rain

noun. erratic wandering

rain

noun. erratic wandering

rain

noun. border

raen

adjective. smiling

adj. smiling, gracious, sweet-faced. Q. raina. >> Gilraen

raen

adjective. smiling, gracious, sweet-faced

lain

adjective. free, freed

raen

adjective. nettled, enlaced

ranc

noun. arm

rein

noun. erratic wandering

edrain

noun. border

rain

adjective. free, *unconstrained

rain

free

rain (wandering, erratic). No distinct pl. form. Note: a homophone means ”border” (VT46:10; suggested Sindarin form of ” Noldorin” rhain)

rain

wandering

rain (erratic, free). No distinct pl. form. Note: a homophone means ”border”. (VT46:10)

rain

border

(noun) rain; no distinct pl. form except with article (idh rain). Note: the adj. ”erratic, wandering” is a homophone of rain.

rain

border

; no distinct pl. form except with article (idh rain). Note: the adj. ”erratic, wandering” is a homophone of rain.

rain

erratic

rain (wandering, free). No distinct pl. form. Note: a homophone means ”border”. (VT46:10)

rain

noun. border

rain

wandering

(erratic, free). No distinct pl. form. Note: a homophone means ”border”. (VT46:10)

rain

erratic

(wandering, free). No distinct pl. form. Note: a homophone means ”border”. (VT46:10)

rain

free

(wandering, erratic). No distinct pl. form. Note: a homophone means ”border” *(VT46:10; suggested Sindarin form of ” Noldorin” rhain)*

ross

noun. rain

ross

noun. rain; spindrift, spray, foam, rain; spray, spindrift, foam

The best known Sindarin word for “rain” (MR/155; Ety/ROS¹), also used for “spindrift, spray” (PM/368) and “foam” (PE17/121), derived from the root √ROS (PM/368).

Conceptual Development: The earliest precursor to this word may be G. {nôs >>} G. noss or noth “rain” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/60), likely derived from the early root ᴱ√NOSO or ᴱ√NOTO which had Qenya derivatives of similar meaning (QL/67). The Etymologies of the 1930s instead had N. rhoss “rain” derived from the root ᴹ√ROS “distil, drip” (Ety/ROS¹), as seen in names from this period such as N. Celebros “Silver-rain” (Ety/ROS¹; LR/140), N. Silivros “Glimmering Rain” (Ety/ROS¹; LR/210), and N. Rauros “Rush-rain, Roar-rain” (TI/285).

In later writings Tolkien began to translate S. ross as “foam”, in names like S. Cair Andros “Ship of Long Foam” (LotR/1115; PM/371), S. Elros “Star-foam” (PM/349; Let/448) and S. Celebros “Foam-silver” (WJ/151). This word and its root gave Tolkien considerable difficulty, and in a 1968 essay labeled The Problem of Ros (PM/367-371), Tolkien first gave their meaning as “spray, spindrift”, but then explored the possibility that they were instead loan words from Bëorian. However, he was forced to abandon this line of reasoning when he remembered that S. Andros “Long-foam” has appeared in The Lord of the Rings appendices as a Sindarin word.

Neo-Sindarin: For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I would use the noun ross mainly with the sense “rain”. I would use gwing for “foam, spindrift”. However, to preserve words like Cair Andros, I would also allow the use of ross for any more or less continuous “spray of water”, such as with waterfalls as indicated by the name Rauros “Roaring Spray” (RC/327).

ranc

arm

ranc (pl. rengy or rainc, with article idh rengy/rainc), coll. pl. rangath

ranc

arm

(pl. rengy or rainc, with article idh rengy/rainc), coll. pl. rangath

lain

free, freed

; no distinct pl. form. Note: a homophone means ”thread”.

raen

netted

1) raen (enlaced). No distinct pl. form. (VT42:12), 2) remmen (tangled, woven), pl. #remmin attested (as part of the phrase galadhremmin ennorath, LotR Appendix E)

ranc

noun. arm

rin-

verb. to revolve, return, come back; to do again

rost

adjective. rainy

A word for “rainy” appearing as an element in the name Dimrost “Rainy Stair” (S/220; WJ/151), apparently an adjectival form of ross “rain”.

cirith ninniach

place name. Rainbow Cleft

The pass that led Tuor to the sea, translated “Rainbow Cleft” (S/238). This name is a combination of cirith “cleft” and ninniach “rainbow”.

