fána

adjective. white, white; [ᴹQ.] cloud

@@@ as suggested by Helge Fauskanger, the form fánë “white” in the Markirya poem may be a slip or misreading

fána

white

fána, fánë (1) adj. "white" (Markirya - fánë as a sg. form in may be a misreading). Compare fanya.

fánë

adjective. white

taniquetil

place name. High White Peak

Tallest mountain in the world, where Manwë and Varda made their home (S/26). The name was adapted from its Valarin name of unknown meaning (PE17/168, 186), perhaps Val. Dahanigwishtilgūn (WJ/417). The Valarin name was altered to give it meaning as Quenya word. In Ancient Quenya, the name became ✶tār(a)-ninqui-tilde “High White Peak” (PE17/186). Taniquetil was thereafter interpreted as a compound of tar- (ta-) “high”, ninquë “white” (or niquë “cold, snow”) and tildë “point”, once its true origin was obscured.

Conceptual Development: This name dates back to the earliest Lost Tales (LT1/58), and ᴱQ. Taniqetil “Lofty Snowcap” appeared in the Qenya Lexicon, where it was a compound of ᴱQ. tá “high” and ᴱQ. niqetil “snow cap” (QL/66, 86; LT1A/Taniquetil). ᴹQ. Taniqetil “High White Horn” appeared in The Etymologies from the 1930s as a compound of ᴹ✶tāna “✱high” (Ety/TĀ), ᴹQ. ninqe “white” (Ety/NIK-W) and ᴹQ. tilde “horn” (Ety/TIL). The concept of the Valarin origin of this name did not emerge until the 1950-60s (PE17/168, 186; WJ/416-7).

In The Etymologies, Tolkien indicated that its (ᴹQ) genitive form was Taniqetilden (Ety/TIL, EtyAC/TIL), so that its stem form would be Taniqetild-, which was also its stem form in the Qenya Lexicon (QL/87). In the 1950s, Tolkien gave its ancient form as ✶tār(a)-ninqui-tilte (PE17/186), perhaps indicating a stem form of Taniquetilt-. Since the later stem form of this name is unclear, I have omitted it in this entry.

fanya

noun. (white) cloud, white and shining [thing], (white) cloud, white and shining [thing]; [ᴹQ.] sky; white

The usual word for “cloud” in Quenya, appearing within both the Namárië and Markirya poems (LotR/377; MC/223), in the latter as an element in Q. fanyarë “the skies” (MC/222). More specifically, it was a “white cloud” (PE17/26, 175). For dark or stormy clouds, lumbo is a more accurate word.

Conceptual Development: ᴱQ. aulo “cloud” appeared in Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s, but Tolkien wrote ᴱQ. fanya in pencil next to it (PE16/142) and seems to have stuck with that form thereafter. In Fíriel’s Song of the 1930s, however, Tolkien translated ᴹQ. fanya as “sky” (LR/72), while in The Etymologies of the 1930s fanya was “white” and derived from the root ᴹ√SPAN of the same meaning (Ety/SPAN). In that document, ᴹQ. fána was “cloud” (Ety/SPAN), but in later writings Q. fána became “white” (MC/222) and Q. fanya “cloud” (LotR/377; MC/223).

Fanya was derived from the root ᴹ√SPAN “white” in the 1930s, and the root √SPAN did reappear briefly in a discussion from 1967 (PE17/184-185), but in later writings Tolkien usually derived fanya from √PHAN. Tolkien wrote several lengthy essays on this root, and in one them said:

> √PHAN-. The basic sense of this was “cover, screen, veil”, but it had a special development in the Eldarin tongues ... The derivative (properly adjectival in form) ✱phanyā became [in Sindarin] fain, used as an adjective meaning “dim, dimmed” (applied to dimmed or fading lights or to things seen in them) or “filmy, fine-woven etc.” ... the word for “cloud” was in Quenya supplied by the derivative fanya (cf. I, 394), which was no longer used as an adjective. But this was used only of white clouds, sunlit or moonlit, or of clouds reflecting sunlight as in the sunset or sunrise, or gilded and silvered at the edges by moon or sun behind them (PE17/174-175).

nieninquë

noun. snowdrop, snowdrop, [ᴹQ.] (lit.) white tear

A word for “snowdrop”, perhaps a reference to that species of flower, appearing in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a combination of ᴹQ. nie “tear” and ᴹQ. ninqe “white”, so literally “white tear” (Ety/NEI, NIK-W). ᴱQ. nieninqe also appeared with the same form, meaning and etymology in the Qenya Lexicon and the Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa of the 1910s (QL/68; PME/68). In later writings, it appeared in adjectival form nieninquëa “like a snowdrop” in the 1950s version of the Nieninquë poem (PE16/96); the same form appeared in the version of the poem written around 1930, and its drafts (MC/215; PE16/90, 92). The word nieninquë likewise served as the title of that poem.

ninquelótë

proper name. White Blossom

A name for Telperion (S/38). It is a compound of ninquë “white” and lótë “flower” (SA/min, loth).

Conceptual Development: The name ᴹQ. Ninquelóte also appeared in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (LR/209) and Lord of the Rings drafts (SD/58).

