nâlu

noun. shadow

A noun attested only in the compound agannâlô “death-shadow [is]” (SD/247, VT24/12). The first element of the compound, agan “death”, as identified elsewhere (SD/426), so the remaining element must mean “shadow”. The compound is the subject of the sentence agannâlô burôda nênud “death-shadow [is] heavy on us” and is therefore in the subjective case. According the grammatical rules of Lowdham’s Report, the only possibly normal form producing this subjective is nâlu: compare nîlu “moon” to its subjective form nîlô (SD/431).

Conceptual Development: In early writings, the compound was (non-subjective) agannūlo, so that the apparent draft form of this noun was nūlo. A similar form nūlu appears on SD/306, described only as “a word with the evil sense of ‘night’ or ‘dark’”. It could be a separate word or another variation of this word, with the development nūlo >> nūlu >> nālu. Carl Hostetter and Patrick Wynne suggested (AAD/21) that the earlier forms may be related to ᴹQ. nulla “dark, dusky, obscure”.

ugru

noun. shadow

A noun translated “shadow” (SD/247), also described as “a word with the evil sense of ‘night’ or ‘dark’” (SD/306). It appears in the preprositional phrase ugru-dalad “under shadow” (SD/247) and in the draft-dative form ugrus “‽horror‽shadow” (SD/311).

agathurush

place name. Greyflood

The Adûnaic name of the river S. Gwathló “Greyflood” (UT/263), also glossed “flood under shadow” (VT42/9). This later name does not fit the Adûnaic phonetic rules described by Tolkien in Lowdham’s Report, since “sh” [ʃ] is not a phoneme used in Adûnaic (SD/418). It may be that Tolkien changed his mind about the phonemes of Adûnaic, or it may be that Agathurush had already undergone some of the phonetic changes leading to the Westron language, which had this sound (LotR/1120). It isn’t clear how this name could be decomposed into its elements.

dâur

noun. gloom

A noun translated as “gloom” derived from the root √DAWAR (SD/423). It is an example of how primitive [[ad|[w] and [j] became [u] and [i] before consonants and finally]], thereby producing diphthongs.

manô

noun. spirit

A noun translated “spirit” and fully declined as an example of a Weak II noun (SD/438). It appeared with both a short a (SD/424) and long â (SD/438). Given its ending -ô, it might be a masculine-noun, but it seems unlikely that spirits would only be male. This entry assumes it is a common-noun instead. It is probably related to ᴹQ. manu “departed spirit” as suggested by various authors (AAD/19, AL/Adûnaic, EotAL/MAN).

dae

noun. shadow, shadow (cast by an object or form), [N.] shade

dae

noun. shadow

morchant

noun. shadow

morn (“dark”) + cant (“shape”) #The second element seems to be liquid mutated (internal spirant mutation).

cirith dúath

place name. Shadow Cleft

The original name of Cirith Ungol (UT/279-80 note #11), a combination of cirith “cleft” and dúath “night shadow”.

gwath

noun. shadow, dim light, shadow, dim light, [N.] shade

A word for “shadow” but more accurately an area of “dim light”, since it was “not for the shadows of actual objects or persons cast by sun or moon or other lights” (VT42/9) but was used “in the sense of dim light, owing to cloud or mist, or in deep valleys” (UT/261). A cast shadow would be morchant “(lit.) dark shape” (VT42/9). Gwath was derived from the root √WATH.

Conceptual Development: N. gwath “shade” appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s, already with the derivation given above (Ety/WATH).

gwathui

adjective. *shadowy, of shadow

A word apparently meaning “✱shadowy” or “✱of shadow” appearing only as an element in the name Gwathuirim “Dunlendings” (PM/330).

guruthos

noun. dread of death, death-horror, shadow of death, dread of death, death-horror, shadow of death, [N.] fear of death

A word for the fear of death in the phrase le nallon sí di’nguruthos, translated in The Road Goes Ever On published from 1967 as “here overwhelmed in dread of Death I cry” or more literally “to thee I cry here beneath-death-horror” (RGEO/64), also translated in a 1958 letter to Rhona Beare as “to thee I cry now in the shadow of (the fear of) death” (Let/278). In notes from the late 1950s or early 1960s, Tolkien identified the elements as guru “death” and thoss “fear” (PE17/87), based on the roots √ÑGUR and √THOS (PE17/95).