Conceptual Development: In the earliest Lost Tales, this pass was first called G. Cris a Teld Quing Ilon “Gully of the Rainbow Roof” (LT2A/Teld Quing Ilon), revised to G. Cris Ilbranteloth (same translation) in the narratives (LT2/150, 202). In Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, the name was changed again to N. Cris-Ilfing >> Cirith Helvin “Rainbow Cleft” (SM/141, 146). The name Cirith Ninniach emerged in Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s (WJ/256, 299).

ninniach

noun. rainbow

A noun for “rainbow” in the name Cirith Ninniach “Rainbow Cleft” (S/238). Ninniach “rainbow” is perhaps a combination of the S. nîn “watery” and S. iach “ford”, perhaps a metaphorical ford of water across the sky. The long nn in the initial element ninn- is tricky to explain, but might be an example of an exchange of a long vowel īn with a long consonant inn; hat-tip to Elaran for this suggestion.

Conceptual Development: The name Cirith Ninniach (and hence the word for “rainbow”) went through quite a few changes. The earliest iteration of the name was G. Cris a Teld Quing Ilon “Gully of the Rainbow Roof” (PE15/21) so that quing ilon “✱bow of heaven” was “rainbow”, but this was quickly revised to G. Cris Ilbranteloth which was the form used in the early narratives (LT2/150, 202). G. ilbrant “rainbow” appeared in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s with variant ilvrant (GL/50). By popular etymology, this was connected to G. brant “bow”, but that was not correct (GL/24). The second element was actually G. rantha “bridge” (GL/65), and the b came from its initial element G. ilbar “heaven[s]” (GL/50), so it literally meant “✱heaven-bridge”.

In Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, the name of the pass was changed to N. Cris-Ilfing >> Cirith Helvin “Rainbow Cleft” (SM/141, 146). Both ilfing and helvin have unclear etymologies, but they are probably early iterations of N. eilian(w) “rainbow, (lit.) sky-bridge” from The Etymologies of the 1930s, a combination of ᴹ√ƷEL “sky” with N. ianw “bridge” (Ety/ƷEL, YAT), with variant elianw (EtyAC/YAT). Cirith Ninniach “Rainbow Cleft” emerged in Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s (WJ/256, 299).

Neo-Sindarin: Noldorin eilian(w) “sky-bridge” might be adapted into Neo-Sindarin as ᴺS. eiliant using later S. iant for “bridge”, as suggested in HSD (HSD), but I see no reason not to just use attested S. ninniach for “rainbow”.

dimrost

place name. Rainy Stair

The falls of the river Celebros, translated “Rainy Stair” (S/220). If this translation is literal, the second element rost almost certainly means “rainy”, given the existence of similar words like ross “spray”. This would leave the meaning “stair” to the initial element dim.

eiliant

noun. rainbow

See ianu and iant for a discussion

ninniach

noun. rainbow

edrain

border

edrain (no distinct pl. form)

edrain

border

(no distinct pl. form)

eilia

rain

(vb.) eilia-, impersonal 3rd singular uil "it rains". (In ”Noldorin”, the impersonal form was "oeil" = öil, later eil.)

eilia

rain

impersonal 3rd singular uil "it rains". (In ”Noldorin”, the impersonal form was "oeil" = öil, later eil.)

ross

rain

ross (construct ros) (foam, dew, spray [of fall or fountain]), pl. ryss (idh ryss). (Letters:282) Note: homophones mean ”reddish, russet, copper-coloured, red-haired” and also ”polished metal, glitter”.

