dom

root. dark, dark, [ᴹ√] faint, dim

This root was the basis for the main Elvish words for “dusk, night”, which was established as Q. lómë in Quenya for most of Tolkien’s life. The earliest form of this root was ᴱ√LOMO in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, unglossed but with various derivatives having to do with “dusk” and “shadow” (QL/55). One notable derivative was ᴱQ. lóme “dusk, gloom, darkness”, which survived in Tolkien’s later writings as “night” and in the 1910s was the basis for ᴱQ. Hisilóme/G. Hithlum “Shadowy Twilights”. Another notable derivative was G. lómin “shady, shadowy, gloomy; gloom(iness)” (GL/45) used in the name G. Dor Lómin, which in the 1910s was translated as “Land of Shadow” (LT1/112).

The “shadow” meaning of this early root seems to have transferred to ᴹ√LUM from The Etymologies of the 1930s, which served as the new basis for N. Hithlum (Ety/LUM), as opposed contemporaneous N. Dor-lómen which was redefined as “Land of Echoes (< ᴹ√LAM via Ilkorin or in later writings, via North Sindarin). The “dusk” sense was transferred to a new root ᴹ√DOM “faint, dim”, which (along with ᴹ√DOƷ) was the basis for the pair words ᴹQ. lóme/N. dû “night” (Ety/DOMO).

These two words for “night” survived in Tolkien’s later writing in both Quenya and Sindarin (Let/308; SA/dú). In notes from the 1940s Tolkien clarified that it “has no evil connotations; it is a word of peace and beauty and has none of the associations of fear or groping that, say, ‘dark’ has for us” (SD/306). The Elves were quite comfortable being under the night sky, dating back to the time when the Elves lived under the stars before the rising of the Sun and the Moon. The root √DOM reappeared in etymologies for star-words from the late 1950s or early 1960s (PE17/152). It appeared again in some very late notes from 1969 where it was glossed “dark” and served as the basis for words meaning “blind” as well as “night”, though this paragraph was rejected (PE22/153, note #50).

mornā

adjective. dark

mor

root. black, dark, darkness

This root was connected to “black” and “darkness” for all of Tolkien’s life. It first appeared as unglossed ᴱ√MORO in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like ᴱQ. móre “night” and ᴱQ. morna “black” (QL/62). In the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon it had derivatives like G. morn “dark, black” and G. morth “darkness” (GL/58). It appeared as ᴹ√MOR in The Etymologies of the 1930s with a similar set of derivatives (Ety/MOR) and √MOR was mentioned regularly in Tolkien’s later writings with glosses like “black, dark, darkness” (Let/308, 382; PE17/73).

(n)dur

root. love, feeling of special concern with, care for, or interest in things, to show special interest in things; [ᴹ√] bow down, bend (low), obey, serve; grow/be dark

Counterpart to the root √N(D)IL, this root first appeared in a marginal note from The Etymologies of the 1930s as ᴹ√NDUR or ᴹ√DUR “bow down, bend (down), obey, serve”, an elaboration of ᴹ√NDŪ “go down, sink, set (of Sun, etc.)” (Ety/NDŪ; EtyAC/NDŪ). In the Quenya Verbal System (QVS) from 1948, ᴹ√NDUR was glossed “grow, be dark”, no doubt in connection to N./S. dûr “dark” (PE22/103), but later this “dark” word was connected more directly to √NDU “under, down”. Indeed, in a 1955 letter to David Masson, Tolkien gave √(N)DUR an origin distinct from √N(D)U, basing it on an independent root √DUR “to show special interest in things” (PE17/152); there was also an unglossed and deleted root ᴹ√DUR in The Etymologies of the 1930s (EtyAC/DUR). However, in a 1967 letter to Mr. Rang, -(n)dur again meant “to serve” (Let/386).

Neo-Eldarin: For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I think it is best to keep the connection between √NDUR “bow down = serve” and √NDU “descend”. As for the semantic distinctions between -(n)dil and -(n)dur, see the entry on the root √N(D)IL for details.

ñgol

root. dark-hued, dark-brown

In most places, Tolkien assigned the root √ÑGOL the meaning “knowledge, wisdom”, and it was the source of the tribal name of the Noldor. In one set of late notes, however, Tolkien said:

> Delete all references of Noldo to “wisdom, lore”! This characteristic only clearly seen later - the Tribal names must be early formations ... √ÑGOL = dark-hued, dark-brown ... The predominant colour of Ñoldorin hair was very dark brown (PE17/125).

The problem with this scenario is that elsewhere the root √ÑGOL is deeply associated with wisdom. Although Tolkien did not explicitly reject √ÑGOL “dark-hued, dark-brown”, this scenario is mentioned nowhere else. Nevertheless, it is possible that the Primitive Quenderin sense of ÑGOL was originally “dark-hued, dark-brown” and the root later developed the meaning “knowledge, wisdom” by association with the Noldor, replacing the older meaning. If so, perhaps the only survival of the original meaning is the word Q. ñolya “dark-haired”. Alternately, ñolya might mean “hair like the Noldor (dark)”.

