land (open space), pl. laind, coll. pl. lannath. Also used as adj. ”wide, plain”.
Sindarin
land
adjective. wide, broad
land
adjective. open space, level
lond
noun. (land-locked) haven, (land-locked) haven; [N.] narrow path, strait, pass
lond
noun. entrance to harbour, land-locked haven
nand
noun. wide grassland, land at foot of hills with many streams
iand
adjective. wide
land
level
land
open space
land (level), pl. laind. Also used as adj. ”wide, plain”.
land
open space
land (construct lan, pl. laind) (level), also used as adjective ”wide, plain”.
land
space
(open space) land (level), 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”.
land
space
(level), pl. laind, coll. pl. lannath. Also used as adj. ”wide, plain”.
land
wide
(plain), pl. laind. Also used as noun ”open space, level”.
dôr
noun. land, land, [N.] region where certain people live, [ᴱN.] country; [G.] people of the land
mordor
place name. Black Land
The home of Sauron, usually translated “Black Land” (Let/178, RC/75) but sometimes “Black Country” (RC/766, RS/216) or “Land of Darkness” (WJ/370). This name is a combination of morn “black” and dôr “land” (Let/427; SA/mor, dôr).
Conceptual Development: The name Mordor “Black Country” first appeared in the tale of the Fall of Númenor (LR/29), and appeared consistently in this form in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s.
-ian(d)
suffix. -land, country
A suffix meaning “-land” or “country” appearing often in the names of regions and countries along with its plural variant -ien(d) “-lands”, mentioned in a number of places in Tolkien’s later writings (Let/383; UT/318). In notes from the late 1950s Tolkien derived it from primitive ✶yandē “a wide region or country” from the root √YAN “wide”, which replaced another root √YON of similar meaning (PE17/42-43). In notes having to do with “large & small” words, probably from the late 1960s, Tolkien connected it instead to an apparent adjective S. iand “wide”, still derived from √YAN (PE17/115).
Conceptual Development: This suffix seems to have first appeared in ᴱN. Broseliand in the Lays of Beleriand of the 1920s, precursor to the name S. Beleriand and almost certainly inspired by the legendary medieval French forest Brocéliande. Tolkien used this suffix widely in names starting with Lord of the Rings drafts, but it seems he did not develop a clear etymology for the suffix until quite late. Tolkien himself mentioned the connection between this suffix and the French name Brocéliande in a 1967 letter (Let/383). It is thus an interesting case study in how Tolkien would gradually integrate elements inspired by real-world languages into his Elvish corpus.
arnor
place name. Royal Land
The northern kingdom of the Dúnedain (LotR/242), variously translated as “Royal Land” (Let/428), “Noble Land” (PE17/28) or “King(ly) Land” (PE17/28, PE17/118). In ordinary Sindarin, this name would have been ✱✱Ardor, a combination of the prefix ar(a)- “noble, royal” and the noun dôr “land” (Let/428, PE17/118). It was, however, blended with or adapted from its Quenya name Aran(d)órë (Let/428, PE17/28).
balannor
place name. Land of the Valar
Sindarin cognate of Q. Valinórë (PE17/26), a compound of BAL “power” (basis for S. Balan “Vala”) with S. dôr “land”.
Conceptual Development: The first cognates of ᴱQ. Valinor appeared in the Gnomish Lexicon from the 1910s: (rejected) G. Dor Banion and G. Gwalien (GL/21, LT2A/Valar). In The Etymologies of the 1930s, the cognate was N. Balannor (Ety/BAL), and this is the source of the derivation given above.
In a letter from 1972, Tolkien stated that Belain (plural of Balan) was not a word in Sindarin (Let/427). Furthermore, in Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s, he changed the Sindarin name for the “Annals of Valinor” from N. Inias Valannor to S. Ínias Dor-Rodyn (MR/200). It is possible that Tolkien decided that the normal Sindarin word for the Vala was S. Rodon, so that S. Dor-Rodyn was the equivalent of Valinor.
