alba

noun. flower

alma

flower

alma (2) "flower" (PE17:153), said to be the "usual Quenya word" or "general Quenya word" (i.e. for flower), but its coexistence with #1 is problematic. Compare lós, lótë, lotsë, indil.

alma

noun. flower

A word for “flower” derived from primitive ✶galmā in notes on flowers in the same bundle containing Definitive Linguistic Notes (DLN) from 1959 (PE17/153). Initially Tolkien said alma meant both “a blessed thing and a flower”, then said that Q. almë was “a blessed thing” and alba was “flower” (< √GAL-AB), before saying that alma was “flower”. Tolkien implied that alma was a usual or general word for “flower” in Quenya. These same notes also said the word alda < ✶galadā was used mainly of flowering trees. It seems in this instance Tolkien connected the root √GAL (normally just “grow, flourish”) specifically to flowers, giving it the gloss “bloom” along with other glosses like “grow, flourish, be vigorous”.

Neo-Quenya: Elsewhere alda was the general word for a “tree” and √GAL had no special connection to flowers. I think alma as a “flower” word was a transient idea. I would use lótë “flower” instead for purposes of Neo-Quenya, since it is much better established.

Changes

• alma → almë “a blessed thing and a flower” ✧ PE17/153
• alba → alma “flower” ✧ PE17/153

Cognates

• S. alf “flower” ✧ PE17/153

Derivations

• ✶galmā “flower” ✧ PE17/153
  • √GALAM “elm”
  • √GAL “grow (like plants), flourish, be healthy, be vigorous, bloom, grow (like plants), flourish, be healthy, be vigorous, bloom, [ᴹ√] thrive” ✧ PE17/153
• √GALAB “flower” ✧ PE17/153
  • √GAL “grow (like plants), flourish, be healthy, be vigorous, bloom, grow (like plants), flourish, be healthy, be vigorous, bloom, [ᴹ√] thrive” ✧ PE17/153

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶galmā > alma	[galmā] > [ɣalmā] > [almā] > [alma]	✧ PE17/153
√GAL-AB > alba	[galba] > [ɣalba] > [ɣalβa] > [alβa] > [alba]	✧ PE17/153

Variations

• alba ✧ PE17/153 (alba)

insil

noun. flower

TQ. flower, lily

lós

flower

lós (þ?) noun "flower" (PE17:26). If this is to be the cognate of Sindarin loth, as the source suggests, the older Quenya form would be *lóþ.

lóte

noun. flower

lótë

flower

lótë noun "flower", mostly applied to larger single flowers (LOT(H), LT1:259, VT42:18). (The shorter form -lot occurs in compounds, e.g. fúmellot, q.v.) In the names Ninquelóte *"White-flower" (= Nimloth), Vingilótë "Foam-flower", the name of Eärendil's ship (SA:loth), also in Lótessë fifth month of the year, "May" (Appendix D). See also olótë, lotsë.

insil

noun. flower, lily

lossë

blossom

lossë (2) noun "blossom" ("usually, owing to association with olosse snow, only used of white blossom") (LOT(H) )

lossë

noun. inflorescence (of white flowers), [ᴹQ.] (white) blossom, flower, [ᴱQ.] (white) flower; [Q.] inflorescence (of white flowers); [ᴱQ.] rose

This word was associated with white flowers for much of Tolkien’s life. In the Qenya Lexicon and Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa of the 1910s, ᴱQ. losse was “rose” (QL/65; PME/56), but in the Early Qenya Grammar of the 1920s its plural was translated as “flowers” (PE14/56), while its gloss became “white-flower” in notes associated with the Earendel poem from around 1930 (PE16/100).

The Etymologies written around 1937, Tolkien derived ᴹQ. losse from the root ᴹ√LOT(H) and translated it as “blossom” or “flower”, but specified that it was “usually, owing to association with olosse snow, only used of white blossom” (Ety/LOT(H); GOLÓS). In notes from around 1959, Tolkien said losse was used of “snow” but also as “the laden inflorescence of flowers on trees or shrubs, especially infoliate or pale” (PE17/161).

