AbbreviationsAS Anglo-Saxon
B Black Speech
CS Common Speech
D Dwarvish
Etym Etymologies
H or 'Hob' - Hobbit Dictionary [mixed with CS]
M Mannish
Nol Noldorin [ancient Elven]
Num Númenórean
OE Old English
Q Quenyan [High Elven]
Roh Rohirric
S Sindarin [Common Elven]
Sil Silmarillion Appendix - Dictionary
comb. combining form
plur. plural
fem feminine
masc masculine
Roots in BOLD TYPE CAPITALS refer to listing
in
The Etymologies section, The Lost Road,
J.R.R. Tolkien,
Del Rey Books, ©1987 -- bracketed [Etym]
Roots in bold small type refer to listing in The
Silmarillion, Appendix, J.R.R. Tolkien and Christopher
Tolkien, Houghton Mifflin
Company, ©1977 -- bracketed [Sil]
Words of the language of the Rohirrim are traced
to possible roots in the ancient Elven tongue,
although there is no authority
for confirming such a derivation; the terms are derived from ancient
English, especially Anglo
Saxon
=====
Radagast the Brown M; anglicized
form of CS; AS rad wise, discerning ... ræde prepared
[for -],
skilled; AS gast
angel, spirit; five Wizards were known to have come to Middle Earth, but
only three
are commented upon: Saruman
the White, Gandalf the Grey and Radagast the Brown; Radagast
seems to have been a naturalist
[Q name Aiwendil: AIWE- (small) bird, Q aiwe (Etym)
+
NIL-, NDIL-
friend, in names -nil,
-dil (Etym) = 'friend of birds'], and may have thus abrogated his
mission in the
War of the Ring; he may
have been a shape-shifter; [Tolkien makes the statement that the name was
not interpretable, presumably
to the people of the Anduin vales, much as Latin would be
uninterpretable to most
people today]
The name appears in Slavonic history [Radigast, Radogost],
but, while the figure is associated
with wild animals, he appears to have had a war-like nature rather than
being a naturalist
Radbug B; perhaps rad-
is a variant of -rat in Shagrat; by one interpretation, perhaps
Shout
obscenities; an
Orc
Rammas (Echor)
S; (great)
Encircling wall; ram wall [Sil]; the -as
element is probably augmentative -
'Great Wall' [see Celos];
the original stem is RAMBA- wall, Nol rhamb [Etym], S ram,
with -mm-
when followed by a vowel;
echor encircling [Sil; from ET- forth, out (Etym) + KOR-
round, Nol cór
(Etym), S chor,
gor]; sometimes called simply 'the Rammas'; the great wall that
bordered the
Pelennor Fields
Rangers anglicized form
of CS; Dúnedain warriors that patrolled remote areas; they were
grim in
appearance and led austere
lives; most of their valuable risks went unregarded by those they
protected
of
Ithilien anglicized form of CS; those that
patrolled the reaches of Mordor east of the Anduin
of
the North anglicized form of CS; those that
patrolled Eriador, especially the borders of the
Shire
Rath Celerdain S; Lampwrights'
Street; RAT- walk, Nol rath street [Etym; usually a steep
street];
KALAR- [from KAL-
shine + (perhaps) LAR- rich, abundant (not in the published Etym)], Nol
celeir
brilliant [Etym]; TAN-
make [Etym; S dan smith; the -i- forms a S plur.]; broad
street at Minas Tirith
[see next entry]
Rath Dínen S; Silent
Street; rath- see previous; the name indicated a long street,
especially one with
an incline, as rath
generally implied 'climb' [see Amroth]; dîn silent
[Sil]; the source of dîn is not
given; it may relate to
TIN-
sparkle, which is extended in Nol to tinw small star, and tinnu
dusk,
twilight [Etym], as a
'quiet' time of day; -en is an adjectival ending in S; street at
Minas Tirith that led
from the Citadel down
to the Tombs of the Kings; see Gallery
Rauros S, perhaps M &
S; Roaring mist;
RAW- *rau lion [Etym], related to
RAB- wild, untamed,
Nol rhaw [Etym];
ros foam, fine rain [Sil]; AS rar, rarung roaring;
the name appears to be a bit of a
Tolkien 'jest'; falls
on the Anduin east of Rohan
Red Arrow anglicized form
of CS; a royal emblem of Gondor sent to Rohan to call for help; red
perhaps to denote blood,
whether due to a blood oath or simply a dire need
Red Book (of Westmarch)
anglicized form of CS; much copied book by Bilbo, Frodo and Samwise of
their adventures
Redhorn, the anglicized
form of CS; one of the major peaks of the Misty Mountains; in D Barazinbar;
S Caradhras
Redhorn Gate anglicized
form of CS; also known as the Redhorn Pass and the eastern end as
Dimrill
Stair
Remmirath S; the Netted
Stars; the first element would seem to derive from REP- bend
...