Taniquetil

high white horn

Taniquetil (Taniquetild-), place-name: the highest of the mountains of Valinor, upon which were the mansions of Manwë and Varda. Properly, this name refers to the topmost peak only, the whole mountain being called Oiolossë (SA:til). The Etymologies has Taniquetil, Taniquetildë ("q") (Ta-niqe-til) ("g.sg." Taniquetilden, in LotR-style Quenya this is the dative singular) "High White Horn" (NIK-W, TIL, TA/TA3, OY). Variant Taníquetil with a long í, translated "high-snow-peak"(PE17:26, 168).

fanya

(white) cloud

fanya noun "(white) cloud" (translated "sky" in FS); pl. fanyar in Namárië(Nam, RGEO:67). ). Used "only of white clouds, sunlit or moonlit, or clouds gilded or silvered at the edges by light behind them", not "of storm clouds or cloud canopies shutting out the light" (PE17:174). Cf. lumbo, q.v. According to VT46:15, fanya was originally given as an adjective "white" in the Etymologies; the printed version in LR wrongly implies that fanya and fána both mean "cloud", whereas actually the first was at this stage meant to be an adjective "white" whereas fána is both noun "cloud" and adj. "white". However, Namárië and later emendations to the entry SPAN in Etym indicate that Tolkien would later think of fanya as a noun "cloud", perhaps giving it the same double meaning as fána: noun "cloud" as well as adjective "white". According to PE17:26, fanya was originally an adjectival form "white and shining" that was however often used as a noun "applied to various things, notably to white clouds lit by sun or moon". In Namárië, the word is used poetically with reference to the hands of Varda (she lifted her hands ve fanyar "like clouds").

losselië

white people

losselië noun"white people" (MC:216, PE16:96)

ninquanéron

white shining

ninquanéron ("q")adj. "white shining" (MC:220; this is "Qenya")

ninquë

white, chill, cold, palid

ninquë adj. "white, chill, cold, palid" (WJ:417, SA:nim, PE17:168, NIK-W - spelt "ninqe" in Etym and in LT1:266, MC:213, MC:220, GL:60), pl. ninqui in Markirya. Compounded in Ninquelótë noun "White-Flower" (SA:nim), = Sindarin Nimloth, the White Tree of Númenor; ninqueruvissë ("q") "white-horse-on" _(MC:216; this is "Qenya", read _ninqueroccossë or *ninquiroccossë in LotR-style Quenya). Normally ninquë would be expected to have the stem-form ninqui-, given the primitive form ¤ninkwi; Ninquelótë rather than *Ninquilótë must be seen as an analogical form.

silpion

proper name. White Tree

A name for the White Tree of Valinor, the one of the Two Trees which shone with silver light (S/38). The exact meaning of this name is unclear, but its initial element is from the root √SIL “shine (white or silver)” (SA/sil) or possibly from its extended form ᴹ√SILIP (Ety/SIL).

Conceptual Development: The very first name of this tree was ᴱQ. Valpio “Holy Cherry”, appearing in the Qenya Lexicon from the 1910s (LTA2/Silpion, QL/55). In the earliest Lost Tales, however, it was called ᴱQ. Silpion (LT1/73). At this early stage, the name was translated “Cherry-moon” (LT2/215), using the same element ᴱQ. pio “cherry” as its predecessor Valpio. It is unlikely this meaning persisted into later writings. In The Etymologies from the 1930s, the name ᴹQ. Silpion was glossed “White Tree of Valinor” (Ety/BAL). Although not exact, "White Tree" is the best available later translation of this name.

ninquita-

verb. to whiten, grow white, to whiten, grow white, [ᴹQ.] make white; to shine white

ninquë

adjective. white; chill, cold; pallid

ninquita-

verb. make pale, white

ninquita-

verb. grow white, whiten

sil-

verb. shine (white)

ninquissë

whiteness

ninquissë ("q")noun "whiteness" (NIK-W)

ninquitá-

whiten

ninquitá- ("q")vb. "whiten" (NIK-W)

ninquitáre

noun. whitening, whitewashing

lossë

snow

lossë (1) noun "snow" or adj. "snow-white" (SA:los, MC:213, VT42:18); losselië noun"white people" (MC:216, PE16:96)

nieninquë

snowdrop

nieninquë ("q") noun "snowdrop", etymologically "white tear" (NIK-W, LT1:262, 266)

alcarinqua

radiant, glorious

alcarinqua adj. "radiant, glorious" (AKLA-R [there spelt "alkarinqa"], WJ:412, VT44:7/10), "glorious, brilliant" (PE17:24), noun Alcarinquë, "The Glorious", name of a star/planet (SA:aglar - there spelt "Alkarinquë", but the Silmarillion Index has "Alcarinquë". The celestial body in question seems to be Jupiter, MR:435). Cf. also Alcarin, q.v.

asta-

to heat, bake (by exposure to sun)

asta- (2) vb. "to heat, bake (by exposure to sun)" (PE17:148)

calima

bright

calima adj. "bright" (VT42:32); cf. ancalima; in PE17:56, arcalima appears as another superlative "brightest" (see ar- #2).

falasta-

to foam

falasta- vb. "to foam", participle falastala "foaming, surging" in Markirya

fallë

foam

fallë noun "foam" (PHAL/PHÁLAS)

fanwa

veil, screen

fanwa noun "veil, screen" (PE17:176, 180)

fauta-

to snow

fauta- vb. *"to snow" (actually glossed fauta = "it snows") (GL:35)

fána

cloud

fána (2) noun "cloud" _(SPAN, VT46:15). _Cf. fana.

fáwë

snow

fáwë vb. "snow" (GL:35; rather lossë in Tolkien's later Quenya)

halya-

veil, conceal, screen from light

halya- vb. "veil, conceal, screen from light" (SKAL1, VT46:13) Tolkien noted that "√SKAL applied to more opaque things that cut off light and cast shadows over other things" (PE17:184), contrasting it with √SPAN, the rejected stem of fanta-, q.v.

hellë

sky

hellë noun "sky" (3EL; a distinct word hellë "frost" was struck out, see KHEL.)

hiswë

fog

hiswë (þ) noun "fog" (KHIS/KHITH)

hriz-

to snow

#hriz- vb. "to snow", impersonal, given in the form hríza "it is snowing". Normally z would turn to r in Exilic Quenya, but since two r's close to one another were disliked, it may be that hriz- became *hris- instead (compare razë "sticks out" becoming rasë instead of **rarë, PE19:73) Past tense hrinsë (with s from the original root SRIS) and another form which the editor tentatively reads as hrissë (the development ns > ss is regular). (PE17:168)

ilwë

sky, heavens

ilwë noun "sky, heavens" (LT1:255), "the middle air among the stars" (LT1:273). VT49:51, 53 also mentions an obscure prononominal element ilwë.