Neo-Quenya: For purpose of Neo-Quenya, I would assume lossë mainly meant “snow”, but that it could also be used of white flowers, either an individual white flower or a scattering of white flowers on a plant, as if covered by snow (though in the latter case, I would use plural lossi “white flowers” to be less ambiguous).

Derivations

• √(G)LOS “snow, whiteness” ✧ PE17/160

Variations

• losse ✧ PE17/160; PE17/161

lótë

noun. flower, single blossom, flower, single blossom; [ᴱQ.] bloom

The best known Quenya word for “flower”, which Tolkien used for most of his life. Most notably it was an element in Vingilótë “Foam-flower”, the name of Eärendil’s ship (S/246).

Conceptual Development: The word dates all the way back to the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s where ᴱQ. lōte was glossed “a flower, bloom (usually of large single flowers)” under the early root ᴱ√LO’O (QL/55). It appeared regularly in documents in the 1910s, 20s and 30s with glosses like “flower” and “blossom” (PME/56; MC/220; PE16/77; PE21/7). In The Etymologies of the 1930s it was ᴹQ. lóte “(large single) flower” under the root ᴹ√LOT(H) “flower” (Ety/LOT(H)).

The word continued to appear in Tolkien’s writings of the 1950s and 60s with glosses like “flower” or “a single blossom” and derived from √LOT (PE17/26, 160; VT42/18). In one place Tolkien said it meant “a flowering plant, especially one that produces (large) separate flowers of distinct shape; also used of any single bloom of such a plant” (PE17/160). However, generally it was used of individual (large) flowers. Smaller flowers could use other words like lotsë (PE17/\160; VT42/18), but I think lótë was the most general term for “flower”.

Cognates

• S. loth “flower, single blossom; inflorescence, head of small flowers” ✧ PE17/026; PE17/161; SA/loth

Derivations

• √LOT(H) “flower” ✧ PE17/026; PE17/160; VT42/18

Element in

• Q. Eälótë “*Sea Flower”
• Q. Eldalótë “Elven-flower” ✧ PM/346
• Q. lilótëa “having many flowers” ✧ VT42/18
• ᴺQ. lórelot “poppy, *(lit.) flower of sleep”
• ᴺQ. lotarwa “[flower] garden”
• ᴺQ. lótëa “full of blossom, *blooming, flowering”
• ᴺQ. lótelas “petal, (lit.) flower-leaf”
• ᴺQ. lotella “floret”
• Q. Lótessë “May, *(lit.) Flower-ness”
• Q. Ninquelótë “White Blossom” ✧ SA/loth
• Q. Númellótë “Flower of the West”
• Q. olótë “bloom, the flowers collectively of a single plant” ✧ VT42/18
• Q. Vingilótë “Foam-flower” ✧ SA/loth

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√LOT > lóte	[lōte]	✧ PE17/026
√LOT > lóte	[lōte]	✧ PE17/160
√LOT > lóte	[lōte]	✧ VT42/18

Variations

• lóte ✧ PE17/026; PE17/160; VT42/18

nieninquë

snowdrop

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

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.

Element in

• Q. nieninquëa “like a snowdrop” ✧ PE16/096

Elements

Word	Gloss
nie	“tear”
ninquë	“white; chill, cold; pallid”

alalbë

noun. inflorescence

alalmë

inflorescence

alalmë (1) noun "inflorescence" (PE17:153), cf. alma #2.

alalmë

noun. inflorescence

A word appearing as {alalbe >>} alalme “inflorescence” in notes from around 1959, derived from √GAL (PE17/153). Compare this to [ᴹQ./ᴱQ.] alalme “elm” from The Etymologies of the 1930s and the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s (Ety/ÁLAM; QL/29); in the 1959 notes Tolkien decided “elm” was albe.

Neo-Quenya: In these 1959 notes, the root √GAL had a connection to flowers seen nowhere else; see alma “flower” for discussion. As such, I think this “inflorescence” word was a transient idea, and I would use other words like lós and olos “inflorescence” for purposes of Neo-Quenya.

