A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “catch, hook, claw” derived from the root ᴹ√GAT (Ety/GAT). This root had one other derivative, the verb N. gad- “catch”, so it seems likely that ᴹQ. atsa can refer to any curved, pointy thing for catching or holding, so that “catch” (as a noun) is probably its original sense. In notes on The Feanorian Alphabet from the 1930s and 40s, however, it was glossed only “claw” (PE22/22, 50), and in the 1940s document its gloss was revised to ᴹQ. atsa “tassel, fryse, fringe” from a distinct root ᴹ√TAS (PE22/50 note #187).

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I prefer to use atsa as “claw, catch” and would use ᴹQ. fas for “fringe, tassel”; see that entry for discussion.