fair

adjective. quick, ready, prompt

fair

noun. mortal

fair

noun. right (hand)

fair

adjective. quick

_adj. _quick, ready, prompt. >> feir

feir

noun. Mortal, Mortal, [N.] mortal man

A term used for Men meaning “Mortal”, appearing in the Quendi and Eldar essay of 1959-60, cognate to Q. Firya of the same meaning, both derived from √PHIR which was the basis of words for natural death (WJ/387). According to Tolkien this word was borrowed from Quenya, since the Noldor had pre-knowledge of the nature of Men having learned of them from the Valar. The plural form of Feir was Fîr and its class plural Firiath, the latter also appearing in contemporaneous Silmarillion drafts (WJ/219 footnote). It is unclear why this word did not become ✱Fair, since ei became ai in Sindarin monosyllables. Perhaps it remained Feir because it was an adaptation from Quenya, or it could be a conceptual remnant of its Noldorin form (see below).

Conceptual Development: Probably the first precursor to this word was ᴱN. fion “man, human being” from Index of Names for The Lay of the Children of Húrin compiled in the early 1920s (PE15/62), also appearing with the gloss “mortal man” in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the same period (PE13/143). In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien gaven N. {fîr “man, mortal” >>} feir pl. fîr “mortals” under the root ᴹ√PHIR (Ety/PHIR; EtyAC/PHIR), hence with basically the same form, meaning and etymology as it had in later Sindarin.

feir

adjective. quick

_adj. _quick, ready, prompt. >> fair

fuir

adjective. north

@@@ likely from [pʰorja] as suggested by David Salo (GS/255), thus a later version of than feir “right (hand)” with a different phonetic development. In the 2008 version of his Sindarin Dictionary, Didier Willis suggested fair as the Sindarized form of N. feir (HSD/fair), but more recent research indicates that fuir < ✱phorya is more likely, as suggested to me in a private chat by Elaran on 2018-08-26; see the entry on how [[s|[œi] became [ui] or [y]]] in Sindarin for further details.

feir

noun. mortal

fuir

adjective. north

fair

mortal man

(human) fair (fír-), pl. fîr, coll. pl. firiath. Archaic sg. feir (WJ:387). Wheareas the above-mentioned terms are apparently gender-neutral, the following are gender-specific:

fair

mortal man

(fír-), pl. fîr, coll. pl. firiath. Archaic sg. feir (WJ:387). Wheareas the above-mentioned terms are apparently gender-neutral, the following are gender-specific:

fair

adjective. right (hand)

gwain

adjective. fair

adj. fair. . This gloss was rejected.

bain

fair

_ adj. _fair, good, blessed, wholesome, favourable, without evil/bad element, not dangerous, evil or hostile. bân or bain << bân pl. bain. >> bân

bân

adjective. fair

_ adj. _fair, good, wholesome, favourable, not dangerous, evil or hostile. bân or bain << bân pl. bain. >> bain

gwân

adjective. fair

_ adj. _fair, pale.

gwana

noun/adjective. fair

lind

adjective. fair

eledhwen

feminine name. Elfsheen, Elven-fair

A sobriquet of Morwen translated “Elfsheen” (S/155) or “Elven-fair” (Let/281). Its initial element is †Eledh, an archaic Sindarin word for “Elf”, which in ordinary speech was Edhel (SA/êl, Let/281). The meaning of the second element is less clear. Given the translation, it might be a lenited variant of gwân “fair” (PE17/165) or of the root √GWEN (PE17/191), but could also be the suffixal form -wen of gwend “maiden” common in female names (Ety/WEN).

Conceptual Development: In Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, this name appeared originally as N. Eledwen (SM/319), later revised to N. Eledhwen (LR/147). At this stage, N. Eledh was the ordinary Noldorin word for Elf, and was specifically given as an element of the name Eledhwen in The Etymologies (Ety/ELED). In these Silmarillion drafts, this name was already translated as “Elfsheen” (SM/319, LR/276), and in The Etymologies her name was initially translated “Elf-fair”, but this gloss was rejected and replaced by “Elf-maid” (Ety/ELED).