Changes

• alalbe → alalme “inflorescence” ✧ PE17/153

Derivations

• √GAL “grow (like plants), flourish, be healthy, be vigorous, bloom, grow (like plants), flourish, be healthy, be vigorous, bloom, [ᴹ√] thrive” ✧ PE17/153
• √GALAB “flower” ✧ PE17/153
  • √GAL “grow (like plants), flourish, be healthy, be vigorous, bloom, grow (like plants), flourish, be healthy, be vigorous, bloom, [ᴹ√] thrive” ✧ PE17/153

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√GAL > alalme	[galalme] > [ɣalalme] > [alalme]	✧ PE17/153
√GAL-AB > alalbe	[galalbe] > [ɣalalbe] > [ɣalalβe] > [alalβe] > [alalbe]	✧ PE17/153

Variations

• alalme ✧ PE17/153
• alalbe ✧ PE17/153 (alalbe)

fána

white

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

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

Element in

• Q. man cenuva fána cirya? “Who shall see a white ship?” ✧ MC/221
• Q. man tiruva fána cirya? “Who shall heed a white ship?” ✧ MC/222

Variations

• fáne ✧ MC/221; MC/222

fánë

adjective. white

ala-

plant, grow

ala- (4) vb. "plant, grow" _(the first gloss would suggest that the following one is transitive: to "grow" plants) (PE17:100). _Compare al- "thrive, *grow" (which however seems intransitive).

alfirin

adjective. immortal

ilfirin

immortal

ilfirin adj. "immortal" (PHIR)

ilpirin

immortal

*ilpirin (hypothetical form; the word actually appears in Q as ilfirin) adj. "immortal" (PHIR)

alfírima/alfírimo

immortal

indil

lily

indil noun "lily", or other large single flower. Adopted and adapted from Valarin. (WJ:399)

empanya-

plant

*empanya- vb. "plant" (deduced from the "Qenya" pl. past tense empannen, VT27:20-22)

laima

plant

laima noun "plant" (PE17:159). Cf. olvar.

laima

noun. plant

A noun for “plant” appearing in Quenya Notes (QN) from 1957 derived from the root √LAY (PE17/159).

Conceptual Development: The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had ᴱQ. laute (lausi-) “living thing, (esp.) vegetable” and ᴱQ. lauke (lauki-) “vegetable, plant species”, both derived from the early root ᴱ√LAWA (QL/52). The word lauke also appeared in the contemporaneous Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa with the gloss “plant” (PME/52) and appeared again in Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s with the gloss “vegetable” and an accusative form of lautya (PE16/141), indicating a new stem form lauty-.

Derivations

• √LAY “*be alive, flourish, [ᴱ√] be alive, flourish” ✧ PE17/159

Element in

• ᴺQ. laimamatta “vegetable food, (lit.) plant food”
• ᴺQ. laimamatya “herbivorous, vegetarian, (lit.) plant-eating”
• ᴺQ. nastalaima “thistle, (lit.) spear plant”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√LAY > laima	[laima]	✧ PE17/159

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.

merillë

noun. rose

A neologism for “rose” coined by Tamas Ferencz, inspired by S. meril of the same meaning.

Cognates

• S. meril “rose”

Derivations

• ᴹ√M(B)ER “*feast, festive”

alf

noun. flower

Cognates

• Q. alma “flower” ✧ PE17/153

Derivations

• √GALAB “flower” ✧ PE17/153
  • √GAL “grow (like plants), flourish, be healthy, be vigorous, bloom, grow (like plants), flourish, be healthy, be vigorous, bloom, [ᴹ√] thrive” ✧ PE17/153

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√GAL-AB > alf	[alba] > [alva] > [alv]	✧ PE17/153

loth

noun. flower

_n._flower, a single bloom. Q. lóte, lōs.

meril

noun. rose (flower)

eirien

noun. daisy (flower)

elloth

noun. (single) flower

lotheg

noun. (single) flower

mallos

noun. a golden flower

edlothia-

verb. to blossom, flower

The sentence from WR/293 is hardly legible and is not translated, but this word is however a plausible form

glawar

blossom

n. (golden) blossom. Q. loar, lávar.

ninglor

noun. golden water-flower, gladden

loth

noun. flower, inflorescence, a head of small flowers

The noun is collective, a single flower being lotheg

loth

noun. flower, single blossom; inflorescence, head of small flowers

The best known Sindarin word for “flower”, usable individually or collectively. It behaves somewhat like the English word “sheep” that is its own plural, since loth can likewise refer to a single flower or a group of flowers. It occasionally takes the form -los in compounds like Edhellos “Elven-flower” (PM/346) and mallos “golden flower” (PE17/100).

