Quenya 

hísë

noun. mist, mist, [ᴹQ.] fog, [ᴱQ.] haze; dusk; bleared

A word for “mist” appearing as an element in several names. It is not directly attested in Tolkien’s later writings, but ᴹQ. híse “mist, fog” appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from primitive ᴹ✶khīthi, indicating a stem form of hísi- [†híþi-] (Ety/KHIS). Its continued appearance in words like Q. Hísilómë “Land of Mist” (S/118) and Q. hísilanya “mist thread” (PE17/60) indicates its ongoing validity.

Conceptual Development: ᴱQ. hīse appeared in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s as a derivative of the early root ᴱ√HISI alongside a variant ᴱQ. histe, but there it was glossed “dusk” (QL/40). In drafts of the Oilima Markirya written circa 1930 it was glossed “haze” (PE16/62) or “mist” (PE16/75; MC/221), but in the final 1931 iteration of the poem it appeared only in the very-loosely translated phrase ᴱQ. úri nienaite híse “a bleared sun”, perhaps literally “✱sun [with a] tearful mist” (MC/214). In the Declension of Nouns from the early 1930s it was “mist” (PE21/32) and in The Etymologies of the late 1930s “mist, fog” as noted above, so Tolkien seems to have stuck with the meaning “mist” thereafter.

Cognates

Derivations

  • KHITH “mist, mist, [ᴹ√] fog”

Element in

mista

grey

mista adj. "grey"; see lassemista

mista

adjective. grey

Cognates

  • S. mith “grey, light grey, pale grey”

Derivations

Element in

mísë

grey

mísë (þ, cf. Sindarin mith-) adj. "grey" (used as noun of grey clothes in the phrase mi mísë of someone clad "in grey"). The underlying stem refers a paler or whiter "grey" than sinda, making mísë "a luminous grey" (PE17:71-72)

hísië

mist, mistiness

hísië (þ) noun "mist, mistiness" (Nam, SA:hîth, PE17:73), also hísë.

hísë

mist, fog

hísë (þ) (stem #hísi- because of the primitive form ¤khīthi, cf. hísilanya, Hísilómë) (1) noun "mist, fog" (KHIS/KHITH). According to VT45:22, hísë is also the name of Tengwa #11 in the pre-classical Tengwar system presupposed in the Etymologies, but Tolkien would later call #11 harma/aha instead.

nívë

pale

nívë adj."pale" (MC:213; this is "Qenya" Tolkien's later Quenya has néca)

isca

pale

isca ("k") adj."pale" (LT1:256)

hiswa

grey

hiswa (þ) adj. "grey" (KHIS/KHITH, Narqelion)

hiswë

fog

hiswë (þ) noun "fog" (KHIS/KHITH)

luina

pale

[luina] adj. "pale" (VT45:30)

marya

pale, fallow, fawn

marya adj. "pale, fallow, fawn" (MAD)

sinda

grey

sinda (þ) adj. "grey" (PE17:72); nominal pl. Sindar used = "Grey-elves", lit. *"Grey ones"; see WJ:375. Gen. pl. Sindaron in WJ:369. With general meaning "grey" also in Sindacollo > Singollo "Grey-cloak, Thingol" (SA:thin(d), PE17:72; see also sindë, Sindicollo);†sindanórië "grey land", ablative sindanóriello "from/out of a grey country" (Nam); the reference is to a "mythical region of shadows lying at outer feet of the Mountains of Valinor" (PE17:72). However, other sources give sindë (q.v.) as the Quenya word for "grey"; perhaps sinda came to mean primarily "Grey-elf" as a noun. Derived adjective Sindarin "Grey-elven", normally used as a noun to refer to the Grey-elven language. (Appendix F)

sinda

adjective. grey

The best known Quenya word for “grey” and an element in a number of names. It is also used as a noun Sinda “Grey Elf”. Tolkien sometimes used a variant form sindë for “grey” (WJ/384; PE17/141; Ety/THIN); see that entry for details.

Cognates

  • S. thind “grey, grey, [N.] pale” ✧ PE17/072; SA/thin(d)

Derivations

  • THIN “*grey” ✧ PE17/072
  • thindā “grey” ✧ PE17/072

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ΘIN > sinda[tʰinda] > [θinda] > [sinda]✧ PE17/072
þindā > sinda[tʰindā] > [θindā] > [θinda] > [sinda]✧ PE17/072

Variations

  • Sinda ✧ PE21/77
Quenya [PE17/072; PE17/117; PE21/77; SA/thin(d)] Group: Eldamo. Published by

sindë

grey, pale or silvery grey

sindë (þ) adj. "grey, pale or silvery grey" (the Vanyarin dialect preserves the older form þindë) (WJ:384, THIN; in SA:thin(d) the form given is sinda, cf. also sindanóriello "from a grey country" in Namárië. Sindë and sinda_ are apparently variants of the same word.) _Stem sindi-, given the primitive form ¤thindi; cf. Sindicollo (q.v.)

