thin

root. *grey

Tolkien introduced the (unglossed) root ᴹ√THIN in The Etymologies of the 1930s with derivatives like ᴹQ. sinde/N. thinn “grey, pale” and ᴹQ. sinta-/N. †thinna- “fade” (Ety/THIN). In this document it was the basis for the name Ilk. Thingol; in earlier writings from the 1920s the name ᴱN. Thingol was based on the word ᴱN. thing “prince” (PE13/154). The root √THIN or √ΘIN was mentioned a couple times in Tolkien’s later writings as the basis for “grey” words (PE17/72; WJ/384). In a note from the mid-1960s Tolkien considered making the root √STIN the basis for “grey”, as a privative formation = √S-TIN = “without sparkling” (PE17/184), but I think this was a transient idea.

thindi

adjective. grey

thindā

adjective. grey

thini

adjective. grey

stin

root. grey

nakh

root. narrow, thin

A root appearing in etymological notes from around 1964 (DD) glossed “narrow, thin” along with a set of Quenya derivatives of similar meaning (PE17/166).

dene

adjective. thin and strong, pliant, lithe

spini-

noun. thin thread

mith

root. grey

Tolkien introduced the root ᴹ√MITH in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a blending of ᴹ√MIS “✱wet” and ᴹ√KHITH “mist, fog”, with the derivative N. mith “white fog, wet mist” as in N. Mithrim “✱Mist Lake” (Ety/MITH, RINGI; EtyAC/MITH). As a later addition to this entry Tolkien wrote the adjective N. mith “grey”, and that was the more common use of this word in Tolkien’s later writings. In a 1955 letter to David Masson Tolkien specified that “usage suggests that MIÞ- is paler and whiter, a luminous grey” (PE17/72).

mītha

adjective. *grey

thin

adjective. grey

adj. grey. Q. sinda. >> thind, Thingol, thinn

thind

adjective. grey

adj. grey. Q. sinda. >> thin, Thingol, thinn

thinn

adjective. grey

adj. grey. Q. sinda. >> thin, thind, Thingol

thind

adjective. grey, grey, [N.] pale

if from þindā, why no a-affection? @@@

thind

adjective. grey

_ adj. _grey. Obsolete except in names as Thingol. >> hithren

thind

adjective. grey, pale

thinn

adjective. grey

_adj. _grey. Q. sinde.

thinn

adjective. grey

esbin

noun. thin thread

n. thin thread.

esbin

noun. thin thread, tress

A word for “thin thread” derived from the root √SPIN- in notes from the mid-1960s (PE17/17). In Notes on Names (NN) from 1957 this word was glossed “a tress” (PE17/119), but for purposes of Neo-Sindarin I’d stick to the “thread” meaning.

thîn

evening

†*thîn (no distinct pl. form; coll. pl. thíniath). The form cited in LR:392 s.v. __ is not marked as containing a long vowel (“thin”).

thîn

evening

(no distinct pl. form; coll. pl. thíniath). The form cited in LR:392 s.v. THIN is not marked as containing a long vowel (“thin”).

thind

grey

(pale); no distinct pl. form.

thinna

grow toward evening

(fade).

lhain

adjective. lean, thin, meagre

lhain

thin

(lean, meager), lenited ?thlain or ?lain (the lenition product of lh is uncertain), pl. lîn. Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” thlein, corresponding to archaic Sindarin ✱lhein, later ✱lhain.

nind

thin

1. nind (slender, fragile); no distinct pl. form. 2) *lhain (lean, meager), lenited ?thlain or ?lain (the lenition product of lh is uncertain), pl. lîn. Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” thlein*, corresponding to archaic Sindarin lhein**, later *lhain.

nind

thin

(slender, fragile); no distinct pl. form.

taen

thin

(lenited daen, no distinct pl. form). Note: a homophone means ”height, summit of high mountain”.

lann

noun. thin cloth, tissue

A neologism for “thin cloth, tissue” coined by Fiona Jallings (FJNS/346), cognate to ᴹQ. lanne of the same meaning (Ety/LAN).

lhain

adjective. lean, thin, meagre

taen

long (and thin)

taen (lenited daen, no distinct pl. form). Note: a homophone means ”height, summit of high mountain”.

taen

long (and thin)

taen (lenited daen, no distinct pl. form). Note: a homophone means ”height, summit of high mountain”.

hithren

adjective. grey

_ adj. _grey. >> thind

mithren

grey

1. *mithren (lenited vithren, pl. mithrin). 2) thind (pale); no distinct pl. form. 3) (pale grey) mith (lenited vith; no distinct pl. form). David Salo would read mîth with a long vowel. Note: a homophone means ”white fog, wet mist”.