Conceptual Development: The earliest iteration of this word was G. lôs “flower” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, which Tolkien said was related to G. lass “leaf, petal” (GL/52, 55). This word also appeared in the Name-list to the Fall of Gondolin (PE15/28). In drafts to the Lays of Beleriand from the 1920s, Tolkien had ᴱN. loth “flower”, also translated “lily” in the name ᴱN. Loth-a-ladwen “Lily of the Plain” (LB/149).

In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien had N. lhoth “flower(s)” under the root ᴹ√LOT(H) (Ety/LOT(H); EtyAC/LOT(H)). In The Etymologies as published in The Lost Road the gloss was “flower” (LR/370). Carl Hostetter and Patrick Wynne indicated the actual gloss was “flower(s)” in their Addenda and Corrigenda to the Etymologies so that lhoth could be use singly or collectively, and it was followed by a specifically singular form N. lhothod (VT45/29).

In Tolkien’s later writings it became S. loth and was mostly glossed “flower” (PE17/26, 48, 161) but the notion that it could be used collectively appeared in some notes from the late 1960s where Tolkien said:

> ... loth, meaning “inflorescence, a head of small flowers”. Loth is actually most often used collectively in Sindarin, equivalent to goloth; and a single flower denoted by elloth (er-loth) or lotheg (VT42/18).

Neo-Sindarin: For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I assume loth can be used individually or collectively and thus functinos as its own plural, though in compounds it is generally singular. If necessary, a collection of flowers may be designated goloth, and an individual flower by elloth or lotheg.

Cognates

• Q. lótë “flower, single blossom, flower, single blossom; [ᴱQ.] bloom” ✧ PE17/026; PE17/161; SA/loth
• Q. lós “inflorescence, mass of flowers” ✧ PE17/026

Derivations

• ✶lotho/a “flower” ✧ PE17/026
  • √LOT(H) “flower” ✧ PE17/026
• √LOT(H) “flower” ✧ PE17/160
• ✶lotse “flower” ✧ VT42/18
  • √LOT(H) “flower” ✧ VT42/18
• ✶lotta- “bloom” ✧ VT42/18
  • √LOT(H) “flower” ✧ VT42/18

Element in

• S. amloth “helm crest, (orig.) uprising flower”
• S. Edhellos “Elven-flower” ✧ PM/346
• ᴺS. edlothia- “to flower, blossom”
• S. elloth “single flower” ✧ VT42/18
• S. goloth “inflorescence, *collection of flowers”
• S. Gwingloth “Foam-flower”
• S. Imloth Melui “Lovely or Sweet Flower-valley” ✧ VT42/18
• S. lotheg “single flower, single [small] flower, *floret” ✧ VT42/18
• S. Lothíriel
• S. Lothlórien “Dreamflower, (lit.) Lórien of the Blossom” ✧ PE17/048; SA/loth; SI/Lórien²; UTI/Lothlórien
• S. Lothron “May, *Flower-ness”
• ᴺS. lurlos “poppy, (lit.) flower of sleep”
• S. mallos “golden flower”
• S. Nimloth “White Blossom, Pale Blossom” ✧ SA/loth
• S. si loth a galadh lasto dîn “*here flower and tree listen [in] silence” ✧ LB/354

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶lotho/a > loth	[lotʰo] > [loθo] > [loθ]	✧ PE17/026
√LOT > loth	[lotta] > [lottʰa] > [loθθa] > [loθθ] > [loθ]	✧ PE17/160
✶lotse > loth	[lotse] > [loθθe] > [loθθ] > [loθ]	✧ VT42/18
✶lotta- > loth	[lotta] > [lottʰa] > [loθθa] > [loθθ] > [loθ]	✧ VT42/18

Variations

• Loth ✧ PE17/048

fain

noun/adjective. white

fain

noun/adjective. cloud

glân

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

Derivations

• ᴹ√GALAN “bright”

Element in

• S. Curunír ’Lân “Saruman the White” ✧ UT/390

meril

feminine name. Rose

A Sindarin translation of the name of Sam’s daughter “Rose”, presumably of the same meaning, appearing in Tolkien’s unpublished epilogue to The Lord of the Rings and in the King’s Letter (SD/126, 129). The etymology of the name is unclear.

