galadh

noun. tree

The basic Sindarin word for “tree” (LotR/1113), derived from primitive ✶galadā and very well attested. This word dates back at least to The Etymologies of the 1930s, where N. galadh “tree” appeared under the root ᴹ√GALAD (Ety/GALAD). See also orn “(tall) tree” of similar meaning.

Conceptual Development: Gnomish of the 1910s had some earlier version of this “tree” word: G. galdon >> alwen “tree” in the Name-list to the Fall of Gondolin (PE15/24) and archaic/poetic G. †alwen “tree” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/19), the latter probably from the early root ᴱ√ALA “spread” that was the basis for ᴱQ. alda “tree” (QL/29).

Cognates

• Nan. galad “tree” ✧ MR/182; PE17/060
• Q. alda “tree, tree, [ᴱQ.] branch” ✧ Let/426; LotR/1113; PE17/025; PE17/050; PE17/063; PE17/136; PE17/153; PE17/153; RGEO/65; SA/alda; NM/352

Derivations

• ✶galadā “great plant, tree” ✧ Let/426; NM/349; NM/352; PE17/025; PE17/050; PE17/063; PE17/135; PE17/153; PE17/153; UT/266
  • ᴹ√GALAD “tree”
  • ᴹ√GAL “grow, thrive” ✧ Ety/GALA
  • √GAL “grow (like plants), flourish, be healthy, be vigorous, bloom, grow (like plants), flourish, be healthy, be vigorous, bloom, [ᴹ√] thrive” ✧ Let/426; PE17/025; PE17/135; PE17/153; PE17/153

Element in

• S. Bregalad “Quickbeam; (lit.) Quick (Lively) Tree”
• S. Caras Galadhon “City of the Trees” ✧ Let/426; NM/352; SA/alda; UT/267
• S. Caras i-Ngelaidh “City of the Trees” ✧ PE17/060
• S. Galadhon
• S. galadhremmen “tree-meshed” ✧ PE17/136
• S. Galadhrim “Tree-people” ✧ Let/426; PE17/050; SA/alda; UT/267
• S. Galadlóriel “Golden Rain, (lit.) Golden Tree”
• S. Galador
• S. Galadriel “Glittering-garland” ✧ SA/kal; UT/267
• S. Galadwen
• S. Galathilion “White Tree”
• S. Gelennil “Lover of Trees”
• S. lais geledhion “leaves of trees” ✧ PE17/097
• S. o galadhremmin ennorath “from tree-tangled middle-lands” ✧ PE17/025
• S. Orgaladh “Day of the Tree, *Tuesday”
• S. Orgaladhad “Day of the Two Trees, *Tuesday”
• S. si loth a galadh lasto dîn “*here flower and tree listen [in] silence” ✧ LB/354

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶galadā > galadh	[galadā] > [galada] > [galaða] > [galað]	✧ Let/426
✶galada > galað	[galada] > [galaða] > [galað]	✧ NM/352
✶galadā > galadh	[galadā] > [galada] > [galaða] > [galað]	✧ PE17/025
✶galadā > galadh	[galadā] > [galada] > [galaða] > [galað]	✧ PE17/050
✶galadā > galadh	[galadā] > [galada] > [galaða] > [galað]	✧ PE17/063
✶galadā > galaða > galað > galadh	[galadā] > [galada] > [galaða] > [galað]	✧ PE17/135
✶galadā́ > galað	[galadā] > [galada] > [galaða] > [galað]	✧ PE17/153
✶galadā > galað	[galadā] > [galada] > [galaða] > [galað]	✧ PE17/153
✶galadā > galadh	[galadā] > [galada] > [galaða] > [galað]	✧ UT/266

Variations

• galað ✧ MR/182; MR/470; NM/349; NM/352; PE17/060; PE17/153; PE17/153