tinnu

starlit evening

(i** dinnu, o thinnu) (dusk, twilight, early night without a moon), pl. tinny (i** thynny) if there is a pl. Verb

aduial

noun. the evening, time of star-opening, "evendim"

hithren

adjective. grey

mith

adjective. (pale) grey

mith

grey

adj. grey, light grey. >> Mithrandir, mithril

mithren

adjective. grey

mithren

adjective. grey

dû

late evening

(i dhû) (night, nightfall, darkness), pl. dui (i nui) (SD:302).

mith

grey

(lenited vith; no distinct pl. form). David Salo would read mîth with a long vowel. Note: a homophone means ”white fog, wet mist”.

mithren

grey

(lenited vithren, pl. mithrin).

thiv-

verb. to skim

thlein

adjective. lean, thin, meagre

The Etymologies of the 1930s had N. {thlîn >>} thlein derived from ᴹ✶slinyā “lean, thin, meagre” under the root ᴹ√SLIN (Ety/SLIN) with the initial *sl* becoming *thl* as was generally the case in Noldorin of the 1930s.

Neo-Sindarin: In Sindarin of the 1950s and 60s, initial *sl* became voiceless *lh* and *ei* became *ai* in final syllables, so I would adapt this word as ᴺS. lhain as suggested in HSD (HSD).

thlein

adjective. lean, thin, meagre

then

pronoun. this

thîn Archaic

noun. evening

thind

adjective. grey, pale

thinn

adjective. grey, pale

thîn

noun. evening

celebrimbor o eregion teithant i thíw thin

Celebrimbor of Hollin drew these signs

taen

adjective. long (and thin)

An adjective in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “long (and thin)” derived from the root ᴹ√TAY “extend, make long(er)” (Ety/TAY).

taen

adjective. long (and thin)

gwîn

noun. evening

mid

adjective. grey

mith

adjective. (pale) grey

mith

adjective. grey

lenwa

long and thin, straight, narrow

lenwa adj. "long and thin, straight, narrow" (LT2:341)

náha

adjective. narrow, narrow, *thin

An adjective for “narrow” in 1964 notes on Dalath Dirnen (DD) derived from √NAKH “narrow, thin” (PE17/166).

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would assume this adjective can also mean “✱thin” of things given the meaning of its root. Compare also fimbë “slender, ✱thin”.

fimbas

noun. pancake, (lit.) thin-cake

A neologism for “pancake” coined by Máyalótë posted on 2026-04-15 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), a combination of √PHIM “thin” and masta “cake”.

hlinya

adjective. lean, thin, meagre

Boris Shapiro proposed the neologism ᴺQ. linya in PPQ (PPQ) from the early 2000s, derived from ᴹ✶slinyā and inspired by N. thlein “lean, thin, meagre”. Since initial *sl* generally became *hl* in Quenya, I would update this to ᴺQ. hlinya.

sinda

adjective. grey

The best known Quenya word for “grey” and an element in a number of names. It is also used as a noun Sinda “Grey Elf”. Tolkien sometimes used a variant form sindë for “grey” (WJ/384; PE17/141; Ety/THIN); see that entry for details.

linya

adjective. lean, thin, meagre

pirin

noun. thin rod, pin

sinda

grey

sinda (þ) adj. "grey" (PE17:72); nominal pl. Sindar used = "Grey-elves", lit. *"Grey ones"; see WJ:375. Gen. pl. Sindaron in WJ:369. With general meaning "grey" also in Sindacollo > Singollo "Grey-cloak, Thingol" (SA:thin(d), PE17:72; see also sindë, Sindicollo);†sindanórië "grey land", ablative sindanóriello "from/out of a grey country" (Nam); the reference is to a "mythical region of shadows lying at outer feet of the Mountains of Valinor" (PE17:72). However, other sources give sindë (q.v.) as the Quenya word for "grey"; perhaps sinda came to mean primarily "Grey-elf" as a noun. Derived adjective Sindarin "Grey-elven", normally used as a noun to refer to the Grey-elven language. (Appendix F)

sindë

grey, pale or silvery grey

sindë (þ) adj. "grey, pale or silvery grey" (the Vanyarin dialect preserves the older form þindë) (WJ:384, THIN; in SA:thin(d) the form given is sinda, cf. also sindanóriello "from a grey country" in Namárië. Sindë and sinda_ are apparently variants of the same word.) _Stem sindi-, given the primitive form ¤thindi; cf. Sindicollo (q.v.)

sinyë

evening

sinyë (þ) noun "evening" (THIN)

hiswa

grey

hiswa (þ) adj. "grey" (KHIS/KHITH, Narqelion)

mista

grey

mista adj. "grey"; see lassemista

mista

adjective. grey

mísë

grey

mísë (þ, cf. Sindarin mith-) adj. "grey" (used as noun of grey clothes in the phrase mi mísë of someone clad "in grey"). The underlying stem refers a paler or whiter "grey" than sinda, making mísë "a luminous grey" (PE17:71-72)

vinyë

evening

[vinyë noun "evening" (VT46:21)]