ross

rain

(construct ros) (foam, dew, spray [of fall or fountain]), pl. ryss (idh ryss). (Letters:282) Note: homophones mean ”reddish, russet, copper-coloured, red-haired” and also ”polished metal, glitter”.

nítha-

verb. to snow, hail, rain

uil-

verb. to rain

rostaur

noun. rainforest

A neologism for “rainforest” originally coined by Elaran in 2019 (revised from rostor to rostaur in 2021), a combination of S. ross “rain” and S. taur “forest”.

eilian

rainbow

eilian (pl. eiliain). Archaic elianw (so the coll. pl. may be eilianwath).

eilian

rainbow

1) eilian (pl. eiliain). Archaic elianw, hence maybe coll. pl. eilianwath. 2) ninniach (pl. ninniaich). The word appears to mean *”slender-crossing”.

eilian

rainbow

(pl. eiliain). Archaic elianw (so the coll. pl. may be eilianwath).

ninniach

rainbow

(pl. ninniaich). The word appears to mean ✱”slender-crossing”.

rost

rainy

rost (pl. ryst)

rost

rainy

(pl. ryst)

cû

noun. bow, bow; [N.] arch, crescent; [G.] waxing or waning moon

damen-

verb. to return

edinor

noun. anniversary day

limp

adjective. wet

loen

adjective. soaking wet, swamped

nîn

adjective. wet, watery

nîn

wet

_ adj. _wet. Q. nenya. >> Nindalf

îdh

noun. peace

peace, tranquillity

adleitha

free

(i adleitha, in adleithar), also †adleg- (i adleg, in edlegir), pa.t. adlenc, pp. adlengen, pl. edlengin).

cû

bow

(i gû, o chû) (arch, crescent), pl. cui (i chui)

glosta-

verb. to snow

A neologism for “to snow” coined by Fiona Jallings, based on the root √(G)LOS “snow, whiteness”.

glân

border

glân (i **lân, construct glan) (hem), pl. glain (in glain**) (VT42:8) Note: a homophone means ”white, claer”.

glân

border

(i ’lân, construct glan) (hem), pl. glain (in glain) (VT42:8) Note: a homophone means ”white, claer”.

leitha

set free

(i leitha, i leithar)

limp

adjective. wet

limp

wet

(no distinct pl. form).

loen

soaking wet

(swamped), no distinct pl. form.

mesc

wet

1) mesc (lenited vesc, pl. misc). Also spelt mesg. 2) limp (no distinct pl. form). 3)

mesc

wet

(lenited vesc, pl. misc). Also spelt mesg.

nîd

wet

nîd (damp, tearful); no distinct pl. form. 4) nîn (watery); no distinct pl. form. Note: nîn is also used as a noun ”tear”; there is also the possessive pronoun nín ”my”.

nîd

wet

(damp, tearful); no distinct pl. form. 4) nîn (watery); no distinct pl. form. Note: nîn is also used as a noun ”tear”; there is also the possessive pronoun nín ”my”.

peng

bow

(i beng, o pheng), pl. ping (i phing)

rîw

border

*rîw (construct riw) (hem, edge), no distinct pl. form except with article (idh rîw). Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” rhîf.

rîw

border

(construct riw) (hem, edge), no distinct pl. form except with article (idh rîw). – Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” rhîf.

sîdh

peace

sîdh (i hîdh), no distinct pl. form except with article (i sîdh) if there is any pl. form. 1) aeg (point, thorn). No distinct pl. form. (but aeglir can be used for a range of mountain peaks). Note: aeg is also used as adj. "sharp, pointed, piercing". 2) mîn (i vîn), no distinct pl. form except with article (i mîn), coll. pl. míniath. Note: homophones include the numeral ”one” and the adjective ”isolated, first, towering”. 3) egnas (sharp point; literally "thorn-point"), pl. egnais, coll. pl. egnassath.

sîdh

peace

(i hîdh), no distinct pl. form except with article (i sîdh) if there is any pl. form.