barad

tower

1b n. tower.

barad

tower

1c n. tower. Q. marto.

minas

noun. tower

barad-dûr

place name. Dark Tower

Sauron’s fortress in Mordor, translated “Dark Tower” (LotR/555). It is a combination of barad “tower” and dûr “dark” (PE17/22, 85; RC/274; SA/barad, dûr).

Conceptual Development: In Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, this name was already N. Barad-dûr when it first appeared (TI/178).

emyn beraid

place name. Tower Hills

Hills west of the shire, translated “Tower Hills” (LotR/1097), a combination of the plural of amon “hill” and the plural of barad “tower” (SA/barad), so literally: “✱Hills of Towers”.

Conceptual Development: In drafts of the Lord of the Rings appendices, Tolkien first named these hills Emyn Gwahaedir >> Emyn Hen Dúnadan before settling on Emyn Beraid (PM/186).

minas anor

place name. Tower of the (Setting) Sun

Original name of Minas Tirith, translated “Tower of the Setting Sun” (LotR/244), a combination of minas “tower” and Anor “Sun” (SA/minas, nár).

Conceptual Development: When it first appeared in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, the name N. Minas Anor was translated more literally as “Tower of the Sun” (TI/119).

minas ithil

place name. Tower of the (Rising) Moon

Original name of Minas Morgul, translated “Tower of the Rising Moon” (LotR/244), a combination of minas “tower” and Ithil “Moon” (SA/minas, sil).

Conceptual Development: When it first appeared in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, the name N. Minas Ithil was translated more literally as “Tower of the Moon” (TI/119).

minas morgul

place name. Tower of Sorcery

The name of Minas Ithil after it fell into the hands of Sauron, translated “Tower of Sorcery” (LotR/245). This name is a combination of minas “tower” and morgul “sorcery” (MR/350, PE17/31).

Conceptual Development: In Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, this name first appeared as N. Minas Morgol “Tower of Sorcery” (TI/127), soon revised to N. Minas Morghul (TI/146) and eventually to its final form N/S. Minas Morgul (WR/230).

annúminas

place name. Tower of the West

The capital of Arnor (LotR/244). Christopher Tolkien translated it as “Tower of the West” (SI/Annúminas), a combination of annûn “west” and minas “tower” (SA/andúnë, minas).

Conceptual Development: When this city first appeared in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, it was named N. Torfirion “Westermanton” (TI/144). In an early version of the Tale of Years the city was called N. Dunhirion (PM/167). Both of these variants were eventually replaced by Annúminas.

arminas

masculine name. ?Noble Tower

A Noldorin Elf of Angrod’s people (S/212). His name is apparently a combination of the prefix ar(a)- “noble” and the noun minas “tower”, though it is unclear why the second element was not lenited to ✱-vinas, as occurred in similar names like Arvegil. In a Discord chat on 2024-05-20, Parmandil suggested it might be a North Sindarin or Quenya name to explain the lack of lenition. Vyacheslav Stepanov suggested its initial element might instead be arn-, as in Argonath.

barad eithel

place name. Tower of the Well

A fortress on the river Sirion, translated “Tower of the Well” (S/191). It is a combination of barad “tower” and eithel “spring, (water) source” (SA/barad, eithel).

barad nimras

place name. White Horn Tower

A tower raised by Finrod on the cape of Eglarest, translated “White Horn Tower” (S/120, SI/Barad Nimras). It is a combination of barad “tower”, nim “white”, and ras(s) “horn” (SA/barad, nim, ras).