ñgul

root. dark with sinister associations

A root Tolkien used to explain S. gûl “black arts, sorcery” (PE17/31), in one place describing it as a “darker” variant of √ÑGOL “dark-hued, dark-brown” in notes where Tolkien declared the name of the Noldor was not connected to wisdom (PE17/125). In the sense “dark with sinister connotations” the root √ÑGUL was also the basis for a couple Quenya words: Q. ñúla “dark, occult, mysterious” and Q. ñúlë “black arts, sorcery”. Elsewhere, though, S. gûl was derived from √ÑGOL “knowledge, wisdom” (Ety/ÑGOL; PE17/79; WJ/383), originally with the same neutral meaning as its Quenya equivalents, but:

> In S[indarin] the word gûl (equivalent of Q ñóle) had less laudatory associations, being used mostly of secret knowledge, especially such as possessed by artificers who made wonderful things; and the word became further darkened by its frequent use in the compound morgul “black arts”, applied to the delusory or perilous arts and knowledge derived from Morgoth (WJ/383).

Neo-Eldarin: I personally find this derivation of S. gûl from √ÑGOL “wisdom” to be more interesting etymologically, and prefer it over the root √ÑGUL. However, I think the Quenya words ñúla and ñúlë might be retained as loan words from Sindarin after the Noldor directly encountered the dark magic of Morgoth in Beleriand.

durnu

adjective. dark of hue

morikwende

noun. *Dark-elf, [ᴹ✶] Dark-elf

phuinē

noun. deep shadow, night shade, dark substance, vapour-like darkness, deep shadow, night shade, [ᴹ✶] night

du Reconstructed

root. dark

graw Reconstructed

root. [unglossed], [ᴹ√] dark, swart

This root appeared as a primitive form grawa serving as the basis of the word Q. roa “bear” >> “dog” in notes on monosyllabic roots from 1968 (VT47/35); a Sindarin derivative S. graw “bear” appeared in other notes written around the same time (VT47/12). Patrick Wynne suggested that in the sense “bear” grawa might be connected to the root ᴹ√GRAWA “dark, swart” from The Etymologies of the 1930s (EtyAC/GRAWA).

lóna

dark

?lóna (4) adj. "dark" (DO3/DŌ). If this is to be the cognate of "Noldorin"/Sindarin dûr, as the context seems to indicate, lóna is likely a misreading for *lóra in Tolkien's manuscript.

lúna

dark

lúna adj. *"dark" in Lúnaturco and Taras Lúna, Quenya names of Barad-dûr (Dark Tower). (PE17:22). In the Etymologies, lúnë "blue" was changed by Tolkien from lúna (VT45:29).

morĭ

adjective. dark

PQ. dark

móri

dark

móri adj. "dark" (MC:221; this is "Qenya"; in Tolkien's later Quenya mórë, morë)

ulca

adjective. dark

dark, gloomy, sinister

lúna

adjective. *dark

A word appearing in notes from the mid-to-late 1960s as an element of two different Quenya equivalents of S. Barad-dûr “Dark Tower”: Q. {Lúnaturma >>} Lúnaturco and Taras Lúna. Tolkien states that taras is “tower”, while turco is derived from √TURUK and is thus probably “✱stronghold”, so that the word lúna must mean “✱dark”. David Salo suggested in a post to the Elfling mailing list in 2012 (Elfling/362.96) that perhaps it was related to lúmë “darkness” from the Markirya poem, both derived from an (unattested) root ✱√DU “dark”.

Conceptual Development: A similar form ᴹQ. lóna “dark” appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a derivative of the root ᴹ√DOƷ “night” (Ety/DOƷ).

Neo-Quenya: Since ᴹQ. lóna has several other attested meanings (ᴹQ. lóna “island”, Q. lóna “deep pool, well”), I recommend using the later and less ambiguous word lúna for “dark” in Neo-Quenya writings.

moriquendi

collective name. Elves of the Darkness, (lit.) Dark Elves

Originally, this term was used for the Elves who never saw the light of the Two Trees of Valinor (S/51, WJ/361). Later, the meaning of this term was modified to exclude the Sindar, and so became more or less equivalent to Avari (WJ/373, SI/Moriquendi). It is a compound of morë (mori-) “darkness” and the plural of Quendë “Elf”.

Conceptual Development: One of the earliest name for the Dark Elves may have been ᴱQ. Hisildi “Twilight People” (LT1/232). The term ᴹQ. Moriqendi first appeared in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (LR/197). It also appeared in The Etymologies, with the same derivation as given above (Ety/MOR). In this earlier period, Tolkien also used the terms ᴹQ. Moreldar and ᴹQ. Morimor for “Dark-elves” (LR/197, 405; Ety/MOR).

A singular form, Moriq(u)en, appeared in linguistic notes from the 1930s and 1940s (PE19/59; PE21/69), as an illustration of the loss of short final vowels in trisyllabic or longer words. A longer singular form Moriquende, reformed from the independent word Quendë, also appeared (PE19/59).

lúnaturco

place name. ?Dark Stronghold

The Quenya name of S. Barad-dûr (PE17/22), a compound of lúna (“dark”?) and turco (“stronghold”?). It was first written as Lúnaturma.

morifinwë

masculine name. Dark Finwë

The father-name of Caranthir (PM/353). It is a compound of morë (mori-) “dark” and the name of is grandfather Finwë, in reference to his black hair. The short form of this name was Moryo.

morikotto

masculine name. *Dark Enemy

The Quenya equivalent of S. Morgoth (VT49/24). It is a compound of morë (mori-) “dark” and cotto “enemy”. It is unlikely this name was much used, and is interesting primarily in shining a light on the etymology of Morgoth.