Conceptual Development: The form N. {gurthos >>} guruthos “fear of death” appeared in the margin of The Etymologies next to the entry for the root ᴹ√GOS “dread” where the word’s final element was probably N. gost “dread, terror” (EtyAC/GOS). As such, its initial element when the word was first introduced was probably N. guruth “death” (Ety/ÑGUR).

guruthos

noun. shadow of death

_ n. _shadow of death. >> nguruthos

morchant

noun. shadow cast by light, (lit.) dark shape

A word for “the shadows of actual objects or persons cast by sun or moon or other lights” attested only in its plural form morchaint (VT42/9), a combination of mor- “dark” and cant “shape” as suggested by Carl Hostetter (VT42/28 note #18).

nguruthos

noun. shadow of death

_ n. _shadow of death. >> guruthos

hû

noun. spirit, shadow

dúath

noun. darkness, shadow

guruthos

noun. the shadow of death, death-horror

gwath

noun. shade, shadow, dim light

morchant

noun. shadow (of objects, cast by light), dark shape

gwathren

adjective. shadowy, dim

A word meaning “shadowy, dim” appearing in The Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor from 1967-69, the adjectival form of gwath “shadow” (VT42/9).

gwathuirim

noun. shadowy people (Dunlendings)

gwath (“shade, shadow, dim light”) + ui (adjectival suffix) + rim (collective plural)

Ered Wethrin

noun. shadowy mountains

ered (pl. of orod “mountain”), gwethrin (pl. of gwathren “shadowy, dim”)

gwathren

adjective. shadowy, dim

gwathui

adjective. shadowy

lum

noun. shade

lumren

adjective. shady

morchant

shadow

1) morchant (i vorchant), pl. morchaint (i morchaint). The literal meaning is ”dark shape”, referring to shadows with a recognizable form. 2) dae (i dhae) (shade), no distinct pl. form except with article (i nae). 3) daew (i dhaew), no distinct pl. form except with article (i ndaew) (VT45:8). 4) gwâth (i **wâth; construct gwath) (shade, dim light), pl. gwaith (in gwaith) (UT:261) 5) muil (i vuil) (twilight, dreariness, vagueness), no distinct pl. except with article (i muil**),

morchant

shadow

(i vorchant), pl. morchaint (i morchaint). The literal meaning is ”dark shape”, referring to shadows with a recognizable form.

dae

shadow

(i dhae) (shade), no distinct pl. form except with article (i nae).

daew

shadow

(i dhaew), no distinct pl. form except with article (i ndaew) (VT45:8).

gwâth

shadow

(i ’wâth; construct gwath) (shade, dim light), pl. gwaith (in gwaith) (UT:261)

muil

shadow

(i vuil) (twilight, dreariness, vagueness), no distinct pl. except with article (i muil)

dúath

dark shadow

(i dhúath) (nightshade), pl. dúaith (i núaith). Compare the Ephel Dúath or ”Mountains of Shadow” forming th outer fence of Mordor, perhaps suggesting that Dúath is also the word used of Sauron as ”the Shadow”.

dúath

dark shadow

dúath (i dhúath) (nightshade), pl. dúaith (i núaith). Compare the Ephel Dúath or ”Mountains of Shadow” forming th outer fence of Mordor, perhaps suggesting that Dúath is also the word used of Sauron as ”the Shadow”.

gwathló

place name. Greyflood

The Sindarin name of the river “Greyflood” translated on the map of The Lord of the Rings (LotR/1082). This name is a combination of gwath “shadow” and l(h)ô “flood” (UT/263).

Conceptual Development: This name first appeared as N. Gwathlo with a short o on the draft maps of the Lord of the Rings from the 1940s (TI/304, 312).

dúath

dark shadow

dúath (i dhúath) (nightshade), pl. dúaith (i núaith);

hû

spirit

_ n. _spirit, shadow.

donn

shadowy

1) donn (black, swart, swarty, shady) (lenited dhonn, pl. dynn). (VT45:11). Also dunn- in compounds. 2) gwathren (dim), lenited wathren; pl. gwethrin. (A lenited pl. is attested in the name Ered Wethrin, Shadowy Mountains.) 3) gwathui (lenited wathui; no distinct pl. form)

gwathren

shadowy

(dim), lenited ’wathren; pl. gwethrin. (A lenited pl. is attested in the name Ered Wethrin, Shadowy Mountains.)

dae

shade

(i dhae) (shadow), no distinct pl. form except with article (i nae)

donn

shadowy

(black, swart, swarty, shady) (lenited dhonn, pl. dynn). (VT45:11). Also dunn- in compounds.

gwathui

shadowy

(lenited ’wathui; no distinct pl. form)

gwathuirim

shadowy people

(PM:330)

gwathuirim

shadowy people

(= people of Dunland) Gwathuirim (PM:330)

gwâth

shade

(noun) 1) gwâth (i **wâth; construct gwath) (shadow, dim light), pl. gwaith (in gwaith) (UT:261), 2) dae (i dhae) (shadow), no distinct pl. form except with article (i nae), 3) lûm (pl. luim**).

gwâth

shade

(i ’wâth; construct gwath) (shadow, dim light), pl. gwaith (in gwaith) (UT:261)

hall

shadowed

hall (veiled, hidden, shady); lenited chall; pl. hail. Note: a homophone means ”high, exalted”.

