ran

root. wander, stray, meander, go on an uncertain course, go aside from a course (commanded or self-chosen); err

This root first appeared as ᴹ√RAN “wander, stray” in The Etymologies of the 1930s with derivatives like ᴹQ. ranya-/N. rhenia- “to stray”, ᴹQ. ránen/N. rhaun “errant”, and ᴹQ. Rana/N. Rhân as names for the Moon (Ety/RAN). These Moon-names also appeared in earlier writings but without clear etymologies (LT1/192; GL/64). Such Moon names continued to appear in later writings, for example: Q. Rána “Wayward” (S/99). The root √RAN itself was mentioned quite frequently in Tolkien’s later writings with glosses like “wander, stray” (PE17/182), “wander, stray, go on uncertain course” (VT42/12) and “err, go aside from a course (commanded or self-chosen)” (PE17/78).

Derivatives

• ✶rānā “moon”
  • Q. Rána “Moon, (lit.) Wayward”
  • S. Raun “Moon” ✧ VT48/07
• Q. Rána “Moon, (lit.) Wayward” ✧ SA/ran; UT/242; VT42/13
• Q. ranya “erratic wandering, erratic wandering; [ᴹQ.] free” ✧ VT42/12; VT42/13
• ᴺQ. ranyar “wanderer”
• S. rain “erratic wandering” ✧ UT/242; VT42/12; VT42/13
• ᴺS. ran- “to wander”

Element in

• Q. Palarran “Far Wanderer”
• S. Aerandir “Sea-wanderer” ✧ SA/ran
• S. Gilrain “*Wandering Star” ✧ SA/ran
• S. Mithrandir “Grey Pilgrim, Grey Wanderer” ✧ SA/ran; UT/242
• S. randir “wanderer, wandering man, pilgrim” ✧ PE17/060; VT42/13
• ᴺS. ranoth “month”

Variations

• RĂNĂ ✧ PE17/060; PE17/182
• ran- ✧ SA/ran; UT/242