mith

noun. white fog, wet mist

A word in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “white fog, wet mist” derived from the root ᴹ√MITH (Ety/MITH). As a later addition to this entry, Tolkien instead gave N. mith “grey”, and that was how this word was typically used in Tolkien’s later writings.

mith

adjective. grey

mith

noun. white fog, wet mist

mith

adjective. (pale) grey

mitheithel

place name. Hoarwell

mithlond

place name. ?Grey Havens, Grey Gulf

mithrandir

masculine name. Grey Wanderer/Pilgrim

mithrim

place name. *Mist Lake

mithril

noun. *true-silver

mithren

adjective. small

hith

noun. mist, fog

meth

noun. end

meth

noun. end

hîth

noun. mist

thilevril

noun. *true-silver

brona-

verb. to last, to survive

celeb

noun. silver

celeb

noun. silver

celebren

adjective. like silver (in hue or worth)

celefn

adjective. of silver

celevon

adjective. of silver

erceleb

noun. *true-silver

gael

adjective. pale, glimmering

hithw

noun. fog

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).

ithil

noun. Moria-silver, true-silver

maidh

adjective. pale, fallow, fawn

meidh

adjective. pale, fallow, fawn

methen

adjective. end, final

mid

adjective. grey

mîw

adjective. small, tiny, frail

nim-

adjective. pale, white

nimp

adjective. pale, white

nimp

adjective. pale

rhaud

noun. metal

rhaud

noun. metal

tele

noun. end, rear, hindmost part

thind

adjective. grey, pale

thinn

adjective. grey, pale

tinc

noun. metal

tinc

noun. metal

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).

mītha

adjective. *grey

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.

kyelep

root. silver

This root and ones like it were used for Elvish words for “silver” throughout Tolkien’s life. The earliest iteration of the root began with T-, however, appearing as unglossed ᴱ√TELEPE in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like ᴱQ. telpe “silver” (QL/91). Even at this early stage, however, the Gnomish equivalent was G. celeb (GL/25), but the reason for the t/c variation isn’t clear. The closest explanation is that palatal consonants like [c] became [tʲ] in Qenya vs. [k] in Gnomish (compare ᴱQ. tyava- vs. caf- “taste” from ᴱ√TYAVA) but this doesn’t explain why the Qenya form has initial t- rather than ty-.

Elsewhere in the Elvish languages of the 1910s there seem to be etymological variations of [k] vs. [t], such as ᴱQ. kitya- vs. G. tisca- “tickle” (QL/47; GL/70) and ᴱQ. talqe vs. G. celc “glass” (QL/88; GL/25), so perhaps ᴱQ. telpe vs. G. celeb “silver” is another example of this. Another explanation appeared in Early Noldorin word lists from the 1920s, where the primitive form was ᴱ✶kelekwé which produced ᴱN. celeb as usual but the Qenya form was ᴱQ. telqe with “k = t by dissimilation” (PE13/140), presumably away from q.

In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien had the root ᴹ√KYELEP with variant ᴹ√TELEP, producing N. celeb but ᴹQ. tyelpe or ᴹQ. telpe (Ety/KYELEP). But Tolkien revised this entry, marking ᴹ√TELEP as questionable and introducing the Telerin form ᴹT. telpe < ᴹ√KYELEP, concluding that ᴹQ. telpe must be a loan from Telerin. This finally put N. celeb vs. ᴹQ. telpe (borrowed from Telerin) on a solid phonological foundation. Tolkien seems to have stuck with this explanation, mentioning this borrowing from Telerin to Quenya several times in his later writings, with the proper but now archaic Quenya form being Q. †tyelpë (Let/426; PM/356; UT/266).

kyelepē

noun. silver

nik

root. small

One of various roots for “small” Tolkien used in his later writings. The root √NIK “small” first appeared in notes on Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals from the late 1960s (VT47/26; VT48/18), but was connected to the diminutive suffix ✶-i(n)ki which had a much longer conceptual history. One of the earliest known diminutive suffix was ᴱQ. -íne(a) in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s from the root ᴱ√INI “small” (QL/42), which might be a precursor to √NIK; these suffixes reappeared in the Early Qenya Grammar of the 1920s (PE14/49, 81). In the Gnomish Grammar of the 1910s, the word G. inc “small” was used as the basis for the “diminutive superlative” -inci (PE11/16).

