Quenya 

tumbo

(deep) valley

tumbo (stem *tumbu-, given the primitive form ¤tumbu) noun "(deep) valley", under or among hills (TUB, SA:tum), "depth" (PE17:81). - In early "Qenya", the gloss was "dark vale" (LT1:269). See tumba.

lún

deep

lún adj.??? a word of obscure meaning, perhaps "deep" as used of water (VT48:28)

núra

deep

núra adj. "deep" (NŪ)

ronta

hollow

ronta adj.? noun? "hollow" (also rotwa) (LT2:347. In Tolkien's later Quenya, the preferred words for "hollow" are unqua adj. and unquë noun.)

rotwa

hollow

rotwa adj.? noun? "hollow" (also ronta) (LT2:347. In Tolkien's later Quenya, the preferred words for "hollow" are unqua adj. and unquë noun.)

unqua

hollow

unqua ("q")adj. "hollow" (UNUK)

Nando

valley, wide valley

nando (2) "valley, wide valley", variant of nandë #1, q.v. (PE17:80)

nalda

valley

nalda adj. "valley" (used as an adjective), also "lowly" (LT1:261, QL:66)$

nan

noun. valley, vale

nandë

valley

nandë (1) noun "valley" in Laurenandë (UT:253), elided nand in the name Nand Ondoluncava (k") "Stonewain Valley" (PE17:28). Possibly the complete word is here meant to be the variant nando (PE17:80), as suggested by the alternative form Ondoluncanan(do) ("k") "Stonewain Valley". Also nan, nand- noun "valley" (Letters:308); Nan-Tasarion "Vale of Willows" (LotR2:III ch. 4) (Note that this and the next nandë would be spelt differently in Tengwar writing, and originally they were also pronounced differently, since nandë "harp" was ñandë in First Age Quenya.)

nandë

noun. valley

náva

adjective. hollow

Derivations

  • nābā “hollow” ✧ WJ/414

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
nābā > Náva[nābā] > [nāβā] > [nāβa] > [nāva]✧ WJ/414

Variations

  • Náva ✧ WJ/389 (Náva)

Sindarin 

tum

noun. deep valley, under or among hills

Sindarin [Ety/394, S/438] Group: SINDICT. Published by

tum

noun. valley, vale, (deep) valley, vale; [ᴱN.] flat vale

A word for a valley or vale derived from primitive ✶tumbu, specifically meaning a deep valley surrounded on all sides as described by Tolkien in notes from the late 1960s: “Those [valleys] such as the valley of Gondolin which were more or less circular, but deeply concave, and had high mountains at the rim were called ✱tumbu (NM/351)”. Its most notable use was in the name Tumladen for the hidden valley where Nargothrond lay (S/115).

Conceptual Development: This word dates all the way back to the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, where Tolkien had {tum >>} G. tûm “valley” (GL/71), probably a derivative of the early root ᴱ√TUM(B)U as suggested by Christopher Tolkien (LT1A/Tombo; QL/95). In Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s Tolkien had ᴱN. tumb or tum “flat vale” (PE13/154), and in The Etymologies of the 1930s there was N. tum “deep valley under or among hills” from the root ᴹ√TUB (Ety/TUB). The most complete description of this word in Tolkien’s later writings was in notes on Galadriel and Celeborn from the late 1960s, with the meaning given above (NM/351). In this late 1960s note the primitive form was given as ✶tumbu, which is the same primitive form Tolkien gave in The Etymologies (Ety/TUB).

Cognates

  • Q. tumbo “deep vale, valley, deep vale, valley, [ᴱQ.] dale” ✧ SA/tum; NM/351

Derivations

  • tumbu “deep vale” ✧ NM/351
    • ᴹ√TUB “to fall low[?], go down (below normal ground level), (esp.) to go down (sink, dive) into water”

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
tumbu > Tum[tumbu] > [tumbo] > [tumbo] > [tumb] > [tumm] > [tumm] > [tum]✧ NM/351

Variations

  • Tum ✧ NM/351; NM/363
Sindarin [NM/351; NM/363; SA/tum] Group: Eldamo. Published by

im

noun. valley, valley; [N.] dell, deep vale

An archaic element meaning “valley” that survived only in compounds, a derivation of ✶imbi “between” (VT47/14). The basic sense “valley” was transferred to its more elaborate form imlad as in Imladris “Rivendell”, and †im “valley” fell out of use due to its conflicted with other words like the reflexive pronoun im.