cardolan
place name. ?Red Hill Land
The southernmost of the successor-realms of Arnor after it was divided into three kingdoms (LotR/1039). Tolkien did not translate the name, but it is often interpreted as “Red Hill Land”, as suggested by Hammond and Scull (RC/690) or David Salo (GS/371), a combination of caran “red”, dol(l) “hill” and the suffix -(i)an “land”. @@@ Originally suggested by Robert Foster, need ref.
dor-cúarthol
place name. Land of Bow and Helm
dor-na-daerachas
place name. Land of Great Dread
A proposed replacement name for Dor Daedeloth in very late notes from 1971 that Tolkien made to The Lord of the Rings maps (WJ/187), translated “Land of Great Dread” (WJ/183). The first few elements seem to be dôr “land”, na(n) “of” and daer “great”. This means the final element achas (perhaps lented from ✱gachas) must mean “dread”, but there are no other clear equivalents to this word in Tolkien’s writing. In a Discord chat from 2022-10-17, Röandil proposed the first element might instead by dae (still meaning “great”), and that the second element rachas might be related to Q. raxë “danger”.
dor-nu-fauglith
place name. Land under Choking Ash
Another name for Anfauglith (S/153), translated “Land under Choking Ash” (WJ/239-240). This name is a combination of dôr “land”, nu “under”, faug “thirsty” and lith “ash” (SA/faug, lith).
Conceptual Development: In the Lays of Beleriand from the 1920s, this name was first writen G. Dor na Maiglos, soon revised to ᴱN. Dor-na-Fauglith with na “of” instead of nu “under” (LB/49). In the Lays, this name was translated as “Thirsty Plain” or “Land of Thirst” (LB/39, 275). The name N. Dor-na-Fauglith was retained in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, variously translated as “Plain of Thirst”, “Land of Gasping Thirst” and “Land of Thirst” (SM/26, LR/132, LR/280). In Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s, Tolkien revised the name to Dor-no-Fauglith >> Dor-nu-Fauglith, and modified the translation to “Land under Choking Ash” (WJ/239-240).
dor-rodyn
place name. *Land of the Valar
dor caranthir
place name. Land of Caranthir
The realm of Caranthir in Beleriand (S/124), a combination of dôr “land” with his name.
Conceptual Development: In Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, this name first appeared as N. Dor Granthir (LR/265), using the earlier form of his name N. Cranthir, undergoing soft mutation according to the earlier rules of Noldorin, in which both nouns and adjectives are lenited in this position, not just adjectives as in Sindarin.
dor daedeloth
place name. Land of Great Dread; Land of Shadow of Horror
The land of Morgoth (S/127), translated “Land of Great Dread” (WJ/183), a combination of dôr “land”, a form of daer “great” and deloth “abhorrence, detestation, loathing” (SA/del, WJ/187).
Conceptual Development: In the earliest Lost Tales, this name first appeared as G. Ladwen-na-Dhaideloth “Heath of the Sky-roof” (LT2/287), revised to G. Dor-na-Dhaideloth of similar meaning (LT2A/Dor-na-Dhaideloth, LT2/287). In the Lays of Beleriand from the 1920s, Tolkien revised the meaning of last element of ᴱN. Dor-na-Dhaideloth to “[Land of the] High Plain” (LB/49).
In Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, it generally appeared as N. Dor-Daideloth (SM/269, LR/250) or Dor-Daedeloth (LR/120, LR/256). At this time the name was usually glossed “Land of Dread”, but this was only accurate as a translation of its shorter variant Dor-Deloth (LR/405, WJ/183), which was also translated as “Loathly Land” in The Etymologies (Ety/DYEL). In one place in this period the name appeared as Dor-na-Daideloth “Land of the Shadow of Dread” (LR/405), a better indication of its full meaning. In The Etymologies from the 1930s, there was a word N. dae “shadow”, which appeared as an element in the variant name N. Daedhelos “Shadow of Fear” (Ety/DAY). These factors are probably the source of Christopher Tolkien’s translation in the Silmarillion Index: “Land of Shadow of Horror” (SI/Dor Daedeloth, SA/dae).
However, in revisions to the Silmarillion map from 1950s, J.R.R. Tolkien translated S. Dor Dae-deloth as “Land of Great Dread” (WJ/183), and later still considered changing the name to S. Dor-na-Daerachas of the same meaning (WJ/187). This indicates that he altered the sense of the element dae from “shadow” to “great”, though exactly when he did so is difficult to pin down.
dor dínen
place name. Silent Land
An uninhabited land in Beleriand, translated “Silent Land” (S/121, WJ/194), a combination of dôr “land” and dínen “silent” (SA/dîn).
