neder
cardinal.
nine
neder
cardinal.
nine
ninniach
noun.
rainbow
ned
noun.
first, *one more; first; *during
noro
verb.
run! ride!
nu
preposition.
under
nu
preposition.
under
nind
adjective.
slender
naegra-
verb.
to pain
nedia-
verb.
to count
ninniach
noun.
rainbow
nuin
preposition.
under the
neldor
noun.
beech
nín
adjective.
my
Nûrnen
place name.
Death
nim
white
nim
white
nim
adjective.
white
nín
pronoun.
my
fend
noun.
door, door; [N.] threshold
fern
noun/adjective.
dead, dead person; [N.] dead (of mortals)
thind
adjective.
grey, grey, [N.] pale
forn
adjective.
north, north, [N.] right
glân
adjective.
white, [bright shining] white; [N.] clear; [G.] pure, †bright; [ᴱN.] clean
dolen
adjective.
hidden, hidden, [N.] secret
cant
noun.
shape, shape; [N.] outline
Dúnadan
noun.
Man of the west, Númenórean
oraearon
noun.
seventh day of the Númenórean week, Sea-day
lhôn
noun.
noise, noise; *phone (in linguistics), speech sound
lanc
adjective.
naked
paran
adjective.
naked
alfirin
noun/adjective.
name of a flower, bell-like and running through many soft and gentle colours
eneth
noun.
name
fuin
noun.
night, dead of night, gloom, darkness
lanc
noun.
naked
mellon
noun.
friend
lebenedh
noun.
middle finger
ang
noun.
iron
calen
green
dadwen
verb.
return
damen
verb.
return
torn
hidden
eiliant
noun.
rainbow
pen
pronoun.
one, somebody, anybody
mellon
noun.
friend
min
cardinal.
one, one, [G.] single
ardhon
noun.
great region, province
adan
noun.
man, one of the Second People (elvish name for men)
adanadar
noun.
man, one of the Fathers of Men
adanath
noun.
men
alfirin
noun/adjective.
also used for another small white flower
anfangrim
noun.
the Longbeards (a tribe of Dwarves)
ang
noun.
iron
angren
adjective.
of iron
aphadon
noun.
man (elvish name for men)
aran
noun.
king (used of a lord or king of a specified region)
avon
verb.
I won't
calen
adjective.
green
dangweth
noun.
answer, reply giving new information
drúadan
noun.
wild man, one of the Woses
duin
noun.
(long and large) river (having strong current)
ened
noun.
centre
firion
noun.
mortal man
forn
noun.
right, north
fân
noun.
cloud (applied to clouds, floating as veils over the blue sky or the sun or moon, or resting on hills)
gwanu
noun.
death (act of dying, not death as a state or abstract)
laden
adjective.
open, cleared
main
ordinal.
first, (only in the sense of) prime, chief, pre-eminent
mein
ordinal.
first, (only in the sense of) prime, chief, pre-eminent
mellon
noun.
friend
min
fraction.
one (first of a series)
minai
adjective.
single, distinct, unique
mîn
fraction.
one (first of a series)
oranor
noun.
second day of the week, day of the Sun
ormenel
noun.
fifth day of the week, Heavens' day
rhavan
noun.
wild man
silivren
adjective.
(white) glittering
bain
fair
bân
adjective.
fair
fen
door
fân
shape
heruin
noun.
lady
heryn
noun.
lady
thurin
masculine name.
Secret
-en
suffix.
my
-nc
suffix.
we
dern
hard
elen
star
firin
adjective.
mortal
gorn
hard
gorn
hard
han
that
hithren
adjective.
grey
iaun
adjective.
large
luin
blue
luin
jhJ5
adjective.
blue
morn
adjective.
black
morn-
black
region
noun.
holly-tree area
thin
adjective.
grey
thind
adjective.
grey
thind
adjective.
grey
thinn
adjective.
grey
thinn
adjective.
grey
anu
adjective.
male
calan
noun.
day, period of actual daylight
ónen
noun.
I gave
heryn
noun.
lady
men
pronoun.
us
luin
adjective.
blue
aphadon
noun.
follower
eneg
cardinal.
six
gwana
noun/adjective.
fair
heruin
noun.
lady
hithren
adjective.
grey
lind
adjective.
fair
mein
ordinal.
first
minui
ordinal.
first
mithren
adjective.
grey
san
pronoun.
that
ardhon
noun.
world
fen
noun.
door, threshold
gwain
adjective.
fair
gwân
adjective.
fair
heryn
noun.
lady
men
pronoun.
us
thanc
adjective.
cleft, split, forked
alfirin
noun/adjective.
immortal
ammen
pronoun.
of us, for us, toward us
anglennatha
verb.