hall

shadowed

(veiled, hidden, shady); lenited chall; pl. hail. Note: a homophone means ”high, exalted”.

donn

shady

1) donn (black, swart, swarty, shadowy) (lenited dhonn, pl. dynn). (VT45:11). Also dunn- in compounds. 2) hall (veiled, hidden, shadowed, shady); lenited chall; pl. hail. Note: a homophone means ”high, exalted”, 3)

donn

shady

(black, swart, swarty, shadowy) (lenited dhonn, pl. dynn). (VT45:11). Also dunn- in compounds.

hall

shady

(veiled, hidden, shadowed, shady); lenited chall; pl. hail. Note: a homophone means ”high, exalted”

lumren

shady

lumren (pl. lymrin)

lumren

shady

(pl. lymrin)

lûm

shade

(pl. luim).

muil

twilight

(i vuil) (dreariness, shadow, vagueness), no distinct pl. except with article (i muil)

uial

twilight

1) uial (pl. uiail if there is a pl.). This can be specified as: 1) (morning twilight) minuial (i vinuial) (dawn, morrowdim), pl. minuiail (i minuiail). 2) (second twilight, before nightfall) aduial (evendim, the time of evening when the stars come out), pl. aduiail. Other terms for twilight: 1) tinnu (i dinnu, o thinnu) (dusk, starlit evening, early night without a moon, starry twilight), pl. tinny (i thynny) if there is a pl. 2) muil (i vuil) (dreariness, shadow, vagueness), no distinct pl. except with article (i muil)

donn

swart, swarty

(black, shady, shadowy) (lenited dhonn, pl. dynn). (VT45:11). Also dunn- in compounds.

hall

veiled

hall (hidden, shadowed, shady); lenited chall; pl. hail. Note: a homophone means ”high, exalted”.

hall

veiled

(hidden, shadowed, shady); lenited chall; pl. hail. Note: a homophone means ”high, exalted”.

moth

noun. dusk

Ered Wethrin

Ered Wethrin

topon.

dúath

noun. nightshade

dû

dimness

_ n. _dimness. >> Nanduhirion

faer

noun. spirit

gwath

noun. stain

môr

noun. darkness, dark, night

uial

noun. twilight

uial

noun. twilight

_ n. _twilight. Q. úyale, yúyal.

baran

swart

1) baran (dark brown, yellow brown, golden-brown), pl. berain. 2) graw (swart), lenited raw, pl. groe. (VT45:16) 3)

baran

swart

(dark brown, yellow brown, golden-brown), pl. berain.

daw

gloom

1) daw (i dhaw) (nighttime), pl. doe (i noe), coll. pl. ?dawath or ?doath; 2) dim (i dhim) (sadness), no distinct pl. form except with article (i nim). Note: a homophone means ”stair”. 3) fuin (darkness, night, dead of night, nightshade). No distinct pl. form. 4) maur (i vaur), pl. moer (i moer) (VT45:35)

daw

gloom

(i dhaw) (nighttime), pl. doe (i noe), coll. pl. ?dawath or ?doath

dim

gloom

(i dhim) (sadness), no distinct pl. form except with article (i nim). Note: a homophone means ”stair”.

dû

dusk

(i dhû) (night, nightfall, late evening, darkness), pl. dui (i nui) (SD:302).

dû

darkness

1) dû (i dhû) (night, nightfall, late evening, dusk), pl. dui (i nui) (SD:302), 2) fuin (gloom, night, dead of night, nightshade). No distinct pl. form. 3) môr (i vôr, construct mor), pl. mŷr (i mŷr) if there is a pl. (Letters:382); 4 morn (i vorn) (night), pl. myrn (i myrn). Note: the word môr, morn is also used as an adjective ”dark, black”. (Letters:386)

dû

darkness

(i dhû) (night, nightfall, late evening, dusk), pl. dui (i nui) (SD:302)

fae

spirit

1) fae (soul, radiance). No distinct pl. form. 2) faer (radiance). No distinct pl. form. (MR:349)

fae

spirit

(soul, radiance). No distinct pl. form.

faer

spirit

(radiance). No distinct pl. form. (MR:349)

fuin

gloom

(darkness, night, dead of night, nightshade). No distinct pl. form.

fuin

darkness

(gloom, night, dead of night, nightshade). No distinct pl. form.

fuin

nightshade

(gloom, darkness, night, dead of night); no distinct pl. form.

graw

swart

(swart), lenited ’raw, pl. groe. (VT45:16)

guruthos

death-horror, dread of death

(i nguruthos, o n’guruthos), pl. (if there is a pl.) either guruthys (in guruthys = i ñguruthys) or gyrythys (in gyrythys = i ñgyrythys) with umlaut throughtout the word. Coll. pl. guruthossath.

