ther

root. sew

The root √THER or √SER “sew” appears in a discussion of the name Q. Vairë “Weaver” probably from the late 1950s, with Tolkien preferring √THER because it could be a variant of √TER “pierce” (PE17/33). That section of the discussion was rejected (PE17/34), but given Tolkien’s later use of †Þerindë > Q. Serindë “Broideress” or “Needlewoman” as a sobriquet for Fëanor’s mother Q. Míriel (MR/185; PM/333), it seems √THER “sew” survived. This root could be a later iteration of ᴱ√SERE “twine, tie, bind” from Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like ᴱQ. serma “string, cord” and ᴱQ. serta- “tie” (QL/83); its Gnomish derivatives in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon such as G. ther- “tie” and G. theres “ribbon” make it clear the actual early root was ✱ᴱ√ÞERE (GL/72).

ther

root. sew, sew; [ᴱ√] twine, tie, bind