(he) will approach
annon
noun.
great door or gate
aphadon
noun.
follower
dorn
adjective.
stiff, tough
elen
noun.
star
eneg
cardinal.
six
fain
noun/adjective.
white
fain
noun/adjective.
cloud
fen(n)
noun.
door
find
noun.
a tress
finn-
noun.
a tress
fân
noun.
veil
fîn
noun.
a tress
luin
adjective.
blue
minui
ordinal.
first
mithren
adjective.
grey
morchant
noun.
shadow (of objects, cast by light), dark shape
morn
adjective.
black, dark
mín
pronoun.
us
orbelain
noun.
sixth day of the week, day of the Powers or Valar
orgilion
noun.
first day of the week, day of the Stars
penninor
noun.
last day of the year
thind
adjective.
grey, pale
thinn
adjective.
grey
n
that
na
near
na
near
neder
cardinal.
nine
nev
near
nev
near
neder
nine
nedrui
ninth
naegra
pain
naegra
pain
nedia
count
nedia
count
noroth
giant
noroth
giant
nínim
snowdrop
nad
thing
nad
thing
naeg
pain
naeg
pain
nellad
sound of bells
nest
center
nestad
healing
nestadren
healing
ninniach
rainbow
nu
under
nu
under
nind
adjective.
slender
dîr
noun.
man, man, [N.] adult male; agental suffix
criss
noun.
cleft, cleft, [N.] cut, slash, [G.] gash; [N.] pass, [G.] gully, ravine
feir
noun.
Mortal, Mortal, [N.] mortal man
nin
i
nín
my
nín
my
nî-
verb.
was
nich
noun.
frost
naith
spearhead
nasta
prick
neldor
beech tree
nest
heart
nesta
heal
nesta
heal
nimp
white
norn
hard
norn
hard
nuitha
stop short
ni
pronoun.
I
orgaladh
noun.
fourth day of the Númenórean week, day of the White Tree
dae
noun.
shadow, shadow (cast by an object or form), [N.] shade
him
adverb/adjective.
ever, ever, [N.] enduring, continually; steadfast, abiding
iaur
adjective.
old, old; [N.] ancient, olden
orchal
adjective.
tall, tall; [N.] superior, eminent, lofty
tûr
noun.
master, [N.] mastery, victory, [ᴱN.] power [over others]; [S.] master
fuir
adjective.
north
sigil
noun.
necklace
dû
night
forod
adjective.
northern
parch
adjective.
naked
û
interjection.
no
eneth
name
eneth
name
fervain
northern
fervain
northern
lanc
naked
fervain
adjective.
northern
dúnadan
man of the west
laden
open
laden
open
lhûn
making sound
min
cardinal.
one
min
one
pen
cardinal.
one
pen
one
for-
prefix.
north
Gilwen
ilmen
adan
man
ang
iron
angren
of iron
angwedh
iron-bond
aran
king
aran
king
aran
king of a region
calen
green
calen
green
curunír
man of craft
dangweth
answer
dangweth
answer
dolen
hidden
dolen
hidden
edinor
anniversary day
eilian
rainbow
eilian
rainbow
enedh
center
enedh
center
farn
enough
firion
mortal man
fuin
darkness
genediad
count
genediad
count
gilwen
region of stars
gilwen
ilmen
gonod
count up
gwend
noun.
friendship
gwend
friendship
land
open space
lasgalen
leaf-green
lebenedh
middle finger
lhind
slender
lhind
slender
lossen
snowy
mellon
friend
mellon
friend
panna
open
pelin
fading
pelin
fading
rhavan
wild man
sant
privately owned place
silivren
glittering white
tarlanc
stiff-necked
thalion
dauntless man
thoren
hidden
thurin
hidden
forod
noun.
north
baw
interjection.
no, don't!
dúath
noun.
nightshade
forod
noun.
north
fuir
adjective.
north
ú
prefix.
