rohirrim

collective name. Horse-lords

The riders of Rohan, translated “Horse-lords” (LotR/262), a combination of roch “horse”, hîr “lord” and the class-plural suffix -rim (Let/382), with the [[s|[x] (“ch”) softening to [h] in Gondorian pronunciation]] (LotR/1113).

Conceptual Development: In Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, Tolkien first considered using N. Rohiroth (RS/440) and N. Rohirwaith (WR/22) using different suffixes for the class-plural.

Derivations

• S. Rochirrim “Horse-lords” ✧ Let/178; UT/318

Elements

Word	Gloss
roch	“horse”
hîr	“lord, master”
-rim	“collective or group plural”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
S. Rochir-rim > Rohirrim	[roxīrrim] > [roxirrim]	✧ Let/178
S. Rochír-rim > Rohirrim	[roxīrrim] > [roxirrim]	✧ UT/318

rochirrim

collective name. Horse-lords

Archaic form of the name Rohirrim, a combination of roch “horse”, hîr “lord” and the class-plural suffix -rim “land” (Let/178, UT/318).

Derivatives

• S. Rohirrim “Horse-lords” ✧ Let/178; UT/318

Elements

Word	Gloss
roch	“horse”
hîr	“lord, master”
-rim	“collective or group plural”

Variations

• Rochir-rim ✧ Let/178
• Rochír-rim ✧ UT/318

rohiroth

collective name. Horse-lords, Horse-masters

Changes

• Rohiroth → Rohirrim ✧ PMI/Rohirrim
• Rohiroth → Rohirrim ✧ TII/Rohiroth

Elements

Word	Gloss
roch	“(swift) horse”
hîr	“master, lord”
hoth	“host, crowd; group plural”

Variations

• Rochiroth ✧ RS/440; RSI/Rohiroth
• Rohirchoth ✧ WR/022
• Rohir ✧ WRI/Rohir
• Rochirhoth ✧ WRI/Rohiroth
• Rohirhoth ✧ WRI/Rohiroth