Conceptual Development: In earlier versions of the epilogue the name appeared as N. Beril (SD/117).

Element in

• S. a Pherhael ar am Meril suilad uin aran o Minas Tirith nelchaenen ned Echuir “to Samwise and Rose the King’s greeting from Minas Tirith, the thirty-first day of Stirring” ✧ SD/129; SD/129
• S. ar Meril bess dîn, ar Elanor, Meril, Glorfinniel, ar Eirien sellath dîn “and Rose his wife; and Elanor, Rose, Goldilocks and Daisy his daughters” ✧ AotM/062; AotM/062; SD/129; SD/129

meril

noun. rose

A word for “rose” in the name Meril “Rose” of one of Samwise’s daughters (SD/126). The name was initially given as Beril (SD/117).

Cognates

• ᴺQ. merillë “rose”

Derivations

• ᴹ√M(B)ER “*feast, festive”

Element in

• S. Meril “Rose” ✧ SD/126

Variations

• Meril ✧ SD/126

nim

white

_adj. _white. >> Nimbrethil

nim

white

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

nim

adjective. white

Cognates

• Q. ninquë “white; chill, cold; pallid” ✧ SA/nim

Derivations

• At. nimbi “white” ✧ PE17/019
  • ✶ninkwi “white, pale”
  • √NIK(W) “(also of) snow, ice, snow, ice; *white” ✧ PE17/168
• ✶ninkwi “white, pale” ✧ PE17/168
  • √NIK(W) “(also of) snow, ice, snow, ice; *white” ✧ PE17/168
• S. nimp “pale, pallid, white, pale, pallid, white; small and frail, [ᴱN.] wan, sickly” ✧ SA/nim
  • √NIK(W) “(also of) snow, ice, snow, ice; *white” ✧ PE17/168
  • ✶nimpĭ “small” ✧ VT48/18
  • √NIP “small (usually with connotation of weakness)” ✧ VT48/18

Element in

• S. Barad Nimras “White Horn Tower” ✧ SA/nim
• S. Ered Nimrais “White Mountains, (lit.) White-horns Mountains” ✧ SA/nim
• S. Nimbrethil “Silver-birches” ✧ PE17/019; PE17/019; SA/nim
• S. Nimloth “White Blossom, Pale Blossom” ✧ SA/nim
• S. Nimras “White Horn” ✧ PE17/168
• S. Nimrodel “Lady of the White Cave”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
At. nimbi > nim	[nimbi] > [nimbe] > [nimb] > [nimm] > [nimm] > [nim]	✧ PE17/019

uilos

noun/adjective. always white, ever white as snow

uilos

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

eirien

feminine name. Daisy

A Sindarin translation of the name of Sam’s daughter “Daisy”, presumably of the same meaning, appearing in Tolkien’s unpublished epilogue to The Lord of the Rings and in the King’s Letter (SD/126, 129). Presumably it is eirien “daisy” used as a name.

Conceptual Development: In earlier versions of the epilogue the name appeared as N. Arien or Erien (SD/117, 121).

Element in

• S. ar Meril bess dîn, ar Elanor, Meril, Glorfinniel, ar Eirien sellath dîn “and Rose his wife; and Elanor, Rose, Goldilocks and Daisy his daughters” ✧ AotM/062; SD/129

eirien

noun. daisy

A word for “daisy” as the name of one of the daughters of Samwise (SD/126). Its origin is unclear, but David Salo suggested it might be a loan from Q. Arien “Sun-maiden” (GS/228).

Conceptual Development: In the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s the word for “daisy” was G. hetheglon derived from primitive {ᴱ✶heth·seg·glôn >>} ᴱ✶heth·thed·’lon, effectively a combination of G. heth “white”, G. thed “eye”, and the genitive glôn of G. glâ “day” (GL/49), so literally “✱white eye-of-day”. G. glonthen “dandelion” from the same document had a similar derivation = “eye of the day” (GL/40).