no, not (negative prefix or particle)
ang
iron
dornhoth
thrawn folk
farn
enough
brûn
elder, eldest
glân
white
glân
white
gwanath
death
heryn
lady
hûn
heart
hûn
heart
iphant
full of years
men
we
men
we
minui
first
mín
us
mín
us
mîn
first
alfirin
immortal
alfirin
immortal
an
to the, for the
anu
male
anu
male
aphadon
follower
badhron
judge
badhron
judge
bain
fair
bain
fair
bassoneth
lady
brannon
lord
brennil
lady
calan
daytime
cant
shape
cant
shape
celon
river
dolen
secret
dorn
stiff
dorn
stiff
drúnos
folk
drúnos
folk
drúnos
folk
duin
river
duin
large river
duin
large river
en
of the
enecthui
sixth
eneg
cardinal.
six
faen
white
fain
white
fend
door
find
tress
find
tress
firin
mortal
firin
mortal
fuin
gloom
galvorn
black metal
gilion
of stars
gwanath
death
gwanu
death
gwing
foam
hadron
hurler of spears or darts
heron
lord
heron
master
heryn
lady
ind
heart
lind
river
lothren
wild
luin
blue
maen
clever
maen
clever
minui
first
mithren
grey
mithren
grey
morchant
shadow
morchant
shadow
morn
dark
morn
dark
orn
tall
penia
set
penia
set
thanc
cleft
thanc
cleft
tharn
stiff
thind
grey
thurin
secret
thurin
secret
tinnu
dusk
tinnu
dusk
tond
tall
tond
tall
ened
adverb.
moreover
ammen
for us, to us, of us
eneg
six
tond
adjective.
tall
uin
from the, of the
loss
noun.
snow
aphred
answer
ara
noun.
king
galad
radiance
gûl
noun.
knowledge
leweg
noun.
snake
los
snow
loss
noun.
snow
lýg
noun.
snake
flâd
noun.
skin
lŷg
noun.
snake
Ara-
prefix.
king
a
and
a
and
ad
conjunction.
and
aglar
noun.
radiance
ar-
prefix.
king
edra-
verb.
open
laeb
adjective.
green
laeg
green
laeg
adjective.
green
sabar
noun.
delved mine
Ídh
and
a
conjunction.
and
ah
preposition/conjunction.
and, with
ar
conjunction.
and
avo
verb.
don't!
dambeth
noun.
answer, response
drû
noun.
wild man, Wose, Púkel-Man
erui
adjective.
single, alone
erui
adjective.
first (incorrect use by the Gondorians)
o
preposition.
from, of (preposition (as a proclitic) used in either direction, from or to the point of view of the speaker)
od
preposition.
from, of (preposition (as a proclitic) used in either direction, from or to the point of view of the speaker)
ethuil
noun.
spring, spring [the season]
gardh
noun.
region
hiril
noun.
lady, lady; [G.] princess, †queen
tuil
noun.
spring
gorth
noun.
a dead person
peleth
noun.
fading, withering
Lossoth
noun.
the Snowmen
aphadrim
noun.
followers, men (elvish name for men)
aur
noun.
day, sunlight, morning
auth
noun.
a dim shape, spectral or vague
apparition
celu
noun.
spring, source
cirith
noun.
cleft,
high climbing pass, narrow passage cut through earth or rock,
ravine, defile
drúwaith
noun.
the wilderness of the Drû-men (q.v.)
dúath
noun.
darkness, shadow
echil
noun.
human being
edra-
verb.
to open
edro
verb.
open!
eithel
noun.
issue of water, spring, well
er
adjective.
single
ereg
noun.
holly-tree, thorn
esgal
noun.
veil, screen, cover that hides
esta-
verb.
to name
faeg
adjective.
mean, poor, bad
fael
adjective.
fair minded, just, generous
fair
noun.
right (hand)
falch
noun.
deep cleft, ravine
firiath
noun.
mortals, human beings
firieth
noun.
mortal woman
flâd
noun.
skin
forvo
noun.
right hand
galadhad
noun.
the Two Trees of Valinor
gardh
noun.
bounded or defined region
gaurwaith
noun.
wolf-men
gloss
adjective.
snow-white, dazzling-white
gûr
noun.
heart (in the moral sense), counsel
hoth
noun.
host, crowd, horde (nearly always in a bad sense)
lammas
noun.
account of tongues
lhûg
noun.
snake, serpent
los
noun.
snow
loss
noun.
snow (especially fallen or long-lying snow)
lŷg
noun.
snake
môr
noun.
darkness, dark, night
orithil
noun.
third day of the week, day of the Moon
riss
noun.
ravine
rochirrim
noun.
horse-lords, the people of Rohan
romru
noun.
sound of horns
rû
noun.
loud-sound, trumpet-sound
uilos
noun/adjective.