rempa
hooked [Etym]; more likely
it derives from RAY net, knit, from which derives Q raima and S
rem(m)
net [not in Etym]; mîr
jewel [poetically as 'stars'] [Sil]; -ath is a collective plural,
see Sil Argonath; a
constellation identified
as The Pleiades
Renewer, the anglicized
form of CS; see Aragorn
Rhosgobel Nol; Hedged
brown mews; Tolkien actually translates the term 'Brownhay', where
'hay' is
OE hæg hedge,
enclosure; RUSKA- Nol rhosc brown [Etym]; PEL(ES)-
fenced field, Nol gobel
village (as an enclosure)
[Etym]; the gobel form may prefix the stem KHOP- haven, which
in the
older lexicons developed
the form gobos 'haven' and gob 'hollow'; however, in S it
may be simply an
expansive prefix from
WO- together, S go- [Etym; see, for example, Legolas]
- 'all enclosed', thus
mews; retreat of
Radagast in the southern reaches of Mirkwood
Rhûn S; east
[-ern];
rómen east, S rhûn [Sil; from
RO- rise + MEN- place = sunrise = East]; inland sea
east of Middle Earth and
the lands beyond
Rhymes of Lore anglicized
form of CS; lays poetically detailing historical sagas
Riddermark, the anglicized
form of Roh Lôgrad [lô-, loho horse; grad
district]; the Mark; AS ridere
rider, knight, also AS
ridehere
mounted force; AS mearc district, borders; implied is AS mearh
horse; see Rohan
Riddle-game anglicized
form of CS; a sort of intellectual contest to settle issues otherwise difficult
of
resolution
Ringló Vale anglicized
form of CS and S; Valley of the cold flood; ring cold [Sil];
the last element
derives from LOG-, S lô
fenland, a stem not given in Etym, meaning 'swampy'; a river valley in
Lamedon, Gondor
[Rings of Power see Appendix
A]
Ringwraiths anglicized
form of CS; wraith = shadow, phantom; see Nazgûl
Rivendell anglicized form
of CS term Karningul [see Hob]; Middle English riven to tear
apart, rend;
Middle English delle,
from OE dæl valley; Steep cleft; home of Elrond the
Half-elven on the western
slopes of the Misty Mountains;
see Gallery
Rohan adapted form of
S: roch horse, Rohan (from Rochand 'land of horses')
[Sil]; LAD- wide, Nol
lhand, lhann
region, land [Etym; often shortened as a suffix in names]; ceded by Gondor
to the
cavalry of the Éothéod
in the middle of the Third Age due to their service at the Battle of the
Field of
Celebrant; Rohan was a
wide grassland bordered by the Ered Nimrais, the Misty Mountains and
Fangorn Forest; it opened
into the broad lowlands of the Anduin in the east; see Riddermark;
see
Calenardhon
East Wall of anglicized form of CS; steep
cliff-fall on the eastern reaches of Rohan
Gap of anglicized form of CS; narrowing
on western border of Rohan, site of the Fords of Isen
Wold of anglicized form of CS; AS weald
possession, forest; area east of Fangorn Forest
Roheryn S; Horse of
the lady; roch horse [Sil]; heru lord, híril
lady [Sil]; in S the -ryn ending would
normally be a plur. for
-ron; here it seems to denote a possessive form, but may be a variant
of the S
feminine form -en,
which is adjectival: 'lady-horse' = horse of the lady; horse of Aragorn,
so named
as he received the horse
from the Lady Arwen
Rohirrim S; Horse masters;
roh-
see previous; heru lord, S hîr [Sil];
rim host,
people [Sil]; the
people of Rohan, in their
own tongue 'Eorlingas' - sons of Eorl, especially their fierce warriors
and
cavalry
Riders of Rohan anglicized form of CS; cavalry
units
Horse-lords (-men) anglicized form
of S Rohirrim
Riders of the Mark, or Rohan anglicized
form of CS; see
Riddermark, the
Rules, the anglicized
form of H; the laws of the Shire
Rumble, Widow anglicized
form of H; ?OE romblen rumor, gossip; or perhaps realted to AS rumlic
kind; member of a family
of the Shire
Rúmil Q; Student
of secrets? an Elf of Valinor; there is no record that Rúmil
ever returned east to
Middle Earth; he also
had disciples, such as Pengolod The Wise who had lived in Gondolin
in the
First Age; see Sil
Rushey anglicized form
of H; rush- see next; -ey 'small island'; high ground
in the Marish in the
Rushlight anglicized form
of CS; OE rusche straw, reed; AS leóht not heavy,
or OE liht light,
probably denoting a pale
color; family name at Bree
Shire
Sackville-Baggins anglicized
form of H; obnoxious branch of H family that died out after two
generations; note sack
and bag; see Baggins
Lobelia
anglicized form of H name; Hobbits mostly named their daughters after flowers;
lobelia
is described as having showy lipped flowers; her actual H name was
Hamanullas
Lotho
anglicized form of H; son of Lobelia and Otho; appointed himself the 'Chief'
of the Shire
Otho
anglicized form of H; kept character with the rest of the clan
Sammath Naur Q-influenced
S; Chambers of Fire; STAB- Q sambe chamber, Nol tham
[Etym; S
sammath would seem
to be the exception to the rule; normally base st- becomes Q s-,
Nol th- ||STAN-
fix, Q sanda, Nol
then
(Etym); STAR- stiff, Q sara, Nol thâr (Etym)
... etc.|| the same holds true with
the name Sauron,
from THUS- foul, Q saura, Nol thû (Etym) - but
S retains the Q phonology sau-];
-ath is a S collective
plural, see Sil Argonath; in S the -m- becomes -mm-
before a vowel; nár fire, S
naur [Sil]; fissures,
including the
Crack of Doom, in the volcanic mountain of Orodruin;
see Gallery
Sandheaver anglicized
form of H; family name at Bree and in the Shire; presumably they burrowed
into
softer ground; there is
a similar [archaic] expression in the southern U.S.: sandhillers,
rustic folk who
live in lowland pine regions
of the piedmont
Sandyman the Miller anglicized
form of H family name; they operated a mill in the Shire
Ted
anglicized form of H; allied himself with Lotho Sackville-Baggins
Sarn Ford anglicized form
of S Sarn Athrad ford of stones [see Sil]; ford across the Brandywine
south
of the Shire
Sarn Gebir S; Rocky
knobs or Stone spikes; sarn small stone [Sil]; KEPER-
knob, Nol ceber, plur.