néca

pale, vague, faint, dim to see

néca ("k") adj "pale, vague, faint, dim to see", pl. nécë ("k") in Markirya

Sindarin 

mîth

mîth

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:140] -. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

mîth

noun. *Sinda, Grey-Elf

Derivations

  • mītha “*grey” ✧ PE17/140

Element in

  • S. MithresGrey-Elf (f.)” ✧ PE17/140; PE17/140 (mithrel*)
  • S. Mithron “*Grey-Elf (m.)” ✧ PE17/140

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
mītha > mîth[mītha] > [mīth]✧ PE17/140

Variations

  • mîth ✧ PE17/140
  • maeth ✧ PE17/140
  • mith ✧ PE17/140
  • maiþ ✧ PE17/140 (maiþ)
  • mĭth ✧ PE17/140 (mĭth)
Sindarin [PE17/140] Group: Eldamo. Published by

hîth

noun. mist, fog

Sindarin [Ety/364, S/432] Group: SINDICT. Published by

hîth

noun. mist

The Sindarin word for “mist”, an element in many names, derived from the root √KHITH of the same meaning (SA/hîth; PE17/73).

Conceptual Development: N. hîth “mist” appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s, already with the derivation given above (Ety/KHIS), though when Tolkien first defined the word, he first wrote (and then deleted) the gloss “fog” (EtyAC/KHIS). In The Etymologies as published in The Lost Road, Christopher Tolkien wrote hith (LR/364), but Carl Hostetter and Patrick Wynne confirmed that the actual form was hîth in their Addenda and Corrigenda to the Etymologies (VT45/22).

Cognates

  • Q. hísië “mist, mistiness” ✧ SA/hîth
  • Q. hísë “mist, mist, [ᴹQ.] fog, [ᴱQ.] haze; dusk; bleared”

Derivations

  • KHITH “mist, mist, [ᴹ√] fog”

Element in

  • S. Hithaeglir “Misty Mountains, (lit.) Line of Misty Peaks” ✧ SA/hîth
  • S. hithlain “mist thread, grey elvish rope”
  • north S. Hithlum “Land of Mist” ✧ SA/hîth
  • S. hithren “grey”
  • S. hithui “misty”
  • S. Nen Hithoel “Mist-cool Water” ✧ RC/328; SA/hîth

Variations

  • Hith ✧ RC/328
Sindarin [RC/328; SA/hîth] Group: Eldamo. Published by

mith

adjective. (pale) grey

Sindarin [Ety/373, S/434, TC/187] Group: SINDICT. Published by

mith

grey

adj. grey, light grey. >> Mithrandir, mithril

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:47:60:140] -. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

mithren

adjective. grey

Sindarin [UT/436] Group: SINDICT. Published by

mithren

adjective. grey

Changes

  • mithrenhithren ✧ PE17/140

Element in

Elements

WordGloss
mith“grey, light grey, pale grey”
-ren“adjective suffix”
Sindarin [LotR/1064; PE17/140] Group: Eldamo. Published by

mithrim

place name. Sindar

A lake in northwest Beleriand (S/106) named after the Elves who lived there (WJ/378). This name was the inspiration for Q. Sindar (PE17/140), and is a combination of mith “grey” and the class-plural suffix -rim (SA/mith, rim).

Conceptual Development: In the earliest Lost Tales, this lake was called G. Asgon (L1T1/238, GL/20), revised to ᴱN. Mithrim towards the end of the tales (LT2/202). The form N. Mithrim appeared in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (SM/4, LR/249), and also in The Etymologies, but with its first element being N. mith “white fog, wet mist” and its second element N. rhim “cold pool or lake (in mountains)”, hence “✱Mist Lake” (Ety/MITH, RINGI). The derivation from the name of the people came later (WJ/378), perhaps inspired in the real world by Q. Sindar, the reverse of the inspiration in the fictional world.