hûr

fiery spirit

(i chûr, o chûr, construct hur) (readiness for action, vigour), pl. huir (i chuir) if there is a pl.

maur

gloom

(i vaur), pl. moer (i moer) (VT45:35)

minuial

twilight

(i vinuial) (dawn, morrowdim), pl. minuiail (i minuiail).

moth

dusk

1) moth (i voth), pl. myth (i myth). David Salo would read *môth with a long vowel. 2) dû (i dhû) (night, nightfall, late evening, darkness), pl. dui (i nui) (SD:302).

moth

dusk

(i voth), pl. myth (i myth). David Salo would read ✱môth with a long vowel.

môr

darkness

(i vôr, construct mor), pl. m**ŷr (i m**ŷr) if there is a pl. (Letters:382); 4 morn (i vorn) (night), pl. myrn (i myrn). Note: the word môr, morn is also used as an adjective ”dark, black”. (Letters:386)

tinnu

dusk

tinnu (i dinnu, o thinnu) (twilight, starlit evening, early night without a moon, starry twilight), pl. tinny (i thynny) if there is a pl.

tinnu

dusk

(i dinnu, o thinnu) (twilight, starlit evening, early night without a moon, starry twilight), pl. tinny (i thynny) if there is a pl.

tinnu

twilight

(i** dinnu, o thinnu) (dusk, starlit evening, early night without a moon, starry twilight), pl. tinny (i** thynny) if there is a pl.

wath

noun. shadow

lub

root. shadow, darkness

This root and ones like it were the basis for shadowy things throughout Tolkien’s life, but went through a number of minor conceptual shifts. The earliest appearance of this root was as ᴱ√LUVU in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, with derivatives like ᴱQ. lumbo “dark lowering cloud” and ᴱQ. lūre “dark weather” (QL/57). In the Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa written afterwards, Tolkien gave the root as ᴱ√LUB with a similar set of derivatives (PME/57); phonological developments in both Early Qenya and Gnomish make it very difficult to distinguish ancient voiced stops [b] from voiced spirants [β]. Sign of this root can also be seen in Gnomish words G. lum or glum “cloud”, G. lumbri “foul weather”, and G. luv- “hang, lower, of clouds” (GL/55).

The derivatives of this root in the 1910s seem to connect more specifically to dark weather, but in The Etymologies of the 1930s the root reappeared as ᴹ√LUM with derivatives having to do mainly with shadow, such as ᴹQ. lumbe “gloom, shadow” and N. lhum “shade” (Ety/LUM). These in turn served as the basis for N. Hithlum and ᴹQ. †Hísilumbe >> ᴹQ. Hisilóme interpreted in this period as “Mist-and-Dusk” (LR/406). In earlier writing the second element of ᴱQ. Hisilóme “Misty-gloom” was derived from ᴱ√LOMO (QL/55), whereas in 1964 notes Hithlum was designated “North Sindarin” and given a new etymology as a direct loan from its Quenya equivalent, and thus no longer connected to √LUM (PE17/133).

The last appearance of the root in currently published material was as √LUM or √LUB “shadow, darkness” with derivatives Q. lumbo “dark, shade” and Q. lumbule “shadow” (PE17/168). Q. Luvailin “Shadowmere” (RC/217) is probably related and must derived from √LUB. For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I would assume that √LUB is the form as the root, as the various lumb- forms can likewise be derived from √LUB by way of strengthened ✱lu(m)b-.

hyōba

noun. spirit, shadow

wathar

root. *shadow, veil

lum

root. shadow, darkness

phay

root. spirit, spirit; [ᴹ√] radiate, send out rays of light

When this root first appeared in The Etymologies (Ety/PHAY), it was glossed “radiate, send out rays of light” and its derivatives were consistent with this definition, most notably in N. Feanor “Radiant Sun”. In later writings, this root was instead glossed “spirit” (PM/352), which is the connotation of most of its later derivatives. For example, the later meaning of S. Fëanor was changed to “Spirit of Fire”.

The earlier sense “radiate” probably also survived in Tolkien’s later conception, however. On MR/250, the word Q. fairë “spirit” is said to originally have had the sense “radiance”, which is precisely the meaning that ᴹQ. faire had in The Etymologies. There is also a primitive monosyllable ✶phāy “flame, ray of light” in the Outline of Phonology from the early 1950s (OP2: PE19/102). If the root meaning “radiate” remains valid, then the word S. ✱fael “gleam of the sun”, an element of S. Faelivrin “gleam of the sun on the pools of Ivrin” (the second name of Finduilas), might be a derivative of this root.