Conceptual Development: In Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s, Tolkien also used the form Dor Dhínen (WJ/333), reflecting uncertainty over the proper form of the adjective dínen.
doriath
place name. Land of the Fence
The land ruled by Thingol and Melian, so called because it was protected by the Girdle of Melian (S/97). This name was translated “Land of the Girdle” (S/97) or more literally “Land of the Fence” (WJ/370), and was a combination of dôr “land” and iath “fence” (SA/dôr, iâth).
Conceptual Development: In the earliest Lost Tales, this land was first called G. Dor Athro “Land Beyond” (LT2A/Artanor), revised to G. Doriath (LT2/41), the form it retained thereafter. In The Etymologies from the 1930s, N. Doriath was translated “Land of the Cave”, with the second element being a lenited form of N. gath “cavern” (Ety/GAT(H)). The association of the name with the Girdle of Melian first appeared in Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s (WJ/16).
dorloven
place name. *Echoing Land
The ordinary Sindarin form of Dor-lómin, which was itself a name in the North Sindarin dialect (PE17/133). This name is a combination of dôr “land” and loven “echoing” (RC/625).
Conceptual Development: In The Etymologies from the 1930s, Tolkien similarly differentiated between ordinary Noldorin Dorlamren (containing the lenited form of N. glamren) from Dor-lómen, which was the Noldorized form of Ilkorin Lómendor (Ety/LAM).
dorthonion
place name. Land of Pines
A forested region in northern Beleriand, meaning “Land of Pines”. After its corruption by the forces of Morgoth, the region was renamed to Taur-nu-Fuin.
Possibly Etymology: The name contains the elements S. dôr “land” and thôn “pine”, but its final element -ion is harder to explain. It could be the suffix -ion “-land” appearing in names like Eregion and Rhovanion, but then both the first and final elements of Dorthonion would mean “land”, which seems unlikely.
In one note (PE17/81), Tolkien said that this word was “Sindarin Noldorized”, so perhaps the final element is the Quenya genitive plural -ion, so that -thonion is Quenyarized Sindarin for “of Pines”. In the same note, Tolkien gives Dor i Thuin, apparently as the proper Sindarin name of the region. Since Dorthonion is where many Noldor settled after their arrival in Beleriand, this scenario is plausible.
Conceptual Development: In Silmarillion drafts from the early 1930s, this name first appeared as Taur Danin (SM/107), later revised to Taur-na-Danion “Forest of Pines” (SM/296, LR/145) with variants -Thanion, -Donion, -Thonion. It became Dorthanion >> Dorthonion in Silmarillion drafts from the mid-1930s (LR/145, 257), the last of these forms being used thereafter.
In The Etymologies, Tolkien specified that the name was from the Ilkorin language, Ilk. Dorthonion “Land of Pines”, while its Noldorin form was N. Dor-na-Thuin (Ety/THŌN). Since the Ilkorin language also used -(i)on for is genitive plural, this is an earlier parallel of the Quenyarized Dorthonion versus proper Sindarin Dor i Thuin discussed above.
dorwinion
place name. Young-land country, land of Gwinion
A name applied to various places in the legendarium: a Southern land of wines in the Lays of Beleriand from the 1920s (LB/11), the land that produced the wines of the Elven-king in the Hobbit, and finally a region near the sea of Rhûn in the Pauline-Barnes map of Middle-earth (LB/26), all of which may be the same place, conceptually. It was also named as a region in Avallon (Tol Eressea) in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (LR/334, 338). In his Words, Phrases and Passages from the Lord of the Rings (WPP) from the late 1950s or early 1960s, Tolkien translated the name as “Young-land country, land of Gwinion” (PE17/54), a combination of dôr “country” and Gwinion “Young-land”.
eglador
place name. Land of the Eglir (Forsaken)
A name for region of Beleriand where the people of Círdan dwelled (WJ/379). This name is effectively a combination of the prefixal form Egla- of Eglan “Forsaken (Elf)” and dôr “land”, derived from ancient ✶etlā-ndŏrē (VT42/4).