Element in

Elements

WordGloss
mith“grey, light grey, pale grey”
-rim“collective or group plural”
Sindarin [PE17/140; SA/mith; SA/rim; SI/Mithrim; UTI/Mithrim; WJ/378; WJI/Mithrim] Group: Eldamo. Published by

hithu

noun. fog

Sindarin [Ety/364, X/W] Group: SINDICT. Published by

hithren

adjective. grey

_ adj. _grey. >> thind

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:140] -. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

hithren

adjective. grey

Elements

WordGloss
hîth“mist”
Sindarin [PE17/140] Group: Eldamo. Published by

hithlain

noun. mist-thread (a substance used by the Elves of Lothlórien to make strong ropes)

Sindarin [LotR/II:VIII, LotR/Index] hîth+lain. Group: SINDICT. Published by

thin

adjective. grey

adj. grey. Q. sinda. >> thind, Thingol, thinn

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:72:112] < _þindā_ grey. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

thend

noun. *Sinda, Grey-Elf

Changes

  • thindthend ✧ PE17/140
  • thiniðthineð ✧ PE17/141

Cognates

  • Q. Sinda “Grey-elf” ✧ PE17/141; PE17/140; PE17/141

Derivations

  • thindā “grey” ✧ PE17/141; PE17/141

Element in

  • S. Thenneth “*Grey-Elf (f.)” ✧ PE17/140; PE17/140; PE17/141; PE17/141
  • S. Thennor “*Grey-Elf (m.)” ✧ PE17/140; PE17/140; PE17/141; PE17/141

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
thindā > thenn[tʰindā] > [tʰinda] > [θinda] > [θenda] > [θend] > [θenn]✧ PE17/141
thinida > thineð[tʰinida] > [θinida] > [θineda] > [θineða] > [θineð]✧ PE17/141

Variations

  • thend ✧ PE17/140; PE17/141 (thend)
  • thind ✧ PE17/140 (thind)
  • Thinn(d) ✧ PE17/140
  • thenn ✧ PE17/141
  • Thind ✧ PE17/141
  • thineð ✧ PE17/141
  • thinið ✧ PE17/141 (thinið)
Sindarin [PE17/140; PE17/141] Group: Eldamo. Published by

thind

adjective. grey, pale

Sindarin [Ety/392, S/438] Group: SINDICT. Published by

thind

adjective. grey

adj. grey. Q. sinda. >> thin, Thingol, thinn

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:72:112:141] < _þindā_ grey. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

thind

adjective. grey

_ adj. _grey. Obsolete except in names as Thingol. >> hithren

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:140] < _þindĭ_-. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

thind

adjective. grey, grey, [N.] pale

if from þindā, why no a-affection? @@@

Cognates

  • Q. sinda “grey” ✧ PE17/072; SA/thin(d)
  • Q. sindë “grey, pale or silvery grey, grey, pale or silvery grey, [ᴹQ.] pale” ✧ PE17/141; PE17/141; PE17/141

Derivations

  • thindā “grey” ✧ PE17/072
  • thindi “grey” ✧ PE17/140; PE17/141; PE17/141
    • THIN “*grey” ✧ WJ/384

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
þindā > thin(n)[tʰindā] > [tʰinda] > [θinda] > [θind] > [θinn]✧ PE17/072
þindĭ- > thind[tʰindi] > [tʰinde] > [θinde] > [θind]✧ PE17/140
thĭndĭ > thind[tʰindi] > [θindi] > [θind] > [θinn]✧ PE17/141

Variations

  • thin(n) ✧ PE17/072; PE17/112
  • thinn ✧ PE17/141; PE17/141
  • thin(d) ✧ SA/thin(d)
Sindarin [PE17/072; PE17/112; PE17/140; PE17/141; SA/thin(d)] Group: Eldamo. Published by

thinn

adjective. grey

adj. grey. Q. sinda. >> thin, thind, Thingol

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:72:112:141] < _þindā_ grey. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

thinn

adjective. grey

_adj. _grey. Q. sinde.

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:141] < _thindi-_. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

thinn

adjective. grey

thindrim

collective name. Sindar

A Sindarin equivalent of Q. Sindar (VT41/9), a combination of thind “grey” and the class-plural suffix -rim.

Cognates

  • Q. Sinda “Grey-elf” ✧ VT41/09

Elements

WordGloss
thind“grey, grey, [N.] pale”
-rim“collective or group plural”

nimp

adjective. pale

adj. pale, pallid. nimp << nim (PE17:168). >> niphred

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:55:168] -. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

elu

pale blue

(analogical pl. ely). Archaic elw (pl. ilw?).

gael

pale

(glittering), lenited ’ael; no distinct pl. form.

hîth

mist

hîth (i chîth) (fog), no distinct pl. form, not even with article (i chîth).

hîth

mist

(i chîth) (fog), no distinct pl. form, not even with article (i chîth).

hîth

fog

1) hîth (i chîth) (mist), no distinct pl. form, not even with article (i chîth), 2) *hithu (i chithu), analogical pl. hithy (i chithy). Cited in archaic form hithw (LR:364 s.v. KHIS, KHITH), so the coll. pl. is likely hithwath.

hîth

fog

(i chîth) (mist), no distinct pl. form, not even with article (i chîth)

mith

wet mist

(i vith) (white fog), no distinct pl. form except with article (i mith). David Salo would read mîth with a long vowel. Note: a homophone is the adjective ”pale grey”. ✱

mith

white fog

(i vith) (wet mist), no distinct pl. form except with article (i mith). David Salo would read mîth with a long vowel. Note: a homophone is the adjective ”pale grey”.