isca

pale

isca ("k") adj."pale" (LT1:256)

luina

pale

[luina] adj. "pale" (VT45:30)

lumbo

cloud

lumbo noun "cloud" (pl. lumbor in Markirya), also glossed "gloom; dark, shade" (PE17:72, 168). In early "Qenya", lumbo was glossed "dark lowering cloud" (LT1:259)

marya

pale, fallow, fawn

marya adj. "pale, fallow, fawn" (MAD)

niquë

snow

niquë (2) ("q")noun "snow" (NIK-W)

néca

pale, vague, faint, dim to see

néca ("k") adj "pale, vague, faint, dim to see", pl. nécë ("k") in Markirya

nívë

pale

nívë adj."pale" (MC:213; this is "Qenya" Tolkien's later Quenya has néca)

olos

snow, fallen snow

†olos (2) noun "snow, fallen snow" (prob. oloss-, cf. the longer form olossë below; this form should be preferred since olos also = "dream, vision") (GOLOS)

olossë

snow, fallen snow

†olossë noun "snow, fallen snow" (GOLÓS, LOT[H])

saiwa

hot

saiwa adj. "hot" (LT1:248, 255, 265); rather lauca in Tolkien's later Quenya

top-

cover

top- vb. "cover" (1st pers. aorist topë "covers"), pa.t. tompë (TOP). Variant tup-, q.v.

tup-

cover

#tup- vb. "cover", isolated from untúpa, q.v. Variant top- in the Etymologies.

ungo

cloud, dark shadow

ungo noun "cloud, dark shadow" (UÑG)

vasar

veil

vasar (þ) noun "veil" (VT42:10, the word was "not in daily use", VT42:9). Older form waþar.

winga

foam, spray

winga noun "foam, spray" (Markirya). Also wingë.

wingë

foam, crest of wave, crest

wingë noun "foam, crest of wave, crest" (WIG); "foam, spindrift" (LT1:273). In the pre-classical Tengwar system presupposed in the Etymologies, wingë was also the name of tengwa #24, which letter Tolkien would later call wilya > vilya instead. - Also winga (so in Markirya).

úr

noun. heat

úrimë

heat

Úrimë (in some editions Urimë, but this seems to be an error; cf. úrë "heat") noun, name of the eighth month of the year, "August" (Appendix D, SA:ur-, UT:302)

úrë

noun. heat

A word for “heat” and name of tengwa #36 [.] in The Lord of the Rings Appendix E (LotR/1123), a derivative of √UR “heat” (PE22/160). On the basis of Úrimë “August, ✱Hot-one”, its stem form might be ✱úri-. Its function as a tengwar name probably reflects its use for u-diphthongs in Tengwar spelling.

Conceptual Development: In the 1st edition of The Lord of the Rings the name of tengwa #36 was úr “heat” (RC/736), and in earlier documents on The Feanorian Alphabet this word was glossed “fire, heat” (PE22/51) or just “fire” (PE22/23); see the discussion under ᴹQ. úr for further details.

úrë

heat

úrë noun "heat", also name of tengwa #36 (Appendix E)

nim

white

_adj. _white. >> Nimbrethil

nim

white

_adj. _white (usual word). >> nimp, nimras

glân

adjective. white, [bright shining] white; [N.] clear; [G.] pure, †bright; [ᴱN.] clean

nim

adjective. white

fain

noun/adjective. white

ered nimrais

place name. White Mountains, (lit.) White-horns Mountains

Sindarin name of the “White Mountains” (LotR/258), more literally “White-horns Mountains” (UTI/Ered Nimrais). This name is a combination of the plural of orod “mountain” and the plural of Nimras “White Horn” (SA/nim, ras; PE17/89, 168).

Conceptual Development: In Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, these mountains were first called N. Eredvyrn or Ered Myrn “Black Mountains” (TI/124), later changed to “White Mountains” with numerous Elvish forms: N. Hebel Orolos >> Hebel Uilos (WR/137) >> Hebel or Ephel Nimrais (WR/137) >> Hebel or Ered Nimrath (WR/137, 167) >> Ered Nimras (WR/168), then briefly to Eredfain before finally Ered Nimrais (WR/288). In later writings it occasionally appeared with the proper Sindarin plural of orod: S. Eryd (PE17/168, WJ/385).

nimloth

proper name. White Blossom, Pale Blossom

The white tree of Númenor (LotR/971, S/59), translated “White Blossom” (SI/Nimloth) or “Pale Blossom” (MR/155). It was also the name of the mother of Elwing, wife of Dior (S/234). This name is a combination of nim “white” and loth “flower” (SA/nim, loth).

Conceptual Development: In Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, N. Nimloth “Pale Blossom” appeared as a Noldorin name for Silpion (LR/210), and in The Etymologies had essentially the same derivation as given above (Ety/LOT(H)).

ar-feiniel

feminine name. White Lady

A sobriquet of Aredhel translated “White Lady” (S/60). This name is probably a combination of ar(a)- “noble”, fain “white and shining [thing]” and the feminine suffix -iel (as suggested by David Salo, GS/342).

See the entry for Aredhel for discussion of her other names.

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).

galathilion

proper name. White Tree

A tree in Tirion made after Telperion and translated “White Tree” (S/59). It may be a combination of galadh “tree” and the root THIL “shine silver” (SA/sil). The final element seems to be the patronymic suffix -ion, the last of these perhaps indicating its decent from Telperion.

Conceptual Development: In Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, N. Galathilion was another name for Telperion (LR/209). In The Etymologies it was glossed the “White Tree of Valinor” and had the derivation given above (Ety/BAL, GALAD, THIL), though the final element -ion was not explained. In Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, it was glossed “Silver Cherry”, but as Christopher Tolkien pointed out, this was not its actual meaning (RS/187).

uilos

noun. white flower like a star

A flower in Middle-earth about which Tolkien said “like stars bloomed the white flowers of uilos, the Evermind” (UT/49). Elsewhere Evermind was the translation of the Rohanese flower name simbelmynë (LotR/507), so uilos may be its Elvish name but with a different meaning. This word also appears in Amon Uilos, the Sindarin name of Oiolossë “Ever (Snow) White” (S/37). Thus uilos seems to be a combination of ui “ever” and either loss “snow” or gloss “white”.