always white, ever white as snow
uilos
noun/adjective.
a small white everlasting flower also called simbelmynë or "evermind"
êl
noun.
star (little used except in verses)
guru
noun.
death, death (abstract)
draug
noun.
wolf
gurth
noun.
death
êl
noun.
star
el
star
ereg
noun.
holly
guru
noun.
death
êl
star
orgaladhad
noun.
fourth day of the Elvish week, day of the Two Trees
baw!
no
baw!
no
dû
night
esta
name
esta
name
forod
north
forod
north
gú
no, not
hell
naked
hell
naked
hithui
november
sigil
necklace
sigil
necklace
ess
noun.
name
ardh
region
dîr
man
dîr
man
dôr
region
aith
point of spear, spear point
alag
rushing
ardh
region
ascar
rushing
bach
thing
bôr
trusty man
caew
resting place
celos
water falling swiftly from a spring
celu
spring
celu
spring
dambeth
answer
dî
under
dû
darkness
dû
darkness
ecthel
point of spear, spear point
edra
open
edra
open
eitha
prick with a sharp point
eithel
spring
er
single
er
single
erui
single
erui
single
ethuil
spring
ethuil
spring
faeg
mean
faeg
mean
fair
mortal man
falch
ravine
far
enough
far
enough
fim
slender
fim
slender
firieth
mortal woman
firith
season of fading
galad
radiance
galad
radiance
gardh
bounded or defined place
gardh
region
glaw
radiance
gloss
white as snow, dazzling white
gloss
white as snow, dazzling white
gwaith
region
hall
hidden
iaw
ravine
iaw
ravine
ist
knowledge
ist
knowledge
ista
have knowledge
laeg
green
lammad
sound of voices
loss
snow
loss
snow
lŷg
snake
meldis
friend
milui
friendly
milui
friendly
môr
darkness
raw
roaring noise
ress
ravine
rest
ravine
rhûd
mine
rhûd
mine
rimp
rushing
rimp
rushing
riss
ravine
romru
sound of horns
sabar
mine
sabar
mine
tarias
stiffness
taur
king
thel
mean
thel
mean
thela
point of spear, spear point
thîl
radiance
trîw
slender
trîw
slender
tuia
spring
tuia
spring
êr
one
dilith
noun.
friendship
law
noun.
sound
eru
the one
lossoth
snow-men
i
article.
the
echil
noun.
follower
fíreb
adjective.
mortal
-d
suffix.
you
-dh
suffix.
you
-dh
suffix.
you
-dhir
suffix.
you
-m
suffix.
we
arod
adjective.
tall
dîr
adjective.
hard
dûr
dark
i
the
lô
blue
mith
grey
mor-
black
o
preposition.
from
raud
tall
rhaw
adjective.
wild
riss
adjective.
cleft
rodel
lady
sí
adverb.
here
gil
noun.
star, bright spark
hûl
noun.
secret
im
pronoun.
I
tôl
verb.
(he) comes
draug
wolf
dî
lady
dúath
dark shadow
dúath
dark shadow
escal
veil
garaf
wolf
golu
secret lore
gurth
death
guruth
death
gîl
star
gîl
star
gûr
death
i
that
i
the
i
the
iaur
old
im
i
herdir
noun.
master
gûr
noun.
wolf
ach
conjunction.
but
ach
conjunction.
but
aphada
follow
ar
outside
aur
day
aur
day
be
as
braig
wild
byr
follower
bŷr
follower
cirith
cleft
criss
cleft
cîl
cleft
dae
shadow
daer
large
daer
large
daew
shadow
dar
stop
dar
stop
daur
stop
daur
stop
daw
gloom
daw
gloom
dilia
stop up
dim
gloom
doll
dark
doll
dark
dram
blow
dram
blow
drambor
blow with fist
draug
wolf
dû
dusk
dûr
dark
dûr
dark
e
out
e
out
e
away
echad
shape
echad
shape
elu
pale blue
elu
pale blue
ercha
prick
erui
first
ethir
of a river
falch
cleft
falf
foam
faltha
foam
fuir
right
fuir
right
fêr
beech
fêr
beech
fíreb
mortal
fíreb
mortal
fôr
right
gaur
wolf
gawa
howl
gawa
howl
gorth
dead
graw
dark
graw
dark
guldur
dark sorcery
gwachae
far away
gwachae
away
gwachae
away
gwaith
host
gwathra
veil
gwâth
shadow
gûr
heart
herdir
master
herdir
master
heria
set vigorously out to do
hiril
lady
hol
close
hol
close
hoth
host
hoth
host
hîr
lord
hîr
lord
hîr
master
iaur
old
maur
gloom
mith
grey
moth
dusk
moth
dusk
muil
shadow
mîr
treasure
mîr
treasure
môr
dark
môr
dark
môr
black
môr
black
o
of
orthor
master
orthor
master
pathu
level place
rest
cleft
rhaw
wild
rhaw
wild
rim
host
rist
cleft
rist
cleft
ross
foam
rêg
holly
rêg
holly
seidia
set aside
sui
as
sâd
place
sâd
place
sí
here
sîr
river
sîr
river
taw
that
taw
that
tîr
right
tûr
lord
tûr
master
tûr
master, mastery
ui
ever
ui
ever
fíreb
noun.
