Quenya 

hiswa

grey

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

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)

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.

Cognates

  • S. thind “grey, grey, [N.] pale” ✧ PE17/072; SA/thin(d)

Derivations

  • THIN “*grey” ✧ PE17/072
  • thindā “grey” ✧ PE17/072

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ΘIN > sinda[tʰinda] > [θinda] > [sinda]✧ PE17/072
þindā > sinda[tʰindā] > [θindā] > [θinda] > [sinda]✧ PE17/072

Variations

  • Sinda ✧ PE21/77
Quenya [PE17/072; PE17/117; PE21/77; SA/thin(d)] Group: Eldamo. Published by

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.)

cundu

prince

cundu ("k")noun "prince" (KUNDŪ; the "†_" indicating that this word is poetic or archaic was omitted in the Etymologies as printed in LR; see VT45:24)._ Cf. condo.

condo

prince, leader; lord

condo ("k")noun "prince, leader; lord" (PE17:113,117); possibly replaces cundu, q.v.

mista

grey

mista adj. "grey"; see lassemista

mista

adjective. grey

Cognates

  • S. mith “grey, light grey, pale grey”

Derivations

Element in

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)

Sindarin 

Thingol

noun. 'Grey-cloak'

prop. n. 'Grey-cloak'. Q. Sindacollo, Sindikollo. >> thin, thind, thinn

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:72:112:176] -. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

thingol

masculine name. Greycloak, Greymantle

Lord of Doriath whose name was translated “Greymantle” (S/56) or “Greycloak” (WJ/410), a combination of thind “grey” (SA/thin(d)) and the lenited form of coll “cloak”.

Conceptual Development: In earliest Lost Tales, this name appeared variously as G. Tintoglin (LT1/131), G. Tinthellon or Tinto’ellon (LT2/50, 61) and G. Tinwelint, the last of these being his most common name in the early tales (LT1/115, LT2/50, GL/70). The name Thingol emerged in the Lays of Beleriand from the 1920s (LB/9) and was used thereafter. In Early Noldorin notes from this period, ᴱN. Thingol contained the word ᴱN. thing “prince” (PE13/154).

In The Etymologies from the 1930s, the name Thingol was designated Doriathrin [Ilkorin], and its second element was first Ilk. gôl “light” (Ety/KAL) and then Ilk. (n)gôl “wise” (Ety/THIN). In Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s, the later meaning of his name “Greycloak” emerged along with its Quenya equivalent Sindicollo (MR/217).

Cognates

  • Q. Sindacollo “Grey-cloak, Greymantle” ✧ PE17/072; SI/Greymantle; SI/Sindar; SI/Thingol
  • Q. Sindicollo “Grey-cloak” ✧ PM/337; PMI/Sindikollo; PMI/Thingol; WJ/410; MR/217
  • Q. Singollo “Grey-cloak, Greymantle” ✧ LBI/Elu; SI/Elwë; SI/Sindar; SI/Singollo; SI/Thingol; UTI/Elu; UTI/Thingol; PE21/85; WJI/Elwë

Elements

WordGloss
thind“grey, grey, [N.] pale”
coll“cloak, mantle”
Sindarin [LBI/Elu; LotRI/Thingol; LT1I/Thingol; LT1I/Tinwelint; LT2I/Elu Thingol; MR/217; MRI/Thingol; PE17/072; PE17/112; PE21/85; PM/337; PMI/Sindikollo; PMI/Thingol; S/056; SA/thin(d); SI/Elwë; SI/Greymantle; SI/Sindar; SI/Singollo; SI/Thingol; UTI/Elu; UTI/Thingol; WJ/410; WJI/Elwë; WJI/Thingol] Group: Eldamo. Published by

thin

adjective. grey

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

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:72:112] < _þindā_ grey. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

thind

adjective. grey, pale

Sindarin [Ety/392, S/438] Group: SINDICT. Published by

thind

adjective. grey

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

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:72:112:141] < _þindā_ grey. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

thind

adjective. grey

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

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:140] < _þindĭ_-. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

thind

adjective. grey, grey, [N.] pale

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

Cognates

  • Q. sinda “grey” ✧ PE17/072; SA/thin(d)
  • Q. sindë “grey, pale or silvery grey, grey, pale or silvery grey, [ᴹQ.] pale” ✧ PE17/141; PE17/141; PE17/141