In the Qenya Lexicon, Tolkien connected ᴱ√INI “small” to the root ᴱ√MINI of similar meaning (QL/42, 61). There are no signs of ᴱ√MINI “small” in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon, but the word G. migin “little” (GL/57) hints at a (hypothetical) variant root ✱ᴱ√MIKI. Further support for ✱ᴱ√MIKI can be found in other diminutive forms in the Early Qenya Grammar of the 1920s such as prefixal diminutive ᴱQ. mike- along adverbial ᴱQ. mike “little” (QL/48, 81), the latter appearing with the gloss “a bit” in the English-Qenya Dictionary from this period (PE15/70) along with other similar words in both the dictionary and the grammar. This ✱ᴱ√MIKI might be another precursor to √NIK. An early hint at √NIK itself might appear in the word ᴹQ. nikse “minnow, little fish” from the Declension of Nouns from the early 1930s (PE21/27).

In Noldorin and Sindarin, the primary diminutive suffix became -eg, which was connected to the Common Eldarin suffix -iki elsewhere in notes on hands and fingers (VT47/14 note #21). In the notes where √NIK “small” appeared in the late 1960s, Tolkien gave the primitive diminutive as -inkĭ along with variants ikki, -iksi, -si, -ensi, -ki.

One of the main competing roots for “small” was ᴹ√PIK [see the entry for √PI(N)], itself with a lengthy conceptual history. The shift of pitya >> nitya “little” in the father name of Amrod from the late 1960s may represent a replacement of √PIK by √NIK (PM/365), but I think it is likelier the two roots coexisted with slightly different meanings, as was the case for their earlier precursors. In the notes from the late 1960s, √NIK was also contrasted with √NIP “small (usually with connotation of weakness)” (VT48/18), from which the word S. niben “petty” was derived, as in S. Nogoth Niben (WJ/388).

Neo-Eldarin: For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I would assume √NIK meant “small” in a neutral sense, √PIK “tiny” (along with variants √PĪ and √PIN) and √NIP “small and weak”. I would use these as the major Eldarin roots for “small” words, along with a number of other more specialized roots.

nimpĭ

adjective. small

ninkĭ

adjective. small

stin

root. grey

thin

root. *grey

Tolkien introduced the (unglossed) root ᴹ√THIN in The Etymologies of the 1930s with derivatives like ᴹQ. sinde/N. thinn “grey, pale” and ᴹQ. sinta-/N. †thinna- “fade” (Ety/THIN). In this document it was the basis for the name Ilk. Thingol; in earlier writings from the 1920s the name ᴱN. Thingol was based on the word ᴱN. thing “prince” (PE13/154). The root √THIN or √ΘIN was mentioned a couple times in Tolkien’s later writings as the basis for “grey” words (PE17/72; WJ/384). In a note from the mid-1960s Tolkien considered making the root √STIN the basis for “grey”, as a privative formation = √S-TIN = “without sparkling” (PE17/184), but I think this was a transient idea.

thindi

adjective. grey

thindā

adjective. grey

thini

adjective. grey

mith

grey

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

mith

adjective. grey, light grey, pale grey

mith

adjective. (pale) grey

mithril

mithril

n. >> mith, ril

mithrellas

feminine name. Mithrellas

Elf-maiden wife of Imrazôr (UT/248, PM/222). The meaning of her name is unclear, but it might a combination of mithren “grey” and lass “leaf” (as suggested by David Salo, GS/355).

mithrimin

proper name. Mithrimin

A name for the Sindarin dialect spoken around Mithrim (PE17/134), also known as North Sindarin.

mithron

mithron

pl1. mithryn

mithir

mithir

. This gloss was rejected.

mithrel

mithrel

. This gloss was rejected.

mithril

mithril

. This gloss was rejected.

mithrim

mithrim

mithrin

mithrin

mitheithel

place name. Hoarwell, (lit.) Grey Spring

Sindarin name of the river Hoarwell (LotR/200), also translated “Hoary Spring” (RC/15), a combination of mith “grey” and eithel “spring” (RC/772; SA/mith, eithel).

