "dark" (MC:221; this is "Qenya"; in Tolkien's later Quenya mórë, morë)

nulda

secret

nulda adj. "secret" (DUL)

nulla

dark, dusky, obscure

nulla adj. "dark, dusky, obscure" (NDUL), "secret" (DUL). See also VT45:11.

núla

dark, occult, mysterious

núla ("ñ")adj. "dark, occult, mysterious" (PE17:125)

olo

night

?olo (reading uncertain), possibly a synonym of #1, hence noun "night" (VT45:28)

ulca

adjective. dark

dark, gloomy, sinister

Quenya [PE 18:88] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

yaru

gloom, blight

yaru noun "gloom, blight" (GL:37)

Telerin 

fuinë

noun. gloom

Nandorin 

sciella

noun. shade, screen

Nandorin [H. Fauskanger] < SKAL. Published by

scella

noun. shade, screen

Probably noun. Primitive form given as skalnâ, derived from the stem SKAL1 "screen, hide (from light)" (LR:386). Since -nâ is an adjectival ending, often taking on the meaning of a kind of past participle, skalnâ must mean "screened, hidden (from light)"; this has become a noun "shade, screen" in Nandorin.

The word scella, sciella alone tells us that ln is assimilated to ll in Nandorin, and as in dunna, spenna a primitive final , usually lost, seems to persist as -a following a double consonant. The shift of a to e in skalnâ > scella is parallelled by the similar shift in spannâ > spenna, q.v. However, such a shift does not occur in what might seem to be similar environments (before a double consonant?); cf. hrassa, not hressa, from khrassê. It would seem that e might further break up into ie, scella having the alternative form sciella.

Nandorin [H. Fauskanger (LR:386)] < SKAL. Published by

Quendya 

huine

noun. deep shadow

deep shadow, night shade

Quendya [PE 19:31 PE 19:71] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

Black Speech

burzum

noun. darkness

Black Speech [LotR/0254; PE17/011; PE17/012] Group: Eldamo. Published by

búrz

adjective. dark

Black Speech [PE17/011; PE17/012; PE17/079] Group: Eldamo. Published by

burzum

noun. darkness

Black Speech [PE17/11] Published by

búrz

adjective. dark

Black Speech [PE17/11] Published by

Adûnaic

dâur

noun. gloom

A noun translated as “gloom” derived from the root √DAWAR (SD/423). It is an example of how primitive [[ad|[w] and [j] became [u] and [i] before consonants and finally]], thereby producing diphthongs.

Primitive elvish

dom

root. dark, dark, [ᴹ√] faint, dim

This root was the basis for the main Elvish words for “dusk, night”, which was established as Q. lómë in Quenya for most of Tolkien’s life. The earliest form of this root was ᴱ√LOMO in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, unglossed but with various derivatives having to do with “dusk” and “shadow” (QL/55). One notable derivative was ᴱQ. lóme “dusk, gloom, darkness”, which survived in Tolkien’s later writings as “night” and in the 1910s was the basis for ᴱQ. Hisilóme/G. Hithlum “Shadowy Twilights”. Another notable derivative was G. lómin “shady, shadowy, gloomy; gloom(iness)” (GL/45) used in the name G. Dor Lómin, which in the 1910s was translated as “Land of Shadow” (LT1/112).

The “shadow” meaning of this early root seems to have transferred to ᴹ√LUM from The Etymologies of the 1930s, which served as the new basis for N. Hithlum (Ety/LUM), as opposed contemporaneous N. Dor-lómen which was redefined as “Land of Echoes (< ᴹ√LAM via Ilkorin or in later writings, via North Sindarin). The “dusk” sense was transferred to a new root ᴹ√DOM “faint, dim”, which (along with ᴹ√DOƷ) was the basis for the pair words ᴹQ. lóme/N. “night” (Ety/DOMO).