Derivations

  • thindā “grey” ✧ PE17/072
  • thindi “grey” ✧ PE17/140; PE17/141; PE17/141
    • THIN “*grey” ✧ WJ/384

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
þindā > thin(n)[tʰindā] > [tʰinda] > [θinda] > [θind] > [θinn]✧ PE17/072
þindĭ- > thind[tʰindi] > [tʰinde] > [θinde] > [θind]✧ PE17/140
thĭndĭ > thind[tʰindi] > [θindi] > [θind] > [θinn]✧ PE17/141

Variations

  • thin(n) ✧ PE17/072; PE17/112
  • thinn ✧ PE17/141; PE17/141
  • thin(d) ✧ SA/thin(d)
Sindarin [PE17/072; PE17/112; PE17/140; PE17/141; SA/thin(d)] Group: Eldamo. Published by

thinn

adjective. grey

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

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:72:112:141] < _þindā_ grey. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

thinn

adjective. grey

_adj. _grey. Q. sinde.

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:141] < _thindi-_. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

thinn

adjective. grey

hithren

adjective. grey

_ adj. _grey. >> thind

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:140] -. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

hithren

adjective. grey

Elements

WordGloss
hîth“mist”
Sindarin [PE17/140] Group: Eldamo. Published by

mithren

adjective. grey

Sindarin [UT/436] Group: SINDICT. Published by

mithren

adjective. grey

Changes

  • mithrenhithren ✧ PE17/140

Element in

Elements

WordGloss
mith“grey, light grey, pale grey”
-ren“adjective suffix”
Sindarin [LotR/1064; PE17/140] Group: Eldamo. Published by

mith

adjective. (pale) grey

Sindarin [Ety/373, S/434, TC/187] Group: SINDICT. Published by

mith

grey

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

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:47:60:140] -. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

ernil

noun. prince

Sindarin [LotR/VI:IV, Letters/308, UT/428, RGEO/75] Group: SINDICT. Published by

ernil

noun. prince

A noun for “prince” appearing in phrases like Ernil i Pheriannath “Prince of the Halflings” (LotR/768) and Dor-en-Ernil “Land of the Prince” (UT/245). Its initial element is likely a reduced form of aran “king, noble person”; compare to ar(a)- “noble” of similar origin. If so, the a became e due to i-affection. The final -il is harder to explain, because normally -il is a feminine suffix. Perhaps it is a reduction of hîl “heir”, so that the literal meaning is “✱king’s heir, royal heir”.

Conceptual Development: N. ernil also appeared in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s (WR/287).

Element in

Elements

WordGloss
aran“king, lord, chief, (lit.) high or noble person, king, lord, chief, (lit.) high or noble person; [N.] lord (of a specific region)”
hîl“heir”

Variations

  • Ernil ✧ Let/425; LotR/0768; LotR/0807; UT/245
Sindarin [Let/425; LotR/0768; LotR/0807; UT/245] Group: Eldamo. Published by

caun

prince

pl1. cónin {ō} n. prince, chief, head.

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:102] -. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

cund

noun. prince

Sindarin [Ety/366, VT/45:24, X/ND1] Group: SINDICT. Published by

caun

noun. prince, ruler

Sindarin [LotR/VI:IV, Letters/308] MS *kaun, Q. cáno. Group: SINDICT. Published by

Thingol

Greycloak

His epessë (honorary name) was Thingol (thind "grey" and coll "mantle") which means "Greycloak".