mith

grey

(lenited vith; no distinct pl. form). David Salo would read mîth with a long vowel. Note: a homophone means ”white fog, wet mist”.

mith

pale grey

(lenited vith; no distinct pl. form). David Salo would read mîth with a long vowel. Note: a homophone means ”white fog, wet mist”.

mith

wet mist

mith (i vith) (white fog), no distinct pl. form except with article (i mith). David Salo would read mîth with a long vowel. Note: a homophone is the adjective ”pale grey”. *

mith

wet mist

mith (i vith) (white fog), no distinct pl. form except with article (i mith). David Salo would read mîth with a long vowel. Note: a homophone is the adjective ”pale grey”.

mith

wet mist

(i vith) (white fog), no distinct pl. form except with article (i mith). David Salo would read mîth with a long vowel. Note: a homophone is the adjective ”pale grey”.

mithren

grey

1) *mithren (lenited vithren, pl. mithrin). 2) thind (pale); no distinct pl. form. 3) (pale grey) mith (lenited vith; no distinct pl. form). David Salo would read mîth with a long vowel. Note: a homophone means ”white fog, wet mist”.

mithren

grey

(lenited vithren, pl. mithrin).

hithu

noun. fog

Derivations

  • KHITH “mist, mist, [ᴹ√] fog”
Sindarin Group: Eldamo - neologism/adaptations. Published by

hithu

fog

(i chithu), analogical pl. hithy (i chithy). Cited in archaic form hithw (LR:364 s.v. KHIS, KHITH), so the coll. pl. is likely hithwath.

maidh

pale

1) maidh (lenited vaidh; no distinct pl. form) (fallow, fawn), 2) nimp (nim-) (white); no distinct pl. form, 3) thind (grey); no distinct pl. form; 4) gael (glittering), lenited ael; no distinct pl. form. 5) *malu (lenited valu; analogical pl. mely; lenited valu) (fallow). Cited in archaic form malw (LR:386 s.v. SMAL).

maidh

pale

(lenited vaidh; no distinct pl. form) (fallow, fawn)

hithlain

mist-thread

name of a fiber made in Lórien.

thind

grey

(pale); no distinct pl. form.

thind

pale

(grey); no distinct pl. form

malu

pale

(lenited valu; analogical pl. mely; lenited valu) (fallow). Cited in archaic form malw (LR:386 s.v. SMAL).

nimp

pale

(nim-) (white); no distinct pl. form

gwind

pale blue

(lenited ’wind; no distinct pl. form).

Nandorin 

lygn

adjective. pale

Primitive form given as lugni "blue", sc. the stem LUG1 (LR:370, not defined) with an ending -ni not otherwise attested, though -i is an ending found on many primitive colour-adjectives. The ending _-i _causes umlaut u > y; compare yrc as the plural of urc "Orc". That a short original final -i is capable of causing such an umlaut at the Common Eldarin stage is somewhat surprising, since Primitive Quendian lugni should have become *lugne at this stage, and final e would hardly cause umlaut. Perhaps we are to understand that the change of final i to Common Eldarin e happened relatively late, after the Eldar had crossed the Hihtaeglir and parted with the Nandor?

Nandorin [H. Fauskanger (LR:370)] < LUG. Published by

Adûnaic

mîth

noun. baby girl, maid-child, little girl

An Adûnaic noun for “little or baby dirl” (SD/427, 437), fully declined on SD/437 as an example of a Weak I noun. It is also given as an example of a feminized noun form on SD/427.

Variations

  • mīth ✧ SD/427; SD/437; SD/438
Adûnaic [SD/427; SD/437; SD/438] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Primitive elvish

mith

root. grey

Tolkien introduced the root ᴹ√MITH in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a blending of ᴹ√MIS “✱wet” and ᴹ√KHITH “mist, fog”, with the derivative N. mith “white fog, wet mist” as in N. Mithrim “✱Mist Lake” (Ety/MITH, RINGI; EtyAC/MITH). As a later addition to this entry Tolkien wrote the adjective N. mith “grey”, and that was the more common use of this word in Tolkien’s later writings. In a 1955 letter to David Masson Tolkien specified that “usage suggests that MIÞ- is paler and whiter, a luminous grey” (PE17/72).

