lhûn

adjective. (unknown meaning)

This word, which also appears on the map of Middle-earth in LotR, is glossed as "blue" in The Etymologies, but Tolkien later rejected this meaning (as luin was already used in that sense). He then proposed several explanations for it, including the possible adaptation of a Dwarvish name into Sindarin, but he apparently never reached a definitive solution.

lhûn

adjective. blue

Cognates

• ᴹQ. lúne “blue, blue, [ᴱQ.] deep blue” ✧ Ety/LUG²

Derivations

• ᴹ✶lugni “blue” ✧ Ety/LUG²
  • ᴹ√LUG “*blue” ✧ Ety/LUG²

Element in

• N. Eredluin “Blue Mountains” ✧ Ety/LUG²
• N. Lhûn “Blue River”
• N. Lhúnorodrim “Blue Mountains” ✧ Ety/LUG²
• N. Luindirien “Blue Towers” ✧ Ety/LUG²
• N. Tor-dilluin

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
ᴹ✶lugni > lhûn	[lugni] > [lugne] > [luŋne] > [lūne] > [lūn] > [l̥ūn]	✧ Ety/LUG²
ᴹ✶lugni > luin	[lugnī] > [lugni] > [luŋni] > [lūni] > [luin] > [l̥uin]	✧ Ety/LUG²

lhûn

place name. Blue River

Elements

Word	Gloss
lhûn	“blue”

rhû

noun. loud-sound, trumpet-sound

rhomru

noun. sound of horns

elw

adjective. (pale) blue

nella-

verb. to sound (of bells)