Element in

• S. Eirien “Daisy” ✧ SD/126

Variations

• Eirien ✧ SD/126

elanor

noun. a flower, a kind of enlarged pimpernel bearing golden and silver flowers

goloth

noun. inflorescence, a head of small flowers

niphredil

noun. a pale winter flower, snowdrop

alfirin

noun/adjective. immortal

alfirin

noun/adjective. name of a flower, bell-like and running through many soft and gentle colours

alfirin

noun/adjective. also used for another small white flower

lúth

noun. blossom

_ n. Bot. _blossom, inflorescence. >> Lúthien

seregon

noun. "Blood of Stone", a plant of the kind called in English "stonecrop", with deep red flowers, that grew on Amon Rûdh

silivren

adjective. (white) glittering

edlothia

flower

(verb) #edlothia- (i edlothia, in edlothiar) (to blossom);

edlothia

flower

(i edlothia, in edlothiar) (to blossom);

goloth

flower

(i ’oloth) (collection of flowers), pl. gelyth (i ngelyth = i ñelyth). Archaic pl. gölyth. Also in the form gwaloth (i ’waloth), pl. gwelyth (in gwelyth). Also goloth.

loth

flower

loth, pl. lyth (but loth is also glossed ”blossom” and may itself function as a collective term: all the flowers of a plant. For individual flowers cf. the following:)

loth

flower

pl. lyth (but loth is also glossed ”blossom” and may itself function as a collective term: all the flowers of a plant. For individual flowers cf. the following:)

edlothiad

flowering

(blossoming), pl. edlothiaid if there is a pl.**

lotheg

single flower

lothod (”singulars” derived from the more collective term loth; it is unclear whether lotheg, lothod can themselves have ”plural” forms. If so it would be lethig, lethyd, for archaic löthig, löthyd.) (VT42:18, VT45:29) Another word for a single flower is elloth (pl. ellyth) (VT42:18). An alternative to loth is loss (construct los; pl. lyss), but the form loth seems to be more common (and loss also means ”fallen snow” and ”wilderness”).

edlothia-

verb. to flower, blossom

A neologism coined by David Salo (GS/230), a verbalized form of ed “out” and loth “flower”. I prefer ᴺS. losta- for this purpose.

Elements

Word	Gloss
ed	“out, out of, out, out of, [N.] forth”
loth	“flower, single blossom; inflorescence, head of small flowers”

gwaloth

collection of flowers

(i ’waloth) (blossom), pl. gwelyth (in gwelyth). Also goloth (i ’oloth) (blossom), pl. gelyth (i ngelyth = i ñelyth). Archaic pl. gölyth. (VT42:18). Specific flowers, see

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

white

(radiant). No distinct pl. form.

loth

blossom

loth (see

loth

blossom

(see

fain

white

; no distinct pl. form.

gloss

white as snow, dazzling white

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

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.

glân

white

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

meril

rose

meril (i veril), no distinct pl. form except with article (i meril), coll. pl. ?merillath. The word is attested as the Sindarin equivalent of the name Rose (SD:128-31)

meril

rose

(i veril), no distinct pl. form except with article (i meril), coll. pl. ?merillath. The word is attested as the Sindarin equivalent of the name Rose (SD:128-31)

nimp

white

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

eirien

daisy

eirien (pl. eirin) (SD:128:31)

eirien

daisy

(pl. eirin) (SD:128:31)

alfirin

immortal

alfirin (no distinct pl. form). Note: the word alfirin is also used as name of a flower.

alfirin

immortal

(no distinct pl. form). Note: the word alfirin is also used as name of a flower.

edlothia

blossom

(verb) #edlothia- (i edlothia, in edlothiar) (flower);

edlothia

blossom

(i edlothia, in edlothiar) (flower);

silivren

glittering white

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

edlothiad

blossoming

(flowering), pl. edlothiaid if there is a pl.

galas

plant

galas (i **alas) (growth), pl. gelais (i ngelais = i ñelais), coll. pl. galassath**

galas

plant

(i ’alas) (growth), pl. gelais (i ngelais = i ñelais), coll. pl. galassath

nimbi

adjective. white

Derivations

• At. nimbi “white”
  • ✶ninkwi “white, pale”
  • √NIK(W) “(also of) snow, ice, snow, ice; *white” ✧ PE17/168

nimbi

adjective. white

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

inzil

noun. flower, lily

A noun meaning “flower” or more specifically “lily” (PE19/99). It appears as an element in Adûnaic names from the 1940s (Rôthinzil, SD/360) and later (Inziladûn, LotR/1035).