Quenya tradition names him Elwë and Singollo.

Sindarin [Tolkien Gateway "Thingol"] Published by

Thingol

Thingol

His epessë (honorary name) was Thingol (thind "grey" and coll "mantle") which means "Greycloak". Quenya tradition names him Elwë and Singollo.

Sindarin [Tolkien Gateway] Published by

thind

grey

(pale); no distinct pl. form.

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”.

mithren

grey

(lenited vithren, pl. mithrin).

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”.

conin

prince

(i chonin), occurring in the Cormallen Praise, is translated "princes" (Conin en Annûn = "princes of the west", Letters:308), but it is unclear what the singular would be. (David Salo suggests caun, though this word has two different meanings already; see

ernil

prince

1) ernil (no distinct pl. form), 2) †cund (i gund, o chund, construct cun), pl. cynd (i chynd) (VT45:24). 3) The plural form conin (i chonin), occurring in the Cormallen Praise, is translated "princes" (Conin en Annûn = "princes of the west", Letters:308), but it is unclear what the singular would be. (David Salo suggests caun, though this word has two different meanings already; see SHOUT, VALOUR)

ernil

prince

(no distinct pl. form)

cund

prince

(i gund, o chund, construct cun), pl. cynd (i chynd) (VT45:24).

Primitive elvish

thini

adjective. grey

thindi

adjective. grey

Changes

  • thinidethinida ✧ PE17/141
  • thinidithĭndĭ ✧ PE17/141

Derivations

  • THIN “*grey” ✧ WJ/384

Derivatives

  • Q. sindë “grey, pale or silvery grey, grey, pale or silvery grey, [ᴹQ.] pale” ✧ PE17/141; PE17/141; PE17/141; WJ/384
  • S. thind “grey, grey, [N.] pale” ✧ PE17/140; PE17/141; PE17/141
  • Van. thindë “grey, pale or silvery grey” ✧ WJ/384

Variations

  • þindĭ- ✧ PE17/140
  • thindi- ✧ PE17/141
  • thĭndĭ ✧ PE17/141
  • thinide ✧ PE17/141 (thinide)
  • thinidi ✧ PE17/141 (thinidi)
  • thini ✧ PE21/81
Primitive elvish [PE17/140; PE17/141; PE21/81; WJ/384] Group: Eldamo. Published by

thindā

adjective. grey

Derivations

Derivatives

  • Q. Sinda “Grey-elf” ✧ PE17/141; PE17/141
  • Q. sinda “grey” ✧ PE17/072
  • S. Thend “*Sinda, Grey-Elf” ✧ PE17/141; PE17/141
  • S. thind “grey, grey, [N.] pale” ✧ PE17/072

Variations

  • þindā ✧ PE17/072
  • thinida ✧ PE17/141
Primitive elvish [PE17/072; PE17/141; PE21/81] Group: Eldamo. Published by

stin

root. grey

Primitive elvish [PE17/184; PE17/186] Group: Eldamo. Published by

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).

Derivatives

  • mītha “*grey”
    • S. Mîth “*Sinda, Grey-Elf” ✧ PE17/140
  • Q. mísë “(light) grey”
  • Q. mista “grey”
  • S. mith “grey, light grey, pale grey”

Variations

  • MIÞ ✧ PE17/072
Primitive elvish [PE17/072] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Noldorin 

thind

adjective. grey, pale

Noldorin [Ety/392, S/438] Group: SINDICT. Published by

thinn

adjective. grey, pale

Noldorin [Ety/392, S/438] Group: SINDICT. Published by

mith

adjective. (pale) grey

Noldorin [Ety/373, S/434, TC/187] Group: SINDICT. Published by

mith

adjective. grey

Derivations

  • ᴹ√MITH “*mist, grey” ✧ Ety/MITH

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√MITH > mith[mitʰe] > [miθe] > [miθ]✧ Ety/MITH