In Tolkien’s writing, the root √WEN(ED) (from which S. gwend “maiden” is derived) was usually associated with youth and virginity, but sometimes also with beauty, as for example in the rejected root √GWEN “fair, beautiful” (PE17/191). This vacillation may be reflected in the different translations of the name Eledhwen.

In Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s, Tolkien changed this name to S. Edhelwen to be consistent with the later Sindarin name for “Elf” (WJ/142, WJ/273), but Eledhwen also appeared in his later writings (e.g. Let/281 from 1958) and this is the form that appeared in the published version of The Silmarillion.

lad

noun. plain, valley, plain, valley; [G.] a level, a flat; fair dealing

An element meaning “plain” in many Sindarin names, such as S. Dagorlad “Battle-plain” (S/292) and S. Lithlad “Plain of Ashes” (LotR/636; RC/457). Christopher Tolkien translated it as “plain, valley” in The Silmarillion appendix, but it only seems to have had the sense “valley” in the word S. imlad as in S. Imladris “Rivendell”, so I think “plain” is the better translation.

Conceptual Development: This word was connected to flat things very early in Tolkien’s notions of the Elvish languages. It first appeared as G. lad “a level, a flat; fair dealing” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/52), probably a derivative of the early root ᴱ√LATA (QL/51). The element -lad also appeared in many Noldorin names from the 1930s and 40s, though in this period it likely had the form N. lhad, as in N. lhaden “open, cleared” (Ety/LAT). It seems to appear in the earliest name for the “Gladden Fields” from Lord of the Rings drafts form the 1940s: N. Palath-ledin (TI/114). Here it has an unusual plural form ledin using the plural suffix -in, but whether that would have remained true in Sindarin is unclear.

Edhelvein

noun. 'fair as an Elf'

prop. n. 'fair as an Elf', a title of Arwen.

Vanedhel

noun. 'elven fair'

prop. n. 'elven fair', a title of Arwen. Q. Vanimelda, Eldavanima. >> Eldhelvein, Elrenniel, Wanedhel

Wanedhel

noun. 'elven fair'

prop. n. 'elven fair', a title of Arwen. Q. Vanimelda, Eldavanima. >> Eldhelvein, Elrenniel, Vanedhel

baen

fair-haired

_ adj. _fair-haired. Q. _waina late vaina_ blonde, fair of hair. . This gloss was rejected.

felagon

masculine name. *Fair-minded Lord

A “Sindarized” interpretation of the name Felagund, a combination of fael “fair-minded” and the suffix -gon “lord” (PM/352). See the entry for Felagund for further discussion.

linhir

place name. Fair Stream

A town in southern Gondor (LotR/875) whose name is translated “Fair Stream” (RC/587), a combination of lind “fair” and the lenited form of sîr “river”.

Conceptual Development: This name was already N. Linhir when it first appeared in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s (WR/361).

bain

fair-haired

_ adj. _fair-haired. Q. vanya. . This gloss was rejected.

bain

adjective. fair, beautiful; good, wholesome, favorable; fair-haired, beautiful; good, wholesome, favorable; fair, fair-haired

edhelvein

adjective. elven fair

fael

adjective. fair-minded, just, generous

gwân

adjective. pale, fair

laden

adjective. flat, wide, flat, wide, *level; [N.] open, cleared; [G.] fair, equitable; [ᴱN.] smooth

wanedhel

adjective. elven fair

bain

adjective. beautiful, fair

bân

adjective. fair, good, wholesome, favorable

fael

adjective. fair minded, just, generous

maer

adjective. good, excellent, fair, good, excellent, fair; [N.] useful, fit, good (of things)

vanedhel

adjective. elven fair

fuir

right

1) (adj, of direction), also used as noun "right hand": fuir (north), pl. fŷr (VT42:20). In ”Noldorin” the word appeared as (”foeir” =) föir, feir (LR:382 s.v. PHOR). 2) (direction, not "correct") fôr (north), pl. fŷr. 3) (straight) tîr (lenited dîr, no distinct pl. form) Note: a homophone means ”looking, view, glance” (noun).