Conceptual Development: This name was already N. Mitheithel when it first appeared in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s (TI/14).

mithlond

place name. Grey Havens

Sindarin name of the Grey Havens (LotR/1030), a combination of mith “grey” and lond “haven” (SA/mith, londë).

Conceptual Development: When it first appeared in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, this name was given as N. Mithond (per Christopher Tolkien probably a slip), later revised to Mithrond and finally N. Mithlond (WR/80, note #16). The gloss of this name on the early maps of the Lord of the Rings is unclear, and instead could be “Grey Gulf” (TI/423).

mithrandir

masculine name. Grey Pilgrim, Grey Wanderer

Sindarin name of Gandalf, translated “Grey Pilgrim” (LotR/670) or “Grey Wanderer” (LotR/827). This name is a combination of mith “grey” and randir “wanderer, pilgrim” (SA/mith, PE17/60, VT42/13).

Conceptual Development: When this name first appeared in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, it was already N. Mithrandir with the translations given above (TI/251).

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.

Mitheithel

noun. hoarwell

mith (“grey”) + eithel (“spring, well”)

Mithlond

noun. Grey Havens

mith (“grey”) + lond (“entrance to harbour, land-locked haven”)

Mithrandir

noun. grey wanderer

mith (“grey”) + ran (“wander, stray”) + dîr (“man, adult male”)

Mithrandir

noun. 'Grey Pilgrim'

prop. n. 'Grey Pilgrim', a name of Gandalf. >> mith, randir

mithril

noun. silver-like metal

mith (“grey”) + rill (“brilliance”)

mithrim

noun. grey elves

mith (“grey”) + rim (collective plural suffix)

mithrim

noun. grey cold lake

mith (“grey”) + rimb (“cold pool or lake”)

mithril

noun. Moria-silver, true-silver

mithren

adjective. grey

mîth

noun. *Sinda, Grey-Elf

mithres

noun. *Grey-Elf (f.)

mithren

adjective. grey

mithril

noun. true-silver, a silver-like metal

mithron

noun. *Grey-Elf (m.)

meth

adjective. last, last; [N.] end

mith

white fog

mith (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

white fog

mith (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

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

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”.

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

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

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”.

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”.

mithril

true-silver

” (a metal found principally in Moria) mithril (i vithril), no distinct pl. form except with article (i mithril); coll. pl. mithrillath if there are any plural forms. (The Sindarin word seems to mean *”grey brilliance”.)

mithril

true-silver

(a metal found principally in Moria) mithril (i vithril), no distinct pl. form except with article (i mithril); coll. pl. mithrillath if there are any plural forms.

mithren

grey

(lenited vithren, pl. mithrin).

mithril

copper, gold,  iron, silver

(i** vithril, no distinct pl. form except with article [i** mithril], coll. pl. ?mithrillath). The description of mithril may seem to fit titanium.

mithril

true-silver

(i vithril), no distinct pl. form except with article (i mithril); coll. pl. mithrillath if there are any plural forms.

meth

end

(noun) 1) meth (i veth), pl. mith (i mith). Note: the word is also used as an adjective ”last”. 2) (rear, hindmost part) tele (i dele, o thele), pl. teli (i theli). In ”Noldorin”, the pl. was telei (LR:392 s.v. TELES). 3) ( maybe primarily ”last point in line; last of a series of items”) #methed (i vethed), pl. methid (i methid). Isolated from the name Methedras, the last in a line of mountain peaks.

meth

end

(i veth), pl. mith (i mith). Note: the word is also used as an adjective ”last”.

meth

last

(lenited veth, pl. mith). Note: the word is also used as a noun ”end”.

mítha-

verb. to kiss

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).