These two words for “night” survived in Tolkien’s later writing in both Quenya and Sindarin (Let/308; SA/dú). In notes from the 1940s Tolkien clarified that it “has no evil connotations; it is a word of peace and beauty and has none of the associations of fear or groping that, say, ‘dark’ has for us” (SD/306). The Elves were quite comfortable being under the night sky, dating back to the time when the Elves lived under the stars before the rising of the Sun and the Moon. The root √DOM reappeared in etymologies for star-words from the late 1950s or early 1960s (PE17/152). It appeared again in some very late notes from 1969 where it was glossed “dark” and served as the basis for words meaning “blind” as well as “night”, though this paragraph was rejected (PE22/153, note #50).

Primitive elvish [PE17/151; PE17/152; PE22/153] Group: Eldamo. Published by

mornā

adjective. dark

Primitive elvish [Let/382; WJ/362] Group: Eldamo. Published by

du Reconstructed

root. dark


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!

Gnomish

fuin

adjective. secret, dark; hoarded

Gnomish [GL/35; GL/36; LT1A/Fui] Group: Eldamo. Published by

fuin

adverb. worse

fui

noun. night

Gnomish [GL/36; LT1A/Fui; LT1A/Tarn Fui; LT1A/Turuhalmë; QL/041] Group: Eldamo. Published by

fien

adverb. worse

cwist

noun. secret

fegla

adjective. worse

feigien

adjective. worse

fuior

noun. deadly nightshade

morth

noun. darkness

Gnomish [GL/58; LT1A/Mornië] Group: Eldamo. Published by

mugwen

adjective. secret

Early Noldorin

fuin

noun. night

Early Noldorin [PE13/143; PE13/156; SM/026] Group: Eldamo. Published by

taur-na-fuin

place name. Deadly Nightshade

See later N. Taur-na-Fuin and S. Taur-nu-Fuin for discussion.

Early Noldorin [LB/034; LB/146; LB/155; LB/227; LBI/Taur-na-Fuin; SM/026] Group: Eldamo. Published by

drú

adjective. dark

Early Noldorin [PE13/142] Group: Eldamo. Published by

dîr

noun. secret

Early Noldorin [PE13/142] Group: Eldamo. Published by

hinar

adjective. dark

An adjective for “dark” from the Nebrachar poem written around 1930 (MC/217). Its etymology is unclear.

Early Noldorin [MC/217] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Quenya

fui

noun. night

fuinen

proper name. Tuesday

Name of Tuesday in the seven-day week of the Elves (otsola) in an early word list (PE14/21). The day was related to death and sorrow, and was probably derived from Fui, a name of the Goddess Nienna.

Early Quenya [PE14/021] Group: Eldamo. Published by

hui

noun. dark, murk, fog; night, evening

Early Quenya [LT1A/Fui; MC/214; MC/221; PE16/062; PE16/072; PE16/074; PE16/077; PE16/080; PME/038; PME/041; QL/034; QL/038; QL/041] Group: Eldamo. Published by

aulisan

proper name. Tuesday

Name of the first Tuesday in the Valinorean fortnight (PE14/22), a combination of the name of the god Aule and sana “day”.

Early Quenya [PE14/022] Group: Eldamo. Published by

fuiyáru

noun. deadly nightshade

Early Quenya [PE15/14] Group: Eldamo. Published by

lomba

adjective. secret

Early Quenya [LT1A/Hisilómë; QL/055] Group: Eldamo. Published by

marasan

proper name. Tuesday

Alternate name of the first Tuesday in the Valinorean fortnight (PE14/22), a combination of mar “Earth” and sana “day”.

Early Quenya [PE14/022] Group: Eldamo. Published by

móri

noun. night

qalmisan

proper name. Tuesday

Name of the second Tuesday in the Valinorean fortnight (PE14/22), a combination of qalme “death” and sana “day”.

Early Quenya [PE14/022] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Qenya 

fuine

noun. deep shadow

huine

noun. deep shadow, nightshade

Qenya [Ety/PHUY; EtyAC/PHUY; LR/047; LR/056; PE19/031; SD/246; SD/310] Group: Eldamo. Published by

hui

proper name. Night

A name for (Primordial?) Night appearing in The Etymologies from the 1930s as a derivative of the root ᴹ√PHUY, along with its (archaic?) variant Fui (Ety/PHUY).

