A root in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s glossed “tip”, with derivatives like ᴱQ. óleme “elbow” and ᴱQ. ole “three” (QL/69). It seems to have served as the basis for ᴱ√LOHO, an early root for various flower words (QL/55). There are no signs that ᴱ√OLO was used for “tip” in Tolkien’s later writings (except perhaps in √OLOB “branch”), and ᴱ√LOHO evolved into √LOT(H) “flower”.
Quenya
tillë
tip, point
tillë
noun. tip, point; [within compounds] finger, toe, tip, point; [within compounds] finger, toe; [ᴱQ.] eyelash
Derivations
- √TIL “point, horn” ✧ VT47/26; VT47/28
Element in
- ✶niktil “little [finger]” ✧ VT47/26
- Q. amaltil “*mother finger”
- Q. antil “*middle finger” ✧ VT47/26
- Q. atartil “thumb [nursery rhymes]”
- Q. cantil “fourth finger” ✧ VT47/26
- Q. enestil “*middle finger” ✧ VT47/26
- Q. tastil “*index finger” ✧ VT47/26
- Q. toltil “thumb” ✧ VT47/26
- Q. nútil “under-point” ✧ VT47/10
- Q. ortil “up-point” ✧ VT47/10
- Q. seltil “daughter [finger name]”
- Q. taltil “toe, *(lit.) foot-tip” ✧ VT47/10
- Q. yontil “boy, son [finger name]”
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources √TIL > tille [tille] ✧ VT47/26 √TIL > tilma [tilma] ✧ VT47/28 Variations
- tille ✧ VT47/10; VT47/26
- tilma ✧ VT47/28
- tile ✧ VT47/28
tillë (pl. tilli given) noun "tip, point", used with reference to fingers and toes (VT47:10, 26); compare ortil, nútil, q.v.