Conceptual Development: @@@ finish after completing phonology.

morë

noun/adjective. dark, black; darkness, night, dark, black; darkness, [ᴹQ.] blackness, [Q.] night

A word meaning both “dark” and “black” in various compounds, sometimes also functioning as a noun “darkness”. It was derived from primitive ✶mori based on the root √MOR (Let/382).

Conceptual Development: This word has a long history in Tolkien’s languages. It first appeared as ᴱQ. {mōre >>} mōri “night” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s from the early root ᴱ√MORO (QL/62), also appearing as mōre “night” in the contemporaneous Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/63). The word mōre was used as “darkness” in the Oilima Markirya poem written around 1930 (MC/214).

In The Etymologies of the 1930s there were two distinct forms: noun ᴹQ. móre “blackness, dark, night” from primitive ᴹ✶mǭri and adjective ᴹQ. more “blackness, dark, night” from primitive from primitive ᴹ✶mori (Ety/MOR; EtyAC/MOR), though the adjective prefix mori- was frequently translated “dark” in contemporaneous compounds: ᴹQ. Morimando “Dark Mando”, ᴹQ. Moriqendi “Dark Elves”, etc. In later writings, the forms with long ó were no longer used, though whether this was intentional or a coincidence is unclear.

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would mainly use more as an adjective with the sense “dark”, reserving for the colour “black” the word morna instead. For the noun form, I’d use mornië, but I sometimes use mori- or móri- for “night” in compounds as the time of darkness.

taras lúna

place name. *Dark Tower

A Quenya translation of S. Barad-dûr (LotR/1038), a combination of taras “tower” and lúna “✱dark” (PE17/22). Tolkien did not translate the name, so this entry assume it has the same meaning as its Sindarin equivalent.

huinë

noun. gloom, (unrelieved) darkness, deep shadow, night shade; dark (as a substance)

A word for “gloom” and “unrelieved darkness” such as a night without stars or moon (VT41/8), with an archaic form †fuinë [ɸuine] (PE19/71). In one place Tolkien said it was used of darkness as an ethereal substance, the opposite of Q. linquë which was ethereal light (NM/279, 283). While light as a substance is an idea somewhat supported by reality (e.g. photons), darkness as a substance is necessarily poetic or mythic.

Conceptual Development: The earliest iteration of this word was ᴱQ. hui or fui “fog, dark, murk, night” from the early root ᴱ√ǶUẎU (QL/41), also appearing with the gloss “dark, murk” in the Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/41). It was equated to ᴱQ. Fui, the name of the Death-goddess Nienna (QL/40). In the Oilima Markirya from around 1930, the word hui was given the translation “evening” in the phrase hui oilima man kiluva “Who shall see the last evening?” (MC/214).

In The Etymologies of the 1930s it was ᴹQ. fuine, huine “deep shadow” under the root ᴹ√PHUY (Ety/PHUY), and in various iterations of the ᴹQ. Lament of Atalante of the 1930s and 40s, huine was glossed “shadow” (LR/47, 56; SD/246, 310). In the Outline of Phonetic Development (OP1) of the 1940s, it was glossed “deep shadow, nightshade”, with fuine being its normal form but huine being its form in the {Lindarin >>} Vanyarin dialect (PE19/31). However in the Outline of Phonetic Development (OP2) of the 1950s, Tolkien revised this so that huine was its normal Quenya form in all dialects, fuine being archaic and pronounced with a pure labial “f” [ɸ] rather than the later labio-dental “f” [f] (PE19/71).

In writings after this point, it usually as huine (VT41/8; SA/fuin), but in some notes from the late 1960s Tolkien considered making huine the Vanyarin form again, with fuine being the form in Noldorin Quenya (NM/279).

Neo-Quenya: I prefer the notion that [[q|[ɸu] became [hu]]] in all Quenya dialects before [[q|[ɸ] became [f]]], so I would use the form huine. I would use it with the sense “darkness, deep shadow” for a particularly lightless darkness, but only metaphorically or poetically for darkness as ethereal substance in and of itself, as I believe the Elves would have been well aware that darkness was actually the absence of light.

