The hill where Minas Tirith was built, translated “Hill of Guard” (RC/772). It is a combination of amon “hill” and tirith “watch, guard”.
Sindarin
minas tirith
place name. Tower of Guard, Tower of Watch
amon tirith
place name. Hill of Guard
a tiro nin, fanuilos
o guard me, Elbereth
tir-
verb. to look (towards), watch (over), guard, to look (towards), watch (over), guard; [G.] to look (out) for, watch for, await, expect
tirith
noun. watching, guarding, watch, ward, guard
tiria-
verb. to watch, gaze; to ward, guard
tirith
noun. watch, guard (abstract noun), vigilance
tirith
guard, guarding
(i dirith, o thirith) (guard, guarding, vigilance), no distinct pl. form except with article (i thirith)
tir-
guard
_(verb) 1) tir- (cited in the form _tiri, a ”Noldorin” infinitive in -i) (i dîr, i thirir) (watch over, gaze, look at, look towards). The imperative tiro and passive participle [t]irnen are attested, the latter in lenited form dirnen. 2) tiria- (watch, gaze, look toward) (i diria, i thiriar)
tir-
guard
(cited in the form tiri, a ”Noldorin” infinitive in -i) (i dîr, i thirir) (watch over, gaze, look at, look towards). The imperative tiro and passive participle [t]irnen are attested, the latter in lenited form dirnen. 2) tiria- (watch, gaze, look toward) (i diria, i thiriar)
tirith
guard, guarding
(abstract noun) tirith (i dirith, o thirith) (guard, guarding, vigilance), no distinct pl. form except with article (i thirith)
Minas Tirith
noun. tower watch
minas (“tower, fort”), tirith (“watch, guard, vigilance”)
tirith
watch
{1st ĭ}_n._watch, ward, guard. >> tíria, Minas Tirith
tir-
watch
(cited in the form tiri, a ”Noldorin” infinitive in -i) (i dîr, i thirir) (guard, gaze, look at, look towards). The imperative tiro and passive participle [t]irnen are attested, the latter in lenited form dirnen.
tir-
watch (over)
tir- (cited in the form tiri, a ”Noldorin” infinitive in -i) (i dîr, i thirir) (guard, gaze, look at, look towards). The imperative tiro and passive participle [t]irnen are attested, the latter in lenited form dirnen.
tiria
watch
- tiria- (guard, gaze, look toward) (i diria, i thiriar). 2)
tiria
watch
(guard, gaze, look toward) (i diria, i thiriar).
tirith
watch, watching
(i dirith, o thirith) (guard, guarding, vigilance), no distinct pl. form except with article (i thirith)
hebin
verb. I keep, I have kept
Because of the mutation triggered by the first person pronominal ending, it is impossible to guess whether the stem of this should be heb-, hab- or hob-. The root KHEP listed in VT/41:6 apparently implies that heb- is the correct form
band
safekeeping
(i mand, o mband; construct ban) (custody, prison, duress, doom, hell), pl. baind (i mbaind), coll. pl. bannath.
gartha
keep
(defend) (i ’artha, i ngarthar = i ñarthar). Noun
heb
keep
(verb) 1) heb- (i chêb, i chebir) (retain); 2) gartha- (defend) (i **artha, i ngarthar** = i ñarthar). Noun
heb
keep
(i chêb, i chebir) (retain)
The name of Minas Anor after the resurgence of Mordor, translated “Tower of Guard” (LotR/245) or “Tower of Watch” (PE17/31). The name was also used for a stronghold of the Noldor on Tol Sirion in Beleriand (S/120). This name is a combination of minas “tower” and tirith “watching, guarding” (SA/minas, tir; PE17/31).
Conceptual Development: As a tower of the Noldor, Tolkien first used the name N. Inglormindon, but revised it to N. Minnastirith (LR/146), translated “Watchtower” (LR/264). The form Minnas-tirith also appeared in The Etymologies (Ety/TIR). In Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, Tolkien considered a variety of names for the capital of Gondor before settling on N. Minas Tirith (TI/115-6), which he initially translated as “Tower of Guard” (TI/127).