Ent-like creatures from the forest of Fangorn (LotR/705).
Possible Etymology: Clearly the final element of this word is orn “tree”, but Tolkien was unsure of the initial element. In notes on Words, Phrases and Passages from The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien considered first considered hû “spirit, shadow” < ✶hyōba (PE17/86). He then considered hû derived from ✶khōgo with a new gloss that might be “hound” or might be “heart” according to Christopher Gilson; compare N. hû “dog” from The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from the root ᴹ√KHUG (Ety/KHUG). This was followed by unglossed forms hôn or hûn derived from primitive ✶khōn-, which obviously resemble N. hûn “heart” from The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√KHŌ-N (Ety/KHŌ-N).
Thus Tolkien may have considered the possible meanings: “spirit-tree”, “shadow-tree”, “hound-tree”, “heart-tree”.
Conceptual Development: In Lord of the Rings drafts of the 1940s, Tolkien gave these creatures Quenya names ᴹQ. Lamorni >> ᴹQ. Ornómi “Talking Trees” (WR/50).
n. ? tree. The question mark is in the manuscript. >> hû