S. Moria loc. “Black Chasm, Black Pit”
Sindarin name for Khazad-dûm after the Dwarves were driven out by the Balrog, translated “Black Pit” (LotR/283, PE17/35) or “Black Chasm” (Let/382, PE17/40). It is a combination of morn “black” and iâ “chasm, pit” (PE17/35; SA/mor, iâ).
Conceptual Development: In Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, this name first appeared as N. Moria “Black Gulf” (RS/429). Its translation was later revised to “Black Pit” (TI/166). It also appeared in The Etymologies with essentially the same derivation as given above (Ety/YAG).
References ✧ LBI; Let/178, 382, 384; LotR/283, 305; LotRI; LRI; LT2I; PE17/35, 40; PM/45; PMI/Dwarrowdelf, Moria; SA/iâ, mor; SI; UTI; WJI
Glosses
Variations
Elements
| morn | “black, dark; night” | ✧ PE17/35 (mor(n)-) | |
| iâ | “chasm, pit; void, abyss” | ✧ Let/383; PE17/35; SA/iâ | |
| √MOR | “black, dark, darkness” | ✧ Let/382; Let/384; SA/mor | |
Element In
Derivations
N. Moria loc. “Black Gulf”
References ✧ Ety/YAG; RS/429, 437; RSI; SDI1/Moria; TI/166, 182; TII; WRI
Glosses
Variations
Inflections
| Vória | soft-mutation; m-mutation | ✧ TI/182 |
Elements
| morn | “black” | |
| ia | “gulf” | ✧ Ety/YAG; RS/437 |
Element In