Morgot / Morgos

noun. Dark Foe

Dark Foe

Moriquen(de)

noun. dark elf

dark elf

Moriquendi

noun. Elves of the Dark

Elves of the Dark

Terendul

slender-(and)-dark

Terendul masc. name "Slender-(and)-dark" (LR:59, TER/TERES, DUL, NDUL)

hróva

dark, dark brown

hróva adj. "dark, dark brown", used to refer to hair (PE17:154)

lilómëa

very dark, full of darkness

lilómëa adj. "very dark, full of darkness" (PE17:81)

lilómëa

adjective. many-shadowed, very dark, full of darkness

An element in the Entish phrase Taurelilómëa-tumbalemorna Tumbaletaurëa Lómëanor (LotR/467), which in one place Tolkien described as meaning “very dark, full of darkness”, a combination of the prefix li(n)- “many” and lómëa “shadowed, gloomy”. A more literal interpretation would be “having many nights”; compare lilótëa “having many flowers” (VT42/18). As such, I think it is safe to say this word is a poetic Entish elaboration, not likely to be used in ordinary Quenya speech.

lumbo

noun. cloud; gloom, dark, shade, cloud, [ᴱQ.] dark lowering cloud; [Q.] gloom, dark, shade

A word for “cloud” appearing in the plural form lumbor “clouds” in the Markirya poem of the 1960s. An identical form ᴱQ. lumbo appeared five decades earlier in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with the gloss “dark lowering cloud” as a derivative of the early root ᴱ√LUVU (QL/57). The context of the 1960s Markirya poem was that of a gathering storm, so it seems likely lumbor also referred to dark or stormy clouds. As further support of this, in other late notes lumbo was glossed “gloom” (PE17/72) or “dark, shade” (PE17/168) as a derivative of √LUM or √LUB “shadow, darkness”.

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would assume lumbo mainly means “dark cloud”, along with the general darkness and gloom of bad weather.

lumbulë

noun. dark shadow, heavy shadow; deep in shadow

A noun used in the Namárië poem and loosely translated as “deep in shadow” (LotR/377), but more accurately “heavy shadow, dark shadow” (PE17/72, 168; RGEO/59). It is a derivative of the root √LUB “shadow” (PE17/168), perhaps an elaboration of ᴹQ. lumbe “gloom, shadow” from The Etymologies of the 1930s (Ety/LUM).

Neo-Quenya: Based on its use, I suspect lumbulë refers to a great expanse of shadow (“shadowness”) rather than an individual cast shadow, which is Q. hala.

lúrë

dark weather

lúrë noun "dark weather" (LT1:259)

lúrëa

dark, overcast

lúrëa adj. "dark, overcast" (LT1:259)

mori-

dark, black

mori- "dark, black" in a number of compounds (independent form morë, q.v.):Morimando "Dark Mando" = Mandos (MBAD, VT45:33), morimaitë "black-handed" (LotR3:VI ch. 6, VT49:42). Moriquendi "Dark Elves" (SA:mor, WJ:361, 373), Moringotto "Black Foe", Sindarin Morgoth, later name of Melkor. The oldest form is said to have been Moriñgotho (MR:194). In late material, Tolkien is seen to consider both Moringotto and Moricotto _("k") _as the Quenya form of the name Morgoth (VT49:24-25; Moricotto also appears in the ablative, Moricottollo). Morion "the dark one", a title of Morgoth (FS). Morifinwë "dark Finwë", masc. name; he was called Caranthir in Sindarin (short Quenya name Moryo). (PM:353) In the name Morinehtar, translated "Darkness-slayer", the initial element is defined would thus seem to signify "darkness" rather than "dark" as an adjective (see mórë). (PM:384, 385)

morion

son of the dark

morion noun "son of the dark" (LT1:261). In Fíriel's Song, Morion is translated "dark one", referring to Melko(r); this may be a distinct formation not including the patronymic ending -ion "son", but rather the masculine ending -on added to the adjective morë, mori- "dark".

morna

dark, black

morna adj. "dark, black" (Letters:282, LT1:261; also used of black hair, PE17:154), or "gloomy, sombre" (MOR). Used as noun in the phrase mi…morna of someone clad "in…black" (PE17:71). In tumbalemorna (Letters:282), q.v. Pl. mornë in Markirya**(the first version of this poem had "green rocks", MC:215, changed to ondolisse mornë** "upon dark rocks" in the final version; see MC:220, note 8).

mórë

blackness, dark, night, darkness

mórë noun "blackness, dark, night, darkness" (MOR, MC:214), also given with a short vowel:morë "dark, darkness" (Letters:282). If this is the initial element of Morinehtar "Darkness-slayer" (PM:384, 385), it would seem to have the stem-form mori-, though mori- is normally the adjective "dark, black" (see below).

nolya

dark-haired

nolya ("ñ")adj. "dark-haired" (PE17:125), i.e. very dark brown

nolya

adjective. dark-haired, dark-haired, *brown-haired

A word for “dark-haired”, part of a paradigm in which the Elvish tribe names were derived from their predominant hair color, in notes perhaps from around 1959-60:

> √ÑGOL = dark-hued, dark-brown. OQ ñolda, dark-haired; but after special association with Clan, this was not much used; the colour word taking form ñolya (cf. vanya [= blonde > Vanyar]). The predominant colour of Noldorin hair was very dark brown; no Elf had absolute black hair (PE17/125).

In earlier iterations of this concept, Tolkien instead had Q. {losca, loksa “brown of hair” >> hrúva >>} hróva “dark, dark brown (of hair)”, but Tolkien then added ñolda as an alternative before marking the entire note as rejected (PE17/154-155).