Derivatives

  • mītha “*grey”
    • S. Mîth “*Sinda, Grey-Elf” ✧ PE17/140
  • Q. mísë “(light) grey”
  • Q. mista “grey”
  • S. mith “grey, light grey, pale grey”

Variations

  • MIÞ ✧ PE17/072
Primitive elvish [PE17/072] Group: Eldamo. Published by

khith

root. mist, mist, [ᴹ√] fog

This root and its variants were the basis for “mist” words for much of Tolkien’s life. It first appeared as ᴱ√HISI with derivatives like ᴱQ. híse “dusk” and ᴱQ. hiswa “dim, fading” (QL/40), and as an element in ᴱQ. Hisilóme which was glossed “Shadowy Twilights” in the earliest Lost Tales (LT1/112). Thus the early root might have meant “✱dusk, dimness, shadow”. The root was probably also an element in the Gnomish equivalent Hithlum from this period (GL/20), perhaps the result of the sound change whereby [[g|[s] became [θ] before [l]]] in Gnomish.

The sense “haze” and “mist” for ᴱQ. híse first appeared in drafts of the Oilima Markirya poem (PE16/62, 75). In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien gave this root as ᴹ√KHITH with variant ᴹ√KHIS and the gloss “mist, fog”; ᴹ√KHIS was listed first but all the actual derivatives were from ᴹ√KHITH (Ety/KHIS). The root appeared again in Notes on Galadriel’s Song from the late 1950s or early 1960s as √KHIΘ “mist” (NGS, PE17/73).

Tolkien’s continued use of Q. Hísilómë and (Northern) S. Hithlum throughout his life testifies to the enduring nature of this root, though it seems to have shifted in sense from 1910s “✱shadow” to 1930s “mist”, and from s to th.

Derivatives

  • Q. hísë “mist, mist, [ᴹQ.] fog, [ᴱQ.] haze; dusk; bleared”
  • Q. hísië “mist, mistiness” ✧ PE17/073
  • S. hîth “mist”
  • ᴺS. hithu “fog”

Element in

Variations

  • KHIΘ ✧ PE17/073; PE17/157
Primitive elvish [PE17/073; PE17/157] Group: Eldamo. Published by

thini

adjective. grey

thindi

adjective. grey

Changes

  • thinidethinida ✧ PE17/141
  • thinidithĭndĭ ✧ PE17/141

Derivations

  • THIN “*grey” ✧ WJ/384

Derivatives

  • Q. sindë “grey, pale or silvery grey, grey, pale or silvery grey, [ᴹQ.] pale” ✧ PE17/141; PE17/141; PE17/141; WJ/384
  • S. thind “grey, grey, [N.] pale” ✧ PE17/140; PE17/141; PE17/141
  • Van. thindë “grey, pale or silvery grey” ✧ WJ/384

Variations

  • þindĭ- ✧ PE17/140
  • thindi- ✧ PE17/141
  • thĭndĭ ✧ PE17/141
  • thinide ✧ PE17/141 (thinide)
  • thinidi ✧ PE17/141 (thinidi)
  • thini ✧ PE21/81
Primitive elvish [PE17/140; PE17/141; PE21/81; WJ/384] Group: Eldamo. Published by

thindā

adjective. grey

Derivations

Derivatives

  • Q. Sinda “Grey-elf” ✧ PE17/141; PE17/141
  • Q. sinda “grey” ✧ PE17/072
  • S. Thend “*Sinda, Grey-Elf” ✧ PE17/141; PE17/141
  • S. thind “grey, grey, [N.] pale” ✧ PE17/072

Variations

  • þindā ✧ PE17/072
  • thinida ✧ PE17/141
Primitive elvish [PE17/072; PE17/141; PE21/81] Group: Eldamo. Published by

stin

root. grey

Primitive elvish [PE17/184; PE17/186] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Noldorin 

hîth

noun. mist

Changes

  • hîthhîth “fog” ✧ Ety/KHIS

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. híse “mist, fog” ✧ Ety/KHIS

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶khīthi “mist, fog” ✧ Ety/KHIS
    • ᴹ√KHITH “mist, fog” ✧ Ety/KHIS

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶khīt(h)i > hîth[kʰītʰi] > [kʰītʰe] > [xītʰe] > [xīθe] > [xīθ] > [hīθ]✧ Ety/KHIS

Variations

  • hith ✧ EtyAC/KHIS
  • Hith ✧ TI/124
Noldorin [Ety/KHIS; EtyAC/KHIS; TI/124] Group: Eldamo. Published by

mith

noun. white fog, wet mist

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

mith

adjective. (pale) grey

Noldorin [Ety/373, S/434, TC/187] Group: SINDICT. Published by

mith

adjective. grey

Derivations

  • ᴹ√MITH “*mist, grey” ✧ Ety/MITH

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√MITH > mith[mitʰe] > [miθe] > [miθ]✧ Ety/MITH

Variations

  • mith ✧ Ety/MITH
Noldorin [Ety/MITH] Group: Eldamo. Published by

hith

noun. mist, fog

Noldorin [Ety/364, S/432] Group: SINDICT. Published by

hithw

noun. fog

Noldorin [Ety/364, X/W] Group: SINDICT. Published by

hithw

noun. fog

A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s given as N. {heðw >>} hithw “fog” derived from primitive ᴹ✶khithme under the root ᴹ√KHITH “mist, fog” (Ety/KHIS; EtyAC/KHIS).