Cognates

• Q. indil “lily, other large single flower” ✧ PE19/099

Derivations

• Ed. inzil “flower, lily” ✧ PE19/099

Element in

• Ad. Inziladûn “Flower of the West”
• Ad. Inzilbêth “Flower-?word”
• Ad. Rothinzil “Foam-flower”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
Ed. inzil > inzil	[inzil]	✧ PE19/099

galab

root. flower

Derivations

• √GAL “grow (like plants), flourish, be healthy, be vigorous, bloom, grow (like plants), flourish, be healthy, be vigorous, bloom, [ᴹ√] thrive” ✧ PE17/153

Derivatives

• Q. alalmë “inflorescence” ✧ PE17/153
• Q. alma “flower” ✧ PE17/153
• S. alf “flower” ✧ PE17/153

Variations

• GAL-AB ✧ PE17/153 (GAL-AB)

galmā

noun. flower

Derivations

• √GALAM “elm”
• √GAL “grow (like plants), flourish, be healthy, be vigorous, bloom, grow (like plants), flourish, be healthy, be vigorous, bloom, [ᴹ√] thrive” ✧ PE17/153

Derivatives

• Q. alma “flower” ✧ PE17/153

lot(h)

root. flower

This root and ones like it were connected to flowers for all of Tolkien’s life. The earliest manifestation of this root was ᴱ√LOHO or ᴱ√LO’O from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s; the entry for ᴱ√LOHO appears immediately below ᴱ√LO’O, and Tolkien indicates they are related roots, both extended from ᴱ√OLO “tip” (QL/55). These roots include derivatives like ᴱQ. lōte “flower”, ᴱQ. lotōrea “flourishing” and ᴱQ. lokta- “sprout, bud, put forth leaves or flowers”. There are also derivatives of these roots in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon: G. lost “blossom, bloom”, G. lothli “floret”, G. luitha- “to bloom” (GL/54-55), though G. lôs “flower” was said to be unrelated, connected to G. lass “leaf” instead (GL/55). ᴱQ. losse “rose” probably had a similar derivation (QL/56).

This confusion of √LOT(H) and √LOS carried forward into Tolkien’s later writings. In The Etymologies of the 1930s ᴹ√LOT(H) was given as the root for “flower” (Ety/LOT(H)), but this entry originally included a variant ᴹ√LOS (EtyAC/LOT(H)). Tolkien then said ᴹQ. losse “blossom” (< ᴹ√LOT(H)) was “usually, owing to association with olosse snow, only used of white blossom” (Ety/LOT(H)), where ᴹQ. olosse was derived from ᴹ√GOLOS “✱snow, white” (Ety/GOLÓS). This intermingling carried forward into etymological notes from the late 1950s or early 1960s, where Tolkien said (PE17/26):

> The stems √LŎS, √LOTH, √LOT are much entangled both for formal reasons, and because of actual associations of meaning (probably from beginning of Primitive Quendian and explaining the approach of the forms). Quenya word for “flower, a single bloom” is lóte, but S loth (< lotho/a), but Quenya also has lōs. Q. for snow is losse (S los).

These associations were also mentioned in etymological notes on roots for flowers from this same period, where Tolkien clarified that √LOT, √LOTH were the roots for “flower” and √LOS for “snow” (PE17/160-161). These roots were mentioned again in notes associated with The Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor from the late 1960s (VT42/18):

> S. loss is a derivative of (G)LOS “white”; but loth is from LOT. Sindarin used loss as a noun, but the strengthened form gloss as an adjective “(dazzling) white”. loth was the only derivative of LOT that it retained, probably because other forms of the stem assumed a phonetic shape that seemed inappropriate, or were confusible with other stems (such as LUT “float”), e.g. ✱lod, ✱lûd. loth is from a diminutive lotse and probably also from derivative lotta-.