us(u)kwē

noun. dusk

yuyuñal

noun. twilight

dae

noun. shadow

daew

noun. shadow

dae

noun. shadow (cast by an object or form), shade

A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “shadow” derived from the root ᴹ√DAY of the same meaning (Ety/DAY). The original penciled version had {daer >>} dae, while the inked version had daew “shadow (cast by an object or form)” and Dae “shade” (EtyAC/DAY). It was most notably an element in the name N. Dor-Daedeloth “Land of the Shadow of Dread” (LR/120, 405). Christopher Tolkien had S. dae “shadow” in The Silmarillion appendix (SA/dae), but I suspect that was copied from The Etymologies. In later writings, Tolkien seems to have changed the initial element of Daedeloth to a variant of S. daer “great”, and its meaning from “Shadow of Dread” to “Great Dread” (WJ/183).

daedhelos

place name. Shadow of Fear

A name appearing in The Etymologies from the 1930s variously glossed “Shadow of Abomination”, “Shadow of Fear” or “Shadowy Dread”, a combination of dae “shadow” and the lenited form of delos “abhorrence, detestation, loathing” (Ety/DYEL, DAY; EtyAC/DYEL). In an earlier entry it appeared as Daedeloth “Extreme Horror” (EtyAC/DAƷ), a form that also appeared in the Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s as an early name of S. Ephel Dúath (TI/169). It may be a variant name of N. Dor-Daideloth.

hebel dúath

place name. Mountains of Shadow

Earlier name of the Mountains of Shadow in Morder in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s (WR/122, 180), a combination of hebel (“?fence”) and dú(w)ath “night-shade”.

eryd-lómin

place name. Mountains of Shadow

dúath

noun. darkness, shadow

dúwath

noun. darkness, shadow

gwath

noun. shade, shadow, dim light

eredwethion

place name. Shadowy Mountains

Earlier name for S. Ered Wethrin from Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (SM/268, LR/250), a combination of the plural of orod “mountain” (Ety/ÓROT), the lenited plural gwath “shade” (Ety/WATH) and suffix -ion, most likely a genitive plural suffix adapted from the Ilkorin name Urthin Gwethion.

lhum

noun. shade

A word appearing as N. lhum “shade” in The Etymologies of the 1930s, derived from the root ᴹ√LUM, most notably an element in the name N. Hithlum (Ety/LUM). It was the cognate of ᴹQ. lumbe, and thus derived from primitive ✱lumbē, which explains why the final m survived as a reduction of mb.

Conceptual Development: The earliest iteration of this word was G. lôm {“pool, sl...” >>} “gloom, shade” from the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, based on primitive ᴱ✶lou̯me (GL/54) and probably derived from the early root ᴱ√LOMO as suggested by Christopher Tolkien (LT1A/Hisilómë). In this early document, G. lum or glum was “a cloud” (GL/55), likely a derivative of ᴱ√LUVU for “✱dark weather” as also suggested by Christopher Tolkien (LT1A/Luvier). In Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s Tolkien had ᴱN. {lom >>} lhom “shadow” (PE13/149). This became N. lhum “shade” in The Etymologies, as noted above.

Neo-Sindarin: In later writings, Hithlum was designated North Sindarin and its final element was based on a loan from Q. lómë “dusk”, with the m surviving only because it was from the North dialect (PE17/133; WJ/400). However, the root √LUM “shadow, darkness” also survived in later writings (PE17/168), so I think N. lhum “shade” can be salvaged, though if adapted to Neo-Sindarin it would need to become ᴺS. lum as suggested in HSD (HSD). Given the later use of Q. lumbo for “(dark) cloud”, I think the Gnomish sense G. lum “[dark] cloud” can be salvaged as well.

lhumren

noun. shady

A word appearing as N. lhumren “shady” in The Etymologies of the 1930s, an adjective form of N. lhum “shade” (Ety/LUM).

Conceptual Development: The earliest iteration of this word was G. lómin “shady, shadowy, gloomy; gloom(iness)” from the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, the adjective form of G. lôm “gloom, shade” (GL/54). A similar word G. lumbrin or lumba “overcast” was an adjective based on G. lum “a cloud” (GL/55).

Neo-Sindarin: Since the root √LUM “shadow, darkness” survived in later writings (PE17/168), I think N. lhumren “shady” can be salvaged, though if adapted to Neo-Sindarin it would need to become ᴺS. lumren as suggested in HSD (HSD). Given the later use of Q. lumbo for “(dark) cloud”, I think the sense “overcast” from Gnomish lumbrin can be salvaged as well.

gwath

noun. shade

lhum

noun. shade

lhumren

adjective. shady

hall

adjective. veiled, hidden, shadowed, shady

An adjective in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “veiled, hidden, shadowed, shady” derived from the primitive ᴹ✶skalnā > ON. skhalla under the root ᴹ√SKAL “screen, hide (from light), overshadow” (Ety/SKAL¹).