Conceptual Development: In The Etymologies from the 1930s, the Ilkorin name Eglador appeared as a name for Doriath translated “Land of the Elves” (Ety/AR², ELED, GAT(H)). This earlier name was derived from the Ilkorin word for “Elf”: Ilk. Egla. After Tolkien abandoned the Ilkorin language, the name reappeared in his Quendi and Eldar essay from 1959-60, with the revised meaning given above (WJ/379).
@@@ revised etymology
eriador
place name. Lonely Land
The region of northwestern Middle-earth containing the Shire (LotR/3, 174). This name was translated “Lonely Land” (PE17/28), also said to be equivalent to “wilderness” (VT42/4). This name is a combination of the ancient forms ✶eryā “isolated, lonely” and ✶ndorē, the second of which developed into S. dôr “land” (SA/dôr, PE17/28, VT42/4).
Possible Etymology: The phonetic development of this name is problematic. If it developed directly from an ancient compound ✶eryā-ndōrē, the [[s|medial [nd] would become [nn]]], as with Ennor < ✶endōrē < ✶ened-ndōrē (LotR/1115), producing ✱✱Eriannor. If it were a late compound, however, its initial element would be the Sindarin form S. air “lonely” < ✶eryā (PE17/28). Most likely the word is of archaic origin, but its final element was changed by analogy with other words containing dôr, as indicated in a note by Tolkien from 1953 (VT42/4). Alternately, in at least one place Tolkien said Eriador was a “Silvan” name (PE17/28), so perhaps it underwent different phonetic development than the Sindarin of Beleriand.
Conceptual Development: In Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, this name first appeared as N. Eriador (TI/455).
gondor
place name. Stone-land
Southern kingdom of the Dúnedain (LotR/242), a combination of gond “stone” and dôr “land” (SA/gond, dôr).
Conceptual Development: This land was first mentioned as ᴹQ. Ondor in the 1930s in drafts of the tale of the Fall of Númenor (LR/33). While this name could be Noldorin, linguistic notes from the 1940s indicate it was Quenya (PE22/125). In Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, it first appeared as ᴹQ. Ond (R/381), revised to Ondor (TI/146) and finally Gondor (TI/423).
gwinion
place name. Young-land
ithilien
place name. Land of the Moon
Region of Gondor containing Minas Ithil (LotR/1115) translated “Land of the Moon” (RC/233). This name is a combination of Ithil “moon” and the plural form of the suffix -ian(d) “land” (SA/sil, PE17/42).
Conceptual Development: This name was already N. Ithilien when it first appeared in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s (TI/318, WR/133).
ossiriand
place name. Land of Seven Rivers
A region in eastern Beleriand translated Ossiriand glossed “Land of Seven Rivers” (S/94), a reduction of primitive otoso “seven” combined with sîr “river” and the suffix -ian(d) “-land” (RC/384).
Conceptual Development: In the earliest Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, this name first appeared as Assariad (SM/133) and on early maps as Ossiriath “of the Seven Rivers” (SM/233), but was soon revised to N. Ossiriand “Land of Seven Streams” (SM/116), the form it retained thereafter. Later in the 1930s its gloss was changed to “Land of Seven Rivers” (LR/128).
pelennor
place name. Fenced Land
The walled region around Minas Tirith (LotR/749), translated “Fenced Land” (PE17/65, 95; RC/512), a combination of pêl “fenced field” (SA/pel) and dôr “land”.
Possible Etymology: David Salo suggested that its initial element could have developed from an archaic older form of pêl: ✶peles- ⇒ OS. peleh-ndore (GS/388), which explains its initial form Pelen-. See below for possible phonetic developments.
Conceptual Development: In Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, this name first appeared as N. Pelennor (WR/268).
dor firn-i-guinar
place name. Land of the Dead that Live
Home of Beren and Lúthien after their return to life, translated “Land of the Dead that Live” (S/188). This name is a combination of dôr “land”, the plural firn of fern “dead”, the relative pronoun i “who” and the present plural inflection of the cuina- “live”, lenited to guinar by the preceding pronoun.
