¤mammata-

verb. gobble up, devour, gorge

cap-

verb. leap

ciris

cleft, crack

ciris _("k")_noun "cleft, crack" (LT2:337 - obsoleted by cirissë?)

hyatsë

cleft, gash

hyatsë noun "cleft, gash" (SYAD), apparently changed by Tolkien from hyassë (VT46:16)

sanca

cleft, split

sanca (þ) ("k") noun? (or adj, or both?) "cleft, split" (STAK)

falqua

cleft, mountain pass, ravine

falqua ("q") noun "cleft, mountain pass, ravine" (LT2:341)

cilya

chasm

cilya noun "chasm", allative cilyanna ("k") "in-Chasm" (sc. "into [the] chasm") _(LR:47, 56). _In MR:471, cilya is defined as "cleft, gorge". Spelt kilya in Etym, there defined as "cleft, pass between hills, gorge" (KIL)

cabed

gerund noun. deep gorge

Emended by Tolkien from earlier cabad. This is our sole late example that basic verbs should perhaps form their gerund in -ed, whereas derived verbs are well attested to use -ad (cf. aderthad )

cab-

verb. to leap

thanc

adjective. cleft, split, forked

cabed

gerund noun. leap

Emended by Tolkien from earlier cabad. This is our sole late example that basic verbs should perhaps form their gerund in -ed, whereas derived verbs are well attested to use -ad (cf. aderthad )

riss

adjective. cleft

_ adj. _cleft, cloven, separate. Q. rista, risse, rinse. >> Imladris

criss

noun. cleft, cleft, [N.] cut, slash, [G.] gash; [N.] pass, [G.] gully, ravine

A word for a “cleft, cut, slash” (PE21/81; Ety/KIRIS) derived from √KIRIS, a blend of the roots √KIR and √RIS (PE17/87).

Conceptual Development: This word dates all the way back to G. criss “cleft, gash, gully” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s where it was probably already a derivative of the early root ᴱ√KIRISI as suggested by Christopher Tolkien (GL/27; LT2A/Cris Ilbranteloth). In the Name-list to The Fall of Gondolin Tolkien gave cris with the definition “a cleft, ravine, or narrow way of waters with high walls” (PE15/21), and in this period it typically appeared in this shorter form within names like G. Cris Ilbranteloth or G. Cris Thorn.

N. criss appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “cleft, cut, slash” under the root ᴹ√KIRIS “cut” (Ety/KIRIS). It also appeared under the root ᴹ√KIR with the gloss “cleft, pass”, but this instance was deleted (EtyAC/KIR). S. criss “cleft” was mentioned in passing in Common Eldarin: Noun Structure (EVS2) from the early 1950s as derived from primitive ✶kirissi (PE21/80-81), and it was mentioned as a blending of roots in notes on Words, Phrases and Passages from the Lord of the Rings from the late 1950s or early 1960s as described above (PE17/87). Its use in names diminished over time, however, the only remnant in the final version of The Silmarillion being S. Crissaegrim (S/121).

Neo-Sindarin: In The Etymologies of the 1930s it seems this word was principally used as for a “cleft, cut, slash” independent of geography. I would assume the same is true for purposes of Neo-Sindarin, since criss is used only in a single geographic name in Tolkien’s later writings; S. cirith was use more broadly in geographic features. I would also assume it was a larger and more violent cut (a “gash” or “slash”) compared to S. rest for simple cuts.

Derivations

• √KIRIS “cleave, cleave, [ᴹ√] cut, [ᴱ√] split”
• ✶kirissi “cleft” ✧ PE21/80
  • √KIRIS “cleave, cleave, [ᴹ√] cut, [ᴱ√] split”

Element in

• S. Crissaegrim “*Cleft Mountain Peaks”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶kirissi > criss	[kiríssi] > [kirísse] > [krisse] > [kriss]	✧ PE21/80

cirith

noun. cleft, high climbing pass, narrow passage cut through earth or rock, ravine, defile

falch

noun. deep cleft, ravine

iâ

chasm

_ n. _chasm, pit. >> Moria

iâ

chasm

iâ (gulf, void, abyss), pl. iai (LR:400, RS:437, Letters:383)

iâ

chasm

(gulf, void, abyss), pl. iai (LR:400, RS:437, Letters:383)

cîl

gorge

cîl (i gîl, o chîl) (pass between hills, cleft), no distinct pl. form except with article (i chîl), coll. pl. cíliath. A homophone means ”renewal”.