Variations

  • mith ✧ Ety/MITH
Noldorin [Ety/MITH] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ernil

noun. prince

Element in

Elements

WordGloss
aran“king, lord (of a specific region)”

Variations

  • Ernil ✧ WR/287

cunn

noun. prince

Noldorin [Ety/366, VT/45:24, X/ND1] Group: SINDICT. Published by

cunn

noun. prince

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. kundu “prince” ✧ Ety/KUNDŪ

Derivations

  • ᴹ√KUNDU “prince” ✧ Ety/KUNDŪ

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√KUND-Ū > cunn[kundū] > [kundu] > [kundu] > [kund] > [kunn]✧ Ety/KUNDŪ
Noldorin [Ety/KUNDŪ; EtyAC/KUNDŪ] Group: Eldamo. Published by

mid

adjective. grey

Element in


Beware, older languages below! The languages below were invented during Tolkien's earlier period and should be used with caution. Remember to never, ever mix words from different languages!

Qenya 

tindingol

masculine name. *Grey-wise

An earlier name for Q. Singollo (LR/119), first appearing as Sindingul (SM/270), so perhaps a combination of a variant form of sinde “grey” and the root ÑGOL “wise”.

Changes

  • TindingolSindo ✧ LR/119
  • SindingulTindingol ✧ LRI/Sindingul
  • SindingulTindingol ✧ LRI/Tindingol
  • SindingulTindingol ✧ SM/270
  • SindingulTindingol ✧ SMI/Sindingul
  • SindingulTindingol ✧ SMI/Tindingol

Cognates

Elements

WordGloss
sinde“grey, pale”
ÑGOL“wise, wisdom, be wise”

Variations

  • Sindingul ✧ LRI/Sindingul; LRI/Tindingol; SM/270; SMI/Sindingul; SMI/Tindingol
Qenya [LR/119; LRI/Sindingul; LRI/Tindingol; SM/270; SMI/Sindingul; SMI/Tindingol] Group: Eldamo. Published by

hiswa

adjective. grey, grey [of weather], *foggy, overcast; [ᴱQ.] dim, fading

This word is glossed “grey” in The Etymologies, but perhaps means “✱foggy, overcast”, since Sindarin cognate hethw means “foggy, obscure, vague” and related noun hiswë means “fog”. @@@

Cognates

  • N. hethw “foggy, obscure, vague” ✧ Ety/KHIS
  • Ilk. hedhu “grey” ✧ Ety/KHIS

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶khithwa ✧ Ety/KHIS
    • ᴹ√KHITH “mist, fog” ✧ Ety/KHIS

Elements

WordGloss
hiswe“fog”
-a“adjectival suffix”

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶khithwa > hiswa[kʰitʰwa] > [kʰiθwa] > [xiθwa] > [hiθwa] > [hiswa]✧ Ety/KHIS

kundu

noun. prince

Cognates

  • N. cunn “prince” ✧ Ety/KUNDŪ

Derivations

  • ᴹ√KUNDU “prince” ✧ Ety/KUNDŪ

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√KUND-Ū > kundu[kundū] > [kundu]✧ Ety/KUNDŪ
Qenya [Ety/KUNDŪ; EtyAC/KUNDŪ] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Doriathrin

thingol

masculine name. *Grey-wise

Cognates

Element in

Elements

WordGloss
thind“grey”
(n)gôl“wise, magical”
Doriathrin [Ety/KAL; Ety/THIN; LBI/Thingol; LBI/Tinwelint; LR/215; LRI/Thingol; LT2/051; LT2I/Thingol; LT2I/Tinwelint; PE21/60; PE22/041; RSI/Thingol; SMI/Thingol; TII/Thingol; WRI/Thingol] Group: Eldamo. Published by

thind

adjective. grey

An adjective for “grey” derived from primitive ᴹ✶thindi (Ety/THIN) because primitive final vowels vanished in Ilkorin.