Conceptual Development: In the earliest Lost Tales, this name first appeared as G. (i·)Cuilwarthon “(The) Dead That Live Again” (LT2/41, 51). In the earliest Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s this form first persisted as Cuilwarthien (SM/133), but was soon revised to N. Gwerth-i-Cuina “(Land of) the Dead that Live” (SM/135). This name N. Dor Firn i Guinar first appeared in The Etymologies from the 1930s (Ety/KUY, PHIR). Nevertheless, the form Gwerth-i-guinar appeared in the initial Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s (WJ/71) before Tolkien settled on its final form.
In both the 1930s and later, Tolkien occasionally used Gyrth as the word for “The Dead”, in N. Gyrth-i-Guinar (LR/305) and S. Dor Gyrth i Chuinar. See those entries for further discussion.
Arannor
'King's land'
topon. 'King's land', the North kingdom (at first the most important of Elendil's realms). An older form, still used in literature, later reduced in Arnor. Q. Arandóre.Another name that soon fell out of general colloquial use was Arthor na Forlonnas. >> Arthor na Forlonnas
Arnor
'King's land'
topon. 'King's land', the North kingdom (at first the most important of Elendil's realms). Q. Arandóre.A reduced form of older (and still used in literature especially so) arannor. _Arnor _is 'colloquial' < aranōre = noble land, with usual loss of second of two short vowels of same quality. Another name that soon fell out of general colloquial use was Arthor na Forlonnas. >> Arthor na Forlonnas
Balannor
'the Land of the Valar'
topon. 'the Land of the Valar'. Q. Valandor.
Dor I thoen
place name. 'Land of Pines'
topon. 'Land of Pines'. . This gloss was rejected.
Dorthonion
place name. 'Land of Pines'
topon. 'Land of Pines'. Noldorized S. form.
Dorwinion
'Young-land country'
topon. 'Young-land country', land of Gwinion. A land prob. far south down the river Running.
Eriador
'Lonely land'
topon. 'Lonely land'. A Silvan name.
Gondor
'Stone-land'
topon. 'Stone-land'. A name given because of the abundance of gond, stone in Ered Nimrais, and the great use made of it by the Southern Dúnedain. Q Ondonóre. >> gond
Ossiriand
place name. 'Land of Seven Rivers'
topon. 'Land of Seven Rivers'.
amar
chiefly used later of the inhabited regions of the great land masses not including Aman or Eressea
n. chiefly used later of the inhabited regions of the great land masses not including Aman or Eressea (or usually even Númenor). . This gloss was rejected.
bardor
noun. 'home-land
n. 'home-land, native land'.
bardor
noun. home land, native land
A word for “home land, native land” appearing in notes from the 1960s discussing the root √MBAR, a combination of bâr “dwelling” with dôr “land” (PE17/164). Tolkien gave an archaic pseudo-form bar-ndor to explain why the d in this word did not mutate to dh (c.f. bardh), stating that it was similar to Mordor < mor-ndor, where the ancient medial n prevented the mutation of d, then the vanished later.
dor-en-ernil
place name. Land of the Prince
The Gondorian province ruled by the Prince of Dol Amroth, translated “Land of the Prince” (UT/245), a combination dôr “land”, en “of the” and ernil “prince”.
lindon
place name. Land of Music
Land of the Nandor in eastern Beleriand, translated “Land of Music” (S/123), based on lind “song”. This name was originally Nandorin, adopted into Sindarin (WJ/385), because normally [[s|[nd] became [nn]]] in Sindarin.
Conceptual Development: In Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, the name Ilk. Lindon was translated “Region of Music” and provided a new explanation for the name of the mountain range Eredlindon (LR/267). In The Etymologies, it was translated “Musical Land” and designated Ilkorin, appearing beside a variant Lhinnon which is probably the Noldorin form of the name (Ety/LIN²).
lisgardh
place name. Land of Reeds
Name of the marsh at the mouth of Sirion translated “Land of Reeds” (UT/34), a combination of lisg “reed” and the lenited form of gardh “region”.
