Quenya name of the Nazgûl, of unclear meaning (S/296, PM/175). The first element is likely the negative prefix ú-. The second element resembles a plural form of the noun lairë “summer”, so perhaps it means “✱Un-summer”, referring to their cold and undead nature. Alternately, the second element could a derivative of an unattested primitive noun ✱lay-ro “living one” from the root √LAY (having to do with life), so that the name means “✱Un-living”. Both these derivations are quite speculative.
Quenya
úlairi
nazgûl
úlairi
collective name. Ring-wraiths, (lit.) ?Un-living, Un-summer
Cognates
- Bs. Nazgûl “Ring-wraith” ✧ S/296
Elements
Word Gloss ú- “no, not, un-, in-; hard, difficult, bad, uneasy; hardly, with difficulty, ‘badly’” lairë “summer”
Úlairi pl. noun "Nazgûl" (sg. *Úlairë*? Úlair**?) Etymology obscure.