Nimloth

noun. white flower

nimp (“pale, white”) + loth (“a head of small flowers”)

fain

white and shining

_adj. _white and shining, white, shimmering. Q. fanya. >> fân, fanui

glân

adjective. bright, shining white

The word is deduced from its mutated form, but it is worth mentioning that a stem GALÁN "bright", with glan "daylight" (and later "clear") as derivative, is listed in the Etymologies (not included in the published text, but see VT/45:13). Most of the words meaning "white" in the Indo-Eureopean languages come from the original notion of "brightness", e.g. Greek leukós "white" is cognate with Latin lucere "to shine", lux "light". This association of sense is also found in Gnomish, PE/11:39 (glan "clean, pure", from "bright" originally) and in Early Noldorin (PE/13:144, glann "clean"). The similarity with Welsh glan (where the vowel, incidentally, is also long, though this is concealed by Welsh orthographic convention) is also striking

nimbrethil

noun. 'white princess'

n. Bot. 'white princess', silver birch. Fuller form of brethil. >> brethil, fimbrethil

nimbrethil

noun. 'White Princess'

prop.n. 'White Princess'. >> brethil II, nim

niphredil

noun. white flower (similar to a snowdrop); *(lit.) pale point

Name of a pale flower growing in Lórien and elsewhere (LotR/350). Tolkien described it as “a pale white flower (like snowdrop)” or “a delicate kin of a snowdrop” (PE17/55; Let/248). It is a combination of niphred “pallor” and -til “point” (PE17/55).

Conceptual Development: In Lord of the Rings drafts of the 1940s Tolkien first gave N. nifredil as the name of “a green snowdrop” (TI/233). In The Etymologies of the 1930s, Tolkien gave N. nínim “snowdrop” under the root ᴹ√NEI̯ “tear”, but nifredil was written beside it, perhaps a later addition (Ety/NEI). The first element of nínim is N. nîn “tear”, and the second element might be N. nimp “pale” from ᴹ√NIK-W (Ety/NIK-W); see below.

In the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s Tolkien had G. ninconin “snowdrop” with ninghonin written below it, possible an alternate form (G/60). This earlier word was derived from primitive ᴱ✶ninqe-nı̯ēne and was a cognate to ᴱQ. nieninqe “snowdrop, (lit.) white tear” containing ᴱQ. nie “tear” under the early root ᴱ√NYEHE and ᴱQ. ninqe “white” under the early root ᴱ√NIQI (QL/66, 68). Thus 1910s G. ninconin was similar in origin to 1930s N. nínim before Tolkien changed it to nifredil.

nimrais

white-peaks

_pl1. n. _white-peaks, pale-horns.

fain

noun/adjective. white, shimmering, shining; white and shining [thing]; dim, dimmed; filmy, fine-woven; (vague) apparition; cloud, white, shimmering, shining, [N.] radiant; [S.] white and shining [thing]; dim, dimmed; filmy, fine-woven; (vague) apparition; cloud

nimp

adjective. pale, pallid, white, pale, pallid, white; small and frail, [ᴱN.] wan, sickly

nimras

place name. White Horn

faen

adjective. radiant, white

gloss

adjective. snow-white, dazzling-white

silivren

adjective. (white) glittering

uilos

noun/adjective. always white, ever white as snow

uilos

noun/adjective. a small white everlasting flower also called simbelmynë or "evermind"

Ered Nimrais

noun. whitehorn mountains

ered (pl. of orod “mountain”), nimp (“white”) + rais (pl. of ras “horn”) The original form of ras is probably rass with the final s dropped at the end of a polysyllable [HKF].

nimmid-

verb. to whiten

glân

white

1) glân (clear), lenited lân, pl. glain. (UT:390, VT45:13). Note: a homophone means ”hem, border”. 2) nimp (nim-) (pale); no distinct pl. form. 3) faen (radiant). No distinct pl. form. 4) fain; no distinct pl. form.

faen

white

(radiant). No distinct pl. form.

fain

white

; no distinct pl. form.

glân

white

(clear), lenited ’lân, pl. glain. (UT:390, VT45:13). Note: a homophone means ”hem, border”.

nimp

white

(nim-) (pale); no distinct pl. form.

loss

noun. snow

The usual Sindarin word for “snow” (Let/278; PE17/161; RGEO/62), especially fallen and long-lying snow (VT42/18), derived from primitive ✶lossē (PE17/161) based on the root √(G)LOS (PE17/26; RGEO/62). It sometimes appeared in a shorter form los (PE17/26, 161). See the entry on [s] for a discussion of these long vs. short variations; for purposes of Neo-Sindarin loss is probably preferable.

Conceptual Development: Perhaps the earliest iteration of this word was G. glui “snow” from the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, likely related to nearby words like G. gloss “white” (GL/40). In The Etymologies of the 1930s, N. gloss from the root ᴹ√GOLOS was both noun “snow” and adjective “snow-white” (Ety/GOLÓS), but in later writing Tolkien split these into S loss “snow” (see above) and S. gloss “(dazzling) white” (RGEO/62; VT42/18).

brass

white heat

brass (i vrass, construct bras), pl. brais (i mrais) if there is a pl.

brass

white heat

brass (i vrass, construct bras), pl. brais (i mrais) if there is a pl.

brassen

white-hot

brassen (lenited vrassen, pl. bressin)

brassen

white-hot

brassen (lenited vrassen, pl. bressin)

gloss

white as snow, dazzling white

gloss (in compounds -los), lenited loss; pl. glyss.

gloss

white as snow, dazzling white

gloss (in compounds -los), lenited loss; pl. glyss.

mith

white fog

mith (i vith) (wet mist), no distinct pl. form except with article (i mith). David Salo would read mîth with a long vowel. Note: a homophone is the adjective ”pale grey”.

mith

white fog

mith (i vith) (wet mist), no distinct pl. form except with article (i mith). David Salo would read mîth with a long vowel. Note: a homophone is the adjective ”pale grey”.