Conceptual Development: In the earliest Lost Tales, this name appeared as G. Arlisgion “Place of Reeds” (LT2/153) and in the Gnomish Lexicon from the 1910s as G. Garlisgion (GL/67). The derivation of these early forms is quite similar to the latter one, with the order of elements reversed: G. gar(th) “place” followed by G. lisg “reed” (in the genitive plural).
pelennor
noun. fenced land
_ n. _fenced land.
pelennor
fenced land
n. fenced land. . This gloss was rejected.
thargelion
place name. Land beyond Gelion
The land between river Gelion and the Blue Mountains translated “Land beyond Gelion” (S/124), a combination of thar “across” and the river name Gelion (SA/thar, PE17/34).
Conceptual Development: In Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, the name first appeared as N. Targelion >> Thargelion (LR/265, 268), and also in The Etymologies with the same derivation as given above (Ety/THAR). In Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s, Tolkien also considered the forms Thargelian (WJ/320) and Thorewilan (WJ/336).
nand
wide grassland
(construct nan) (valley), pl. naind, coll. pl. **nannath **(VT45:36);
-ion
suffix. -region, -land
@@@ appears in earlier names as Noldorized form of Ilk. genitive plural -ion.
elennor
place name. *Elf-land
-on(d)
suffix. -region, -land
bar
noun. inhabited land
dor
noun. land, dwelling-place, region where certain people live
The form dor in the Etymologies is a misreading, see VT/45. In composition and in toponyms, the word is nevertheless reduced to Dor
dor gyrth i chuinar
place name. Land of the Dead that Live
A variant form of Dor Firn-i-Guinar appearing in one of Tolkien’s letters from 1972 (Let/417). It differs from the common form in that it uses the plural gyrth of gorth for “The Dead” and that the verb inflection of cuina- “live” undergoes nasal mutation instead of soft mutation. The latter implies that the relative pronoun i is elided from a plural form in.
Conceptual Development: A similar variation N. Gyrth-i-Guinar appeared in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (LR/305).
dôr
noun. land, dwelling-place, region where certain people live
The form dor in the Etymologies is a misreading, see VT/45. In composition and in toponyms, the word is nevertheless reduced to Dor
lonn
noun. entrance to harbour, land-locked haven
lonn
noun. (land-locked) haven, (land-locked) haven; [N.] pass
nan
noun. wide grassland, land at foot of hills with many streams
talath
noun. flat land, plain, (wide) valley
talf
noun. flat field, flat land
bâr
land
(dwelling, house, home, family; earth) (i mâr, o mbâr, construct bar), pl. bair (i mbair). Also -bar, -mar at the end of compounds.
dôr
land
- dôr (i nôr, construct dor) (dwelling place, region), pl. dŷr (i ndŷr), coll. pl. dorath (WJ:413), 2) bâr (dwelling, house, home, family; earth) (i mâr, o mbâr, construct bar), pl. bair (i mbair). Also -bar, -mar at the end of compounds.
dôr
land
(i nôr, construct dor) (dwelling place, region), pl. dŷr (i ndŷr), coll. pl. dorath (WJ:413)
Anórien
Sun-land
Arnor
Land of the King
Arnor was the colloquial name for the North Kingdom. The North Kingdom, as the land was called at its conception, was also known as Turmen Follondiéva in Quenya and Arthor na Forlonnas in Sindarin. These names quickly fell out of use, in favor of Arnor: the Land of the King, so called for the kingship of Elendil, and to seal its precedence over the southern realm. In full, poetic Sindarin, it was called Arannor, which mirrored its Quenya name, Arandórë. Though technically Arandórë would have a Sindarin form Ardor, Tolkien chose Arnor because it sounded better. This linguistic change was ascribed to a later, Mannish development of Sindarin. The form Arnanórë is also seen.
Cardolan
Red Hill Land
Dor-lómin
place name. Land of Echoes
Dor-lómin is a Sindarin name meaning "Land of Echoes". Its Quenya name was Lóminórë.
Dor Firn-i-Guinar
Land of the dead that live
Dor Firn-i-Guinar is the name appearing in the published Silmarillion, apparently consisting of the Sindarin elements dor "land" + firn "dead" + in "who, that" + cuinar "live".