Conceptual Development: In Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, this tower was first named N. Tindobel (LR/129, 265). In Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s, Tolkien changed the name to the Tower of Ingildon (WJ/118, notes §90) and later to its final form Barad Nimras (WJ/197-8, notes §120).

brasta-

verb. to tower up, loom

A verb glossed “tower up, loom” in notes from the late 1960s (PMB) based on the root √BARAS which in that document was one of various roots used to “express great height combined with strength, size, majesty” (PE17/22-23). The other derivatives of this root were words for cliffs and precipices.

minas tirith

place name. Tower of Guard, Tower of Watch

The name of Minas Anor after the resurgence of Mordor, translated “Tower of Guard” (LotR/245) or “Tower of Watch” (PE17/31). The name was also used for a stronghold of the Noldor on Tol Sirion in Beleriand (S/120). This name is a combination of minas “tower” and tirith “watching, guarding” (SA/minas, tir; PE17/31).

Conceptual Development: As a tower of the Noldor, Tolkien first used the name N. Inglormindon, but revised it to N. Minnastirith (LR/146), translated “Watchtower” (LR/264). The form Minnas-tirith also appeared in The Etymologies (Ety/TIR). In Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, Tolkien considered a variety of names for the capital of Gondor before settling on N. Minas Tirith (TI/115-6), which he initially translated as “Tower of Guard” (TI/127).

Annúminas

noun. west tower

annûn (“west, sunset”) + minas (“tower”) #The assimilation of nm > mm > m could be “internal nasal mutation”.

Barad-dûr

noun. dark tower

barad (“tower”) + dûr (“dark, somber”) #Dh could revert to d assimilated by the preceding d.

Barad Eithel

noun. tower of [the] well

barad (“tower”) + eithel (“spring, well”)

Minas Anor

noun. the tower of the sun

minas (“tower, fort”), Anor (“the sun”)

Minas Ithil

noun. the tower of the moon

minas (“tower, fort”), Ithil (“the moon”)

Minas Morgu

noun. tower of black magic

minas (“tower, fort”), morn (“dark, black”) + (n-)gûl (“magic, necromancy”) As for the lenition inside the second word, in L:427, Tolkien explains that “…the triconsonantal group (rng) then being reduced to rg”.

Minas Tirith

noun. tower watch

minas (“tower, fort”), tirith (“watch, guard, vigilance”)

Barad-dûr

place name. 'Dark Tower'

topon. #'Dark Tower'. >> barad, dûr

Minas Morgul

'Tower of Sorcery'

topon. 'Tower of Sorcery'. >> Minas Tirith

Minas Tirith

place name. 'Tower of Watch'

topon. 'Tower of Watch', the great 'home' of Finrod, a fort built on an island in Sirion and intended to command access into Beleriand from the North. >> Minas Morgul

tirith aear

place name. Sea-ward Tower

A tower in Dol Amroth mentioned in the preface to the Adventures of Tom Bombadil (TR/192), glossed “Sea-ward Tower”. It is a combination of tirith “watch” and either aear or gaear “sea” (lenited), so perhaps a more literal translation would be “Sea Watch”.

brasta-

verb. tower up

_v. _tower up, loom.

barad

noun. tower, great towering building, tower, great towering building, [N.] fort, fortress

minas

noun. tower, fort, city (with a citadel and central watch tower)

barad

noun. tower, fortress

minas

noun. fort, city with a citadel and central watch-tower

barad

tower

1. barad (fortress, fort) (i varad), pl. beraid (i meraid). Note: barad is also an adjective "doomed", but this is derived from a stem in mb- and would have different mutations. 2) (tower or city with citadel/central watchtower) minas (i vinas), pl. minais (i minais), coll. pl. minassath

barad

tower

(fortress, fort) (i varad), pl. beraid (i meraid). Note: barad is also an adjective "doomed", but this is derived from a stem in mb- and would have different mutations.

minas

tower

(i vinas), pl. minais (i minais), coll. pl. minassath

Barad-dûr

Dark Tower

Barad-Dûr translates from Sindarin as "Dark Tower". barad means "tower" and dûr means "dark". Lugbúrz was the name of Barad-dûr in the Black Speech from Lug meaning "tower" and búrz meaning "dark".