cebir [Etym] S
gebir [Etym is unclear in the original handscript for this stem,
which may account for
the word 'spikes' (Unfinished
Tales); the start of the rapids are described as 'stake-like spikes
of
rock']; rapids on the
Anduin above the Argonath
Saruman M; Man of craft;
AS searu cleverness, cunning; chief of the Wizards, known as The
White
Sauron Q; The Abhorred;
see Sammath Naur above; see Sil; see Appendix B
Scary anglicized form
of H;
Quarry; from Middle English skere a steep rocky emminence;
AS
scieran
hew, cut; the word comes
down from the Latin and Greek, as in 'scar' or 'escarpment'; the
village of
Scary was the site of
stone quarries
Scatha the Worm M; Fiend;
AS sceaða assassin, devil; a dragon, slain in the middle
of the Third Age
Seat of Seeing anglicized
form of CS; see Amon Hen
Second Age anglicized
form of CS; the period of approximately 3440 years from the overthrow of
Morgoth to the defeat
of Sauron by the Last Alliance; during this period the Rings of Power were
forged, Númenor
was created and populated and Mordor was developed as Sauron's base of
power
Secret Fire anglicized
form of CS; a mystical power or quality that sustained life in creation,
presumably
emanating from the Creator;
the pivot of the battle between good and evil
Seeing Stones anglicized
form of CS; see palantíri
Seven (Rings) anglicized
form of CS; of the Rings of Power, seven were forged for the Dwarves
Seven Stones anglicized
form of CS; see palantíri
Shadow, the anglicized
form of CS; essentially the product of evil in the world, specifically
Morgoth
and his spawn, including
Sauron
Shadowfax anglicized form
of CS; Silver grey; AS sceaduw shade, duskiness; AS feax
hair; Gandalf's
horse
Shadow Host anglicized
form of CS; see Dead, The
Shadowmere anglicized
form of CS; a reflecting pond in Eldamar
Shagrat B; shag-
may be a dialectal variant of shakh lord, denoting his rank of captain;
perhaps Cruel
commander; Orc,
captain of the tower at Cirith Ungol
Sharkey anglicized form
of H; the text says the name possibly derives from Orcish sharkû
old man; it
could be related to AS
scearp
shrewd, bitter, or Gaelic searg wither, Old High German
swërcan,
Old
Saxon swercan become
gloomy; stripped of his powers as a Wizard, Saruman descends into
gangsterism among the
Halflings; see Saruman
Sharkey's End anglicized
form of H; Bagshot Row as renamed by Sharkey's gang
sharkû B;
see
Sharkey
Shathûr D; shortening
of Bundushathûr
Shelob anglicized form
of CS; She-spider; AS lobbe spider; a case might be made
that the name is
related to Elvish; a combining
form of
S- ... se she [Etym], and THEL- sister [Etym];
the last element
could be a variant of
LUM-
gloom [Etym], along with DO3, DÔ- 1óme
night, gloom [Etym]; Sister of
gloom; the
great spiders of Middle Earth spun their webs so thickly that they shaded
out most of
the light; Shelob rendered
the Morgul Pass at Cirith Ungol nearly impassable and sated herself on
Orcs
Shire, the anglicized
form of H Sûza [-t]; AS scire province; region
of Eriador where the Hobbits lived
Shire-moot anglicized
form of H; shire see previous; OE moten - assemble for conversation
Shire-muster anglicized
form of H; general mobilisation of the Shire
Shire-reckoning anglicized
form of H; calendar reckoning in the Shire
Shirriffs anglicized form
of H; Middle English shirreve, from OE scirgerefa - scire
[see Shire] and
(ge)refa
reeve; also known as The Watch; Shire police - a somewhat casual
office
Shriekers anglicized form
of B; an Orcish name for the Nazgûl
Sickle anglicized form
of H; the constellation Ursa Major [Big Dipper]; also in Q Valacirca
[see Sil]
Silent Street anglicized
form of CS; see Rath Dínen; see Gallery
Silent Watchers anglicized
form of CS; psychically activated statues at the gates of Cirith Ungol
Silmaril S; Brilliant
silver (light); see Sil
Silver Crown anglicized
form of CS; the winged silver crown of Gondor
Silverlode anglicized
form of CS; S: Celebrant; lode from OE lad course
Silvertine anglicized
form of CS; S: Celebdil; D: Zirak-Zigil; Middle English tind
a slender pointed
prong; in his Letters
Tolkien mentioned a trip to Switzerland's Silberhorn as reflecting
his view of
the Silvertine [same meaning];
one of the three peaks of Moria
Simbelmynë Roh; Evermind;
AS simbel always; AS myne remembrance, mynd mind;
small perennial
flower that grew on the
grave mounds of the kings of Rohan
Sirannon S; the Gate-stream;
sîr
river [Sil]; annon (great) gate [Sil]; stream flowing from west
gate of
Khazad-dûm
Skinbark anglicized form
of CS; an Ent; see Fladrif
Slinker anglicized
form of H; Samwise's nickname for Gollum; see Gollum
Smallburrow, Robin anglicized
form of H; a Hobbit of the Shire
Smaug M; Worm or
burrower;
'Smaug' is the anglicized form from a CS/Roh root trah- to purse,
make
stealthy, which yields
the name of Smaug in CS as Trahan, in Dale as Trâgu;
it has been pointed out
how much the words trahan
and trâgu mirror the English 'dragon'; the source in AS is
smug creep
[related to an ancient
Germanic verb smugan - to squeeze through a hole], from which OE
sméag
to
dig, penetrate; from this
source, for example, derives such words of Middle Earth as Sméagol
[see
below] and smials
[see below]; a dragon that seized the Dwarfish treasures and hoarded them
in
Erebor
Sméagol anglicized
form of H name Trahald 'apt to creep into a hole'; ancient Hobbit
that possessed
the One Ring for centuries;
see Smaug; see Better Smials; see Gollum
Smials anglicized form