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).

medui

last

(adjective) 1) medui (lenited vedui; no distinct pl. form), 2) meth (lenited veth, pl. mith). Note: the word is also used as a noun ”end”.

brona

last

(verb) 1) brona- (survive) (i vrona, i mronar), 2) dartha- (i dhartha, i narthar) (stay, wait, remain, endure) (VT45:8)

celeb

silver

1) (noun) celeb (i geleb, o cheleb), pl. celib (i chelib) if there is a pl. form. 2) (adj., "of/like silver") celebren (lenited gelebren, pl. celebrin; also celebrin- as first element of compounds, as in Celebrindal). Also celefn (lenited gelefn, pl. celifn). As for ”silver” as adjective, see also SHINING WHITE. Adj.

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.

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).

methen

end

(adj.) methen (lenited vethen; pl. methin) (VT45:34)

mîw

small

1) mîw (tiny, frail), lenited vîw, no distinct pl. form, 2) niben (petty), pl. nibin. Also used as a name for the the little finger. (VT48:6) 3) SMALL (and frail) nimp, no distinct pl. form (VT48:18)

tinc

metal

tinc (i dinc, o thinc), no distinct pl. form except with article (i thinc), coll. pl. tingath. The word rhaud “metal” occurring in the Etymologies would normally be ”updated” to Sindarin in the form raud, but since raud appears with different meanings in later sources (see

celeb

noun. silver

celeb

silver

_n. _silver. >> Celebdil, Celebrant, celebrin

celeb

noun. silver

cidinn

adjective. small

_ adj. _small. Q. cinta.

cinnog

adjective. small

_ adj. _small. Q. cinta.

hithlain

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

hithren

adjective. grey

_ adj. _grey. >> thind

hithren

adjective. grey

hithu

noun. fog

hîth

noun. mist, fog

ithildin

noun. a silver-colored substance, which mirrors only starlight and moonlight

medui

adjective. end

adj. end, final, last. Ai na vedui Dúnadan. Mae g'ovannen. 'Ah! At last, Dúnadan ! Well met !'. m > v after preposition.

medui

adjective. last

methed

noun. end

methed

noun. end

This word is attested in later writings as an element in the names Methed-en-Glad “End of the Wood” and possibly Methedras “Last Peak” (of the Misty Mountains). The latter name first appeared in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s as N. Methen Amon and Methendol (TI/404), making it likely that methed is a revision from the earlier adjective N. methen (Ety/MET).

This new form likely changed from an adjective to a noun, since -ed/-ad is usually a gerundal suffix in Sindarin (forming nouns from verbs). This word is clearly a noun in the name Methed-en-Glad, and could also be a noun in Methedras (= “Peak of the End?”).

niben

adjective. small, petty

niben

adjective. little finger (Elvish play-name used by and taught to children)

nimp

adjective. small and frail

nimp

adjective. pale

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

raud

noun. metal

raud

noun. metal

thend

noun. *Sinda, Grey-Elf

thenneth

noun. *Grey-Elf (f.)

thennor

noun. *Grey-Elf (m.)

thin

adjective. grey

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

thind

adjective. grey, pale

thind

adjective. grey

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

thind

adjective. grey

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

thind

adjective. grey, grey, [N.] pale

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

thindrim

collective name. Sindar

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

thinn

adjective. grey

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

thinn

adjective. grey

_adj. _grey. Q. sinde.

thinn

adjective. grey

aew

small bird

. No distinct pl. form.

brona

last

(survive) (i vrona, i mronar)

dartha

last

(i dhartha, i narthar) (stay, wait, remain, endure) (VT45:8)

elu

pale blue

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

gael

pale

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

galvorn

copper, gold,  iron, silver

(i** ’alvorn, pl. gelvyrn [in ngelvyrn*] if there is a pl.), a black metal made by the Dark Elf Eöl. (WJ:322)*

glâd

small forest

(i ’lâd, construct glad) (wood), pl. glaid (in glaid).