donn

adjective. swart, swarthy; shady, shadowy

hall

adjective. veiled, hidden, shadowed, shady

donn

adjective. swart, swarthy

dúath

noun. nightshade

dúwath

noun. nightshade

gwath

noun. stain

gwathlo

place name. Greyflood

maur

noun. gloom

maur

noun. gloom

A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “gloom” appearing under the root ᴹ√MOR (Ety/MOR). A nearby primitive form ᴹ✶mǭri is the likely basis for this word as suggested by Carl Hostetter and Patrick Wynne (EtyAC/MOR), where the primitive ǭ became au as was the usual sound change in both Noldorin and later Sindarin (PE18/46, 96).

mân

noun. departed spirit

môr

noun. darkness, dark, night

ogol < ogl

gloom

n/adj gloom, gloomy

tindu

noun. dusk, twilight, early night (without Moon)

tindu

noun. starry twilight

tinnu

noun. dusk, twilight, early night (without Moon)

tinnu

noun. starry twilight

uial

noun. twilight

uial

noun. twilight

ungoliant

feminine name. Gloomweaver

lumbar

proper name. ?Shadow Home

The name of a star (S/48), possibly Saturn (MR/435). The meaning of this name is obscure. Perhaps it is a compound of [ᴹQ.] lumbe “shadow” and már “home”, meaning “✱Shadow Home”. Alternately, it could be a consonant expansion of lumba “gloomy” = lumba-r; hat-tip to Vyacheslav Stepanov for this suggestion.

ungoliantë

feminine name. Gloomweaver, *Shadow Spider

Quenya form of the name of Ungoliant (WJ/14), a compound of [ᴹQ.] ungo “cloud, dark shadow” and [ᴹQ.] liante “spider” (Ety/UÑG, SLIG). Christopher Tolkien confessed that the Quenya form Ungoliantë was used in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s forward, but he changed it to Ungoliant in the published version of The Silmarillion for compatibility with The Lord of the Rings (LR/299).

Conceptual Development: In the earliest Lost Tales her name was ᴱQ. Ungwe Lianti or Ungweliante, translated “great spider who enmeshes” (LT1/152). At this stage, this name was likely a combination of ᴱQ. ungwe “spider” and a derivative of the root ᴱ√LIYA, perhaps ᴱQ. liante “tendril” (LT1A/Ungwë Lianti). Her Gnomish name G. Gwerlum “Gloomweaver” (ᴱQ. Wirilóme) was of a different origin (LT1A/Gwerlum).

The name ᴹQ. Ungweliante appeared in The Etymologies from the 1930s (Ety/UÑG), but at this stage Tolkien reversed the meaning of its elements, with its initial element ᴹQ. ungwe “gloom” and the final element ᴹQ. liante “spider” (Ety/UÑG). Furthermore, in the contemporaneous narratives the earlier name was replaced by ᴹQ. Ungoliante, which appeared in The Etymologies beside Ungweliante, but with an initial element of ᴹQ. ungo “cloud, dark shadow” (Ety/UÑG, SLIG).

Tolkien used Ungoliantë for her Quenya name in all later writings, but he did not revisit its etymology. In Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, Ungoliantë was glossed “Gloomweaver” (LR/230), but Tolkien did not translate the name in later works. The later words Q. ungwë “spider’s web” (LotR/1122) and S. ungol “spider” (Let/180) indicates that Tolkien reversed himself again and decided that the initial element Ungo- meant “spider”: the root √ungu- for “spider words” appears in later writings (PE22/160). This entry uses “Gloomweaver” as the best available translation, but it is most likely a holdover from earlier G. Gwerlum. Using the derivation from The Etymologies, a more literal translation would be “✱Shadow Spider”, but even that is questionable given Tolkien’s later rearrangement of the roots.

fuine

noun. deep shadow

PQ. deep shadow, night shade

fuinë

deep shadow

fuinë noun "deep shadow" (PHUY; cf. "Qenya" fuin "night" in MC:221). According to VT41:8, fuinë is not a Quenya form at all, but Telerin for Quenya huinë (but unquestionably, fuinë is quoted as a Quenya form in certain earlier sources; cf. also Fuinur below - perhaps we may assume that fuinë was borrowed into Quenya from Telerin and thus came to co-exist with huinë?

huinë

deep shadow

huinë noun "deep shadow" (PHUY), "gloom" (VT41:8), "gloom, darkness" (SA:fuin), also used for "shadow" = Sauron (LR:56). Possessive (adjectival) form huinéva in the name Taurë Huinéva, q.v. In earlier sources, huinë is quoted as a variant of fuinë, but according to VT41:8, huinë is the proper Quenya form and fuinë is Telerin.With prefix nu- "under" and allative ending -nna in nuhuinenna (SD:246); also unuhuinë "under-shadow" (LR:47).