Conceptual Development: This name is most likely a remnant of the name ᴱQ. Fui from the earliest Lost Tales, where it was another name for the goddess ᴱQ. Nienna (LT1/66, LT1A/Fui). According to the Qenya and Gnomish Lexicons from the 1910s, this earlier version of the name is derived from the root ᴱ√ǶUẎU (GL/36, QL/38).

lóna

adjective. dark

nulda

adjective. secret

núre

noun. night

ungwe

noun. gloom

Qenya [Ety/UÑG; EtyAC/UÑG; PE22/022; PE22/051] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Primitive Elvish

failda

adjective. worse

Early Primitive Elvish [PE14/048; PE14/081] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Doriathrin

gwath

noun. shade

A noun glossed “shade” (shadow) derived from the root ᴹ√WATH (Ety/WATH). It is a clear example of how [[ilk|initial [w] became [gw]]] in Ilkorin, and it appears in several names: Thuringwethil “(Woman of) Secret Shadow” and Urthin Gwethion (unglossed but presumably “✱Mountains of Shadow”).

Doriathrin [Ety/WATH; EtyAC/WATH] Group: Eldamo. Published by

môr

noun. night

A noun for “night” derived from primitive ᴹ✶mǭri (EtyAC/MOR), where the primitive [[ilk|[ǭ] became [ō]]].

Doriathrin [Ety/MOR] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ungol

noun. darkness

A noun for “darkness” developed from the root ᴹ√UÑG (Ety/UÑG), perhaps from a primitive form ✱✶uñglē̆ [uŋglē̆] as suggested by Helge Fauskanger (AL-Ilkorin/ungol): after the [[ilk|primitive final [e] was lost]], the resulting [[ilk|final [l] would become syllabic and develop into [-ol]]].

Doriathrin [Ety/UÑG] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Old Noldorin 

watha

noun. shade

Old Noldorin [Ety/WATH] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Middle Primitive Elvish

doʒ

root. night

A root in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “night” that (along with ᴹ√DOM) was the basis for the ᴹQ. lóme/N. “night” (Ety/DOƷ). It replaced some rejected variants ᴹ√LOƷ and ᴹ√DAW (EtyAC/LOƷ). Many of the derivatives of ᴹ√DOƷ were later assigned to other roots: N. dûr “dark” became S. dûr “dark” < √NDU “under, down” in notes from the late 1950s or early 1960s (PE17/152) and ᴹQ. lóna “dark” became Q. lúna (PE17/22). There are no signs of ᴹQ. “night” and N. daw “night-time, gloom” in Tolkien’s later writing. Future derivations of Q. lómë/S. only mention the root √DOM (PE17/152; PE22/153) and thus ᴹ√DOƷ may have been abandoned.

In a message to the Elfling mailing list from July 2012 (Elfling/362.96), David Salo suggested there might be a later root ✱√DU serving as the basis for Q. lúna “dark” and Q. lúmë “darkness”, though the latter might instead be from √LUM. Such a root ✱√DU is not attested in Tolkien’s writings, but if it existed, it could be a later iteration of ᴹ√DOƷ. Another possible example of the root ✱√DU is primitive ✶durnŭ “dark of hue”.

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/DOƷ; Ety/DOMO; Ety/DYEL; Ety/LUM; Ety/MAK; Ety/MOR; Ety/NDŪ; Ety/SLIG; Ety/UÑG; EtyAC/LOƷ; EtyAC/UÑG] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ndulna

adjective. secret

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/DUL] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ungwē

noun. gloom

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/UÑG] Group: Eldamo. Published by

wath

root. shade

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/THUR; Ety/WAƷ; Ety/WATH; EtyAC/MBAT(H)] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Primitive adûnaic

dāw’r

noun. gloom

A Primitive Adûnaic word glossed “gloom” (SD/423), the only attested example of a single-vowel-form for a triconsonantal-root. Ordinarily such a form would not be possible, since final consonant clusters did not appear in Primitive Adûnaic (SD/418, 426). It is possible that such forms were valid in the case of medial semi-vowels [w] and [j], however, since [[ad|[w] and [j] became [u] and [i] before consonants and finally]], thereby preventing a cluster from forming.

Primitive adûnaic [SD/423] Group: Eldamo. Published by