of H trân; burrow-dwellings constructed by Hobbits; see Better
Smials; see
Smaug above; see
Great Smials
Snaga B; given as 'slave';
name of two Orcs
Snowbourn River Roh; White
water; snow = white; OE borne, burne bubble (as
a spring); a river of
Rohan
Snowmane Roh; White
crested; a Meara of Rohan; a mount of King Théoden; see
also Mearas
Southern Star anglicized
form of CS; a form of tobacco; see pipe-weed
Southfarthing anglicized
form of H; farthing = fourthing; a quadrant of the Shire
South Lane anglicized
form of H; a road of the Shire
Southlinch anglicized
form of CS; a form of tobacco grown at Bree; ?AS hlinc hill, ridge;
see
pipe-weed
South Road anglicized
form of CS; a road of Gondor from Minas Tirith to the port of Pelargir
Southrons anglicized form
of H; see Haradrim
Springle-ring anglicized
form of H; from OE & AS springan jump, leap; a Hobbit dance
Staddle anglicized form
of CS; AS staðol prop, frame, sometimes 'sapling'; a
village of Bree, perhaps a
granary or where hay was
stored
Stair Falls anglicized
form of CS; series of waterfalls on the Sirannon
Starkhorn anglicized form
of CS; AS stearc severe, rough; a spiked peak in the Ered Nimrais
Star of Elendil anglicized
form of CS; a diamond ensign of royalty for the Dúnedain of the
north,
commemorative of the first
king following the fall of Númenor
Star of the North Kingdom
anglicized form of CS; see Star of Elendil
Stewards anglicized
form of CS; when the line of royal succession failed in Gondor, the Stewards
ruled in their place;
see also Denethor, Faramir; see Sil entry Mardil
Steward's Door anglicized
form of CS; see Closed Door, Fen Hollen; see Gallery
Sting anglicized form
of H; an ancient sword that could detect Orcs, found by Bilbo, used by Frodo
and Samwise
Stinker anglicized form
of H; nickname give to Gollum by Samwise; see Gollum
Stock anglicized form
of H [bas ?]; AS stoc place, hamlet; in the Gaelic and German
it suggests a
'stump' or loggers' camp;
perhaps 'stocks', a form of punishment, or short for 'stockade'; a village
in
the Shire
Stone-city anglicized
form of CS for Minas Tirith; see also Gondor 'stone land'
Stone-folk anglicized
form of CS; term used by the wild men of Ghân-buri-Ghân
Stonewain Valley anglicized
form of CS; AS wægn waggon; forgotten passage at the eastern
end of
the Ered Nimrais
Stoning-land name in Roh
of Gondor
Stoors anglicized form of H;
stout;
one of the three main divisions of Hobbits; see Hobbitry
Straight Stair anglicized
form of CS; steep narrow stair on the ascent to Cirith Ungol
Strawheads anglicized
form of ancient M; see Forgoil
Strider anglicized form
of CS; see Telcontar; see Aragorn
Strider (pony)
anglicized form of CS; pony that Frodo took from Minas Tirith back to the
Shire
Stybba Roh; AS stybb
stump, stub; pony of Rohan given to Merry
Sundering Seas anglicized
form of CS; Belegaer in general, the Shadowy Seas specifically;
see also
Evernight, Lost
Isle, Night of Naught
Sunlands anglicized form
of H; a term vaguely applied to all lands far south of the Shire
Sunlending Roh; in the
tongue of Rohan the name for Anórien; AS lend land; see Anórien
Sunless Year anglicized
form of CS; a term used in an anglicized form of an Elven song about the
sowing of the stars in
the earliest ages of the world; the translation year is a bit of
a misnomer,
probably for the rhyme,
as there was no such astronomical division in that twilight period
Swertings anglicized form
of H; AS sweart swarthy, dark; the name appears in Beowulf;
Shire name
for the Haradrim
Targon S; ?Royal stone;
tar-
high, royal [Sil]; gond stone [Sil]; this analysis is in doubt;
the last
element might derive from
káno
commander [-gon in names; Sil; unlikely]; the first element could
relate to
TÁRAG-
tough [Etym] or even TARÁK- horn [Etym; in a similar sense
to 'wine steward',
with (r)on,
an agental suffix: ?'steward of the horn (flagon)']; a man of Gondor, keeper
of stores and
a cook
tarks B; Orkish
corruption of Q Tarkil - 'Man of Gondor' [tar- high, noble
(Sil) + khil- follow (Sil);
'followers' - a figurative
term for
Men and specifically the Edain, since Men 'awakened' following
the
awakening of the Elves];
there may be a relation to CS through Gaelic tàir, tarcuis
'contempt'; an
Orkish pejorative for
the Edain
Tarlang's Neck S and M;
either
High Neck or Barren Ridge; tar- high [Sil];
LANK- throat, Nol
lhanc [Etym]; Tar
+ lang = 'High neck' - 'neck' repeated due to both S and M
use combined ... also
because over time the
term tarlang became a proper name; Unfinished Tales, Index,
edited by
Christopher Tolkien,
entry
'Amon Lanc' identifies the translation as Naked Hill; this
lanc in 'Amon
Lanc' indicates a duplicated
form: LANK- throat, and
LAG- Q lango broad sword,
Nol
lhang [Etym];
a missing stem for 'naked'
or 'barren' is suggested, or an unknown derivative of SKEL- Q helma
skin,
*skelna naked,
N hell [Etym], *hlank naked [proposed]; Tarlang's Neck was
a finger of the Ered
Nimrais forming the western
border of Lamedon in Gondor; see discussion in Supplemental Section
Tarmenel Q; High airs;
tar-
high, royal [Sil]; menel the heavens [Sil; MEN- place (Etym)
+ EL- star
(Etym)]; area of the winds
of Manwë [i.e.: above the clouds]
Tasarinan Q; Valley
of willows; S Nan-tathren; tathar willow, Q tasarë
[Sil]; in the older lexicons
the element tathra-
[and its presumed Q counterpart tasar] meant 'to number, count';
they may or
may not relate to the
origin of tathar here - perhaps in the sense of 'great height' or
'great quantity';
-i forms a plur.