brass

white heat

(i vrass, construct bras), pl. brais (i mrais) if there is a pl.

brass

white heat

(i vrass, construct bras), pl. brais (i mrais) if there is a pl.

brassen

white-hot

(lenited vrassen, pl. bressin)

gloss

white as snow, dazzling white

(in compounds -los), lenited ’loss; pl. glyss.

gloss

white as snow, dazzling white

(in compounds -los), lenited ’loss; pl. glyss.  

mith

white fog

(i vith) (wet mist), no distinct pl. form except with article (i mith). David Salo would read mîth with a long vowel. Note: a homophone is the adjective ”pale grey”.

silivren

glittering white

(lenited hilivren; pl. *silivrin**). *Verb

nimmas

noun. whiteness

nimmida

whiten

nimmida- (i nimmida, in nimmidar), pa.t. nimmint(relative pronoun), see THAT

nimmida

whiten

(i nimmida, in nimmidar), pa.t. nimmint

faen

radiant

faen (white). No distinct pl. form.

maidh

pale

1) maidh (lenited vaidh; no distinct pl. form) (fallow, fawn), 2) nimp (nim-) (white); no distinct pl. form, 3) thind (grey); no distinct pl. form; 4) gael (glittering), lenited ael; no distinct pl. form. 5) *malu (lenited valu; analogical pl. mely; lenited valu) (fallow). Cited in archaic form malw (LR:386 s.v. SMAL).

nínim

snowdrop

(a flower) nínim (”white tear”), no distinct pl. form; coll. pl. nínimmath. The niphredil seems to be a flower similar to the snowdrop (no distinct pl. form; coll. pl. niphrediliath)

faen

radiant

(white). No distinct pl. form.

mith

pale grey

(lenited vith; no distinct pl. form). David Salo would read mîth with a long vowel. Note: a homophone means ”white fog, wet mist”.

nimp

pale

(nim-) (white); no distinct pl. form

nínim

snowdrop

(”white tear”), no distinct pl. form; coll. pl. nínimmath. – The niphredil seems to be a flower similar to the snowdrop (no distinct pl. form; coll. pl. niphrediliath)

escal

veil

(noun) 1) escal (screen, cover that hides), pl. escail. Also spelt esgal (pl. esgail). 2) fân (cloud, manifested body of a Vala), construct fan, pl. fain

escal

cover

(a cover that hides) escal (screen, veil), pl. escail. Also spelt esgal (pl. esgail).

faltha

foam

(verb) faltha- (i faltha, i falthar)

fân

cloud

1) fân (veil, also used of the manifested body of a Vala), construct fan, pl. fain, 2) faun (pl. foen, coll. pl. fonath)

gail

bright

gail (light), lenited ngail; no distinct pl. form (VT45:18). The adj. calen etymologically means "bright", but is used = "green" (q.v.).

gwathra

veil

(verb) gwathra- (i **wathra, in gwathrar**) (dim, obscure, overshadow)

gwing

foam

1) gwing (i **wing) (spindrift, spume, spray blown off wave-tops), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwing), 2) ross (construct ros) (rain, dew, spray [of fall or fountain]), pl. ryss (idh ryss) (Letters:282). Note: homophones mean ”reddish, russet, copper-coloured, red-haired” and also ”polished metal, glitter”, 3) falf (breaker), pl. felf, coll. pl. falvath**

hîth

fog

1) hîth (i chîth) (mist), no distinct pl. form, not even with article (i chîth), 2) *hithu (i chithu), analogical pl. hithy (i chithy). Cited in archaic form hithw (LR:364 s.v. KHIS, KHITH), so the coll. pl. is likely hithwath.

loss

snow

(fallen snow) loss (construct los; pl. lyss if there is a pl.) (RGEO:61-62, Letters:278, VT42:18) (Note: homophones mean ”flower” [more commonly loth] and ”wilderness”.).

lossen

snowy

lossen (pl. lessin, for archaic lössin). Adj.

toba

cover

toba- (i doba, i thobar) (roof over). Cited as a ”Noldorin” infinitive in -o (tobo)

úrui

hot

1) úrui (no distinct pl. form), 2) born (red), lenited vorn, pl. byrn.

ûr

heat

ûr (fire), pl. uir. Notice the homophone ûr ”wide”.

Menel

noun. sky, high heaven, firmament, the region of the stars

born

adjective. hot, red

bôr

noun. heat

A noun appearing as bôr “heat” in notes on the Common Eldarin Article (CEA) from 1969 (PE23/136), where it was rejected and replaced by born “hot” (PE23/136).

Neo-Sindarin: I think Tolkien rejected bôr because he changed his example from a noun to an adjective rather than abandoning the word outright. As such I would retain ᴺS. bôr “heat” for purposes of Neo-Sindarin.

Conceptual Development: Early Noldorin word-lists of the 1920s had ᴱN. bordh “heat, rage” derived from primitive ᴱ✶mbúryā (PE13/139). On another page of this word list Tolkien had borth, bordh “hearth”, but that was revised to ᴱN. gorth. In the Early Noldorin Dictionary from this same period Tolkien gave ᴱN. bordh as an adjective glossed “hot, raging, wroth” with the same derivation as the corresponding noun.

esgal

noun. veil, screen, cover that hides

fain

noun/adjective. cloud

fân

noun. veil

fân

noun. cloud (applied to clouds, floating as veils over the blue sky or the sun or moon, or resting on hills)

hithu

noun. fog

hross

noun. foam

n. foam. >> ross

los

noun. snow

los

snow

{ŏ}_ n. _snow. Q. losse. >> glos, glosui, loss, Loss(h)oth

loss

noun. snow (especially fallen or long-lying snow)

loss

noun. snow

_ n. _snow. Q. losse. >> glos, glosui, los, Loss(h)oth

lossen

adjective. snowy

lossen

adjective. snowy

A word for “snowy” mentioned in passing in The Road Goes Ever On, adjectival form of S. loss “snow” (RGEO/62).

