Eldamo : Quenya : sinda

Q. sinda [þ] adj. “grey” (Category: Grey)

Q. sinda [þ], adj. “grey” (Category: 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.

References ✧ PE17/72, 117; PE21/77; SA/thin(d)

Glosses

“grey” ✧ PE17/72; PE17/72; PE17/72; PE17/117; PE21/77; SA/thin(d)

Variations

sinda ✧ PE17/72; PE17/72; PE17/72; PE17/117; PE21/77; SA/thin(d)

Inflections

sindaron	genitive plural		✧ PE21/77
Sindar	plural	“Grey”	✧ PE21/77

Element In

Q. Sinda “Grey-elf” ✧ SA/thin(d) (Sindar)
Q. Sindacollo “Grey-cloak, Greymantle” ✧ PE17/72; SA/thin(d)
Q. Sindanórië “Grey Country, Land of Greyness” ✧ PE17/72
Q. Sindel “Grey-elf”
Q. sindië “greyness” ✧ PE17/72
Q. Eldar Sindar “Grey Elves” ✧ PE21/77
Q. Eldar sindaron “Grey Elves’” ✧ PE21/77
Q. Sinda Eldō “a Grey Elf’s” ✧ PE21/77
Q. Sindar Eldar “Grey Elves” ✧ PE21/77
Q. Sindar Eldaron “Grey Elves’” ✧ PE21/77
Q. Sindar i Eldar Malariando “Grey are the Elves of Beleriand” ✧ PE21/77
Q. Singollo “Grey-cloak, Greymantle” ✧ SA/thin(d)

Cognates

S. thind “grey” ✧ PE17/72 (thin(n)); SA/thin(d) (thin(d))

Derivations

< √THIN “*grey” ✧ PE17/72 (ΘIN)
< ✶thindā “grey” ✧ PE17/72 (þindā)
- < √THIN “*grey”

Phonetic Developments

√ΘIN > sinda	[tʰinda] > [θinda] > [sinda]	✧ PE17/72
✶þindā > sinda	[tʰindā] > [θindā] > [θinda] > [sinda]	✧ PE17/72

Q. sindë (sindi-) [þ] adj. “grey, pale or silvery grey” (Category: Grey)

An earlier form of the Quenya adjective for “grey”, first appearing in The Etymologies (Ety/THIN). It appears in some later writings as well (WJ/384; PE17/141), and possibly remains a valid variant of the better-known sinda. In Notes on Names (NN) from 1957, Tolkien said sinde was the proper adjectival form, since Sinda referred only to Grey Elves (PE17/141), but this isn’t reflected elsewhere in his writings where sinda was used as an ordinary adjective meaning “grey”.

References ✧ PE17/141; WJ/384

Glosses

“grey” ✧ PE17/141
“grey, pale or silvery grey” ✧ WJ/384

Element In

Q. Sindicollo “Grey-cloak”

Cognates

S. thind “grey” ✧ PE17/141 (thinn); PE17/141; PE17/141 (thinn)

Derivations

< ✶thindi “grey” ✧ PE17/141; PE17/141 (thĭndĭ); PE17/141 (thinide); WJ/384
- < þinde < thindi ✧ WJ/384
- < √THIN “*grey” ✧ WJ/384

Phonetic Developments

✶thindi- > sinde	[tʰindi] > [θinde] > [θinde] > [sinde]	✧ PE17/141
✶thĭndĭ > sinde	[tʰindi] > [θinidā] > [θinde]	✧ PE17/141
✶thinide > sindë	[tʰinide] > [tʰinde] > [θinde] > [sinde]	✧ PE17/141

ᴹQ. sinde (sindi-) [þ] adj. “grey, pale” (Category: Grey)

Reference ✧ Ety/THIN ✧ “grey, pale”

Element In

ᴹQ. Tindingol “*Grey-wise”
ᴹQ. Sindo “The Grey” ✧ Ety/THIN

Cognates

Ilk. thind “grey” ✧ Ety/THIN
N. thinn “grey, pale” ✧ Ety/THIN

Derivations

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

Phonetic Developments

ᴹ✶thindi > sinde

[tʰindi] > [θinde] > [θinde] > [sinde]

✧ Ety/THIN