A common Sindarin word for “river” or “stream”, a relatively small river compared to S. duin. It is a derivative of √SIR “flow” (SA/sîr; Ety/SIR).
Conceptual Development: This word dates all the way back to the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s where G. sîr “river” appeared (GL/67), a derivative of the early root ᴱ√SIŘI (or a variant of it) as suggested by Christopher Tolkien (LT1A/Sirion). ᴱN. sír “stream” appeared in Early Noldorin Word-lists from the 1920s, though in that instance it was changed to ᴱN. hír “lord” (PE13/147). N. sîr “river” appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a derivative of ᴹ√SIR “flow” (Ety/SIR). It appeared several times in Tolkien’s later writings, variously glossed “river” (RC/384) or “stream” (PE17/37; RC/269), as well as being an element in many Sindarin and Noldorin river names.
_ n. _stream. >> Nanduhirion