Conceptual Development: G. huith “fog” from the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s is a likely precursor (GL/49), perhaps derived from a (hypothetical) early root ✱ᴱ√HUYU.

Neo-Sindarin: If adapted to Neo-Sindarin, this word would become ᴺS. hithu, as suggested in HSD (HSD).

Changes

  • heðwhithw ✧ Ety/KHIS

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. hiswe “fog” ✧ Ety/KHIS

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶khithme “fog” ✧ Ety/KHIS
    • ᴹ√KHITH “mist, fog” ✧ Ety/KHIS

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶khithme > hithw[kʰitʰme] > [kʰitʰwe] > [xitʰwe] > [xiθwe] > [xiθw] > [hiθw] > [hiθu]✧ Ety/KHIS

Variations

  • heðw ✧ EtyAC/KHIS (heðw)
Noldorin [Ety/KHIS; EtyAC/KHIS] Group: Eldamo. Published by

maidh

adjective. pale, fallow, fawn

Noldorin [Ety/371, X/EI] Group: SINDICT. Published by

meidh

adjective. pale, fallow, fawn

Noldorin [Ety/371, X/EI] Group: SINDICT. Published by

mid

adjective. grey

Element in

Noldorin [AotH/056] Group: Eldamo. Published by

thind

adjective. grey, pale

Noldorin [Ety/392, S/438] Group: SINDICT. Published by

thinn

adjective. grey, pale

Noldorin [Ety/392, S/438] Group: SINDICT. Published by

nim-

adjective. pale, white

Noldorin [Ety/378] Group: SINDICT. Published by

nimp

adjective. pale, white

Noldorin [Ety/378] Group: SINDICT. Published by

nimp

adjective. pale

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. ninqe “white” ✧ Ety/NIK-W

Derivations

  • ᴹ√NIK(W) “*snow; white” ✧ Ety/NIK-W

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√NIK-W > nimp[niŋkwi] > [niŋkwe] > [nimpe] > [nimpʰe] > [nimɸe] > [nimfe] > [nimf] > [nimp] > [nimp]✧ Ety/NIK-W
Noldorin [Ety/NIK-W] Group: Eldamo. Published by

gael

adjective. pale, glimmering

Noldorin [Ety/358] Group: SINDICT. Published by

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!

Qenya 

hiswa

adjective. grey, grey [of weather], *foggy, overcast; [ᴱQ.] dim, fading

This word is glossed “grey” in The Etymologies, but perhaps means “✱foggy, overcast”, since Sindarin cognate hethw means “foggy, obscure, vague” and related noun hiswë means “fog”. @@@

Cognates

  • N. hethw “foggy, obscure, vague” ✧ Ety/KHIS
  • Ilk. hedhu “grey” ✧ Ety/KHIS

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶khithwa ✧ Ety/KHIS
    • ᴹ√KHITH “mist, fog” ✧ Ety/KHIS

Elements

WordGloss
hiswe“fog”
-a“adjectival suffix”

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶khithwa > hiswa[kʰitʰwa] > [kʰiθwa] > [xiθwa] > [hiθwa] > [hiswa]✧ Ety/KHIS

hiswe

noun. fog

A noun for “fog” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from primitive ᴹ✶khithme under the root ᴹ√KHITH “mist, fog” (Ety/KHIS; EtyAC/KHIS).

Neo-Quenya: The phonetic developments thm > þm̌ > þw > sw were consistent with Quenya phonology of the 1930s (PE19/44), but sometime around 1960, or shortly before, Tolkien revised these rules as discussed in the entry on the phonetic development of voiceless stops and aspirates before nasals (PE19/87 plus p. 88 note #88). I personally prefer the pre-1960 rules, and would retain this form for Neo-Quenya. If, however, you prefer the later rules, you should (a) stick to Q. hísë for both “mist” and “fog”, (b) revise this word to ᴺQ. ✱hitwe to fit later phonology, or (c) assume the primitive form was ✱khithwē rather than ᴹ✶khithme.