In this last note, Tolkien seems to have abandoned √LOTH, explaining S. loth “flower” as derived from √LOT via ✱lotse. In any case, starting in the 1930s Tolkien was consistent that the roots for “flower” and “snow” were distinct but often confused, and that snow-words were derived from roots like √(G)LOS and flower words from roots like √LOT(H), though he waffled a bit on the exact details.

Derivatives

• ✶loth “inflorescence” ✧ PE17/160
  • Q. lós “inflorescence, mass of flowers” ✧ PE17/160
  • S. lûth “blossom, inflorescence, blossom, inflorescence [on a single plant]” ✧ PE17/160
• ✶lotho/a “flower” ✧ PE17/026
  • S. loth “flower, single blossom; inflorescence, head of small flowers” ✧ PE17/026
• ✶lotse “flower” ✧ VT42/18
  • Q. lotsë “small (single) flower” ✧ VT42/18
  • S. loth “flower, single blossom; inflorescence, head of small flowers” ✧ VT42/18
• ✶lotta- “bloom” ✧ VT42/18
  • Q. losta- “to bloom, to bloom, *blossom” ✧ VT42/18
  • S. loth “flower, single blossom; inflorescence, head of small flowers” ✧ VT42/18
• Q. lótë “flower, single blossom, flower, single blossom; [ᴱQ.] bloom” ✧ PE17/026; PE17/160; VT42/18
• Q. lotsë “small (single) flower” ✧ PE17/160
• Q. lós “inflorescence, mass of flowers” ✧ PE17/026
• ᴺS. losta- “to bloom, blossom”
• S. loth “flower, single blossom; inflorescence, head of small flowers” ✧ PE17/160

Element in

• ✶ñwa-lōth “inflorescence, mass of flowers (on one plant)” ✧ PE17/160

Variations

• LOTH ✧ PE17/026; PE17/160; PE17/160; PE17/161
• LOT ✧ PE17/026; PE17/160; PE17/160; PE17/161; VT42/18

lotho/a

noun. flower

Derivations

• √LOT(H) “flower” ✧ PE17/026

Derivatives

• S. loth “flower, single blossom; inflorescence, head of small flowers” ✧ PE17/026

lotse

noun. flower

Derivations

• √LOT(H) “flower” ✧ VT42/18

Derivatives

• Q. lotsë “small (single) flower” ✧ VT42/18
• S. loth “flower, single blossom; inflorescence, head of small flowers” ✧ VT42/18

loth

noun. inflorescence

Derivations

• √LOT(H) “flower” ✧ PE17/160

Derivatives

• Q. lós “inflorescence, mass of flowers” ✧ PE17/160
• S. lûth “blossom, inflorescence, blossom, inflorescence [on a single plant]” ✧ PE17/160

lhothod

noun. (single) flower

lothod

noun. (single) flower

nínim

noun. snowdrop (flower)

nínim

noun. snowdrop

Cognates

• ᴹQ. nieninqe “snowdrop, (lit.) white tear” ✧ Ety/NEI

Elements

Word	Gloss
nîn	“tear”
nimp	“pale”

fein

noun/adjective. white

fein

noun/adjective. cloud

beril

feminine name. Rose

Changes

• Beril → Meril “Rose” ✧ SD/121
• Beril → Meril “Rose” ✧ SDI1/Beril
• Beril → Meril “Rose” ✧ SDI1/Meril

beril

noun. rose

Derivations

• ᴹ√M(B)ER “*feast, festive”

Element in

• N. Beril “Rose” ✧ SD/117

Variations

• Beril ✧ SD/117

lhoth

noun. flower, inflorescence, a head of small flowers

The noun is collective, a single flower being lotheg

gwaloth

noun. blossom, collection of flowers

This form replaced deleted goloth in the manuscript of The Etymologies, see VT/45:29. The deleted form is however also later attested in VT/42:18

nifredil

noun. a pale winter flower, snowdrop

brassen

adjective. white-hot

arien

feminine name. Daisy

Changes

• Arien → Eirien “Daisy” ✧ SD/126

Variations

• Erien ✧ SD/121; SDI1/Erien