Neo-Quenya: In this paradigm, Tolkien (temporarily) rejected the notion that √ÑGOL referred to wisdom, but this meaning was restored later (e.g. on PM/340 from 1968). However, I still think nolya might be used for “brown-haired” by way of a reversal of the association, where it referred to hair like the Noldor rather than being the basis of the tribe name.

nulla

dark, dusky, obscure

nulla adj. "dark, dusky, obscure" (NDUL), "secret" (DUL). See also VT45:11.

núla

dark, occult, mysterious

núla ("ñ")adj. "dark, occult, mysterious" (PE17:125)

ondolissë mornë

on the dark rocks

The thirty-third line of the Markirya poem (MC/222). The first word is locative partitive-plural form of ondo “rock” followed by the plural form of the adjective morna “dark”.

Decomposition: Broken into its constituent elements, this phrase would be:

> ondo-li-ssë morn-ë = “✱rock-(partitive-plural)-on dark-(plural)”

ungo

cloud, dark shadow

ungo noun "cloud, dark shadow" (UÑG)

varnë

brown, swart, dark brown

varnë (1) adj. "brown, swart, dark brown", stem-form varni- (BARÁN)

ñolda

dark-haired

†ñolda adj. "dark-haired" (PE17:125), associated with Noldor and hence not much used. Cf. nolya.

morna

adjective. black, dark; black of hair, black, dark; black of hair; [ᴹQ.] sombre, gloomy

hróva

adjective. dark, dark brown (of hair)

morños

masculine name. *Dark Enemy

nur-

verb. grow dark, be dark

núla

adjective. dark, occult, mysterious

ulca

adjective. evil; dark, gloomy, sinister, evil; dark, gloomy, sinister; [ᴱQ.] bad, wicked, wrong

This is one of two later words Tolkien consider for “evil”; the other is Q. olca < √OKO. Of the two, ulca has the longer conceptual history, dating back to early Quenya (QL/97). Both words have the same Sindarin cognate, S. ogol.

Ulca has two attested late derivations. One is from the root √UK (PE17/149), listed as a possible replacement of √OKO, but Tolkien marked this derivation as uncertain. Another derivation is ✶ū “not” + KAL “light” = ✶uk’la “gloom, gloomy” (PE18/88), an example of abnormal vocalization. If this second derivation is accepted, ulca could have later developed the senses “sinister, evil” either due to the “bad” connotations of Q. ú- or perhaps by influence of Q. olca. If so, it may have even supplanted olca as the general word for “evil” as it appears to have done in Tolkien’s later writings.

lúrë

noun. dark weather, bad weather

lúrëa

adjective. overcast, dark [of weather]

morumbar

adjective. dark-fated

@@@ Discord 2023-01-11

nurno

adjective. dark, deep (of hue)

@@@ from Discord 2022-03-05

dúath

adjective. dark

_ adj. _dark, black shadow.

dûr

dark

_ adj. _dark, gloomy, 'hellish'.

barad-dûr

place name. Dark Tower

Sauron’s fortress in Mordor, translated “Dark Tower” (LotR/555). It is a combination of barad “tower” and dûr “dark” (PE17/22, 85; RC/274; SA/barad, dûr).

Conceptual Development: In Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, this name was already N. Barad-dûr when it first appeared (TI/178).

caragdûr

place name. *Dark-spike

A precipice of black rock on the hill of Gondolin (S/138), apparently a combination of [N.] carag “spike” and dûr “dark” (SA/carak, dûr).

Conceptual Development: In Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s, this name was first written as Caragdar (WJ/325).

durthang

place name. Dark Oppression

An orc-fortress in Mordor (LotR/928), translated “Dark Press or Oppression” (RC/610). This name is a compound of dûr “dark” and thang “oppression” (SA/dûr, thang).

Conceptual Development: This name was already N. Durthang when it first appeared in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s (SD/33).

dûr

adjective. dark (with evil implications), gloomy, hellish

The basic Sindarin adjective for “dark” derived from primitive ✶(n)dūrā from the root √NDU “under, down” (PE17/152), but it acquired an “evil” sense by association with names like Barad-dûr and words like guldur “sorcery” (PE17/31), hence also “gloomy, hellish”. A more neutral word is morn, but strictly speaking that is the colour “black” rather than “dark”.

Conceptual Development: The earliest precursor of this word seems to be ᴱN. drú “dark” from Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s (PE13/142). N. dûr appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s, but as a derivative of ᴹ√DOƷ “night” rather than ᴹ√NDŪ “go down” (Ety/DOƷ). Later on, S. dûr was only influenced by dû “night” rather than being directly related to it (PE17/152).

glindûr

masculine name. *Dark Glance

A name Tolkien considered as a possible replacement for Maeglin in the Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s (WJ/91, 146), along with rejected variants Targlîn, Morlîn and Morleg (WJ/323). It appears to be a combination of glîn(n) “gleam, glint” and dûr “dark”.

mengas dûr

place name. ?Dark Gap in the Way

Rejected precursor to Cabed-en-Aras (WJ/156). The meaning of this name is unclear, but it might be a combination of men “road, way”, [N.] gas “gap” and dûr “dark”, perhaps meaning “✱Dark Gap in the Way” (as suggested by David Salo, GS/384).

morben

proper name. *Dark-folk

Originally a Sindarin term for the dark-elves (PE17/141), it was later expanded to include anyone who was not a Calben, ally of the Light (WJ/376). This name is a combination of morn “black” and pen “(some)one” (WJ/362).