hó

spirit, shadow

hó noun "spirit, shadow" (PE17:86)

lumbë

gloom, shadow

lumbë noun "gloom, shadow" (LUM)

lëo

shade, shadow cast by any object

lëo noun "shade, shadow cast by any object" (DAY)

lómin

shade, shadow

lómin noun "shade, shadow" (LT1:255)

mordo

shadow, obscurity, stain

mordo (1) noun "shadow, obscurity, stain" (MOR)

luvailin

place name. Shadowmere

A mere (lake) in Eldamar under the shadow of Oiolossë, mentioned only in Tolkien’s “Unfinished Index” of The Lord of the Rings (RC/217). Its second element is likely ailin “lake”, and its initial element is probably some derivative of the root √LUB “shadow, darkness”.

avathar

place name. Shadows

A region in the far south of Aman where Ungoliant dwelled before she was recruited by Morgoth to destroy the Two Trees (S/73-4). Its meaning is uncertain. In one place (MR/284) Tolkien declared that it was ancient Quenya with the meaning “Shadows”. Elsewhere (WJ/404) he said it was not an Elvish word at all and was probably adapted from Valarin. Its use of “th” [θ] means this name must have been archaic or from the Vanyarin dialect, since [[q|[θ] became [s]]] by the time of the Noldorin exile.

Very likely it is derived from the root √WATHAR (VT42/9-10) as suggested to me by Lokyt.

Conceptual Development: The earliest mention of this region was perhaps the name ᴱQ. Harwalin “Near the Valar” (QL/39), though this form had many variations. The issue is confused in Tolkien’s very early writing, because this name was often interchanged with ᴱQ. Eruman (later Q. Araman). In the Lost Tales, Tolkien eventually settled on the name ᴱQ. Arvalin “Nigh Valinor” (LT1/22), and the region retained this name for a long time, appearing in The Etymologies from the 1930s as ᴹQ. Arvalin “Outside Valinor” (Ety/AR²). It wasn’t until Tolkien’s Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s that the name changed to its final form, first (briefly) Vastuman of unclear meaning, then Avathar (MR/291).

lómëa

adjective. shadowed, gloomy, shadowed, gloomy, *dusk-like

An element in various Entish phrases meaning “shadowed” or “gloomy” (LotR/1131; PE17/81). It is an adjectival form of Q. lómë “night, dusk”, so is perhaps more literally “✱of or like the dim light of dusk or a star-lit night”, probably without the negative connotations that “gloomy” has in English.

Conceptual Development: A similar form appeared unglossed in Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s as (ablative plural) ᴱQ. lómealloi in the phrase ᴱQ. fanwen tollillon lómëalloi, perhaps “✱a dream from the gloomy islands” as suggested by Patrick Wynne and Christopher Gilson (PE16/147).

laimë

shade

laimë noun "shade" (DAY; in an earlier version the gloss was "shadow (cast by an object or form)"; see VT45:8-9. Perhaps Tolkien transferred this meaning to lëo when giving laimë the more general meaning "shade".)

laira

shady

laira adj. "shady" (DAY)

halda

veiled, hidden, shadowed, shady

halda adj. "veiled, hidden, shadowed, shady" (opposed to helda "stripped bare") (SKAL1, VT46:13)

Fuinur

fuinar

Fuinur (misprint "Fuinar" in the Silmarillion Index) masc. name, evidently derived from fuinë "shadow" (Silm; cf. the stem PHUY in the Etymologies)

fairë

phantom, disembodied spirit, when seen as a pale shape

fairë(1) noun "phantom, disembodied spirit, when seen as a pale shape" (pl. fairi in Markirya); compare ausa. The noun fairë was also used = "spirit (in general)", as a kind of being (MR:349, PE17:124). In VT43:37 and VT44:17, fairë refers to the Holy Spirit (fairë aista or Aina Fairë)

fëa

spirit

fëa noun "spirit" (pl. fëar attested, MR:363). The Incarnates are said to live by necessary union of hroa (body) and fëa (WJ:405). In Airëfëa noun "the Holy Spirit", Fëanáro masc. name "Spirit of Fire" (Quenya-Sindarin hybrid form: Fëanor), Fëanturi noun "Masters of Spirits", name of the two Valar Mandos and Lórien (SA:tur), fëafelmë noun "spirit-impulse" (impulses originating with the spirit, e.g. love, pity, anger, hate) (VT41:19 cf. 13, VT43:37). In one source it is said to mean specifically a "spirit indwelling a body", i.e. "soul" (PE17:124), which contradicts such uses as Airefëa or Fëanturi. Cf. fairë.

histë

dusk

histë noun "dusk" (LT1:255)

hísë

dusk

hísë (2) noun "dusk" (LT1:255). A "Qenya" form possibly obsoleted by #1 above.