fuir

right

(north), pl. fŷr (VT42:20). In ”Noldorin” the word appeared as (”foeir” =) föir, feir (LR:382 s.v. PHOR).

bain

fair

bain (beautiful). Lenited vain. No distinct pl. form.

bain

fair

(beautiful). Lenited vain. No distinct pl. form.

gwain

adjective. blonde

An adjective meaning “blond” appearing in notes written on or shortly before 1960, cognate to Q. vanya “fair-haired” from the root √WAN, distinct from √BAN “beauty” (PE17/150). A similar form S. gwân “pale, fair” appeared in notes from the same period, but the page where it appeared was marked through (PE17/165). It was part of a paradigm in which the name of the first tribe the Vanyar originally referred to the color of their hair; see bain “beautiful” for further discussion.

glaen

adjective. serene, clear, fair (espec. of weather)

glaenas

noun. fair weather; serenity

fael

fair-minded

fael (just, generous). No distinct pl. form. (PM:352)

fael

fair-minded

fael (just, generous). No distinct pl. form (PM:352). Note: a homophone means "gleaming brilliance".

fael

fair-minded

(just, generous). No distinct pl. form. (PM:352)

bain

good

_ adj. _good, wholesome, blessed, fair (esp. of weather). . This gloss was rejected.

bain

beautiful

bain (fair). Lenited vain. No distinct pl. form.

bain

beautiful

(fair). Lenited vain. No distinct pl. form.

maer

good

_(”useful” of things _ not of moral qualities) maer (lenited vaer, no distinct pl. form) (fit, useful). For ”good” as an adjective describing human qualities, the word fael ”fair-minded, just, generous” may be considered.

maer

good

(lenited vaer, no distinct pl. form) (fit, useful). For ”good” as an adjective describing human qualities, the word fael ”fair-minded, just, generous” may be considered.

rîdh

noun. sown field, sown field, [N.] acre

A noun for a “sown field” in the Outline of Phonology (OP2) derived from primitive ✶reddā (PE19/91). The Etymologies of the 1930s had N. rîð “‘sown’, sown field, acre” also from primitive ᴹ✶reddā under the root ᴹ√RED “scatter, sow” (Ety/RED; EtyAC/RED). The form N. rîð did not appear in The Etymologies as published in The Lost Road (LR/383), but Carl Hostetter and Patrick Wynne noted its existence in their Addenda and Corrigenda to the Etymologies (VT46/11).

Conceptual Development: There were several other “field” words in Tolkien’s earlier writings. G. garw “sown-field” appeared in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, also functioning as an adjective meaning “tilled” (GL/38). ᴱN. gwas “field” appeared in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s (PE13/146).

banath

noun. beauty

beinas

noun. beauty

Fíriel

noun. mortal maid

bain

beautiful

_ adj. _beautiful. Q. vanya.

calen

adjective. green

calen

green

(galen) _ adj. _green (fresh, vigorous). galen after a sg. noun. Q. kălina (lit. illumined) sunny, light.

cîw

adjective. fresh, new

dail

adjective. lovely

_ adj. _lovely, beautiful. Q. lelya. >> deil

deil

lovely

_ adj. _lovely, beautiful. Q. lelya. >> dail

firiath

noun. mortals, human beings

firieth

noun. mortal woman

firin

adjective. mortal

adj. mortal. >> firen

firion

noun. mortal man

for-

prefix. north

forn

adjective. north, north, [N.] right

forn

noun. right, north

forod

noun. north

forod

noun. north

forvo

noun. right hand

forvo

noun. right side

fíreb

adjective. mortal

fíreb

noun. Mortal

fíreb

adjective. mortal

An adjective meaning “mortal”, more literally “those apt to die”, a Sindarin adaptation of Q. fírima of the same meaning, both based on the root √PHIR having to do with natural death (WJ/387). It was also used as Fíreb to refer to Mortal Men, a variant of Feir of similar meaning. Tolkien said “Fíreb as compared with Fírima shows the use of a different suffix, since the S equivalent of Q -ima (✱-ef) was not current” (WJ/387).