Barad-dûr

Barad-dûr

Barad-Dûr translates from Sindarin as "Dark Tower". barad means "tower" and dûr means "dark". Lugbúrz was the name of Barad-dûr in the Black Speech, composed of of the Black Speech words lûg ("fortress, lock-up, prison") and búrz ("dark").

amon

noun. hill, steep-sided mount

amon

hill

pl1. emyn n. hill, lump, clump, mass, often applied to (esp. isolated) mountains. Q. umbo(n). FAmon Amarth

amon

hill

1. amon (pl. emyn) (steep-sided mount), 2) dôl (i dhôl, construct dol) (head), pl. dŷl (i nŷl). Note: In the Etymologies, this word was derived from a root with initial nd- (NDOL), which would make the mutations different (i nôl, pl. i ndŷl). However, the later name Fanuidhol "Cloudyhead" apparently indicates that the lenited form of this d was later to be dh (whereas it would be n if the former derivation had been maintained). 3) tund (i dund, o thund, construct tun) (mound), pl. tynd (i thynd), coll. pl. tunnath.

amon

hill

(pl. emyn) (steep-sided mount)

cîl

pass between hills

(i gîl, o chîl) (cleft, gorge), no distinct pl. form except with article (i chîl), coll. pl. cíliath. . A homophone means ”renewal”.

dôl

hill

(i** dhôl, construct **dol) (head), pl. dŷl (i** nŷl). Note: In the Etymologies, this word was derived from a root with initial nd- (NDOL), which would make the mutations different (i** nôl, pl. i** ndŷl). However, the later name Fanuidhol "Cloudyhead" apparently indicates that the lenited form of this d was later to be dh (whereas it would be n** if the former derivation had been maintained).

tund

hill

(i** dund, o thund, construct tun) (mound), pl. tynd (i** thynd), coll. pl. tunnath.

marto

tower

marto (1) noun "tower" (PE17:66)

tarminas

tower

tarminas noun "tower" etc. (Sindarin barad); see taras (PE17:22)

turco

tower

turco ("k") (2) noun "tower". In Lúnaturco, Quenya name of Barad-dûr (Dark Tower). Tolkien changed the word turco from turma (PE17:22).

turma

tower

[turma] (2) noun "tower". Tolkien changed this word to turco (#2), q.v. (PE17:22)

marto

noun. tower

ardamin

masculine name. *World Tower

Tar-Ardamin was the 19th ruler of Númenor (UT/222). His name seems to be a compound of Arda “world” and min(don) “tower”.

calmindon

place name. Light-tower

A tower on the island of Tol Uinen off the coast of Númenor (UT/182). This name is a compound of cala “light” and mindon “tower”.

minardil

masculine name. ?Friend of the Tower

25th king of Gondor (LotR/1038). The final element might be -(n)dil “-friend”, but the meaning of the initial element is unclear. There is possibility that it is a shortened form minas of minassë “tower”, possibly also appearing in the name of his son Minastan. In the phonetic development of Quenya, [[p|[s] before [d] would have been voiced to [z]]] which would then have developed into [r].

minastan

masculine name. ?Smith of the Tower

The second son of Minardil, whose son Tarondor laer became the 27th king of Gondor after the previous king and his heirs perished in the great plague (LotR/1038, 1048). The meaning of his name is unclear, but it might be a compound of a shortened form minas of minassë “tower” and the suffixal form -tan of tamo “smith”.

minastir

masculine name. ?Watch Tower

Tar-Minastir was the 11th ruler of Númenor, so named “because he built a high tower upon the hill of Oromet” (UT/220). His name might be a compound of a shortened form minas of minassë “tower” and a form of tir- “to watch”.

mindon eldaliéva

place name. Lofty Tower of the Eldalië

The high tower of Ingwë at the summit of Túna in the city of Tirion (S/59), in some places simply called Mindon (S/70). This name is a combination of mindon “(lofty) tower” and the possessive form of Eldalië “Elven-folk”.