In his manuscripts, Tolkien experimented with many variations on how to translate Land of the Dead that Live: I·Cuilwarthon, I·Guilwarthon, Cuilwarthien, Gwerth-i-cuina, and Gwerth-i-guinar. In a 1972 letter, Tolkien used the name Dor Gyrth i chuinar.
Doriath
place name. Land of the Fence
Dorthonion
place name. Land of the Pine Trees
Drúwaith Iaur
place name. Old Púkel land
Eglador
place name. Land of the Forsaken
Eriador
Lonely land or Wilderness
There are at least two, slightly different, versions of the etymology of Eriador: Eriador as Sindarin (derived from Noldorin), whose derivation is quoted by Carl F. Hostetter from an unnamed note dated 1949-53. This explains that Eriador is derived from eryā, "isolated, lonely" and dor, "land", thereby translating Eriador as "wilderness". In another manuscript, Tolkien stated that Eriador was a Silvan Elvish name, meaning "Lonely land" (deriving from *eryā, S eir, air).
Both translations are noticeably similar to the "Lone-lands" mentioned in The Hobbit; it is unknown whether they are the same or simply coincidental.
ennor
place name. middle land
*Roots EN(ED) ("centre, middle") + NDOR ("land")
Dor Dínen
place name. Silent land
barna-
verb. to till (land), *cultivate; (orig.) to dwell in (a land)
ennor
place name. central land, middle-earth
parth
enclosed grassland
(i barth, o pharth) (field, sward), pl. perth (i pherth);
laden
wide
- laden (plain, flat, open, cleared), pl. ledin (for ”N” lhaden pl. lhedin, LR:368 s.v. LAT), 2) land (plain), pl. laind. Also used as noun ”open space, level”. 3) pann (i bann, o phann, construct pan), pl. pain (i phain). Since the pl. form clashes with *pain ”all” (mutated phain, SD:129), other terms may be preferred for clarity. 4) ûr (pl. uir). Notice the homophone ûr ”fire, heat”.
aranarth
noun. kingdom, "king-holding"
In Tolkien's manuscript, this form was rejected in favor of arnad
aranarth
noun. *kingdom
arnad
noun. kingdom
arnad
noun. *kingdom
arthor
realm
_n. _realm.
arthor
noun. realm
pathu
noun. level space, sward
ardh
realm
ardh (region), pl. erdh
ardh
realm
(region), pl. erdh
arnad
kingdom
arnad (pl. ernaid) (VT44:23)
arnad
kingdom
(pl. ernaid) (VT44:23)
laden
wide
(plain, flat, open, cleared), pl. ledin (for ”N” lhaden pl. lhedin, LR:368 s.v. LAT)
palan
over a wide area
(far off)
pann
wide
(i bann, o phann, construct pan), pl. pain (i phain). Since the pl. form clashes with ✱pain ”all” (mutated phain, SD:129), other terms may be preferred for clarity.
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
ûr
wide
(pl. uir). Notice the homophone ûr ”fire, heat”.
A Sindarin word for “haven”, used for example in the names Forlond “North Haven” and Harlond “South Haven” (LotR/1050). In a document from the late 1960s, Tolkien gave this word as S. lond, lonn “haven” in keeping with his vacillation on whether final *nd* became *nd* in Sindarin monosyllables, and in this document he derived lond/lonn from the (untranslated) root √LON (VT42/10).
Conceptual Development: A precursor to this word from The Etymologies of the 1930s was N. lhonn “narrow path, strait, pass” derived from ᴹ✶londē under the root ᴹ√LOD (Ety/LOD). In The Etymologies, the word for “haven” as instead N. lhorn “narrow path, strait, pass” derived from the root ᴹ√LUR “be quiet, still, calm”; its full translation was “quiet water, anchorage, haven, harbour” (EtyAC/LUR). In Lord of the Rings drafts of the 1940s Tolkien said [N.] lorn meant “haven” (TI/423), and the North and South Havens were N. Forlorn and N. Harlorn (TI/301).
These were revised to Forlond and Harlond for the published version of The Lord of the Rings, by which point it seems l(h)orn “haven” was abandoned and lond meant only “haven” rather than “pass, strait”. The only exception seems to be its use in Aglon(d) “Narrow Pass” (SI/Aglon), but that name could be a remnant of earlier ideas.