nimp

adjective. pale

adj. pale, pallid. nimp << nim (PE17:168). >> niphred

ross

noun. foam

n. foam. >> hross

urui

noun/adjective. hot

urui

noun/adjective. the month of august

born

hot

(red), lenited vorn, pl. byrn.

bôr

noun. heat

elu

pale blue

(analogical pl. ely). Archaic elw (pl. ilw?).

escal

cover

(screen, veil), pl. escail. Also spelt esgal (pl. esgail).

falf

foam

(breaker), pl. felf, coll. pl. falvath

faltha

foam

(i faltha, i falthar)

faun

cloud

(pl. foen, coll. pl. fonath)

fân

cloud

(veil, also used of the manifested body of a Vala), construct fan, pl. fain

gael

pale

(glittering), lenited ’ael; no distinct pl. form.

gail

bright

(light), lenited ngail; no distinct pl. form (VT45:18). The adj. calen etymologically means "bright", but is used = "green" (q.v.).

gwind

pale blue

(lenited ’wind; no distinct pl. form).

gwing

foam

(i ’wing) (spindrift, spume, spray blown off wave-tops), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwing)

gîl

bright spark

(i ngîl = i ñîl, construct gil) (star, silver glint), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gîl = i ñgîl), coll. pl. *giliath** (RGEO, MR:388)*

hithu

noun. fog

hithu

fog

(i chithu), analogical pl. hithy (i chithy). Cited in archaic form hithw (LR:364 s.v. KHIS, KHITH), so the coll. pl. is likely hithwath.

hîth

fog

(i chîth) (mist), no distinct pl. form, not even with article (i chîth)

loss

snow

(construct los; pl. lyss if there is a pl.) (RGEO:61-62, Letters:278, VT42:18) (Note: homophones mean ”flower” [more commonly loth] and ”wilderness”.).

lossen

snowy

(pl. lessin, for archaic lössin). Adj.

lossoth

snow-men

(a coll. pl.)

maidh

pale

(lenited vaidh; no distinct pl. form) (fallow, fawn)

malu

pale

(lenited valu; analogical pl. mely; lenited valu) (fallow). Cited in archaic form malw (LR:386 s.v. SMAL).

ross

foam

(construct ros) (rain, dew, spray [of fall or fountain]), pl. ryss (idh ryss) (Letters:282). Note: homophones mean ”reddish, russet, copper-coloured, red-haired” and also ”polished metal, glitter”

thind

pale

(grey); no distinct pl. form

toba

cover

(i doba, i thobar) (roof over). Cited as a ”Noldorin” infinitive in -o (tobo)

úrui

hot

(no distinct pl. form)

ûr

heat

(fire), pl. uir. Notice the homophone ûr ”wide”.

nimbi

adjective. white

nimbi

adjective. white

About Nimrodel: "Nim is evidently the Telerin word nimbi 'white'." >> Nimrais >> Nimrodel

fein

noun/adjective. white

arafain

masculine name. ?White King

A transient name for Keleborn appearing in the Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s (TI/256). Roman Rausch suggested it might be a combination of aran “king” and a variant form of fein “white” (EE/2.34).

forfain

place name. ?White Beach

An earlier name for S. Parth Galen that appeared in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s (TI/382). It seems to be a combination of faur “beach, shore” and fein “white”, as suggested by Roman Rausch (EE/2.62).

hebel uilos

place name. White Mountains

Earlier name for S. Ered Nimrais appearing in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s with the gloss “White Mountains” (WR/137). It is a combination of hebel and Uilos “Ever-snow”. The second element was initially (rejected) Orolos, perhaps meaning “?Mountain Snow” as suggested by Roman Rausch (EE/3.14).

kelufain

place name. ?White Source

An earlier name for S. Parth Galen that appeared in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s (TI/371, 382). It seems to be a combination of celw “spring, source” and fein “white”, as suggested by Roman Rausch (EE/2.62).

neleglos

place name. White Tooth

Another name for Minas Morgul appearing in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s (WR/106), a combination of neleg “tooth” and the lenited form of gloss “white”.

Conceptual Development: This name first appeared as Neleg Thilim with the plural of neleg and the adjective thilim “gleaming”.

rhosfein

place name. *White Rain

Earliest name for S. Rauros in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s (TI/283), also appearing as Rosfein (TI/273). Its seems to be a combination of rhoss “rain” and fein “white”, as suggested by Roman Rausch (EE/2.39).

mith

noun. white fog, wet mist

A word in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “white fog, wet mist” derived from the root ᴹ√MITH (Ety/MITH). As a later addition to this entry, Tolkien instead gave N. mith “grey”, and that was how this word was typically used in Tolkien’s later writings.

brass

noun. white heat, *extreme heat

ered nimrath

place name. White Mountains

Earlier name for S. Ered Nimrais (WR/137), with a final element rath “course” (“?climb”) instead of rais “horns”, as suggested by Roman Rausch (EE/3.14). It also appeared as Hebel Nimrath (WR/167).

fein

adjective. white, radiant

nimdil

place name. White Horn

nimdildor

place name. High White Horn

brass

noun. white heat

brassen

adjective. white-hot

brassen

adjective. white-hot, *very hot

ered nimras

place name. White Mountains

Earlier name for S. Ered Nimrais (WR/168), with singular ras “horn” instead of plural rais “horns”. The plural was introduced later (WR/288).

foen

adjective. radiant, white

foen

adjective. radiant, white

galathilion

proper name. White Tree of Valinor

gloss

adjective. snow-white, dazzling-white

mith

noun. white fog, wet mist

nim-

adjective. pale, white

nimp

adjective. pale, white

nimmid(a)-

verb. to whiten

nimmid

verb. to whiten

faun

noun. cloud

nimp

adjective. pale

nínim

noun. snowdrop

ell

noun. sky

An element meaning “sky” in several names from The Etymologies of the 1930s: N. Elfaron “Sky-hunter” (Ety/SPAR) and N. Elthoron “Eagle of the Sky” (Ety/THOR). It was derived from the root ᴹ√ƷEL “sky” which had an Old Noldorin form: ON. elle (Ety/ƷEL). However, Tolkien said “In Noldorin and Telerin this is confused with EL star”, implying that the word was not used in modern language; an earlier but rejected version of this entry had archaic N. †ell, el “sky” (EtyAC/ƷEL).