in Q;
nan(d) valley [Sil]; see Sil Nan-tathren
Tauremorna (Tauremornalomë)
Q; Black forest (Dark-shade forest); taur forest [Sil];
MOR-
black,
Q morna gloomy
[Etym];
lómë dusk [Sil]; one Ent name for Fangorn Forest
Teeth of Mordor anglicized
form of CS; see Morannon
Telchar Doriathrin? TÉLEK-
stalk, leg [arm], Nol telch [Etym]; or perhaps TEL-, TELU-
hood,
covering [Etym; 'helmet'];
KAR- make, do [Etym]; name of Dwarvish armourer of the First Age
Telcontar Q; Strider;
TÉLEK-
stalk, Q telko leg [Etym]; ONO- beget, Q ontaro begetter
[Etym];
'High Elven' name of the
Ranger-King Aragorn-Elessar
Telperion Q; White
(tree)
of Tirion; see Sil
Thangorodrim S; Opression
peaks; see Sil
Tharbad S; Crossroad;
thar-
across ... thara-pata 'crossway' [Sil]; -pata (S -bad)
probably derives
from the stem BAT-
tread, 'Exilic' Nol *battá well trod [the 'exilic' dialect
was later abandoned or
absorbed into S]; the
same form occurs in a Tolkien essay, Quendi and Eldar*, in the S
term aphad
follow, from *ap-pata
walk behind on a track; Tharbad was a prosperous settlement where
the great
North South Road, which
connected the Northern and Southern Kingdoms of the Edain in the first
half of the Third Age,
crossed the River Mitheithel; the latter flooded and destroyed Tharbad
* War of the Jewels, Part Four, p. 387
Tharkûn D; given
as 'Staff-man'; D name for Gandalf ['Wand-elf', from Old Norse gandr
(magic-)
staff]; see Gandalf
Thengel Roh; Prince;
AS ðengel prince, king; a king of Rohan
Théoden Roh;
King;
AS ðeoden ruler, king, from ðeod nation, people +
ðegn noble, hero; king of
Rohan at the time of the
War of the Ring
Lord
of the Mark anglicized form; see Mark, the
Théodred Roh; People's
guide; AS ðeod see previous; AS rædan to rule,
guide, counsel; a
prince of Rohan
Thingol S; Grey-mantle;
see Sil
Thistlewool M; patronymics
at Bree are generally botanical; thistlewool may be archaic, 'wool'
referring to the down
of the thistle; there is a 'cotton thistle' [Onopordon acanthium]
in the British
Isles; in Welsh the word
gwlaniach is used for both 'wool' and 'thistle down'; in AS þisteltwige
denotes a small bird;
family name at Bree
Thorin Oakenshield D and
anglicized form of CS; from the Old Norse poetic 'Edda' [Voluspa]:
Þorinn
[Thorinn], perhaps
from
þoran courage, bold + Old Norse Eikinskjaldi Oak
Shield; Dwarf-king that
went with Bilbo to defeat
Smaug; see Gallery
Thorondor S; Lord of
Eagles;
thoron eagle [Sil]; TA-, TA3- high, noble
... often found in names, as
Tor-, -dor
[Etym]; an eagle of the First Age
Thráin D; from
the Old Norse poetic 'Edda' [Voluspa]: Þráinn, perhaps
from þrái obstinancy, þrár
stubborn; name of two
Dwarves; see Gallery
Thranduil S? Slender
and dark (shadow?); the name might be influenced by the Silvan
dialect; TER-,
TERES- pierce,
Q teren (terene) slender [Etym], *thara tall and slender
[see Sil Denethor]; in Silvan
-il could be a
conjunctive suffix [and], related to IL- all [Etym];
NDUL-
dark, dusky [Etym; either
'dark-complected', or
'shadow' due to the forest shade]; the last elements could also relate
to TUY-
Spring, sprout, Q tuile
spring-time - 'Slender sprout'; an ancient Sindarin Elf that survived from
the
First Age into the Fourth
Age, a veteran of the wars with Sauron; ruled the Silvan Elves of
Mirkwood
Three (Rings), the
anglicized form of CS; the rings of the Elves; see Appendix B
Three-Farthing Stone anglicized
form of H; a marker where three district boundaries of the Shire met;
see Farthings, the
Three Houses of Men anglicized
form of CS; see Men ... of the Ancient Houses
Third Age anglicized form
of CS; the period from the defeat of Sauron by the Last Alliance [Elendil
and Gil-galad] through
the final battle with Sauron - the War of the Ring
Thrihyrne Roh; Three
peaks; AS ðrie three; AS hyrne horn, sharp angle;
three tall peaks over the
Hornburg
Thrór D; from the
Old Norse poetic 'Edda' [Voluspa]: Þrór, perhaps the
same as þrár stubborn [see
Thráin];
a king of the Dwarves; see Gallery
Tighfield anglicized form
of H; OE teag rope, AS tyge rope (pull); a village in the
Shire where was a
'rope-walk', where rope
strands are combined in manufacture
Tindrock anglicized form
of CS; AS & OE tind spike [English tine]; see Tol
Brandir
Tirion Q; (Great)
watch
tower; see Sil
Tol Brandir S; Island
(of the) high spike; tol isle (rising with sheer sides
from the sea or from a river)
[Sil]; BARÁD-
lofty, Nol branda, brand [Etym]; normally the last element
would refer to TIR- watch,
guard, Nol -dir
[Etym]; here the term appears to be a throw-back to the old lexicons, where
there
were two roots TIRI, closely
related, one meaning 'watch' and one meaning 'stick up' or 'spike'; they
melded together in names
such as Tirion '[high] watch tower', as are found in The Lord
of the Rings;
here the reference is
to an island formed by a spiked rock in the Nen Hithoel; the Anduin
narrows
around the pillar of Tol
Brandir as it races into the Falls of Rauros
Tombs, the anglicized
form of CS; area of graves of notables outside the Citadel at Minas Tirith;
see
Gallery
Tongue, the anglicized
form of CS; southern tip of Lórien; see Egladil; see Naith
of Lórien
Took anglicized form of
H
Tûk, tuca daring [or so say the Tooks!]; a family
in the Shire, usually the
seat of the Thain
Adelard
anglicized form of H name; AS æðele noble, fine
+ eard estate - a fanciful Hobbit name;
attended Bilbo's farewell party
Bandobras
(Bullroarer) anglicized form of H name;
perhaps AS bæne, OE ban bone + AS bræc
breaking, tobrecan break up - 'bone crusher', a fanciful Hobbit
name; defeated Orcs in the Battle
of Greenfields
the
Old anglicized form of H nickname of Gerontius
[from the Greek geronti through the French
géronto; English 'gerontology']; H base form: zâra
old; oldest Hobbit of record, save Bilbo
Paladin
anglicized form of H name; French for 'champion'; formed an armed resistance
against
the Chief's Men
Peregrine
(Pippin) anglicized form of H name Razanur
traveler; Latin peregrinor to travel in
