mintë

small

mintë adj. "small" (VT45:35)

mista

grey

mista adj. "grey"; see lassemista

mista

adjective. grey

Cognates

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

Derivations

• √MITH “grey”

Element in

• Q. Lassemista “Leaf-Grey” ✧ PE17/083

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)

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)

hiswa

grey

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

inya

small

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

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
  • √THIN “*grey”

Element in

• Q. Eldar Sindar “Grey Elves” ✧ PE21/77
• Q. Eldar sindaron “Grey Elves’” ✧ PE21/77
• Q. Sinda “Grey-elf” ✧ SA/thin(d)
• Q. Sindacollo “Grey-cloak, Greymantle” ✧ PE17/072; SA/thin(d)
• Q. Sinda Eldō “a Grey Elf’s” ✧ PE21/77
• Q. Sindanórië “Grey Country, Land of Greyness” ✧ PE17/072
• Q. Sindar Eldar “Grey Elves” ✧ PE21/77
• Q. Sindar Eldaron “Grey Elves’” ✧ PE21/77
• Q. Sindar i Eldar Malariando “Grey are the Elves of Beleriand” ✧ PE21/77
• Q. Sindel “Grey-elf”
• Q. sindië “greyness” ✧ PE17/072
• Q. Singollo “Grey-cloak, Greymantle” ✧ SA/thin(d)

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√ΘIN > sinda	[tʰinda] > [θinda] > [sinda]	✧ PE17/072
✶þindā > sinda	[tʰindā] > [θindā] > [θinda] > [sinda]	✧ PE17/072

Variations

• Sinda ✧ PE21/77

cinta

small

cinta adj. "small" (PE17:157)

cinta

adjective. small

Cognates

• S. cidinn “[unglossed]” ✧ PE17/157

Derivations

• √KIT “*small” ✧ PE17/157

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√KIT > cinta	[kinta]	✧ PE17/157

nitya

small

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

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.)

pinilya

small

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

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)

níca

small

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

mithren

adjective. grey

mithren

adjective. grey

Changes

• mithren → hithren ✧ PE17/140

Element in

• S. Ered Mithrin “Grey Mountains” ✧ LotR/1064
• S. Mithrellas

Elements

Word	Gloss
mith	“grey, light grey, pale grey”
-ren	“adjective suffix”

hithren

adjective. grey

_ adj. _grey. >> thind

hithren

adjective. grey

Elements

Word	Gloss
hîth	“mist”

mith

adjective. (pale) grey

mith

grey

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

thin

adjective. grey

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

niben

adjective. small, petty

niben

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

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? @@@

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
  • √THIN “*grey”
• ✶thindi “grey” ✧ PE17/140; PE17/141; PE17/141
  • √THIN “*grey” ✧ WJ/384

Element in

• ᴺS. thindrostir “badger”
• S. Thindrim “Sindar”
• S. Thingódhel “*Grey Noldo”
• S. Thingol “Greycloak, Greymantle” ✧ PE17/072; PE17/112; SA/thin(d)
• S. Thinnedhel “Grey-elf”
• S. Thinrod “noble member of the Thindrim”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶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)

thinn

adjective. grey

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

thinn

adjective. grey

_adj. _grey. Q. sinde.

thinn

adjective. grey

cidinn

adjective. small

_ adj. _small. Q. cinta.

cinnog

adjective. small

_ adj. _small. Q. cinta.

nimp

adjective. small and frail

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).

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”.

niben

small

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

thind

grey

(pale); no distinct pl. form.

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.

aew

small bird

. No distinct pl. form.

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)

mîw

small

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

glâd

small forest

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

pêg

small spot

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

nimp

small

no distinct pl. form (VT48:18)

hûb

small landlocked bay

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

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

thini

adjective. grey

thindi

adjective. grey

Changes

• thinide → thinida ✧ PE17/141
• thinidi → thĭndĭ ✧ 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

thindā

adjective. grey

Derivations

• √THIN “*grey”

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

stin

root. grey

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.

Derivatives

• ✶-i(n)ki “diminutive suffix” ✧ VT47/26; VT48/18
  • Q. -incë “diminutive ending”
  • S. -eg “diminutive/singular ending”
• ✶ninkĭ “small” ✧ VT48/18
• Q. níca “little, small” ✧ VT47/26; VT48/18
• ᴺQ. nihta “piece, bit (of indeterminate size)”
• ᴺQ. nihta- “to reduce, make small”
• ᴹQ. nikse “minnow, little fish”
• Q. nitya “little”
• S. niged “little finger”
• ᴺS. nigol “mouse, (lit.) small one”
• ᴺS. nítha- “to reduce, make small”
• T. nícë “little finger”

Element in

• ✶niktil “little [finger]” ✧ VT47/26

Variations

• nik ✧ VT47/26; VT48/18

nimpĭ

adjective. small

Derivations

• √NIP “small (usually with connotation of weakness)” ✧ VT48/18

Derivatives

• S. nimp “pale, pallid, white, pale, pallid, white; small and frail, [ᴱN.] wan, sickly” ✧ VT48/18
  • S. nim “white” ✧ SA/nim

ninkĭ

adjective. small

Derivations

• √NIK “small” ✧ VT48/18

mithren

adjective. small

Cognates

• ᴹQ. mitsa “small” ✧ EtyAC/MIT; EtyAC/MIT

Derivations

• ᴹ√MIT “small” ✧ EtyAC/MIT
• ᴹ✶mitra “small” ✧ EtyAC/MIT
  • ᴹ√MIT “small” ✧ EtyAC/MIT

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
ᴹ√MIT > mint	[minte] > [mintʰe] > [minθe] > [minθ] > [mint]	✧ EtyAC/MIT
ᴹ✶mitra > mithren	[?]	✧ EtyAC/MIT

Variations

• mint ✧ EtyAC/MIT (mint)

mith

adjective. (pale) grey

mith

adjective. grey

Derivations

• ᴹ√MITH “*mist, grey” ✧ Ety/MITH

Element in

• N. Mitheithel “Hoarwell”
• N. Mithlond “?Grey Havens, Grey Gulf”
• N. Mithrandir “Grey Wanderer/Pilgrim”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
ᴹ√MITH > mith	[mitʰe] > [miθe] > [miθ]	✧ Ety/MITH

Variations

• mith ✧ Ety/MITH

thind

adjective. grey, pale

thinn

adjective. grey, pale

mid

adjective. grey

Element in

• N. har na ond i mid “stand by the grey stone” ✧ AotH/056

mîw

adjective. small, tiny, frail