Neo-Sindarin: Despite the above statements, ell is probably the best attested option for “sky” in Neo-Sindarin, and I would use it as such, since it is in fact distinct from S. êl “star”, a word that is itself archaic/poetic versus more common S. gil.

falf

noun. foam, breaker

faltha-

verb. to foam

faun

noun. cloud

fein

noun/adjective. cloud

gael

adjective. pale, glimmering

hithw

noun. fog

hithw

noun. fog

A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s given as N. {heðw >>} hithw “fog” derived from primitive ᴹ✶khithme under the root ᴹ√KHITH “mist, fog” (Ety/KHIS; EtyAC/KHIS).

Conceptual Development: G. huith “fog” from the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s is a likely precursor (GL/49), perhaps derived from a (hypothetical) early root ✱ᴱ√HUYU.

Neo-Sindarin: If adapted to Neo-Sindarin, this word would become ᴺS. hithu, as suggested in HSD (HSD).

maidh

adjective. pale, fallow, fawn

meidh

adjective. pale, fallow, fawn

nínim

noun. snowdrop (flower)

toba-

verb. to cover, roof over

(ñ)gil

root. shine (white); silver glint; white or silver light

This root was the basis for Elvish words for stars and starlight, especially in the Sindarin branch of the Elvish languages. It first appeared as ᴱ√Gil- in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like G. gil- “gleam”, G. giltha “white metal, †silver”, and (probably) G. gail “star” (GL/37-38). Its Early Qenya derivatives were ᴱQ. ilsa “mystic name of silver” (QL/42) and ᴱQ. īle “star” (GL/37), indicating the true form of the root was probably ᴱ√ƷILI, since initial voiced stops were unvoiced in Early Qenya, so that ancient ✱gīle would become ✱✱kíle, not íle.

This root appeared as ᴹ√GIL “shine (white or pale)” in The Etymologies of the 1930s with derivatives like N. geil “star” and ᴹQ. Ilma “Starlight” (Ety/GIL). The root regularly appeared in this unstrengthened form in Tolkien’s later writing, for example as √GIL “shine (white)” in a 1955 letter to David Masson (PE17/152) or as gil “white or silver light” in a 1958 letter to Rhona Beare (Let/278). In one place Tolkien considered giving it a kil- variant, analogous to √GAL vs. √KAL for “(golden) light” (PE17/50), but that seems to have been a transient idea. In other notes dating to the late 1950s Tolkien gave the root in strengthened form as √NGIL “silver glint” (MR/388; PE17/22) and also √GIL >> √ÑGIL as the basis for the initial element of the name S. Gil-galad (PE17/23).

Neo-Eldarin: For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I think it is best to assume the root was originally unstrengthened √GIL, but was sometimes strengthened to √ÑGIL to produce words like Q. ñille “silver glint”.

nik(w)

root. (also of) snow, ice, snow, ice; *white

This root was used for Elvish words for “white” and “snow” for much of Tolkien’s life. It first appeared as ᴱ√NIQI “white” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like ᴱQ. niqis “snow” and ᴱQ. ninqe “white” (QL/66), the latter surviving more or less unchanged for the rest of Tolkien’s life. In the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon it had derivatives like G. nictha- “to rain, hail, snow” and G. nimp “pallid” (GL/60), the latter the cognate of ᴱQ. ninqe and another word that survived in Tolkien’s later conceptions of the languages.

The root appeared as unglossed ᴹ√NIK-W in The Etymologies, again with ᴹQ. ninqe “white” and N. nimp “pale” and other similar words, including ᴹQ. niqe “snow” (Ety/NIK-W). The root was mentioned again in Tolkien’s later writing as √NIK-W (PE17/160) or √NIK (PE17/168) as a basis for “snow” words. In Sindarin Tolkien felt it was influenced by other roots, such as √(N)DIP/B “bending and drooping” (PE17/168) or √NIP “small with a connotation of weakness” (VT48/18) so that S. nimp also took on a connotation of weakness and frailty, and hence was used for “pale, pallid” rather than simply “white”.

phan

root. cover, screen, veil; white, (light white) shape; shape, vision

The earliest iteration of this root was unglossed ᴱ√FANA or ᴱ√FṆTṆ (the latter marked with a “?”) in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like ᴱQ. fanóre “day-dream”, ᴱQ. fansa “swoon”, and ᴱQ. fantl “vision, dream, hazy notion, imaginary idea” (QL/37). The root ᴹ√PHAN also appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s, but the entry was unglossed, empty and eventually deleted (EtyAC/PHAN), perhaps supplanted by ᴹ√SPAN; see that entry for discussion.

√PHAN appeared quite a few times in Tolkien’s later writings, however, mostly in connection to Q. fanya “cloud” from the Namárië poem and S. Fanuilos as a name for Elbereth in the Sindarin prayer A Elbereth Gilthoniel. In connection to Fanuilos Tolkien said: “√FAN ‘white’, but especially applied to reflected light as of clouds, snow, frost, mist. Cf. fanya, Quenya, (white) cloud” (PE17/26). In a more extensive note he wrote:

> The element FAN- (Q fana, S fân) is “elvish” and not easy to translate. It may be said to mean “shape”, but with the added notion of light and whiteness; it is thus often used where we might use “a vision” - of something beautiful or sublime. Yet being elvish, though it may be used of things remote, it has no implication either of uncertainty or unreality. The Fân here is the vision of the majesty of Elbereth upon the mountain where she dwelt. So that Fanuilos really means in full: Figure (bright and majestic) upon Uilos (PE17/26).