Conceptual Development: In Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s this tower was called ᴹQ. Ingwemindon the “Tower of Ingwë” (LR/222).

taras lúna

place name. *Dark Tower

A Quenya translation of S. Barad-dûr (LotR/1038), a combination of taras “tower” and lúna “✱dark” (PE17/22). Tolkien did not translate the name, so this entry assume it has the same meaning as its Sindarin equivalent.

tirion

place name. Great Watch-tower

City of the Elves in Valinor, built on the hill Túna (S/59). This name is the noun tirion “watch-tower” used as a name, probably inspired by the great tower Mindon Eldaliéva built by Ingwë within that city.

Conceptual Development: In the earliest Lost Tales, the name of this city of the Elves in Valinor was ᴱQ. Kôr, which was also the name of the hill where it was built (LT1/122-3). At this early stage, the name ᴱQ. Kortirion was used for the chief city of Tol Eressëa, home of the exiles of Kôr and named after the great tower built by Ingil son of Inwe (LT1/16). In Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, ᴹQ. Kôr became the name of the hill only, and the name of the city became ᴹQ. Túna “Hill City” (LR/222). In the same period, the name ᴹQ. Kortirion largely vanished from the narratives, mentioned only as the place where Ælfwine recorded the tales (LR/334).

In Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, the city in Valinor was called ᴹQ. Tirion in Bilbo’s poem in Rivendell (TI/92); this name was also used in Tolkien’s notes on the fall of Númenor from the 1940s (SD/403). The name Tirion was retained in the published Lord of the Rings (LotR/235), and Tolkien used this name for the Valinorian city in Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s (MR/84). Túna gradually became the name of the hill only (MR/8), while the name Kôr vanished entirely. It is possible that Q. Tirion was a restoration of the early name ᴱQ. Kortirion, now as the city in Valinor rather than Tol Eressëa. The chief city of Tol Eressëa was called Avallónë in later writings (S/260).

The table below summarizes these changes:

|Period|City (Tol Eressea)|City (Valinor)|Hill (Valinor)|Tower|Tower Builder| |Early (ᴱQ)|Kortirion|Kôr|Kôr|Tirin (in Tol Eressea)|Ingil| |Middle (ᴹQ)|Kortirion|Túna|Kôr|Ingwemindon (in Valinor)|Ingwe| |Late (Q)|Avallónë|Tirion|Túna|Mindon Eldaliéva|Ingwë|

Minastan

tower-maker

Minastan masc.name, noun *"Tower-maker" (Appendix A)

Minastir

tower-watcher

Minastir masc. name, noun *"Tower-watcher" (Appendix A)

Mindolluin

blue tower

Mindolluin noun *"Blue Tower" (mindon + luin), name of a mountain. (Christopher Tolkien translates the name as "Towering Blue-head" in the Silmarillion Index, but this seems to be based on the questionable assumption that it includes the Sindarin element dol "head, hill". Unless this translation is given in his father's papers, the name is better explained as a Quenya compound.)

minassë

fort, city, with a citadel and central watch-tower

minassë noun "fort, city, with a citadel and central watch-tower" (VT42:24)

mindo

isolated tower

mindo noun "isolated tower" (MINI)

mindon

(great, lofty) tower

mindon noun "(great, lofty) tower", said to be an augmented form of mindë (VT42:24). Allative pl. mindoninnar in Markirya, changed to the contracted form mindonnar. Cf. also Mindon Eldaliéva "Lofty Tower of the Eldalië" (Silm)

taras

great towering building, (fort, city, castle) tower

taras noun, Quenya equilvalent of Sindarin barad "a great towering building, (fort, city, castle) tower" (PE17:22), also tarminas. Barad-dûr (Dark Tower) = Quenya Taras Lúna (or Lúnaturco, q.v.)