Conceptual Development: N. imm “dell, deep vale” was mentioned in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a derivative of the root ᴹ√IMBE, alongside its elaboration N. imlad of the same meaning (Ety/IMBE).

Derivations

  • imbi “between” ✧ VT47/14
    • MI/IMI “in, within, [ᴹ√] inside” ✧ PE17/092; VT47/11; VT47/30

Element in

  • S. imlad “deep valley, narrow valley with steep sides, gap, gully, deep valley, narrow valley with steep sides, gap, gully, [N.] dell, glen” ✧ VT47/14
  • S. Imloth Melui “Lovely or Sweet Flower-valley” ✧ VT42/18
  • S. imrad “path or pass between mountains or trackless forest, *(lit.) valley path” ✧ VT47/14
  • S. imrath “long narrow valley with road or watercourse running through it lengthwise, *(lit.) valley course”

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
imbi > imm > im[imbi] > [imbe] > [imb] > [imm] > [imm] > [im]✧ VT47/14

Variations

  • im ✧ VT42/18; VT47/14
Sindarin [VT42/18; VT47/14] Group: Eldamo. Published by

imlad

noun. deep valley, narrow valley with steep sides (but a flat habitable bottom)

Sindarin [S/433, LotR/Index, VT/45:18, VT/47:14, RC/234,48] im+lad. Group: SINDICT. Published by

imrad

noun. a path or pass (between mountains, hills or trackless forest)

Sindarin [VT/47:14] im+râd. Group: SINDICT. Published by

raudh

adjective. hollow, cavernous

Sindarin [Ety/384, X/RH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

imloth

noun. flower-valley, flowery vale

This word only occurs in the place name Imloth Melui, a vale where roses grew

Sindarin [LotR/V:VIII, VT/42:18, RC/582] im+loth. Group: SINDICT. Published by

imrath

noun. long narrow valley with a road or watercourse running through it lengthwise

Sindarin [UT/465, RC/558] im+rath. Group: SINDICT. Published by

angol

deep lore

(magic), pl. engyl. Note: a homophone means "stench".

coll

adjective. hollow

Sindarin [WJ/414] Group: SINDICT. Published by

coll

adjective. hollow

Derivations

  • kuldā “hollow” ✧ WJ/414

Element in

  • S. Bar-goll “Hollow Dwelling” ✧ WJ/414

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
kuldā > coll[kuldā] > [kulda] > [kulða] > [kolða] > [kolð] > [koll]✧ WJ/414

Variations

  • coll ✧ WJ/414

coll

hollow

(lenited goll; pl. cyll). (WJ:414) Note: homophones mean "red, scarlet" and also "cloak".

lâd

valley

(lowland, plain), construct lad, pl. laid

nand

valley

1) nand (construct nan) (wide grassland, land at the foot of hills with many streams), pl. naind, coll. pl. nannath (VT45:36), 2) lâd (lowland, plain), construct lad, pl. laid, 3) (long narrow valley with a road or watercourse running through it lengthwise) imrath (pl. imraith).

nand

valley

(construct nan) (wide grassland, land at the foot of hills with many streams), pl. naind, coll. pl. **nannath **(VT45:36)

naw

hollow

(adj.) 1) *naw (attested in the form nov- as part of the name Novrod, Hollowbold), pl. noe. (WJ:414) Note: a homophone is the noun ”idea”. 2) coll (lenited goll; pl. cyll). (WJ:414) Note: homophones mean "red, scarlet" and also "cloak". 3) raudh (cavernous), pl. roedh

naw

adjective. hollow

Derivations

  • nābā “hollow” ✧ WJ/414

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
nābā > nauv > naw[nābā] > [nāba] > [nǭba] > [nǭva] > [nauva] > [nauv] > [nau]✧ WJ/414

naw

hollow

(attested in the form nov- as part of the name Novrod, Hollowbold), pl. noe. (WJ:414) Note: a homophone is the noun ”idea”.