Cognates

  • Ilk. hidhum “fog” ✧ Ety/KHIS
  • N. hithw “fog” ✧ Ety/KHIS

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶khithme “fog” ✧ Ety/KHIS
    • ᴹ√KHITH “mist, fog” ✧ Ety/KHIS

Element in

  • ᴹQ. hiswa “grey, grey [of weather], *foggy, overcast; [ᴱQ.] dim, fading”

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶khithme > hiswe[kʰitʰme] > [kʰitʰwe] > [xitʰwe] > [xiθwe] > [hiθwe] > [hiswe]✧ Ety/KHIS

luina

adjective. pale

Cognates

  • Ilk. lûn “pale” ✧ EtyAC/LUY

Derivations

  • ᴹ√LUG “*blue” ✧ EtyAC/LUY

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√LUY > luina[luina]✧ EtyAC/LUY

Doriathrin

thind

adjective. grey

An adjective for “grey” derived from primitive ᴹ✶thindi (Ety/THIN) because primitive final vowels vanished in Ilkorin.

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. sinde “grey, pale” ✧ Ety/THIN

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶thindi “pallid, grey, wan” ✧ Ety/THIN
    • ᴹ√THIN “*grey” ✧ Ety/THIN

Element in

  • Ilk. Thind ✧ Ety/THIN
  • Ilk. Thingol “*Grey-wise” ✧ Ety/THIN

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶thindi > thind[tʰindi] > [tʰinde] > [θinde] > [θind]✧ Ety/THIN
Doriathrin [Ety/THIN] Group: Eldamo. Published by

hedhu

adjective. grey

A Doriathrin adjective for “grey” written heðu in The Etymologies, and derived from the primitive form ᴹ✶khithwa [kʰitʰwa] (Ety/KHIS). This word illustrates several interesting phonetic changes in Ilkorin.

  • The [[ilk|[i] became [e] before the final [a]]].

  • Both the aspirates became voiceless spirants: [kʰ-] > [x-] and [-tʰ-] > [-θ-].

  • Later the [[ilk|initial [x-] became [h-]]].

  • Meanwhile the [[ilk|medial [-θ-] voiced to [-ð-]]] (“dh”).

  • The [[ilk|primitive final [a] was lost]].

  • Afterwards, the resulting [[ilk|final [w] became [u]]].

In most other Doriathrin words, a [[ilk|final [u] from [w] further developed into [o]]]; it is unclear why this change did not occur here.

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. hiswa “grey, grey [of weather], *foggy, overcast; [ᴱQ.] dim, fading” ✧ Ety/KHIS

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶khithwa ✧ Ety/KHIS
    • ᴹ√KHITH “mist, fog” ✧ Ety/KHIS

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶khithwa > heðu[kʰitʰwa] > [kʰetʰwa] > [xetʰwa] > [xeθwa] > [xeθw] > [xeðw] > [heðw] > [heðu]✧ Ety/KHIS

Variations

  • heðu ✧ Ety/KHIS (Dor. heðu); EtyAC/KHIS (Dor. heðu)
Doriathrin [Ety/KHIS; EtyAC/KHIS] Group: Eldamo. Published by

hidhum

noun. fog

A Doriathrin noun for “fog” written hiðum in The Etymologies, and derived from the primitive form ᴹ✶khithme [kʰitʰme] (Ety/KHIS, EtyAC/KHIS). This word illustrates several interesting phonetic changes in Ilkorin.

  • Both the aspirates became voiceless spirants: [kʰ-] > [x-] and [-tʰ-] > [-θ-].

  • Later the [[ilk|initial [x-] became [h-]]].

  • Meanwhile the [[ilk|medial [-θ-] voiced to [-ð-]]] (“dh”).

  • The [[ilk|primitive final [e] was lost]].

  • Afterwards, the resulting [[ilk|final [m] became syllabic and developed into [-um]]].

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. hiswe “fog” ✧ Ety/KHIS

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶khithme “fog” ✧ Ety/KHIS
    • ᴹ√KHITH “mist, fog” ✧ Ety/KHIS

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶khithme > hiðum[kʰitʰme] > [xitʰme] > [xiθme] > [xiθm] > [xiðm] > [hiðm] > [hiðum]✧ Ety/KHIS

Variations

  • hiðum ✧ EtyAC/KHIS (Dor. hiðum)
Doriathrin [EtyAC/KHIS] Group: Eldamo. Published by

lûn

adjective. pale

A Doriathrin adjective for “pale” derived from primitive ᴹ✶lugni, a revision of the form luin that appeared in The Etymologies as published in The Lost Road (Ety/LUG², EtyAC/LUG²). The revision of [ui] >> [ū] probably reflects Tolkien’s vacillation on how primitive [[ilk|[g] vocalized before [m], [n]]] in Ilkorin. The earlier form of this word might an element in the name Draugluin “Werewolf” (LR/134), which in earlier writings was glossed “Werewolf Pale” (LB/205). The early Noldorin word ᴱN. lhui “pale” might be a precursor to it (PE13/149).