foreign lands; member of the Fellowship of the Ring; see Hob for
the jest involved in this name
Tookland anglicized form
of H; area of the Shire where Tooks were prominent
Torech Ungol (Shelob's Lair)
S; Strait (of the) spider; the most obvious source
for 'Torech' is the
stem TARÁK-
horn (of animals), Nol tarag horn, also used of a steep mountain
path; however, it is
not certain that this
base could produce the mutation in S to tor-; still, the association
to a difficult
alpine path is
interesting, and may be due to a confusion of separate elements in the
original hand-
written Etym; in a recently
published Addenda to the much older Etym manuscript, for example,
the
Nol ech was corrected
from 'spear' to 'spine' [from EK-, EKTE- spear]; this could
prove instructive; if
the first word of the
name is derived from TA-, TA3- high, lofty ... found in names
as Tor-, -dor
[Etym], then ech
'spine' could refer to its more archaic meaning, taken from Latin spina
'thorn', but
also meaning 'difficulties';
thus a 'high difficult ridge-path' could be termed a 'strait'; the passage
through the high cleft
of Cirith Ungol was a tunnel, in which Shelob had set her snares
- and the
'difficulty' was her thorny
stinger; ungol ['spider']:
UÑG- gloom, Q ungo
dark shadow, Ilkorin
ungol
darkness [Etym; the Nol Ungoliant
(see Sil) said to be taken from Q] + perhaps
DUL- conceal, Nol
doll - concealing
gloom [as an intensifier; Etym]; the great spiders of Middle Earth spun
their webs
so thickly that they shaded
out most of the light
Tower Hills anglicized
form of CS; S: Emyn Beriad [see Sil]; group of hills in western
Eriador near the
Grey Havens where one
of the palantíri was kept; towers stood at the top of some of the
hills
Tower of Anor anglicized
form of CS and S; early name of Minas Tirith; see Sil Minas Anor
Tower of Ecthelion (the White Tower)
anglicized form of CS and S; ancient tower citadel of Minas
Tirith, named after the
Steward Ecthelion I [see Sil] who rebuilt it 300 years before the
events of the
War of the Ring
Tower of Guard anglicized
form of CS; see Minas Tirith
Tower of the Moon anglicized
form of CS; see Minas Ithil
Tower of Sorcery anglicized
form of CS; see Minas Morgul
Tower of the Sun anglicized
form of CS; see Minas Anor
Towers of the Teeth anglicized
form of CS; see Morannon
Town Hole anglicized form
of H [perhaps gluvas: gluva inhabited hole + bas village;
see Hob];
mayor's quarters in Michel
Delving in the Shire
``Translations from the Elvish''
anglicized form of CS or H; three volumes of lore by Bilbo
Tree of the High Elves
anglicized form of CS; Elven emblem; see Sil Galathilion
Tree, the anglicized form
of CS; the White Tree of Gondor and its offsprings; see Nimloth
Treebeard anglicized form
of CS; see Fangorn
Treegarth of Orthanc anglicized
form of CS and S; also Watchwood; Middle English gerth encircle;
guard of Ents and Huorns
over Saruman at Isengard; also see Orthanc
Trolls anglicized form
of CS; word of Scandinavian origin [Old Norse tröll, ðröll]
meaning either
giants or dwarves living
in caves with some supernatural powers; the B name is Olog-hai,
and the S
is torog; olog
may well be related to the Elvish ÁLAK- rushing, Nol alag
impetuous [Etym],
since the Trolls had little
thought process and acted more on instinct ... also because initial O
is not
common in B; just as likely
it is a B corruption of ÚLUG- hideous [Etym]; -hai 'folk'
see
Uruks below;
S torog might derive
from TÁRAG- tough, stiff [Etym], since the Trolls were lumbering
and
awkward; however similar
hurdles arise as with Torech [above]; more likely torog derives
from TUR-
power, mastery, Nol tor,
thor [Etym] + RUK- demon, Nol and S -rog [Etym; in
Tolkien's notes he
states that -rog
can indicate any frightening being]; Powerful Monsters; in the name
Ettendales
Tolkien uses the anglicised
[AS] eoten 'giant, monster' for troll, which he is careful
to distinguish
from AS ent, although
they derive from the same source
Tuckborough anglicized
form of H; village in the Shire
Tumladen S; Level vale;
tum
valley [Sil]; LAT- lie open, Nol lhaden cleared [Etym]; a
valley in
Beleriand in the First
Age, and a valley in Gondor; see also Sil
Túrin S; heart
of victory; Adan of the Third House in the First Age and two Dúnedain
of Gondor;
see Sil
Twofoot, Daddy anglicized
form of H family name; AS twifete two-footed; the reference is probably
to
height, not an obvious
anatomical feature; Twofoot lived in Bagshot Row
Udûn S; Dark fire,
Hell;
UR-
be hot, Nol ûr fire [Etym]; DUN- dark [Etym]; the mysterious
fire of the
Balrogs and a valley in
Mordor where arms were forged
Ufthak B; if at all related
to Elvish, perhaps u(m)- negative stem + TEK- firm
[Etym] - Unreliable; an
Orc of the Morgul Pass
who seems to have become a meal for Shelob
Uglúk B; -ûk
is interpreted as 'all' or perhaps augmentative; perhaps the first element
is corrupted
from Elvish ÚLUG-
hideous [Etym] - Utterly horrible; Uruk-hai of Isengard
Umbar M; Tolkien identifies
this name as foreign, of uncertain meaning; in Q the word means 'fate'
[MBARAT- Q umbar
fate, doom (Etym)], but in a M tongue it may mean 'travel around' or 'home
away from home' [AS umb-
= ymb- - ymbærnan to travel around]; the name might also be
inspired by
the Latin umbra
shade, shadow - in the sense of a 'dusky' people; an apparently naturally
defensed
coastal area of Harad
Underharrow Roh; a village
in Rohan
Underhill anglicized form
of H; a neighborhood in Hobbiton and a family name; also Frodo's assumed
name at Bree, suggested
by Gandalf in reference to Frodo's address, 'the Hill'; see Sil
Frodo
Ungoliant Q; Gloomweaver;
see Sil
Upbourn Roh; also Upburnan;
Upland
springs; AS up up stream, up country; OE borne,
burne
bubble (as a spring);
village of Rohan on the River Snowbourn
Uruks B; also Uruk-hai;
the word may find origin in AS earg, ierg-, yrc- slothful,
vile; Tolkien says
the Black Speech word
uruk
was likely adapted from the ancient Elvish [see stems RUK- demon
...