tirin

tall tower

tirin noun "tall tower" _(LT1:258; this is a verb "I watch" in the Etymologies, stem TIR.)_

tirion

watch-tower, tower

tirion noun "watch-tower, tower" (TIR); in early "Qenya" the gloss was "a mighty tower, a city on a hill" (LT1:258). Tirion "Great Watchtower", a city of the Elves in the Blessed Realm (SA:tir; in MR:176 the translation is "Watchful City")

minassë

noun. fort, city (with a citadel and central watch tower)

mindon

noun. (lofty) tower, (lofty or isolated) tower; [ᴱQ.] turret

taras

noun. a great towering building (fort/city/castle), tower, great towering building (fort/city/castle), tower; [ᴹQ.] mount, hill

tarminas

noun. great towering building (fort/city/castle), tower

tirion

noun. watch-tower, watch-tower, tower, [ᴱQ.] (great or mighty) tower; city on a hill

varasta-

verb. to tower up, loom

A neologism coined by Parmandil posted on 2023-11-04 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), a verb form of √BARAS “height”, a cognate of S. brasta- of the same meaning.

Minardil

minar[?]-friend

Minardil masc.name noun "minar[?]-friend". Perhaps minar is to be understood as a variant of minas (s being voiced to z by contact with the voiced plosive that follows, and then regularly becoming r); if so, the name means "Tower-friend" (Appendix A)

mindë

noun. turret

Tiristemindon

place name. Minas Tirith

Túna

hill, mound

Túna (also Tún) place-name, used of the hill on which Tirion was built (Silm, TUN, KOR), derived from a stem (TUN) apparently meaning simply *"hill, mound".

ambo

hill, rising ground

ambo noun "hill, rising ground" (Markirya, PE17:92), "mount" (PE17:157), allative pl. ambonnar "upon hills" in Markirya (ruxal' ambonnar "upon crumbling hills") According to VT45:5, ambo was added to the Etymologies as a marginal note.

ambona

noun. hill

amun

hill

amun (amund-) noun "hill" (LT2:335; in Tolkien's later Quenya ambo)

arta

fort, fortress

arta (2) noun "fort, fortress" (GARAT under 3AR)

mindë

turret

mindë noun "turret" (VT42:24)

osta

homestead

osta (2) noun "homestead" (LT2:336)

ostar

township

ostar noun "township" (LT2:336)

ostirion

fort

ostirion noun "fort" (TI:423)

tundo

hill, mound

tundo noun "hill, mound" (TUN)

umbo

hill, lump, clump, mass

umbo, umbon noun "hill, lump, clump, mass" (PE17:93)

minnas

noun. tower

tirion

noun. tower

mindon

noun. tower

minnas

noun. tower

barad

noun. fort, tower, fortress

barad-dûr

place name. Dark Tower

minas anor

place name. Tower of the Sun

minas ithil

place name. Tower of the Moon

minas morgol

place name. Tower of Sorcery

minas tirith

place name. Tower of Guard

mindon

noun. tower, isolated hill (especially a hill with a watchtower)

barad

noun. tower, fortress

mindon

noun. isolated hill, especially a hill with a watch tower

minnas

noun. fort, city with a citadel and central watch-tower

amon

noun. hill, steep-sided mount

amon

noun. hill

garth

noun. fort, fortress

tund

noun. hill, mound

tunn

noun. hill, mound

rat

root. tower up

The extended root √ARAT “good, excellent, noble” appeared in 1957 Quenya Notes (QN) as an extension of √AR “beyond, further than”, and was principally used for the adjectives Q. ar(a)ta, S. arod/raud “noble” and elaborations thereof (PE17/147). In Definitive Linguistic Notes (DLN) from 1959 it was instead given as √RAT “tower up”, serving as the basis for the same set of words (PE17/186). In any case, all these seem to be variants of √RĀ/ARA “noble”; see that entry for details.

ambō

noun. hill

lugbúrz

place name. Dark Tower