Changes

  • luinlūn “pale” ✧ EtyAC/LUG²

Cognates

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

Derivations

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

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶lugni > luin[lugni] > [lugne] > [luine] > [luin]✧ Ety/LUG²
ᴹ✶lugni > lūn[lugni] > [lugne] > [lūne] > [lūn]✧ Ety/LUG²

Variations

  • luin ✧ Ety/LUG² (Dor. luin); EtyAC/LUY (Dor. luin)
  • lūn ✧ EtyAC/LUG² (Dor. lūn)
Doriathrin [Ety/LUG²; EtyAC/LUG²; EtyAC/LUY] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Ossriandric

lygn

adjective. pale

An adjective for “pale” developed from primitive ᴹ✶lugni (Ety/LUG²). It seems that this word underwent [[dan|i-mutation of [u] to [y]]], as in the plural yrc of Dan. urc. However, it is known that [[mp|short final [i] became [e]]] in Common Eldarin, so that ᴹ✶lugni became ᴹ✶lugne before the divergence of these languages, making the i-mutation difficult to explain (as noted by Helge Fauskanger, AL-Nandorin/lygn). One possible explanation is that the short final [ĕ] either [[dan|reverted to [i] or did not change in the first place]] in the Danian branch of Eldarin.

Cognates

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

Derivations

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

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶lugni > lygn[lugni] > [lugne] > [lugni] > [lygni] > [lygn]✧ Ety/LUG²
Ossriandric [Ety/LUG²] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Middle Primitive Elvish

khithme

noun. fog

Derivations

  • ᴹ√KHITH “mist, fog” ✧ Ety/KHIS

Derivatives

  • Ilk. hidhum “fog” ✧ Ety/KHIS
  • ᴹQ. hiswe “fog” ✧ Ety/KHIS
  • N. hithw “fog” ✧ Ety/KHIS
Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/KHIS] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Gnomish

huith

noun. fog

Cognates

Derivations

  • ᴱ√HUYU “*fog”

Element in

musc

adjective. grey

Early Ilkorin

slíw

adjective. pale

Cognates

  • En. lhui “pale” ✧ PE13/149

Derivations

  • ᴱ✶sleiwa “pale” ✧ PE13/149
Early Ilkorin [PE13/149] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Noldorin

lhui

adjective. pale

Changes

  • lhuilhui “pale” ✧ PE13/149

Cognates

  • Eilk. slíw “pale” ✧ PE13/149
  • Eq. laiwa “pale” ✧ PE13/149
  • Et. líva ✧ PE13/149

Derivations

  • ᴱ✶sleiwa “pale” ✧ PE13/149

Element in

Early Noldorin [PE13/149] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Primitive Elvish

mẓđē

noun. mist

Derivatives

  • Eq. mirde “mist” ✧ PE12/014
Early Primitive Elvish [PE12/014] Group: Eldamo. Published by

sleiwa

adjective. pale

Derivatives

  • En. lhui “pale” ✧ PE13/149
  • Eilk. slíw “pale” ✧ PE13/149
  • Eq. laiwa “pale” ✧ PE13/149
  • Et. líva ✧ PE13/149
Early Primitive Elvish [PE13/149] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Quenya

mirde

noun. mist

Derivations

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ✶mẓđē > mirde[mẓðē] > [mẓðe] > [mizðe] > [mizde] > [mirde]✧ PE12/014
Early Quenya [PE12/014] Group: Eldamo. Published by

qosse

noun. mist

A word for “mist” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s derived from the early root ᴱ√QOŘO [QOÐO] or ᴱ√QOSO (QL/78), also appearing in the contemporaneous Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/78).

Derivations

  • ᴱ√QOÐO “*choke, suffocate, drown” ✧ QL/078

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√QOŘO > qosse[kʷoðsē] > [kʷoðse] > [kʷozse] > [kʷosse]✧ QL/078
Early Quenya [PME/078; QL/078] Group: Eldamo. Published by

níva

adjective. pale

Element in

Early Quenya [MC/213] Group: Eldamo. Published by

laiwa

adjective. pale

Cognates

  • En. lhui “pale” ✧ PE13/149

Derivations

  • ᴱ✶sleiwa “pale” ✧ PE13/149

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ✶sleiwa > laiwa[sleiwā] > [sleiwa] > [leiwa] > [laiwa]✧ PE13/149
Early Quenya [PE13/149] Group: Eldamo. Published by

usqe

noun. fog

Cognates

  • G. usc “fog, mist” ✧ GL/75

Derivations

  • ᴱ√ṢQṢ “*fog, mist” ✧ QL/098

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√ṢQṢ > USQE[ṣkʷē] > [ṣkʷe] > [uskʷe]✧ QL/098

Variations

  • USQE ✧ QL/098
Early Quenya [GL/75; QL/098] Group: Eldamo. Published by