A word in The Etymologies of the 1930s, for which Tolkien said “For ✱silif N has silith, by assimilation to or from influence of †Ithil” (Ety/SIL). Since N. silif was derived from primitive ᴹ✶silimē for the “light of Silpion” (Ety/SIL), it seems silith was a more modern replacement of it, probably with the same meaning. As it was influenced by Ithil “Moon”, it probably had the sense “✱moonlight” after Silpion was lost.
Noldorin
silif
noun. light of Silpion, †silver, light of Silpion, †silver, *moonlight
Cognates
- ᴹQ. silme “moonlight, light of Silpion, †silver” ✧ Ety/SIL
Derivations
Derivatives
- N. silith “light of Silpion, †silver, light of Silpion, *moonlight” ✧ Ety/SIL
Element in
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources ᴹ✶silimē > silif [silimē] > [silime] > [silim] > [siliv] ✧ Ety/SIL
silith
noun. light of Silpion, †silver, light of Silpion, *moonlight
Cognates
- ᴹQ. silme “moonlight, light of Silpion, †silver” ✧ Ety/SIL
Derivations
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources N. silif > silith [siliv] > [siliθ] ✧ Ety/SIL
A word in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from primitive ᴹ✶silimē glossed “light of Silpion, †silver” (Ety/SIL). Since Silpion was the silver tree of Valinor whose flower was used to create the moon, perhaps this can also mean “✱moonlight”; its Quenya cognate ᴹQ. silme was glossed “moonlight” in the 1930s and 40s as a tengwar name (PE22/22, 51), though in The Lord of the Rings Appendix E, Q. silmë was “starlight” (LotR/1123). The Noldorin form silif was marked with a “✱” and so perhaps may be archaic; Tolkien said “For ✱silif N has silith, by assimilation to or from influence of †Ithil” (Ety/SIL).