ibi

root. *cliff, sheer descent

A root introduced in 1967 notes to explain Q. imbë “valley” (PE17/92). Tolkien said this word was usually perceived as being related to √IMI “in, within” but then he speculated that “It is possibly from a similar but different stem √IBI, and to be compared with S îf (< ✱īb-), a cliff, a sheer descent” (PE17/92). A possible precursor to this root was ᴹ√IMBE “dell, deep vale” from The Etymologies of the 1930s which was likewise the basis for ᴹQ. imbe/N. imm of the same meaning (EtyAC/IMBE). Tolkien did not explicitly connect this 1930s root to ᴹ√MĪ/IMI, so it may, like later √IBI, have been of independent origin.

Derivatives

• ✶īb- “a cliff, a sheer descent” ✧ PE17/092
  • S. îf “cliff, sheer descent” ✧ PE17/092
• ✶imbē “deep valley, wide ravine” ✧ PE17/092
  • Q. imbë “deep valley, wide ravine, (lit.) tween-land, deep valley, (wide) ravine, [ᴹQ.] glen, dell, (lit.) tween-land” ✧ PE17/092