ÓROK- goblin;
Etym]; -hai is more problematical; some assign the suffix to LI-
many, which
becomes the collective
plural 'people' [-lie] in Q, -lim and -rim in Nol
and S [Etym]; this author is
inclined to relate it
to GÁYAS- fear, Old Nol gaia dread, Nol gae
[Etym; a related stem GAYA dread -
not in Etym - produces
Q áya, ancient Telerin gaia]; a larger strain of Orcs
that appeared late in the
Third Age, probably from
breeding with larger men, that were not weakend by sunlight or afraid of
water
Uttermost West anglicized
form of CS; an ancient mythological term, used here to denote the Undying
Lands of Aman, including
Valinor and Tol Eressëa, home of the Valar and other immortals; ...
removed
farther and farther from
Middle Earth and walled off by the Shadowy Seas and the dauntingly high
Pelóri mountain
chain; as the Sun sets at the end of the day in the far West, so does one's
essence of
life seek its rest when
its course has been run
Valandil Q; Friend of
the Gods; val- power, Valar gods [Sil] [see next];
-(n)dil
devotion, friend [Sil];
-ndil is used to
denote a love for or devotion to something, while -ndur denotes
a 'professional'
commitment; Dúnadan,
third king of Arnor
Valar, the Q; Powers;
singular Vala; BAL- Q Vala Power, God, plur Valar
[Etym]; related would be
BEL- strong [Etym],
GALA- thrive, Q alma- blessed; perhaps WAY- enfold,
envelope, Q w- vaia,
w- vaiya
[Etym], also PAL- wide (open), Q palla wide, expansive [Etym],
similarly
PHAL-,
PHÁLAS-
foam ['spirited'; Etym], and MEL- love, Q
málo; the
'powers' that had guardianship of the
creation of Middle Earth
Valimar Q; Vala-
see previous; -i- is probably a demonstrative element; 'the
city'; bar dwelling, Q
már home
[Sil]; also Valmar; the actual 'city' of the gods in Valinor [next]
Valinor Q; Vala-
see previous; NDOR- dwell, Q nóre land [Etym; in practice,
this Q form was often
influenced by ONO-
and NO- beget, Q nóre land, race (Etym), with the
effect that when used it
referred to the people
as well as the area named]; all the lands of Aman, or sometimes just those
behind the bulwark of
the Pelóri Mountains
Valinorean anglicized
form of previous; the tongue of the Valar; also Valarin
Valley of the Wraiths
anglicized form of CS; deep cleft that plunged from Minas Morgul towards
the
Anduin on the western
slopes of the Ephel Dúath, the bed of the river Morgulduin, and
the path to
the Morgul Pass and the
fortress of Cirith Ungol
Varda Q; The
Exalted; see Sil; see Elbereth
Variags M? men of the
far southwest lands of Khand beyond Mordor; perhaps related to BARÁS-
hot, burning [Etym]; the
name is sometimes ascribed to a Scandanavian force - the Varyags - that
established the city-state
of Kiev in the Russian / Ukrainian region; it could simply relate to a
Swedish - Germanic root
var
that implies 'pus' or 'wart', or derive from the Latin varius spotty
Vilya Q; (Ring of the)
Air;
WIL-
fly, *wilwa air [Etym]; in Q -ya is used to form adjectives,
thus 'airy';
still, the ia,
-ya afffix is often used in relation to a sense of enclosure;
it may relate to WAY- enfold
[Etym] and / or YAG-
gulf [Etym; as an enclosed area]; a ring 'encloses' the finger; the element
appears in iâ
void - as enclosing the Earth [Sil; from WAY-],
iant bridge
- as enclosing a chasm [Sil;
Q yanwe, from YAT-
join (Etym)], and
iâth fence - as an enclosure [Sil; source
not certain, but
apparently an ancient
mutation from GAT(H)- cave, Doriathrin gad fence (Etym) -
as an encircled
space]; see Rings of
Power; see Appendix A
Vorondil Q; Faithful
friend;
BOR- endure, Q voro ever ... BORÓN-
extension of the [previous]:
faithful, Q voron-
[Etym]; -(n)dil devotion, friend [Sil]; a Dúnadan, and Steward
of Gondor
Walda Roh; Dominion;
AS
weald power, mastery; a king of Rohan
Wandering Companies, the
anglicized form of CS; nomadic groups of Elves
Wandering Days anglicized
form of H; protracted period in the middle of the Third Age when the
Hobbits migrated west
into Eriador
Wandlimb anglicized form
of CS; see Fimbrethil
War of the Rings anglicized
form of CS; also War of the Ring; the events of the saga of The
Lord of
the Rings
Warden (of the Houses of Healing)
anglicized form of CS; see Houses of Healing
Wargs anglicized form
of CS; Wolves; AS wearg outlaw, wicked; the AS word for 'wolf'
is wulf, but
the two are related; wearg
derives from the Old Norse vargr 'wolf, miscreant', which seems
close to
the Sanskrit vrka
wolf; allies with Orcs in Rohan
Watcher in the Water anglicized
form of CS; creature in a lake at the west gate of Moria, origin
unknown
Water, the anglicized
form of H, probably Nîn [CS]; a stream in the Shire
Water-valley anglicized
form of H; valley of the Water [see previous]
Watchwood, the anglicized
form of CS; the seige of Isengard by the Ents
waybread anglicized
form of CS; see Sil lembas
Waymeet anglicized form
of H; also Waymoot; OE moten - assemble for conversation;
a council; village
of the Shire at a major
crossroads
Weathertop anglicized
form of CS; see Amon Sûl
Wellinghall anglicized
form of CS; AS wylle well, spring; dwelling of Ents in Fangorn Forest
formed
by evergreen trees, source
of the stream Entwash
Westemnet anglicized form
of Roh; AS emnet plain; district of Rohan
Western Seas anglicized
form of CS; see Sil Belegaer
Westernesse anglicized
form of CS name for Númenor; AS næss cliff, headland,
although Tolkien
cites -ess, a Frankish
ending indicating 'romantic lands'; see also Númenor; see
Gallery,
and Gallery
Westfarthing anglicized
form of H; farthing = fourthing; a quadrant of the Shire; see Farthings,
the
Westfold anglicized for
of Roh; AS folde region; the westernmost district of Rohan
Westfold Vale anglicized
form of Roh; valley below Helm's Deep, bed of the Deeping Stream
westmansweed see
pipe-weed
Westmarch anglicized form
of H; 'borderland'; a district added to the Shire after the War of the
Ring
West Marches anglicized
form of Roh; AS mearc boundary; district of Rohan
West Road anglicized form
of CS; great road from Minas Tirith north and then west into Rohan
Westron, the anglicised
form of CS Adûni, S Annûnaid; see Common Speech
Wetwang (Nindalf)
anglicized form of CS; AS wang mead; see Nindalf
White Company anglicized
form of CS; guard of Faramir of Ithilien in the Fourth Age
White Council anglicized
form of CS; the first of the Councils of the Wise [q.v.]