gwind

pale blue

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

hithlain

mist-thread

name of a fiber made in Lórien.

hithu

noun. fog

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.

hîth

fog

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

hûb

small landlocked bay

(i chûb, o chûb, construct hub) (harbour, haven), pl. huib (i chuib).

lanc

sudden end

(sharp edge, sudden end, brink), pl. lainc, coll. pl. langath.

maidh

pale

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

malu

pale

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

manadh

final end

(i vanadh) (fate, fortune [usually = final bliss]), pl. menaidh (i menaidh).

medui

last

(lenited vedui; no distinct pl. form)

methed

end

(i vethed), pl. methid (i methid). Isolated from the name Methedras, the last in a line of mountain peaks.

methen

end

(lenited vethen; pl. methin) (VT45:34)

mib-

verb. to kiss

mîw

small

(tiny, frail), lenited vîw, no distinct pl. form

nass

sharp end

(point, angle, corner), construct nas, pl. nais.

niben

small

(petty), pl. nibin. Also used as a name for the the little finger. (VT48:6) 

nimp

small

no distinct pl. form (VT48:18)

nimp

pale

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

penninor

last day of the year

(i benninor, o phenninor), pl. penninoer (i phenninoer). Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” penninar (LR:400 s.v. YEN).

pêg

small spot

(i** bêg, construct peg) (dot), pl. pîg (i** phîg) 

ross

polished metal

(glitter), pl. ryss (idh** ryss**). Note: homophones mean ”reddish, russet, copper-coloured, red-haired” and also ”spray, foam, rain, dew”. For concrete metals, see

tele

end

(i dele, o thele), pl. teli (i theli). In ”Noldorin”, the pl. was telei (LR:392 s.v. TELES).

thind

grey

(pale); no distinct pl. form.

thind

pale

(grey); no distinct pl. form

tinc

metal

(i** dinc, o thinc), no distinct pl. form except with article (i** thinc), coll. pl. tingath. The word rhaud** “metal” occurring in the Etymologies would normally be ”updated” to Sindarin in the form raud, but since raud** appears with different meanings in later sources (see

tinc

eminent

should at least be preferred for clarity).

tinu

small star

(i** dinu, o thinu; also -din at the end of compounds) (spark), analogical pl. tiny (i** thiny). Archaic tinw, so the coll. pl. is likely  tinwath.

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.

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.

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)

telpë

silver

telpë noun "silver" (in one example with generalized meaning "money", PE14:54), telep- in some compounds like Teleporno; assimilated telem- in Telemnar and the adj. telemna (KYELEP/TELEP, SA:celeb, LT1:255, 268; also tyelpë, telep-, UT:266). The true Quenya descendant of primitive ¤kyelepē is tyelpë, but the Telerin form telpë was more common, "for the Teleri prized silver above gold, and their skill as silversmiths was esteemed even by the Noldor" (UT:266). In various names: Telperion the White Tree of Valinor; Telperien ("Telperiën"), fem. name including telp- "silver" (Appendix A); Telperinquar "Silver-fist, Celebrimbor" (SA:celeb - also Tyelperinquar); Telporno, Teleporno "Silver-high" = Sindarin _Celeborn(Letters:347, UT:266). _It seems that Teleporno is properly Telerin, Quenyarized as Telporno. Compare adjectives telemna, telpina, telepsa, telepta (q.v.)

tyelpë

silver

tyelpë noun "silver" (KYELEP/TELEP), etymology also in Letters:426 and UT:266. Tyelpë is the true Quenya descendant of primitive ¤kyelepē, but the Telerin form telpë was more common, "for the Teleri prized silver above gold, and their skill as silversmiths was esteemed even by the Noldor" (UT:266). In the Etymologies, tyelpë is also the name of Tengwa #1 with overposed dots, this symbol having the value ty (VT45:25). Cf. tyelpetéma as the name of the entire palatal series of the Tengwar system.

