mormacil

masculine name. Black Sword

The Quenya equivalent of Mormegil (MR/216). It is a combination of the element √MOR “black” and macil “sword”.

Conceptual Development: The name ᴱQ. Mormakil dates back to the earliest Lost Tales where it had the same meaning (LT2/84). ᴹQ. Mormakil appeared in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (SM/29, 304) and The Etymologies, which is the source of the derivation as given above (Ety/MAK). The Quenya form was not used in the published version of The Silmarillion, however.

Cognates

• S. Mormegil “Black Sword”

Elements

Word	Gloss
MOR	“black, dark, darkness”
macil	“sword, forged sword blade, cutting sword, sword, forged sword blade, cutting sword, [ᴱQ.] broadsword”

Variations

• Mormakil ✧ PMI/Mormakil

Mormegil

noun. black sword

morn (“dark, black”) + megil (“sword”)

mormegil

proper name. Black Sword

Name adopted by Túrin while he was in Nargothrond, translated “Black Sword” (S/210), a combination of morn “black” and megil “sword” (SA/mor, EtyAC/MAK).

Conceptual Development: In the earliest Lost Tales, this name first appeared as G. Mormagli (LT2/84), revised to N. Mormaglir in early Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, then to N. Mormael (SM/313, LR/139) alternating with N. Mormegil (SM/313). Mormegil appeared in an early entry of The Etymologies (EtyAC/MAK), with a later entry suggesting a replacement N. Magladhûr that was never used in the texts (Ety/MAK). It wasn’t until the Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s that Tolkien finally settled exclusively on S. Mormegil (WJ/83, 138 note §268).

Cognates

• Q. Mormacil “Black Sword”

Elements

Word	Gloss
morn	“black, dark; night”
megil	“sword, longsword”

mormegil

proper name. Black-sword

Changes

• Mormegil → Mormael ✧ SM/313

Cognates

• ᴹQ. Mormakil “Black Sword” ✧ Ety/MAK; SM/304; SMI/Mormakil

Elements

Word	Gloss
morn	“black”
magol	“sword”

mormael

proper name. Black-sword

mormaglir

proper name. Black-sword

Changes

• Mormaglir → Mormegil ✧ SMI/Mormakil

maglavorn

proper name. Black-sword

A rejected variant name for Mormegil, a combination of magol “sword” and the lenited form of morn “black” (Ety/MAK, MOR; EtyAC/MAK, MOR).

Changes

• Maglavorn → Maglaðhonn “Black-sword” ✧ EtyAC/MAK
• maglavorn → maglaðon ✧ EtyAC/MAK
• maglavorn → maglaðon ✧ EtyAC/MOR

Elements

Word	Gloss
magol	“sword”
morn	“black”

Variations

• maglavorn ✧ EtyAC/MAK (maglavorn); EtyAC/MOR (maglavorn)

magladhûr

proper name. Black-sword

Variant names for Mormegil (Ety/MAK; EtyAC/MAK, MOR), a combination of magol “sword” and the lenited form of dûr “dark”.

Changes

• Megildur → Magladhûr “Black-sword” ✧ Ety/MAK

Elements

Word	Gloss
magol	“sword”
dûr	“dark”

Variations

• Maglaðûr/Maglaðhonn ✧ Ety/MAK
• Megildur ✧ Ety/MAK (Megildur)
• Maglaðhonn ✧ EtyAC/MAK (Maglaðhonn)
• maglaðon ✧ EtyAC/MAK; EtyAC/MOR