gwain

adjective. blonde

_ adj. _blonde.

lad

noun. plain, valley

laeb

adjective. green

_ adj. _green. A theoretical equivalent to Q. laiqua but that did not exist in Sindarin.

laeb

adjective. fresh

laeg

green

_ adj. _green. >> Legolas

laeg

adjective. green

_ adj. _green (of leaves, herbage). Q. laika.

laeg

adjective. "viridis", fresh and green

Seldom used (replaced by calen )

laew

adjective. fresh

_ adj. _fresh.

laew

adjective. fresh

lain

adjective. free, freed

lin

adjective. thy (reverential)

lín

adjective. thy (reverential)

ma

adjective. good

_ adj. _good. Archaic and obsolete except as interjection 'good, excellent, that's right'.

maer

good

_ adj. _good.

maer

good

adj. good, proper, excellent. Q. mára good, proper, Q. maira excellent. >> mae-. This gloss was rejected.

maer

adjective. excellent

_ adj. _excellent. Q. maira admirable, excellent, precious. >> maer-, maeron

melui

adjective. lovely, sweet

This word only occurs in the place name Imloth Melui, a vale where roses grew

moth

noun. dusk

nimp

adjective. pale

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

pathu

noun. level space, sward

raud

excellent

_ adj. _excellent, noble, eminent.

rîdh

noun. sown field

sown field, tilled ground

talu

adjective. flat

adleitha

free

(i adleitha, in adleithar), also †adleg- (i adleg, in edlegir), pa.t. adlenc, pp. adlengen, pl. edlengin).

brêg

quick

brêg (sudden, lively), lenited vrêg, pl. brîg

brêg

quick

(sudden, lively), lenited vrêg, pl. brîg

calen

green

1) (etymologically "bright") calen (lenited galen), pl. celin (attested in lenited form in the name Pinnath **Gelin, "Green Ridges"). 2) laeg (fresh), no distinct pl. form. (Note: a homophone means ”keen, sharp, acute”.) In the Woodland dialect lêg, whence leg- in the name Legolas** ”Greenleaf” (Lettters:282, 386).

calen

green

(lenited galen), pl. celin (attested in lenited form in the name Pinnath Gelin, "Green Ridges").

cîw

fresh

1) cîw (lenited gîw; no distinct pl. form) (new), 2) laeb (no distinct pl. form). Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” lhoeb (LR:368 s.v. LÁYAK) 3) laeg (green), no distinct pl. form. (Note: a homophone means ”keen, sharp, acute”.) In the Woodland dialect lêg, whence leg- in the name Legolas ”Greenleaf” (Lettters:282, 386).

dû

dusk

(i dhû) (night, nightfall, late evening, darkness), pl. dui (i nui) (SD:302).

elu

pale blue

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

firieth

mortal woman

(pl. firith).

firin

mortal

?firin. No distinct pl. form.

firin

mortal

. No distinct pl. form.

firion

mortal man

firion (pl. firyn).

firion

mortal man

firion (pl. firyn) and

forod

north

#forod (isolated from Forodrim ”northmen”), also fôr (the latter also = right). The term Forven may refer to ”north” as a direction rather than a region (the element -ven means ”way”).

forod

north

(isolated from Forodrim ”northmen”), also fôr (the latter also = right). The term Forven may refer to ”north” as a direction rather than a region (the element -ven means ”way”).

fíreb

mortal

(adj. and noun) fíreb (pl. fírib), coll. pl. firebrim. The literal meaning is "apt to die" (WJ:387).

fíreb

mortal

(pl. fírib), coll. pl. firebrim. The literal meaning is "apt to die" (WJ:387).

fôr

right

(north), pl. fŷr.

gael

pale

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

gwind

pale blue

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

laden

flat

1) laden (plain, wide, open, cleared), pl. ledin (for ”N” lhaden pl. lhedin, LR:368 s.v. LAT), 2) *talu (lenited dalu, analogical pl. tely). Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” dalw (LR:353 s.v. DAL; notice how dalath from the same root was changed to talath in Sindarin).

