mîdh

noun. dew

dew

mîdh

noun. dew, dew, *moisture, damp(ness); [ᴱN.] mist, drizzle

A Sindarin word for “dew” given as míð in the Outline of Phonology (OP2) from the 1950s as a derivative of ✶mizdē “drizzle” (PE19/101), illustrating how [[os|[z] vanished before [d] lengthening preceding vowel]] in (Old) Sindarin.

Conceptual Development: N. mîdh “dew” also appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s, already with the same derivation as given above (Ety/MIZD), though Tolkien first wrote its gloss as “fine rain” (EtyAC/MIZD). This deleted gloss seems to be a remnant of ᴱN. midh “mist, drizzle” from Early Noldorin Word-lists, but there its primitive form was ᴱ✶míye (PE13/150).

Neo-Sindarin: For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I would extend the meaning of this word to include “✱moisture, damp(ness)” in general, especially as the result of a previous rain.

Derivations

• ✶mizdē “drizzle” ✧ PE19/101
  • √MIZDI “*fine rain, dew”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶mizdē > míð	[mizdē] > [mizde] > [mīde] > [mīðe] > [mīð]	✧ PE19/101

Variations

• míð ✧ PE19/101

mîdh

dew

1) mîdh (i vîdh, construct midh), no distinct form in pl. except with article (i mîdh), 2) ross (construct ros) (foam, rain, spray [of fall or fountain]), pl. ryss (idh ryss). (Letters:282) Note: homophones mean ”reddish, russet, copper-coloured, red-haired” and also ”polished metal, glitter”.

mîdh

dew

(i vîdh, construct midh), no distinct form in pl. except with article (i mîdh)

ross

dew

(construct ros) (foam, rain, spray [of fall or fountain]), pl. ryss (idh ryss). (Letters:282) Note: homophones mean ”reddish, russet, copper-coloured, red-haired” and also ”polished metal, glitter”.