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. sinde “grey, pale” ✧ Ety/THIN

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶thindi “pallid, grey, wan” ✧ Ety/THIN
    • ᴹ√THIN “*grey” ✧ Ety/THIN

Element in

  • Ilk. Thind ✧ Ety/THIN
  • Ilk. Thingol “*Grey-wise” ✧ Ety/THIN

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶thindi > thind[tʰindi] > [tʰinde] > [θinde] > [θind]✧ Ety/THIN
Doriathrin [Ety/THIN] Group: Eldamo. Published by

hedhu

adjective. grey

A Doriathrin adjective for “grey” written heðu in The Etymologies, and derived from the primitive form ᴹ✶khithwa [kʰitʰwa] (Ety/KHIS). This word illustrates several interesting phonetic changes in Ilkorin.

  • The [[ilk|[i] became [e] before the final [a]]].

  • Both the aspirates became voiceless spirants: [kʰ-] > [x-] and [-tʰ-] > [-θ-].

  • Later the [[ilk|initial [x-] became [h-]]].

  • Meanwhile the [[ilk|medial [-θ-] voiced to [-ð-]]] (“dh”).

  • The [[ilk|primitive final [a] was lost]].

  • Afterwards, the resulting [[ilk|final [w] became [u]]].

In most other Doriathrin words, a [[ilk|final [u] from [w] further developed into [o]]]; it is unclear why this change did not occur here.

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. hiswa “grey, grey [of weather], *foggy, overcast; [ᴱQ.] dim, fading” ✧ Ety/KHIS

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶khithwa ✧ Ety/KHIS
    • ᴹ√KHITH “mist, fog” ✧ Ety/KHIS

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶khithwa > heðu[kʰitʰwa] > [kʰetʰwa] > [xetʰwa] > [xeθwa] > [xeθw] > [xeðw] > [heðw] > [heðu]✧ Ety/KHIS

Variations

  • heðu ✧ Ety/KHIS (Dor. heðu); EtyAC/KHIS (Dor. heðu)
Doriathrin [Ety/KHIS; EtyAC/KHIS] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Middle Primitive Elvish

kundu

root. prince

Derivatives

  • ᴹ✶kundū
  • ᴹQ. kundu “prince” ✧ Ety/KUNDŪ
  • N. cunn “prince” ✧ Ety/KUNDŪ

Element in

  • N. Felagund “Lord of Caves” ✧ Ety/PHÉLEG

Variations

  • KUND-Ū ✧ Ety/KUNDŪ
  • KUNDŪ ✧ Ety/PHÉLEG; EtyAC/KUNDŪ
Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/KUNDŪ; Ety/PHÉLEG; EtyAC/KUNDŪ] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Gnomish

musc

adjective. grey

Early Noldorin

thingol

masculine name. Thingol

Cognates

Variations

  • thingol ✧ PE13/154
Early Noldorin [PE13/154] Group: Eldamo. Published by

thing

noun. prince

Changes

  • thingolthing ✧ PE13/154

Element in

Variations

  • thingol ✧ PE13/154 (thingol)
Early Noldorin [PE13/154] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Quenya

turillo

noun. prince

Changes

  • ūriontūrion ✧ QL/096

Variations

  • tur-anion ✧ PME/096
  • tur-illo ✧ PME/096
  • tūrion ✧ QL/096
  • turanion ✧ QL/096
  • ūrion ✧ QL/096 (ūrion)
Early Quenya [PME/096; QL/096] Group: Eldamo. Published by

túrion

noun. prince

turanion

noun. prince

vardo

noun. prince

Cognates

  • G. bridhon “king, prince” ✧ LT2A/Tevildo

Element in

Variations

  • Vardo ✧ LT2A/Tevildo
Early Quenya [LT2A/Tevildo] Group: Eldamo. Published by