Tolkien also wrote a lengthy essay discussing this root in several versions (PE17/173-180). The second version of this essay began:

> √PHAN-. The basic sense of this was “cover, screen, veil”, but it had a special development in the Eldarin tongues. This was largely due to what appears to have been its very ancient application to clouds, especially to separate floating clouds as (partial) veils over the blue sky, or over the sun, moon, or stars. This application of the most primitive derivative ✱phanā (Q fana, S fân) was so ancient that when ✱phanā (or other derivatives) was applied to lesser, handmade, things this was felt to be a transference from the sense “cloud”, and words of this group were mainly applied to things of soft textures, veils, mantles, curtains and the like, of white or pale colours (PE17/174).

Finally, in The Road Goes Ever On (RGEO) from 1967, Tolkien wrote:

> Fana- is an Elvish element, with primary meaning “veil”. The S. form fân, fan- was usually applied to clouds, floating as veils over the blue sky or the sun or moon or resting on hills. In Quenya, however, the simple word fana acquired a special sense. Owing to the close association of the High-Elves with the Valar, it was applied to the “veils” or “raiment” in which the Valar presented themselves to physical eyes ... The High-Elves said these forms were always to some degree radiant, as if suffused from a light within. In Quenya, fana thus came to signify the radiant and majestic figure of one of the great Valar. In Sindarin, especially as used by the High-Elves, the originally identical word fân “cloud” was also given the same sense (RGEO/66).

This discussion in RGEO is essentially a summary of the much lengthier essay on √PHAN noted above. Thus it seems Tolkien’s latest notion of the root was that it originally mean “cover, screen, veil”, and was applied to clouds as veiling the sun, and from this application the root came to refer to white, radiant and soft things. In the Quenya of Valinor the word Q. fana was then applied to the radiant materialized bodies of the Valar, and when the Noldor again encountered the Sindar this sense influenced S. fân (originally just “cloud”) as well.

ninkwi

adjective. white, pale

ninkwita-

verb. to grow white, whiten

thil

root. shine silver; white light

Tolkien frequently used the root √THIL as the basis for “moon” words in Elvish. The first appearance of this root was ᴱ√ÞILI a variant of ᴱ√SILI “✱gleam” from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s (QL/83). The normal “moon” words in this period were ᴱQ. Sil and G. Sil (QL83; GL/67). A rejected Gnomish variant Thil “the moon” indicates Tolkien considered ᴱ√ÞILI, but did not commit to it (GL/72). However, in The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien gave unglossed ᴹ√THIL with derivatives like ᴹQ. Isil and N. Ithil “Moon, (lit.) Sheen” (Ety/I²; THIL). Tolkien stuck with these “Moon” words thereafter, and the root √THIL was mentioned regularly in Tolkien’s later writings (Let/425; PE17/66; PE22/136).

tār(a)-ninqui-tilde

place name. High White Peak

ninkwitā-

verb. to make white, whiten

(g)los

root. snow, whiteness

In Tolkien’s writing the root √(G)LOS is mostly used for “snow” but also for “white”. The earliest indications of this root are words from the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s such as G. gloss “white, clear white”, G. glost “whiteness” and (possibly) G. glui “snow” (GL/40), indicating an (unattested) early root ✱ᴱ√LOSO of similar meaning. The (plural) adjective ᴱQ. losse “white” appears in the ᴱQ. Oilima Markirya poem of the late 1920s (MC/213), indicating this root spread to other branches of the Elvish languages.

The first clear mention of this root is in The Etymologies of the 1930s where ᴹ√GOLOS is given as the basis for ᴹQ. olos(se) and N. gloss “snow, fallen snow” (Ety/GOLÓS). In later writings the root √LOS appears several times as the basis for snow words (PE17/26, 69, 160-161; RGEO/61). The last mention of this root is in notes on The Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor from 1967-69, where Tolkien gave the root as √(G)LOS with the underlying meaning “white”, with two distinct Sindarin derivatives S. loss “snow” [noun] and S. gloss “snow white” [adj.] (VT42/18). Given this l/gl variation in Sindarin, likely the strengthened form √GLOS was a sporadic, Sindarin-only innovation.

lossē

noun. snow

kalinā

adjective. bright

sris

root. snow

An apparently verbal root as √SRIS “snow” appearing in etymological notes from around 1959 with derivatives like Q. hrisse “fall of snow” and Q. hríza “it is snowing”; it replaced a deleted root √SRITH “snow” (PE17/168).

srith

root. snow

rôth

noun. foam, white crest of waves

An element appearing in the name Rothinzil “Foam-flower”, attested in later writings (1968) as roth (PM/369, 376). This later form is incompatible with the earlier phonetic rules of Lowdham’s Report from the 1940s, which allowed only long [ō] in Adûnaic words. If this word were used in the phonetic context of Lowdham’s Report (Middle Adûnaic), it should be rôth, and in these earlier texts, the Adûnaic name of Eärendi’s ship was Rôthinzil with a long ô (SD/360). Even in later writings, Tolkien lists róþ ([rōθ] = rôth) as one of its possible forms (PM/369). See the entry on conceptual-changes-in-late-Adûnaic for further discussion.

spenna

noun. cloud

Derived from a stem SPAN "white" (LR:387), but hardly a direct cognate of Quenya fanya and Telerin spania (both probably from spanjâ), nor a direct cognate of Sindarin faun, stated to be derived from spâna. Rather spenna must derive from spannâ, sc. the stem SPAN with the adjectival ending -nâ (or possibly the simpler adjectival ending -â combined with a medial strengthening n > nn). As for the change of a to e, cf. scella from skalnâ.

lygn

adjective. pale

Primitive form given as lugni "blue", sc. the stem LUG1 (LR:370, not defined) with an ending -ni not otherwise attested, though -i is an ending found on many primitive colour-adjectives. The ending _-i _causes umlaut u > y; compare yrc as the plural of urc "Orc". That a short original final -i is capable of causing such an umlaut at the Common Eldarin stage is somewhat surprising, since Primitive Quendian lugni should have become *lugne at this stage, and final e would hardly cause umlaut. Perhaps we are to understand that the change of final i to Common Eldarin e happened relatively late, after the Eldar had crossed the Hihtaeglir and parted with the Nandor?