tûm

deep valley

tum- (i** dûm, o thûm, construct tum), pl. t**uim (i** thuim**)

im

deep vale

(dell), no distinct pl. form (though the pl. article in will mark the word as pl. when definite). The word typically occurs, not by itself, but in compounds like imlad, imloth, imrath, imrad (VT45:18, VT47:19)

maeg

going deep in

(lenited vaeg; no distinct pl. form) (sharp, penetrating). (WJ:337);

tofn

deep

tofn (lenited dofn; pl. tyfn) (low, low-lying), also nûr (pl. nuir). Note: homophones of the latter mean ”sad” and ”race”.

tofn

deep

(lenited dofn; pl. tyfn) (low, low-lying), also nûr (pl. nuir). Note: homophones of the latter mean ”sad” and ”race”.

imlad

deep valley, narrow valley with steep sides

(glen), pl. imlaid;

raudh

hollow

(cavernous), pl. roedh

imloth

flowering valley

(pl. imlyth) (VT42:18).

imrath

valley

(long narrow valley with a road or watercourse running through it lengthwise) imrath (pl. imraith)

talath

wide valley

(i** dalath, o thalath) (flat surface, plane, flatlands, plain), pl. telaith (i** thelaith). *Tolkien changed this word from ”Noldorin” dalath, LR:353 s.v.*

talath

dal

Dirnen or ”Guarded Plain” mentioned in the Silmarillion.

falch

deep cleft

(ravine[?]), pl. felch;

Nandorin 

nand

noun. valley

Isolated from Lindórinand, Lórinand (q.v. for reference). While this word is not given in the Etymologies, it is clearly derived from the stem NAD (LR:374) and hence a close cognate of the similar Doriathrin word nand "field, valley". The Quenya cognate nanda (meaning "water-mead, watered plain") indicates a primitive form *nandâ; as in most cases, the final is lost in Nandorin.

Nandorin [H. Fauskanger (LR:374)] < NAD. Published by

Khuzdûl

duban

noun. valley

Primitive elvish

kuldā

adjective. hollow

Derivatives

  • S. coll “hollow” ✧ WJ/414
Primitive elvish [WJ/414] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nābā

noun. hollow

Derivatives

  • Q. náva “hollow” ✧ WJ/414
  • S. naw “hollow” ✧ WJ/414
  • north S. nôf “hollow” ✧ WJ/414

Element in

Primitive elvish [WJ/414] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Noldorin 

tum

noun. deep valley, under or among hills

Noldorin [Ety/394, S/438] Group: SINDICT. Published by

tum

noun. (deep) valley

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. tumbo “deep valley (under or among hills, with high sides)” ✧ Ety/TUB

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶tumbu “deep valley under or among hills” ✧ Ety/TUB
    • ᴹ√TUB “to fall low[?], go down (below normal ground level), (esp.) to go down (sink, dive) into water” ✧ Ety/TUB

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶tumbu > tum[tumbu] > [tumbo] > [tumbo] > [tumb] > [tumb] > [tumm] > [tum]✧ Ety/TUB
Noldorin [Ety/TUB; RS/419] Group: Eldamo. Published by

imlad

noun. deep valley, narrow valley with steep sides (but a flat habitable bottom)

Noldorin [S/433, LotR/Index, VT/45:18, VT/47:14, RC/234,48] im+lad. Group: SINDICT. Published by

nûr

adjective. deep

Noldorin [Ety/378] Group: SINDICT. Published by

nûr

adjective. deep

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. núra “deep” ✧ Ety/NU

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶nūrā “deep” ✧ Ety/NU
    • ᴹ√NUR “deep” ✧ Ety/NU
    • ᴹ√NU/UNU “*down, under” ✧ Ety/NU

Element in

  • N. Núron “Ulmo” ✧ Ety/NU

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶nūrā > nûr[nūrā] > [nūra] > [nūr]✧ Ety/NU

Variations

  • nûr ✧ Ety/NU

rhaudh

adjective. hollow, cavernous

Noldorin [Ety/384, X/RH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

rosta-

verb. to hollow out, excavate

Noldorin [Ety/384] Group: SINDICT. Published by

Beware, older languages below! The languages below were invented during Tolkien's earlier period and should be used with caution. Remember to never, ever mix words from different languages!

