balrog

proper name. Demon of Might

The great fire demons of Melkor, a combination of the root √BAL “power” with raug “demon” (SA/rauko, val; PE17/48).

Conceptual Development: The name G. Balrog appeared in the earliest Lost Tales (LT1/93) and always kept this form in Tolkien’s writings, but its meaning and etymology evolved over time: G. “a kind of fire demon” (GL/21), ᴱN. “evil demon” (PE13/138), N. “✱Torment Demon” (Ety/ÑGWAL, RUK), an untranslated orc word (LR/404) and finally S. “Mighty Demon” (PE17/48).

balrog

demon

n. (mighty) demon. A word made in ancient S. for the spirits (of 'māyan' origin) corrupted to his service by Melkor in the days outside Arda, before the coming of the Elves and the assault uopon Utumno. Q. pl1. Valaraucar. In a draft, Tolkien presented the Balrogs as of "Valar or Maian origin" (PE17:48). >> raug

balrog

noun. demon of power

bal- (stem “cruel” [Etym. ÑGWAL-]) + raug (“powerful and hostile creature, demon”)

balrog

fire-demon

balrog (i valrog), pl. balroeg (i malroeg). Coll. pl. balrogath is attested. Archaic form *balraug. (MR:79, WJ:415). The etymological meaning is rather ”power-demon”.

balrog

fire-demon

balrog (i valrog), pl. balroeg (i malroeg), coll. pl. balrogath (MR:79). Archaic form *balraug.

balrog

fire-demon

(i valrog), pl. balroeg (i malroeg). Coll. pl. balrogath is attested. Archaic form ✱balraug. (MR:79, WJ:415). The etymological meaning is rather ”power-demon”.

Balrogs

Balrogs

Balrog is Sindarin for "Demon of Might" from bal-, "power" and raug, rog, "demon". The Quenya form Valarauko points to a possible Primitive Quendian form *balaraukô. In the earlier Etymologies, the word Balrog was derived from ñgwalaraukô, but this is inconsistent with Quenya Valarauko. A list of Old English equivalents of Elvish words, glosses Balrog as having the equivalent Bealuwearg and Bealubroga. As noted by Christopher Tolkien, the Old English word contains the elements bealu ("evil"; as in bale(ful)) and wearg ("wolf, outlaw") or broga ("terror").

raug

demon

n. demon. Q. rauca. >> Balrog

raug

demon

raug (-rog in compounds, as in Balrog), pl. roeg (idh roeg), coll. pl. #rogath (isolated from Balrogath, MR:79). Also used = ”powerful, hostile, and terrible creature”.

raug

demon

(-rog in compounds, as in Balrog), pl. roeg (idh roeg), coll. pl. #rogath (isolated from Balrogath, MR:79). Also used = ”powerful, hostile, and terrible creature”.