yer

root. desire (for marriage and bodily union), desire (for marriage and bodily union), [ᴹ√] feel sexual desire

The root ᴹ√YER “feel sexual desire” was a later addition to The Etymologies of the 1930s with derivatives like unglossed ᴹQ. yére and N. îr, probably nouns meaning “sexual desire” (EtyAC/YER). The root √YER was mentioned again in notes from 1959 with the gloss “desire (for marriage and bodily union)” (NM/20), serving as the basis for Q. yermë with the sense “sexual desire” specifically within the context of marriage for the purposes of procreation (NM/16). Tolkien said that the Elves had little in the way of sexual interests outside of this context, and that the notion of sexual desire in the absense of love between spouses was an alien idea to the Elves, in keeping with Tolkien’s own Catholic sensibilities. For “improper” sexual desires, the Elves would likely use other terms like ᴹQ. maile/N. moel “lust” [ᴺS. mael] from the root ᴹ√MIL(IK).

Changes

• ūyer → yer ✧ NM/020

Derivatives

• Q. yermë “sexual desire (for marriage and procreation)”

Variations

• yer ✧ NM/020
• ūyer ✧ NM/025 (ūyer)