Mortal
moth
noun.
dusk
ui
adverb.
ever
ordolel
noun.
tomorrow
eth
adverb/adjective.
outside
gwachae
adjective.
far away
sa
pronoun.
that
taw
pronoun.
that
beleg
adjective.
large
beleg
adjective.
large
dúath
adjective.
dark
gorthrim
noun.
the dead
guruthos
noun.
the shadow of death, death-horror
mor
black
o
preposition.
from
pêd
verb.
(he) says
rammas
noun.
(great) wall
tarch
adjective.
stiff, tough
ui-
prefix.
ever
Fíriel
noun.
mortal maid
brethil
noun.
beech, beech-tree, silver birch
bŷr
noun.
follower, vassal
cuio
verb.
live!
dae
noun.
shadow
dagorath
noun.
all the battles
de
pronoun.
you
draug
noun.
wolf
dûr
adjective.
dark, sombre
echil
noun.
follower
elu
adjective.
(pale) blue
fair
noun.
mortal
falathrim
noun.
people of the Falas
feir
noun.
mortal
forvo
noun.
right side
fíreb
adjective.
mortal
gardh
noun.
world
gil-
noun.
star
giliath
noun.
all the host of stars
gill
noun.
star
gurth
noun.
death
herdir
noun.
master
hîr
noun.
master, lord
i
definite article.
the
i
definite article.
who
lâf
verb.
(he) licks
lôd
verb.
(he) floats
mith
adjective.
(pale) grey
sui
conjunction.
as, like
sí
adverb.
here
sî
adverb.
here
sîr
noun.
river
ar
outside
gaurhoth
werewolf
graurim
dark people
hell
9j¸$
noun.
frost
sui
as
sí
here
A noun for “rainbow” in the name Cirith Ninniach “Rainbow Cleft” (S/238). Ninniach “rainbow” is perhaps a combination of the S. nîn “watery” and S. iach “ford”, perhaps a metaphorical ford of water across the sky. The long nn in the initial element ninn- is tricky to explain, but might be an example of an exchange of a long vowel īn with a long consonant inn; hat-tip to Elaran for this suggestion.
Conceptual Development: The name Cirith Ninniach (and hence the word for “rainbow”) went through quite a few changes. The earliest iteration of the name was G. Cris a Teld Quing Ilon “Gully of the Rainbow Roof” (PE15/21) so that quing ilon “✱bow of heaven” was “rainbow”, but this was quickly revised to G. Cris Ilbranteloth which was the form used in the early narratives (LT2/150, 202). G. ilbrant “rainbow” appeared in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s with variant ilvrant (GL/50). By popular etymology, this was connected to G. brant “bow”, but that was not correct (GL/24). The second element was actually G. rantha “bridge” (GL/65), and the b came from its initial element G. ilbar “heaven[s]” (GL/50), so it literally meant “✱heaven-bridge”.
In Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, the name of the pass was changed to N. Cris-Ilfing >> Cirith Helvin “Rainbow Cleft” (SM/141, 146). Both ilfing and helvin have unclear etymologies, but they are probably early iterations of N. eilian(w) “rainbow, (lit.) sky-bridge” from The Etymologies of the 1930s, a combination of ᴹ√ƷEL “sky” with N. ianw “bridge” (Ety/ƷEL, YAT), with variant elianw (EtyAC/YAT). Cirith Ninniach “Rainbow Cleft” emerged in Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s (WJ/256, 299).
Neo-Sindarin: Noldorin eilian(w) “sky-bridge” might be adapted into Neo-Sindarin as ᴺS. eiliant using later S. iant for “bridge”, as suggested in HSD (HSD), but I see no reason not to just use attested S. ninniach for “rainbow”.