White Crown anglicized
form of CS; emblem of the sovereignty of Gondor
White Downs anglicized
form of H; downs in the Westfarthing of the Shire
White Hand anglicized
form of CS; emblem assumed by Saruman
White Mountains anglicized
form of CS; see Ered Nimrais
White Rider, the anglicized
form of CS; see Gandalf
Whiteskins anglicized
form of B; name of the Rohirrim among the Orcs of Isengard
White Tower anglicized
form of CS; see Tower of Ecthelion
White Towers anglicized
form of CS; see Tower Hills
Whitfoot, Will anglicized
form of H family name; AS hwitfot white-footed; the reference appears
to be
either to a white mark
on a horse's hoof, or discoloration of human toenails, perhaps by fungus
or
inflammation
Whitwell anglicized form
of H; a village in the Shire
Wídfara Roh; Wide-faring,
Ranger;
AS wid vast, broad, long; AS fara traveling (companion);
a man
of Rohan
Wilderland anglicized
form of CS for S Rhovanion [see Sil]; AS wildear, wilddeor,
wilder
= wild deer
or 'wild beast'; large
wilderness region east of the Misty Mountains opposite Eriador
Wild Men anglicized form
of CS; the Woses, a primitive group of men living in Druadan Forest
Wild Wood anglicized form
of CS; primitive forest at Cuiviénen [see Sil]
Willow, Old Man anglicized
form of H; evil ancient tree in the Shire near the Withywindle, perhaps
a
Huorn that became separated
from other sentient trees and grew embittered
Windfola Roh; AS fola
foal, colt; Eowyn's horse in Rohan
Winding Stair anglicized
form of CS; part of the steep path to the Morgul Pass and Cirith Ungol
Window of the Eye anglicized
form of CS; opening high on the Barad-dûr where the ever-searching
eye
of Sauron scoured the
environs covetous yet fearful about the One Ring
Window of the Sunset anglicized
form of CS; see Henneth Annûn
Winged Messenger anglicized
form of CS; one of the Nazgûl who lost his mount to the bow of
Legolas; see Nazgûl
Wingfoot anglicized form
of CS; nickname given to 'Strider' by Éomer
Wise, the anglicized form
of CS; the Wizards and the Noblest of the Eldar, who were not so wise at
first as they let Saruman
deceive them; see White Council
Witch-lord of Angmar (King of Angmar)
anglicized form of CS; the Lord of the Nazgûl in the middle
of the Third Age; see
Nazgûl
Withywindle River anglicized
form of H; Tolkien writes that the word is a bit of a fancy, withy
being
Middle English for 'willow';
the name seems to imply 'whither wander'; the AS is weðerwynde
=
wiðewinde
bindweed; winding lowland stream of the Shire that snaked through the Old
Forest
Wizards anglicized form
of CS; S Istari [see Sil]; believed to be Maiar from the Uttermost
West
Wizard's Vale anglicized
form of CS; pocket in the southern reaches of the Misty Mountains where
stood Isengard; see Nan
Curunír
Wolf anglicized form of
H; one of Farmer Maggot's mastiffs
Wolf (of Angband)
anglicized form of CS; the name of a great archetypal wolf of the First
Age
Wolf-riders anglicized
form of CS; this improbable combination occured in the First Age, at the
battle
at Erebor and as servants
of Saruman during the War of the Ring
Woodhall anglicized form
of H; village in the Shire
Woodland Realm anglicized
form of CS; realm of Sylvan Elves of Thranduil in northern Mirkwood
Woodmen anglicized form
of CS; somewhat primitive men living in the central western region of
Mirkwood
Woody End anglicized form
of H; forest in the Shire
World's End anglicized
form of CS; the far horizon, ever beyond reach, where Eärendil was
granted
immortality and thus began
his endless voyages
Wormtongue anglicized
form of CS; 'snake-tongue'; see Gríma
Woses anglicized form
of CS; the word does not seem to occur alone in the AS, but as part of
wuduwasa [wudu
= wood] wood wose, a forest satyr [implying a shape-shifter?]; Tolkien
says wasa
meant of old a hermit-like
person; the term may have its origin in Vosegus, a Celtic tutelary
god of
forests in the Vosges
Mountain region of Gallia Belgica; modern English name Woodhouse;
Roh:
róg, plur.
rógin; see Wildmen
Wraiths anglicized form
of CS; the word means shadow or spectre; no authority given
for the origin
of the word; perhaps derived
from the Indo-European root *wreit- to turn, twist [English wreath]
in
the sense that smoke 'curls'
as it rises, and a spectre can appear translucent as smoke; some trace
it
through the Scottish to
Old Norse vörðr warden, in the sense of a guardian angel;
see Ringwraiths;
see Nazgûl
Younger Days anglicized
form of CS; the days of Men; the Fourth Age; see Elder Days
Yrch Sylvan; Orcs;
ÓROK-
goblin, Nol plur. yrch ... Danian urc, plur. yrc;
Sylvan Elves spoke
Sindarin when needed at
the time of the War of the Ring, but their own form of speech was related
to a much older form [Danian];
here it seems to mirror 'Noldorin'; yrch was the word spoken at
Lothlórien when
the Fellowship of the Ring arrived; see Orcs
Zirak D; short for Zirak-zigal
[below]
Zirak-zigil D; one of
the three peaks that towered over the mines of Moria; see Silvertine;
see Celebdil
~ ~ ~