lómë

dusk, twilight

lómë noun "dusk, twilight", also "night"; according to SD:415, the stem is lómi- (contrast the "Qenya" genitive lómen rather than **lómin in VT45:28). According to PE17:152, lómë refers to night "when viewed favourably, as a rule, but it became the general rule" (cf. SD:414-415 regarding lōmi as an Adûnaic loan-word based on lómë, meaning "fair night, a night of stars" with "no connotations of gloom or fear"). In the battle-cry auta i lómë "the night is passing" (Silm. ch. 20), the "night" would however seem to refer metaphorically to the reign of Morgoth. As for the gloss, cf. Lómion masc. name "Child of Twilight [dusk]", the Quenya name Aredhel secretly gave to Maeglin _(SA). Otherwise lómë is usually defined as "night" (Letters:308, LR:41, SD:302 cf.414-15, SA:dú)_; the _Etymologies defines lómë as "Night [as phenomenon], night-time, shades of night, Dark" (DO3/DŌ, LUM, DOMO, VT45:28), or "night-light" (VT45:28, reading of _lómë uncertain). In early "Qenya" the gloss was "dusk, gloom, darkness" (LT1:255). Cf. lómelindëpl. lómelindi "nightingale" _(SA:dú, LR:41; SD:302, MR:172, DO3/DŌ, LIN2, TIN). _Derived adjective #lómëa "gloomy" in Lómëanor "Gloomyland"; see Taurelilómëa-tumbalemorna...

lúmë

darkness

lúmë (2) noun "darkness" (one wonders if Tolkien confused lúmë "time, hour" and lómë "night") (Markirya)

lúmë

noun. darkness

A noun in the 1960s versions of the Markirya glossed “darkness” (MC/222), perhaps derived from a root √DU as suggested by David Salo in a post to the Elfling mailing list in 2012 (Elfling/362.96).

Neo-Quenya: I’d generally use Q. huinë for “darkness” in Neo-Quenya, but that word is more for total darkness, whereas lúmë might be a less severe form of darkness, a variant of Q. lómë “night, dusk”.

mor

darkness

mor noun "darkness" (Letters:308; probably just an Elvish "element" rather than a complete word; Namárië has mornië for "darkness")

mornië

darkness

mornië noun "darkness" (Nam, RGEO:67), "dark, blackness" (PE17:73). Early "Qenya" also has Mornië "Black Grief", "the black ship that plies between Mandos and Erumáni" (LT1:261). This is probably a compound of mor- "black" and nië "tear".

súlë

spirit, breath

súlë (þ) noun "spirit, breath", also name of tengwa #9; originally thúlë (þúlë), before the shift th > s that occurred shortly before the rebellion of the Noldor (Appendix E, THŪ). Its gloss, "blowing forth", was metaphorically used as "the emission of power (of will or desire) from a spirit" (PE17:124). If the element súlë appears in Súlimë and Súlimo (q.v.), the stem-form may seem to be súli-.

undómë

twilight

undómë noun "twilight", usually of the time near evening, not near dawn (that is tindómë)

usque

noun. dusk

dusk

usque

noun. dusk, twilight

vilissë

spirit

vilissë noun "spirit" (GL:23)

yaru

gloom, blight

yaru noun "gloom, blight" (GL:37)

yualë

twilight

yualë noun "twilight" (KAL). Also yúcalë. Cf. yúyal.

yúcalë

twilight

yúcalë ("k")noun "twilight" (KAL, VT45:13). Also yualë.

yúyal

twilight

yúyal noun "twilight" (PE17:169); cf. yualë, yúcalë, q.v.

yúyal

noun. twilight

úyalë

noun. twilight

þúlë

noun. spirit

huine

noun. deep shadow

deep shadow, night shade

uzn

noun. dimness, shadow

gûl

suffix. phantom, shadow of dark magic, wraith; †black arts, sorcery

burzum

noun. darkness

burzum

noun. darkness

fuinë

noun. gloom

scella

noun. shade, screen

Probably noun. Primitive form given as skalnâ, derived from the stem SKAL1 "screen, hide (from light)" (LR:386). Since -nâ is an adjectival ending, often taking on the meaning of a kind of past participle, skalnâ must mean "screened, hidden (from light)"; this has become a noun "shade, screen" in Nandorin.

The word scella, sciella alone tells us that ln is assimilated to ll in Nandorin, and as in dunna, spenna a primitive final -â, usually lost, seems to persist as -a following a double consonant. The shift of a to e in skalnâ > scella is parallelled by the similar shift in spannâ > spenna, q.v. However, such a shift does not occur in what might seem to be similar environments (before a double consonant?); cf. hrassa, not hressa, from khrassê. It would seem that e might further break up into ie, scella having the alternative form sciella.

sciella

noun. shade, screen

>> scella