limlint

place name. Limlight

A Sindarin form of the river Limlight appearing in his “Unfinished Index” of The Lord of the Rings and translated “swift-light” (RC/343-4). It appeared elsewhere as Limlaith (UT/281) and Limlich (UT/318).

Possible Etymology: In his Nomenclature of the Lord of the Rings, Tolkien indicated that “Limlight” is a partial translation of Elvish, with “light” meaning “bright, clear” (RC/344). This indicates that element lim is Elvish, most likely lim “swift”. The final element of Limlint may be some variant of glîn(n) “gleam, glint” but this is quite speculative, and the derivations of -lich and -laith are even more unclear.

For another name for “Limlight” with a different etymological foundation, see the entry for Limhír “clear/sparkling river”.

Elements

Word	Gloss
lim	“quick, swift”
glîn(n)	“gleam, glint”

Variations

• Limlaith ✧ UT/281; UT/318
• Limlich ✧ UT/318
• Limliht ✧ UT/318