cîl

gorge

(i gîl, o chîl) (pass between hills, cleft), no distinct pl. form except with article (i chîl), coll. pl. cíliath. A homophone means ”renewal”.

rest

cleft

(ravine, cut), pl. rist (idh rist)

cab

leap

(vb.) cab- (i gâb, i chebir), pa.t. camp;

cabed

leap

(noun) cabed (i gabed, o chabed), pl. cebid (i chebid)

rist

cleft

(noun) 1) rist (-ris), no distinct pl. except with article (idh rist). Note: a homophone means ”cleaver, cutter”, 2) cirith (i girith, o chirith) (cutting, pass), no distinct pl. form except with article (i chirith), 3) cîl (i gîl, o chîl) (pass between hills, gorge), no distinct pl. form except with article (i chîl), coll. pl. cíliath. A homophone means ”renewal”. 4) criss (i griss, o chriss, construct cris) (cut, slash), no distinct pl. form except with article (i chriss), 4) iaw (gulf, ravine), pl. ioe. Note: a homophone means ”corn”, 5) rest (ravine, cut), pl. rist (idh rist), 6) (deep cleft) falch (ravine[?]), pl. felch

rist

cleft

(-ris), no distinct pl. except with article (idh rist). Note: a homophone means ”cleaver, cutter”

cirith

cleft

(i girith, o chirith) (cutting, pass), no distinct pl. form except with article (i chirith)

criss

cleft

(i griss, o chriss, construct cris) (cut, slash), no distinct pl. form except with article (i chriss), 4) iaw (gulf, ravine), pl. ioe. Note: a homophone means ”corn”

cîl

cleft

(i gîl, o chîl) (pass between hills, gorge), no distinct pl. form except with article (i chîl), coll. pl. cíliath. A homophone means ”renewal”.

falch

cleft

(ravine[?]), pl. felch

thanc

cleft

(adj.) thanc (forked, split), pl. thainc

thanc

cleft

(forked, split), pl. thainc

akhâs

noun. chasm

A noun for “chasm” attested only in the prepositional phrase akhāsada “into chasm” (SD/247) and akhās-ada “chasm-into” (SD/311), the latter example making it clear which element means what.

Element in

• Ad. azrîya du-phursâ akhâsada “that [the] seas should gush into [the] chasm” ✧ SD/247
• Ad. azrē nai {phurusam >>} phurrusim akhās-ada “seas might-flow Chasm-into” ✧ SD/311

Variations

• akhās ✧ SD/247; SD/311

kirissi

noun. cleft

Derivations

• √KIRIS “cleave, cleave, [ᴹ√] cut, [ᴱ√] split”

Derivatives

• S. criss “cleft, cleft, [N.] cut, slash, [G.] gash; [N.] pass, [G.] gully, ravine” ✧ PE21/80

cîl

noun. cleft, pass between hills, gorge

cîl

noun. cleft, pass between hills, gorge

A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s, the equivalent of ᴹQ. kilya “cleft, pass between hills, gorge” and a derivative of ᴹ√KIL “divide” (Ety/KIL). Its most notable use was in the transient name N. Cilthoron(dor); this name eventually became S. Cirith Thoronath “Eagles’ Cleft”, so likely N. cîl became S. cirith.

Cognates

• ᴹQ. kilya “cleft, pass between hills, gorge; chasm” ✧ Ety/KIL

Derivations

• ᴹ√KIL “divide” ✧ Ety/KIL

Element in

• N. Cilgalad “Pass of Light” ✧ Ety/KIL
• N. Cilthorondor “*Eagle Cleft Land” ✧ Ety/KIL; Ety/KIL

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
ᴹ√KIL > cîl	[kīl]	✧ Ety/KIL

thanc

adjective. cleft, split, forked

criss

noun. cleft, cut, slash