A noun meaning “steep incline, hill side” (PE17/24) or “(down) slope, declivity” (Ety/PEN). It has the general implication of a downward slope; an upward slope would be ampendë.
Conceptual Development: In The Etymologies of the 1930s it first appeared as ᴹQ. nende “slope, hillside” derived from ᴹ√DEN “hillside, slope”, but the meaning of this root was change to ᴹ√DEN “hole; gap, passage” (Ety/DEN). Tolkien introduced a new root ᴹ√PEN(ED) with the derivative ᴹQ. pende “slope, downslope, declivity” (Ety/PEN). In later writings, though, its root form was √PED instead of ᴹ√PEN, as √PEN was given the new sense “lack, be without” (PE17/171; WJ/375).
pendë noun "slope, downslope, declivity" (PEN/PÉNED), "steep incline, hill side" (PE17:24)