Conceptual Development: The (rejected) word Morbenn appeared in The Etymologies from the 1930s (EtyAC/MOR).

morbenedh

proper name. *Dark-elf

Another Sindarin term for the dark-elves or Avari in 1957 Notes on Names (NN), a combination of the element √MOR “black” and the lenited form of †penedh “Elf” (PE17/141).

morgoth

masculine name. Black Foe, Dark Foe, Black Enemy, Dark Tyrant

Sindarin name of the Vala Melkor, source of evil in the world, variously translated “Black Foe” (S/79, MR/294), “Dark Foe” (WJ/14), “Black Enemy” (PM/358) or “Dark Tyrant” (PE21/85). His name is a combination of the element MOR “black” (SA/mor, PE17/73) and the lenited form of coth “enemy” (Ety/KOT).

Possible Etymology: Tolkien stated that this name was given to Morgoth by Fëanor (S/79, MR/194). This scenario made sense when the Welsh-like Elvish language was the native language of the Noldorin it was up through the 1940s, but was more difficult to justify when Sindarin became the language of Beleriand in the 1950s. Tolkien seems to have devised several new etymologies of this name specifically to make the statement more plausible. See the entry ✶Moriñgotho for further discussion.

Conceptual Development: The name G. Morgoth appeared in the earliest Lost Tales; this early version of the name does not have a clear etymology, though it may have contained goth “strife” (LT2/67). In Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, N. Morgoth was translated “Dark Power” (SM/164) or “Black God” (LR/206), indicating a shift in the conception of the name’s meaning. The name first appeared with the translation “Black Foe” and the derivation described above in The Etymologies (Ety/MOR, KOT), though in the same period Tolkien also considered making the second element an Orcish word meaning “master” (LR/406). See ✶Moriñgotho for later etymological developments.

mornan

place name. Dark Valley

Valley of the Morthond described as “a dark valley” (VT42/14), a combination of morn “dark” and nan(d) “valley”, as suggested by Carl Hostetter (VT42/29 note #31).

Conceptual Development: In Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, this valley was named N. Imlad Morthond “Blackroot Vale” (WR/287).

mornedhel

proper name. Dark-elf

A Sindarin term for the Avari, a combination of morn “dark” and Edhel “Elf” (WJ/377), also appearing as Moredhel (PE17/140-141).

morwen

feminine name. Dark Maiden

Wife of Húrin and mother of Túrin (S/148), her name was translated “Dark Maiden” (WJ/409), a combination of the element MOR “black” and the suffixal form -wen of gwend “maiden” (SA/mor, wen).

Conceptual Development: In draft notes from the 1910s she was first called ᴱQ. Tiranne (LT2/139), but the earliest Lost Tales themselves, this character was named G. Mavwin (LT2/70). In Lays of Beleriand from the 1920s, her name was revised first to ᴱN. Morwin (LB/22) and then Morwen (LB/104). Her name was N. Morwen in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (SM/23, LR/276). The name Morwen also appeared in The Etymologies (Ety/MOR).

môr

noun. dark(ness); †night, dark(ness); †night, [N.] †black

A word for “dark(ness)” (Let/382), sometimes used poetically for “†night” (NM/279), derived from primitive ✶mori based on the root √MOR.

Conceptual Development: Early precursors to this word include G. mûri “darkness, †night” and G. morth/moroth “darkness” (GL/58), both clearly derived from the early root ᴱ√MORO as suggested by Christopher Tolkien (LT1A/Mornië; Moru). In The Etymologies of the 1930s N. †môr was an archaic equivalent of ᴹQ. more “black”, already based on primitive ᴹ✶mori (Ety/MOR). In a deleted entry Tolkien also considered using N. môr for “night” (EtyAC/LOƷ).

Neo-Sindarin: For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I would mainly use S. môr as a noun “darkness”, and for the adjective I would use S. morn “dark, black”.

Barad-dûr

place name. 'Dark Tower'

topon. #'Dark Tower'. >> barad, dûr

Barad-dûr

noun. dark tower

barad (“tower”) + dûr (“dark, somber”) #Dh could revert to d assimilated by the preceding d.

Dol Guldur

noun. hill of dark magic

(n-)dol (“hill”), (n-)gûl (“magic”) + dûr (“dark”)

Durthang

noun. dark duress, oppression

dûr (“dark”) + thang (“compulsion, oppression”)

Emyn Duir

noun. dark mountains

emyn (pl. of amon “hill”), duir (pl. of dûr “dark”) David Salo: “dh and mh were liable to revert to d and m when they came to follow a nasal after syncope” TolkLang message 19.31.

Eryn Vorn

noun. dark wood

eryn (“wood”), morn (“black, dark”)

Moredhel

'Dark-Elf'

pl1. Moredhil {ð} n. 'Dark-Elf', distinguished from the Sindar (and usually also the Nandor). Q. Avar.