North sindarin

nôf

adjective. hollow

Derivations

  • nābā “hollow” ✧ WJ/414

Element in

  • north S. Novrod “Hollowbold” ✧ WJ/414; WJ/414

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
nābā > nǭv > nōf[nābā] > [nāta] > [nǭba] > [nǭba] > [nǭva] > [nǭv]✧ WJ/414

Variations

  • nōf ✧ WJ/414
North sindarin [WJ/414] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Qenya 

unqa

adjective. hollow

Derivations

  • ᴹ√UNUK “*hollow” ✧ Ety/UNUK

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√UNUK > unqa[uŋkwa]✧ Ety/UNUK

núra

adjective. deep

Cognates

  • N. nûr “deep” ✧ Ety/NU

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶nūrā “deep” ✧ Ety/NU
    • ᴹ√NUR “deep” ✧ Ety/NU
    • ᴹ√NU/UNU “*down, under” ✧ Ety/NU

Element in

  • ᴺQ. núrie “depth (abstract)”
  • ᴹQ. Nurqendi “Deep-elves” ✧ Ety/NU

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶nūrā > núra[nūrā] > [nūra]✧ Ety/NU

Middle Primitive Elvish

tubnā

adjective. deep

Derivations

  • ᴹ√TUB “to fall low[?], go down (below normal ground level), (esp.) to go down (sink, dive) into water” ✧ Ety/TUB

Derivatives

  • Ilk. tovon “lowlying, deep, low” ✧ Ety/TUB
  • ᴹQ. tumna “lowlying, deep, low, lowlying, low; deep, [ᴱQ.] profound; dark, hidden” ✧ Ety/TUB
  • N. tofn “lowlying, deep, low” ✧ Ety/TUB
Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/TUB] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nur

root. deep

A root mentioned in The Etymologies as an extension of ᴹ√NU with the gloss “deep” and derivatives ᴹQ. núra and N. nûr of the same meaning (Ety/NU). Possibly related is the later word Q. nurtalë “hiding” as in Q. Nurtalë Valinóreva “Hiding of Valinor” (S/102).

Derivations

  • ᴹ√NU/UNU “*down, under” ✧ Ety/NU

Derivatives

  • ᴹ✶nūrā “deep” ✧ Ety/NU
    • ᴹQ. núra “deep” ✧ Ety/NU
    • N. nûr “deep” ✧ Ety/NU
  • Q. nurta- “*to hide”
Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/NU] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nūrā

adjective. deep

Derivations

  • ᴹ√NUR “deep” ✧ Ety/NU
    • ᴹ√NU/UNU “*down, under” ✧ Ety/NU

Derivatives

  • ᴹQ. núra “deep” ✧ Ety/NU
  • N. nûr “deep” ✧ Ety/NU
Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/NU] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kab

root. hollow

Derivatives

  • ᴹ✶kambā
    • On. kamba “hand” ✧ PE21/59; PE21/59
    • N. cam “hand” ✧ Ety/MAƷ
  • ᴹQ. kambe “hollow (of hand)” ✧ Ety/KAB; EtyAC/KAB
  • ᴹQ. kapsa “case, vessel, case, vessel, *container”
  • N. cam “hand” ✧ Ety/KAB; EtyAC/KAB
  • On. kamba “hand” ✧ Ety/MAƷ; EtyAC/MAƷ
    • N. cam “hand” ✧ Ety/MAƷ

Element in

  • N. Cambant “Full Hand” ✧ Ety/KWAT
  • N. Camlost “Empty-hand(ed)” ✧ Ety/LUS
  • N. forgam “righthanded” ✧ Ety/PHOR
  • N. hargam “left-handed” ✧ Ety/KHYAR