mista

adjective. grey

telpë

noun. silver, silver; [ᴱQ.] money

cinta

small

cinta adj. "small" (PE17:157)

cinta

adjective. small

hiswa

grey

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

hiswë

fog

hiswë (þ) noun "fog" (KHIS/KHITH)

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.

inya

small

inya (2) adj. "small" (LT1:256; this "Qenya" word may be obsoleted by # 1 above)

isca

pale

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

luina

pale

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

marya

pale, fallow, fawn

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

metta

end

metta noun "end"; Ambar-metta "world-end, the end of the world" (EO); mettarë *"end-day" = New Years' Eve in the Númenórean calendar and the Steward's Reckoning, not belonging to any month (Appendix D). The word Mettanyë, heading the final part of the poem The Trees of Kortirion, would seem to be related (LT1:43)

mintë

small

mintë adj. "small" (VT45:35)

miqu-

verb. to kiss

mista

grey

mista adj. "grey"; see lassemista

mitsa

small

mitsa adj. "small" (VT45:35) Another synonym from the same source, mitra, looks unusual for a Quenya word (because of the medial cluster tr)

métima

last

métima adj. "last" (Markirya), in Markirya also twice métim', since the following words (auressë, andúnë) begin in an a.

nincë

small

*nincë (ninci*-) ("k")adj. "small". The form is given as "ninki" with the last vowel marked as short; this is probably the etymological form that would underlie Quenya nincë. The word is said to mean "small" with "good senses"; contrast nípa**, *nimpë. (VT48:18)

nitya

small

#nitya adj. "small" (VT48:15, PM:365)

néca

pale, vague, faint, dim to see

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

níca

small

níca ("k")adj. "small". The word is said to mean "small" with "good senses"; contrast nípa, *nimpë. (VT47:26, VT48:18)

nívë

pale

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

oilima

last

oilima adj."last" (MC:213, 214; this is "Qenya"), inflected or lengthened form oilimain "last (pl.)" (MC:221), oilimaisen "(MC:221), oilimaite "last" (MC:214, 221)

pinilya

small

pinilya adj. "small" (MC:220; this is "Qenya")

rauta

metal

rauta noun "metal" [meaning changed by Tolkien from "copper"]. Notice that in the LotR, the word for metal is given as tinco. (RAUTĀ)

silma

silver, shining white

silma adj. "silver, shining white" (SIL), "crystal (white)" (PE17:23)

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.

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.)

telda

last, final

telda (1) adj. "last, final" (WJ:407)

telempë

silver

telempë noun "silver" (LT1:268; in Tolkien's later Quenya telpë, which is actually also found in early "Qenya")

telepta

silver

telepta adj. "silver" (as adj.: silvery) (LT2:347), used as noun in the phrase mi telepta of someone clad "in silver", where the context (involving other colour-words) shows that this adj. describes something of silver colour(PE17:71). Compare telemna, telepsa, telpina.

telepta

adjective. silver, silver, [ᴱQ.] of silver

telu

adjective. last, last; end (fate), close

An apparently adjectival element in the name Telufinwë meaning “last”.

Conceptual Development: In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, ᴱQ. telu was a noun meaning “end, close” (QL/91). In the contemporaneous Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa it was glossed “end (fate)” (PME/91).

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would use this element only in compounds since it is not clear what its independent singular or plural forms would be (telo, telwi?). For the ordinary adjective, I’d use métima or telda.

tinco

metal

tinco noun "metal" (TINKŌ), also name of tengwa #1 (Appendix E, there spelt "tinco", but "tinko" in Etym); tincotéma noun "t-series", dental series, first column of the Tengwar system (Appendix E)

tinco

noun. metal

tyel

end

tyel (1) noun "end", stem tyeld- as in the pl. form tyeldi (FS, KYEL; the pl. form tyeldi_ was misread as "tyelde" in the Etymologies as printed in LR; cf. VT45:25 for this correction)_. Cf. tyelma.

tyel-

end, cease

tyel- (2) vb. "end, cease" (KYEL)

tyelpë

noun. silver

tel

noun. end

kibil

noun. silver

telpe

noun. silver

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?