Eldamo : Quenya : fir-

Q. fir- v. (basic-verb) “to die, fade, †expire, breathe forth” (Category: to Die; Dead; Death)

Q. fir-, v. (basic-verb) “to die, fade, †expire, breathe forth” (Category: to Die; Dead; Death)

A verb for “to die”, originally meaning “breathe forth, expire” (MR/250). Tolkien also translated it as “die, fade” in notes for the Markirya poem of the 1960s (MC/223). The use of this verb for death was connected to the passing of Míriel and was thus used only for a natural or peaceful death (MR/250); for discussion see the noun form fírië “death”. More unpleasant forms of death would instead use the verb Q. qual-. Based on the glosses from the Markirya poem, it seems this verb may also be applied metaphorically to non-living things that “fade (away)”, as in its more elaborate form fifíru- “to slowly fade away” (MC/222-223).

References ✧ MC/223; MR/250, 470; VT43/34

Glosses

“die, fade” ✧ MC/223

Variations

fir- ✧ MC/223

Inflections

fírë	aorist	“expire”	✧ MR/250
firuvamme	future 1st-pl-exclusive	“*we will die”	✧ VT43/34
fírë	infinitive	“to sigh, breathe forth, ‘expire’”	✧ MR/470
fírië	perfect; augmentless	“she hath breathed forth”	✧ MR/250
fírië	perfect; augmentless	“has breathed forth”	✧ MR/470

Element In

Q. fírië “death (of Men), *natural death”
Q. Fíriel “She that Died; She that Sighed; Mortal Woman” ✧ MR/250
Q. fírima “mortal, *(lit.) able to die”
Q. sí ar lúmessë ya firuvammë: násië “now and at the hour of our death: Amen” ✧ VT43/28
Q. fifíru- “to slowly fade away” ✧ MC/223

Cognates

S. #fir- “to fade, *die”

Derivations

< √PHIR “exhale, expire, breathe out”