Morgoth

noun. dark enemy

morn (“dark, black”) + coth (“enemy”)

Morwen

noun. dark lady

mor (stem“dark, black”) + gwend (“woman, maiden”); [Etym. WEN-] since it shows no -d even in the archaic spelling, it probably contains derivative of WEN-, not WENED- stem and the last element is Ilk. gwen (“girl”).

emyn duir

place name. Dark Mountains

Hills in north-eastern Mirkwood, translated “Dark Mountains” (UT/280), also known as Emyn-nu-Fuin “Mountains of Mirkwood” (UT/281). This name is a combination of the plural of amon “hill” and the plural of the adjective dûr “dark”.

eryn vorn

place name. Dark Wood

A forested cape south of the mouth of Baranduin first named on the Pauline Bayne map of Middle-earth from 1970 (RC/lxv). The name is translated “Dark Wood”, a combination of eryn “woods” and the lenited form of morn “dark”.

moravar

noun. 'Dark-Elf'

n. #'Dark-Elf'.

morben

'Dark-elf'

pl1. mœrbin, pl2. morbennath n. 'Dark-elf', excluding the Sindar.

morben

noun. a dark person

morn (“dark”) + pen (“someone, anyone”) is said to be “formally” related to Q Moriquendi; the first element could be mora-, after kala- in Kalaquendi.

morbenedh

'Dark-Elf'

pl1. morbenidh {ð} n. #'Dark-Elf'. >> penedh

mornedhel

noun. dark elf

morn (“black, dark”) + edhel (“elf”)

teleir

it became current as a general term to distinguish the Sindar from either the Noldor or the Dark-Elves

pl1. telir, pl2. teleriath, telerwaith _ n. _it became current as a general term to distinguish the Sindar (and usually also the Nandor) from either the Noldor or the Dark-Elves.

udûn

place name. Dark Pit

Sindarin name of Morgoth’s fortress Q. Utumno (MR/382) translated “Dark Pit” or “Hell” (RC/297), probably a derivative of the same primitive form ✶Utupnu as its Quenya cognate (MR/69). It was also the name of a plain in Mordor (LotR/928).

Conceptual Development: In the Gnomish Lexicon from the 1910s this name was G. Udum or Uduvna (GL/74), probably derived from the same primitive root ᴱ√TUM(B)U as its (early) Quenya cognate ᴱQ. Utumna (QL/95, LT1A/Utumna). In The Etymologies from the 1930s, N. Udûn had essentially the same form and meaning as the later Sindarin name, though at this stage its primitive form was given as ᴹ✶Utubnu (Ety/TUB).

The vale in Mordor was first called N. Narch or Narch Udûn (SD/34, WR/438).

dûr

dark (with evil implications

_adj. _dark (with evil implications, e.g. Barad-dûr). >> Barad-dûr

dû

noun. night, dimness; dim, dark, night, dimness; [N.] night-fall, late evening; [S.] dim, dark

morn

noun/adjective. black, dark; night

baran

adjective. brown, swart, dark brown, golden brown, yellow brown

dûr

adjective. dark, sombre

galvorn

noun. a black metal devised by the dark elf Eol

guldur

noun. (dark) sorcery

morchant

noun. shadow (of objects, cast by light), dark shape

morn

adjective. black, dark

mornedhel

noun. Dark-Elf

môr

noun. darkness, dark, night

morn

dark

morn (black), pl. myrn, lenited vorn. Note: the latter word is also used as a noun ”darkness, night”. (Letters:386)

morn

dark

(black), pl. myrn, lenited vorn. Note: the latter word is also used as a noun ”darkness, night”. (Letters:386)

doll

dark

doll (dusky, misty, obscure), lenited noll, pl. dyll. Note: In ”Noldorin”, this word appeared as dolt as well as doll, but the latter seems the best form in S.

doll

dark

(dusky, misty, obscure), lenited noll, pl. dyll. Note: In ”Noldorin”, this word appeared as dolt as well as doll, but the latter seems the best form in S.

dûr

dark

dûr (sombre), lenited dhûr, pl. duir

dûr

dark

(sombre), lenited dhûr, pl. duir

graw

dark

graw (swart), lenited raw, pl. groe. (VT45:16)

graw

dark

(swart), lenited ’raw, pl. groe. (VT45:16)

môr

dark

môr (black), lenited vôr, pl. mŷr (Letters:382), also

môr

dark

(black), lenited vôr, pl. m**ŷr* (Letters:382)*, also

Barad-dûr

Dark Tower

Barad-Dûr translates from Sindarin as "Dark Tower". barad means "tower" and dûr means "dark". Lugbúrz was the name of Barad-dûr in the Black Speech from Lug meaning "tower" and búrz meaning "dark".

baran

dark brown

baran (swart, dark brown, yellow brown, golden-brown), pl. berain

baran

dark brown

(swart, dark brown, yellow brown, golden-brown), pl. berain

mornedhel

dark elf

Mornedhel (i Vornedhel), pl. Mornedhil (i Mornedhil). Conceivably the entire word could be umlauted in the pl.: Mernedhil. (WJ:409). Also Duredhel (i Dhuredhel), pl. Duredhil (i Núredhil), also called Durion (i Dhurion), *"dark son", pl. Duryn (i Nuryn), coll. pl. Durionnath.

