Methedras

noun. last peak

methed (“last”) + ras (“horn, mountain peak”) The original form of ras is probably rass with the final s dropped at the end of a polysyllable [HKF].

methedras

place name. Last Peak

Last peak of the Mist Mountains (LotR/429), explictly translated “Last Peak” in Tolkien’s “Unfinished Index” of The Lord of the Rings (RC/366). This name is a combination of methed “end” and rass “horn”.

Conceptual Development: In Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, this name first appeared as N. Methen Amon (TI/391), later revised to N. Methendol and finally N. Methedras (TI/404). These earlier forms clearly included the Noldorin adjective N. methen “end, final” (Ety/MET). It is possible that this is true of the initial appearance of N. Methedras as well (as suggested by Roman Rausch, EE/2.63), since phonetically the combination [[n|[nr] became [ðr]]], and Tolkien often represented [ð] as “d” in the Lord of the Rings drafts. For example, N. Caradras >> S. Caradhras underwent the same development.

Unlike Caradhras, however, Tolkien never revised this form to ✱✱Methedhras. This could have been an oversight, or Tolkien could have reconceived of the initial element as the noun methed “end” seen in Methed-en-Glad, as suggested above (and by David Salo, GS/384).

Elements

Word	Gloss
methed	“end”
rass	“horn, horn [of both animals and mountains]”

methed

noun. end

methed

noun. end

This word is attested in later writings as an element in the names Methed-en-Glad “End of the Wood” and possibly Methedras “Last Peak” (of the Misty Mountains). The latter name first appeared in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s as N. Methen Amon and Methendol (TI/404), making it likely that methed is a revision from the earlier adjective N. methen (Ety/MET).

This new form likely changed from an adjective to a noun, since -ed/-ad is usually a gerundal suffix in Sindarin (forming nouns from verbs). This word is clearly a noun in the name Methed-en-Glad, and could also be a noun in Methedras (= “Peak of the End?”).

Element in

• S. Methed-en-Glad “End of the Wood” ✧ UT/153
• S. Methedras “Last Peak”

Elements

Word	Gloss
meth	“last, last; [N.] end”
-ed	“gerund”

Variations

• Methed ✧ UT/153

medui

adjective. end

adj. end, final, last. Ai na vedui Dúnadan. Mae g'ovannen. 'Ah! At last, Dúnadan ! Well met !'. m > v after preposition.

methed

end

(i vethed), pl. methid (i methid). Isolated from the name Methedras, the last in a line of mountain peaks.

methen

end

(adj.) methen (lenited vethen; pl. methin) (VT45:34)

methen

end

(lenited vethen; pl. methin) (VT45:34)

meth

end

(noun) 1) meth (i veth), pl. mith (i mith). Note: the word is also used as an adjective ”last”. 2) (rear, hindmost part) tele (i dele, o thele), pl. teli (i theli). In ”Noldorin”, the pl. was telei (LR:392 s.v. TELES). 3) ( maybe primarily ”last point in line; last of a series of items”) #methed (i vethed), pl. methid (i methid). Isolated from the name Methedras, the last in a line of mountain peaks.

meth

end

(i veth), pl. mith (i mith). Note: the word is also used as an adjective ”last”.

tele

end

(i dele, o thele), pl. teli (i theli). In ”Noldorin”, the pl. was telei (LR:392 s.v. TELES).

nass

sharp end

(point, angle, corner), construct nas, pl. nais.

manadh

final end

(i vanadh) (fate, fortune [usually = final bliss]), pl. menaidh (i menaidh).

lanc

sudden end

(sharp edge, sudden end, brink), pl. lainc, coll. pl. langath.