laden

flat

(plain, wide, open, cleared), pl. ledin (for ”N” lhaden pl. lhedin, LR:368 s.v. LAT)

laden

plain

(adjective) laden (flat, wide, open, cleared), pl. ledin (suggested Sindarin forms for ”Noldorin” lhaden pl. lhedin, LR:368 s.v. LAT)

laden

plain

(flat,  wide, open, cleared), pl. ledin (suggested Sindarin forms for ”Noldorin” lhaden pl. lhedin, LR:368 s.v. LAT)

laeg

green

(fresh), no distinct pl. form. (Note: a homophone means ”keen, sharp, acute”.) In the Woodland dialect lêg, whence leg- in the name Legolas ”Greenleaf” (Lettters:282, 386). 

land

level

land (open space), pl. laind, coll. pl. lannath. Also used as adj. ”wide, plain”.

land

level

(open space), pl. laind, coll. pl. lannath. Also used as adj. ”wide, plain”.

lasgalen

leaf-green

(pl. lesgelin).

leitha

set free

(i leitha, i leithar)

lâd

plain

(valley, lowland), construct lad, pl. laid

lín

thy

lín

lín

thy

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).

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).

milui

loving

milui (lenited vilui; no distinct pl. form) (friendly, kind)

milui

loving

(lenited vilui; no distinct pl. form) (friendly, kind)

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”.

moth

dusk

1) moth (i voth), pl. myth (i myth). David Salo would read *môth with a long vowel. 2) dû (i dhû) (night, nightfall, late evening, darkness), pl. dui (i nui) (SD:302).

moth

dusk

(i voth), pl. myth (i myth). David Salo would read ✱môth with a long vowel.

nimp

pale

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

pathu

level place

(i bathu) (sward), analogical pl. pethy (i phethy). Cited in archaic form pathw in the source (LR:380 s.v. PATH); hence the coll. pl. is likely pathwath. In the Etymologies as printed in

rain

free

rain (wandering, erratic). No distinct pl. form. Note: a homophone means ”border” (VT46:10; suggested Sindarin form of ” Noldorin” rhain)

rîdh

sown field

rîdh (acre); no distinct pl. form except possibly with article (idh rîdh)

rîdh

sown field

rîdh (acre); no distinct pl. form except possinly with article (idh rîdh) (VT46:11)

talath

flat surface

(i dalath, o thalath) (plane, flatlands, plain, [wide] valley), pl. telaith (i thelaith). Tolkien changed this word from ”Noldorin” dalath, LR:353 s.v. DAL. Compare the Talath Dirnen or ”Guarded Plain” mentioned in the Silmarillion.

talath

plain

(noun) 1) talath (i dalath, o thalath) (flat surface, plane, flatlands, [wide] valley), pl. telaith (i thelaith). Tolkien changed this word from ”Noldorin” dalath_, LR:353 s.v.

talath

plain

(i dalath, o thalath) (flat surface, plane, flatlands, [wide] valley), pl. telaith (i thelaith). *Tolkien changed this word from ”Noldorin” dalath, LR:353 s.v. DAL. Compare the Talath Dirnen or ”Guarded Plain” mentioned in the *Silmarillion.

talu

adjective. flat

talu

flat

(lenited dalu, analogical pl. tely). Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” dalw (LR:353 s.v. DAL; notice how dalath from the same root was changed to talath in Sindarin).

thind

pale

(grey); no distinct pl. form

tinnu

dusk

tinnu (i dinnu, o thinnu) (twilight, starlit evening, early night without a moon, starry twilight), pl. tinny (i thynny) if there is a pl.

tinnu

dusk

(i dinnu, o thinnu) (twilight, starlit evening, early night without a moon, starry twilight), pl. tinny (i thynny) if there is a pl.

tîr

right

(lenited dîr, no distinct pl. form) Note: a homophone means ”looking, view, glance” (noun).