A noun for “web” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from the root ᴹ√NAT “lace, weave, tie” with Quenya cognate ᴹQ. natse (Ety/NAT).
Primitive elvish
web
root. *worm
uñg
root. spider
wairē
feminine name. Weaver
Noldorin
nath
noun. web
nath
noun. web
gwî
noun. net, web
gwî
noun. net, web
thling
noun. spider, spider's web, cobweb
nathron
noun. weaver, webster
A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “weaver, webster”, an agental form of N. nath “web” (Ety/NAT).
nathron
noun. weaver, webster
thlingril
noun. spider
A noun appearing as N. thlingril “spider” in The Etymologies, probably a feminine form of N. thling “spider, spider’s web, cobweb” (Ety/SLIG). Christopher Tolkien said the r was uncertain.
Neo-Sindarin: Since initial sl- became lh- in Sindarin, most Neo-Sindarin writers adapt this word as ᴺS. lhingril, as suggested in HSD (HSD). This word is somewhat questionable, since in later writings √ungu- was the basis for spider words (PE22/160). I think ᴹ√SLIG may be reinterpreted as having to do with threads, and as such I think ᴺS. lhingril can be retained as originally meaning “(female) web spinner”. However, I recommend later S. ungol as the more common Sindarin word for “spider”.
gwîr
feminine name. Weaver
thlingril
noun. spider
ungol
noun. spider
ungol
noun. spider
Quenya
natsë
web, net
natsë noun "web, net" (NAT)
natsemen
noun. website, (lit.) web-spot
liantë
spider
liantë (1) noun "spider" (SLIG), in earlier sources ascribed other meanings:(2)liantë "tendril" (LT1:271) and (3) "vine" (PE14:55, cf. liantassë elsewhere)
raima
net
raima noun "net" (VT42:12)
raima
noun. net
remba-
net, entrap
remba- vb. "net, entrap" (VT42:12)
Sindarin
lhing
noun. spider, spider's web, cobweb
gwî
web
1) gwî (i **wî) (net), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwî), 2) nath (pl. naith**).
gwî
web
(i ’wî) (net), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwî)
nath
web
(pl. naith).
lhing
spider’s web
(?i thling or ?i ling – the lenition product of lh is uncertain) (cobweb), no distinct pl. form except possibly with article (?i ling). Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” thling.
lhing
spider’s web, cobweb
(?i thling or ?i ling – the lenition product of lh is uncertain) (also used = ”spider”); no distinct pl. form except possibly with article (?i ling). – Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” thling.
nathron
webster
nathron (weaver), pl. nethryn, coll. pl. nathronnath. Note: this is apparently a masc. form (the fem. form could be *nethril; compare masc. lathron and fem. lethril as words for ”listener”)
nathron
webster
(weaver), pl. nethryn, coll. pl. nathronnath. Note: this is apparently a masc. form (the fem. form could be ✱nethril; compare masc. lathron and fem. lethril as words for ”listener”)
ungol
noun. spider
The Sindarin word for “spider” (Let/180; RC/490, 767), derived from √ungu- that was the basis for spider words (PE22/160).
Conceptual Development: The Gnomish word for “spider” was initially G. gung in both the Qenya Lexicon and Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s as a derivative of the early root ᴱ√GUŊU (QL/98; GL/43), also appearing an element in G. Gungliont, the earliest name of Ungoliant (LT1/160). In the Gnomish Lexicon the word gung was crossed through, but may have become ging in G. gwidh-a-ging “cobweb” (GL/46). Regardless, Tolkien added G. ungwi “spider” in pencil to the Gnomish Lexicon (GL/75), which seems to indicate a change of the root from ᴱ√GUŊU to ᴱ√UŊU, consistent with the replacement name G. Ungoliont from the contemporaneous narratives (LT1/152).
In The Etymologies of the 1930s, “spider” words were derived from the root ᴹ√SLIG (Ety/SLIG); see N. thling for discussion. Tolkien soon restored Ung-, however, since N. ungol was translated as “spider” in Lord of the Rings drafts of the 1940s (WR/202).
gwî
net
1) gwî (i **wî) (web), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwî), 2) raef, no distinct pl. form except with article (idh raef), coll. pl. raevath. Note: raef has a side-form raew, but since this also means ”fathom”, raef may be preferred for clarity. 3) rem (mesh), pl. rim (idh rim), coll. pl. remmath**. Verb
gwî
net
(i ’wî) (web), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwî)
nathron
weaver
nathron (webster), pl. nethryn, coll. pl. nathronnath. Note: this is apparently a masc. form (the fem. form could be *nethril; compare masc. lathron and fem. lethril as words for ”listener”)
nathron
weaver
(webster), pl. nethryn, coll. pl. nathronnath. Note: this is apparently a masc. form (the fem. form could be ✱nethril; compare masc. lathron and fem. lethril as words for ”listener”)
lhingril
noun. spider
raef
noun. net
raef
noun. net
raew
noun. net
raew
noun. net
ungol
noun. spider
lhingril
noun. spider
lhingril
spider
(?i thlingril or ?i lingril – the lenition product of lh is uncertain); no distinct pl. form except possibly with article (?i lingril). Coll. pl. lhingrillath. (Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” *thlingril**.*)
lhê
spider filament
(?i thlê or ?i lê – the lenition product of lh is uncertain) (fine thread), pl. lhî (?i lî). Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” thlê.