mornedhel

dark elf

Mornedhel (i Vornedhel), pl. Mornedhil (i Mornedhil). Conceivably the entire word could be umlauted in the pl.: ?Mernedhil. (WJ:409) Another term for ”Dark Elf” is Dúredhel (i Dhúredhel), pl. Dúredhil (i Núredhil).

mornedhel

dark elf

(i Vornedhel), pl. Mornedhil (i Mornedhil). Conceivably the entire word could be umlauted in the pl.: Mernedhil. (WJ:409). Also Duredhel (i Dhuredhel), pl. Duredhil (i Núredhil), also called Durion (i Dhurion), ✱"dark son", pl. Duryn (i Nuryn), coll. pl. Durionnath.

mornedhel

dark elf

(i Vornedhel), pl. Mornedhil (i Mornedhil). Conceivably the entire word could be umlauted in the pl.: ?Mernedhil. **(WJ:409) Another term for ”Dark Elf” is Dúredhel (i Dhúredhel), pl. Dúredhil (i Núredhil**).

Graurim

dark people

Graurim (VT45:16);

dúath

dark shadow

dúath (i dhúath) (nightshade), pl. dúaith (i núaith);

dúath

dark shadow

dúath (i dhúath) (nightshade), pl. dúaith (i núaith). Compare the Ephel Dúath or ”Mountains of Shadow” forming th outer fence of Mordor, perhaps suggesting that Dúath is also the word used of Sauron as ”the Shadow”.

dúath

dark shadow

(i dhúath) (nightshade), pl. dúaith (i núaith);

dúath

dark shadow

(i dhúath) (nightshade), pl. dúaith (i núaith). Compare the Ephel Dúath or ”Mountains of Shadow” forming th outer fence of Mordor, perhaps suggesting that Dúath is also the word used of Sauron as ”the Shadow”.

graurim

dark people

(VT45:16);

graw

adjective. dark, swart

guldur

dark sorcery

guldur (i nguldur = i ñuldur), pl. gyldyr (in gyldyr = i ñgyldyr)

guldur

dark sorcery

(i nguldur = i ñuldur), pl. gyldyr (in gyldyr = i ñgyldyr)

dûr

adjective. dark

dureledh

proper name. Dark-elf

A Noldorin name for the Dark Elves appearing in The Etymologies from the 1930s (Ety/DOƷ), also appearing as Duveledh in the entry for the root ᴹ√MOR (Ety/MOR). The latter may be a mistake since a miswritten “r” might appear as a “v”; another word Durion appears beside Duveledh, which supports it being a misreading for “r”. It is a combination of dûr “dark” and Eledh “Elf”.

durion

proper name. Dark-elf

A Noldorin name for the Dark Elves appearing in The Etymologies from the 1930s (Ety/DOƷ, MOR), a combination of dûr “dark” and a variant of the agental suffix -(r)on. According to Carl Hostetter and Patrick Wynne, in one entry this form replaced an element duil- which was part of some kind of etymological definition, but the writing is obscured (EtyAC/MOR).

barad-dûr

place name. Dark Tower

baran

adjective. brown, swart, dark brown

doll

adjective. obscure, dark, dusky, hidden, secret

baran

adjective. brown, swart, dark brown, golden brown, yellow brown

doll

adjective. dark, dusky, obscure

dolt

adjective. dark, dusky, obscure

dûr

adjective. dark, sombre

grau

adjective. dark, swart

morbenn

proper name. Dark Elf

morn

adjective. black, dark

môr

noun. darkness, dark, night

búrz

adjective. dark

lugbúrz

place name. Dark Tower

gûl

suffix. phantom, shadow of dark magic, wraith; †black arts, sorcery

búrz

adjective. dark

dolgu

noun. dark, (evil) night

A noun attested as the isolated word dolgu, described as “a word with the evil sense of ‘night’ or ‘dark’” (SD/306). It may be related to S. dû “night” and N. doll “obscure, hidden, dusky”, as suggested by Carl Hostetter and Patrick Wynn (AAD/13). It is similar to the word dulgu “black” appearing in the Lament of Akallabêth and the two may be variations of the same word, but most authors have suggested (AAD/13-14, AL/Adûnaic, EotAL/DUL’G, NBA/11, 24) that they are distinct words. In the phonetic rules in Lowdham’s Report from this period, a short o cannot appear in an Adûnaic (SD/423), so perhaps the proper form of this noun should be ✱dôlgu.

dulgu

adjective. black, dark

An adjective translated “black” (SD/247). It appears in its plural form dulgî “black” in the final version of the Lament of Akallabêth (SD/247) and in its singular form dulgu in the second draft of this text (SD/312). It may be related to S. dûr “dark” and N. doll “obscure, hidden, dusky”, as suggested by Carl Hostetter and Patrick Wynn (AAD/14). It is likely related to or a variant of dolgu “black, dark”.

moripendi

collective name. Dark-elves

azan

adjective. dark, dim

ñolda

noun. dark-haired

dunn

adjective. swarthy, dark-haired