Variations

  • KAB ✧ Ety/KAB; Ety/KHYAR; Ety/KWAT; Ety/LUS; Ety/MAƷ; Ety/PHOR; EtyAC/KAB (KAB); EtyAC/MAƷ
Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/KAB; Ety/KHYAR; Ety/KWAT; Ety/LUS; Ety/MAƷ; Ety/PHOR; EtyAC/KAB; EtyAC/MAƷ] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Gnomish

tum

noun. hollow

Changes

  • tûmtum “hollow” ✧ GL/71

Derivations

  • ᴱ√TUM(B)U “‽” ✧ LT1A/Tombo

Variations

  • tûm ✧ GL/71 (tûm)
Gnomish [GL/71; LT1A/Tombo] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tûm

noun. valley

Changes

  • tumtûm “valley” ✧ GL/71

Cognates

  • Eq. tumbo “dale, vale” ✧ LT1A/Tombo

Derivations

  • ᴱ√TUM(B)U “‽” ✧ LT1A/Tombo

Element in

  • G. tumbol “valley-like, hollow, excavated” ✧ GL/71; LT1A/Tombo
  • G. Tumladin “Valley of Smoothness” ✧ LT1A/Tombo

Variations

  • tum ✧ GL/71 (tum)
Gnomish [GL/71; LT1A/Tombo] Group: Eldamo. Published by

cub

adjective. hollow

Derivations

  • ᴱ√KUPU “hump”

Variations

  • Cub ✧ GL/27
  • cûf ✧ GL/27 (cûf)

dûl

adjective. hollow

Derivations

  • ᴱ√NDOLO “delve” ✧ GL/30

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√ndolo- > dûl[ndōl] > [ndūl] > [dūl]✧ GL/30
Gnomish [GL/30; GL/31] Group: Eldamo. Published by

rothrin

adjective. hollow

Cognates

  • Eq. ronta “hollow” ✧ LT2A/Rothwarin

Derivations

  • G. roth “cave, grot” ✧ LT2A/Rothwarin
    • ᴱ√ROTO “hollow” ✧ GL/65; LT2A/Rothwarin
Gnomish [GL/65; LT2A/Rothwarin] Group: Eldamo. Published by

dolc

adjective. deep

Derivations

  • ᴱ√NDOLO “delve” ✧ GL/30

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√ndolo- > dolc[ndolk] > [ndolx] > [ndolk] > [dolk]✧ GL/30

Early Noldorin

tum(b)

noun. flat vale

Element in

Variations

  • tumb ✧ PE13/154
  • tum ✧ PE13/154
Early Noldorin [PE13/154] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Primitive Elvish

roto

root. hollow

Derivatives

  • Eq. ronta “hollow” ✧ LT2A/Rothwarin; QL/080
  • Eq. róta “tube, hollow cylinder” ✧ LT2A/Rothwarin; QL/080
  • Eq. rotse “pipe, tube” ✧ LT2A/Rothwarin; QL/080
  • Eq. orot “cave” ✧ QL/071
  • Eq. rótele “cave” ✧ LT2A/Rothwarin; QL/080
  • Eq. rotl “cave, hollow, grot” ✧ QL/080
  • G. groth “earth, soil”
  • G. roth “cave, grot” ✧ GL/65; LT2A/Rothwarin
    • G. rothrin “hollow” ✧ LT2A/Rothwarin
  • G. rod “tube, stem” ✧ GL/65; LT2A/Rothwarin
  • G. rogli “little pipe (especially musical)” ✧ GL/65
  • G. rodos “cavern” ✧ LT2A/Rothwarin
  • G. grûd “cavern”
  • G. ront “high, steep” ✧ GL/65
  • G. ross “pipe” ✧ GL/65; LT2A/Rothwarin

Variations

  • roto ✧ GL/65
  • roto- ✧ QL/071
Early Primitive Elvish [GL/65; LT2A/Rothwarin; QL/071; QL/080] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Quenya

tum-

verb. to dive

Derivations

Variations

  • tum ✧ PE16/132
  • tub ✧ PE16/132
Early Quenya [PE16/132] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tub-

verb. to dive

ronta

adjective. hollow

Cognates

  • G. rothrin “hollow” ✧ LT2A/Rothwarin

Derivations

  • ᴱ√ROTO “hollow” ✧ LT2A/Rothwarin; QL/080

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√ROTO > ronta[rontā] > [ronta]✧ QL/080

Variations

  • rotwa ✧ LT2A/Rothwarin; QL/080
Early Quenya [LT2A/Rothwarin; QL/080] Group: Eldamo. Published by

rotwa

adjective. hollow