raef
net
no distinct pl. form except with article (idh raef), coll. pl. raevath. Note: raef has a side-form raew, but since this also means ”fathom”, raef may be preferred for clarity.
raen
netted
(enlaced). No distinct pl. form. (VT42:12)
rem
net
(mesh), pl. rim (idh rim), coll. pl. remmath. Verb
remmen
netted
(tangled, woven), pl. #remmin attested (as part of the phrase galadhremmin ennorath, LotR Appendix E)
ungol
spider
1) ungol (pl. yngyl); coll. pl. ?unglath or ungolath; 2) *lhingril (?i thlingril or ?i lingril the lenition product of lh is uncertain); no distinct pl. form except possibly with article (?i lingril). Coll. pl. lhingrillath. (Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” thlingril.) 3) or
ungol
spider
(pl. yngyl); coll. pl. ?unglath or ungolath
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!
Doriathrin
nass
noun. web
A Doriathrin noun for “web” (Ety/NAT). Its Quenya cognate ᴹQ. natse indicates a primitive form ✱✶natsē, where the [ts] became [ss] because [[ilk|medial voiceless stops became [s] before [s]]] in Ilkorin.
Gnomish
gwaidhin
noun. web
gung
noun. spider
cing(win)
noun. spider
A noun for “spider” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s with variants cing and cingwin (GL/26). Tolkien indicated this word was related to G. cang “tangled” (GL/25), which was probably based on the early root ᴱ√KAŊA “weave, twine” (QL/45, 98). The i in cing indicates the primitive form was probably kŋ̣g-, since short syllabic nasals became in in Gnomish.
ging
noun. spider
gwinn
noun. net
gwith
noun. net
ungwi
noun. spider
Early Quenya
kangale
noun. web
kangaris
noun. spider
makse
noun. net
ungwe
noun. spider
Qenya
natse
noun. web, net
liante
noun. spider, spider, [ᴱQ.] tendril, vine
A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “spider” derived from the root ᴹ√SLIG with various other derivatives having to do with webs and fine threads (Ety/SLIG). Most notably it was the second element in the name ᴹQ. Ungoliante “Gloomweaver” (LR/230). In the paradigm of The Etymologies, ᴹQ. ungo was “cloud, dark shadow” (Ety/UÑG), not “spider”.
Conceptual Development: In the Qenya Lexicon and Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa of the 1910s, ᴱQ. liante was glossed “tendril” and was derived from the early root ᴱ√LI+ya “unite many in one” (QL/53, PME/53). In this period it was an element in the name ᴱQ. Ungweliante or Ungwe Lianti “the great spider who enmeshes” (LT1/152), where the intial element ᴱQ. ungwe meant “spider” (QL/98). In the Early Qenya Grammar of the 1920s, ᴱQ. liante was translated “vine” (PE14/55), as opposed to the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s where ᴱQ. liantasse was “vine” (QL/53).
Neo-Quenya: Tolkien gave no other Quenya words for “spider” in his later writings, but S. ungol was glossed “spider” (Let/180; RC/490, 767) and √ungu- was described as the basis for “spider words” (PE22/160), making it very likely that ✱ungol was “spider” in his later conception of the name Q. Ungoliantë. However, I think [ᴹQ.] liante might be reconceived of as a (feminine?) agental form originally meaning “weaver” or “webspinner”. Furthermore, I think [ᴺQ.] ungol might have come to be associated only with monstrous spiders, the descendants of Ungoliantë, so that [ᴹQ.] liante came to be used of ordinary spiders.
vaire
feminine name. Weaver
Early Primitive Elvish
gweve
root. *worm
A root in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like ᴱQ. wembe/G. gwem “worm” (QL/103, GL/45). There are no signs of this root in Tolkien’s later writing. It might be worth retaining this root for the purposes of Neo-Eldarin (as ᴺ√WEB) to salvage some of its early derivatives; there is the much later root √LEWEK “worm” (PE17/160), but its derivatives (particularly in Quenya) seem to have more do to with snakes than insects.
Middle Primitive Elvish
weirē
feminine name. Weaver
This root and ones like it were tied to spider words for much of Tolkien’s life, most notably in the name S. Ungoliant and its precursors. The earliest iteration of this root was unglossed ᴱ√GUŊU in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like ᴱQ. ungwe/G. gung “spider” (QL/98); Tolkien marked the root with a “?” and given that the Qenya forms had no initial consonant, the actual root may have been ✱ᴱ√ƷUŊU. In The Lost Tales of the 1910s, Tolkien changed G. Gungliont to G. Ungoliont (LT1/156), and in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon the word for “spider” was G. ungwi (GL/75), so it seems Tolkien revised {✱ᴱ√ƷUŊU >>} ✱ᴱ√UŊU.
In The Etymologies of the 1930s, unglossed ᴹ√UÑG had derivatives like ᴹQ. ungwe “gloom” and ᴹQ. ungo “cloud, dark shadow” (Ety/UÑG), and it was the second element ᴹQ. liante in ᴹQ. Ungoliante that meant “spider” (Ety/SLIG). However, in notes from 1969 Tolkien gave ✱ungu- as the basis for “spider” words (PE22/160), as reflected in Q. ungwë “spider’s web” (LotR/1122) and S. ungol “spider” in his later writings (Let/180; RC/490, 767).