A glossary of Anglo-Saxon found in The Lord of the Rings.
I thought it would be fun to provide a list of definitions for the assorted names and things found in the text. I'm pretty sure I've missed some words, as I paged through the book fairly quickly in my search. What is here are most of the more common names and elements. Most of the Hobbit names are not included as Tolkien's translation metaphor was particularly complicated there. However, if there's a word I missed that you'd like to see here, let me know.
This all began when a friend asked me what Théodred meant, and I discovered a large Anglo-Saxon/Modern English dictionary in my school library.
What amazes me the most is that Tolkien chose words and names which are more than appropriate, they often play as much with meaning and subtext as his Mod.E. usages. And he did this in an aspect of his text which very very few of his readers would find fully accessible. I imagine him chuckling over his word-play and inside jokes, and delighting in yet another joining of his love of philology and his writing. He took exquisite care over the details of his stories, and this is just one more bit of evidence to prove it.
As Old English is to Modern English, what Rohirric is to Westron, you may notice a lot of things that sound vaguely familiar (another aspect of his choices, I'm sure). I've left the words in their original Anglo-Saxon, rather than defining Tolkien's usages, as several appear more than once. I also think it's more fun this way. The definitions are arranged roughly alphabetically by word or fragment. I've thrown in a few extra words for comparison; mostly for homophones or near homophones.
Names and words which can be found in this list:
Aldor, Arod, Brego, Brytta, Déagol, deep, Déor, Déorwine, Dernhelm, Dúnhere, Dunland, Dunlending, Dwimmerlaik, Dwimorberg, Dwimordene, Eadig, Ednew, Edoras, Elfhelm, Elfwine, Ent, Éomer, Éomund, éored, Eorl, Éothain, Éothéod, Éowyn, Erkenbrand, Farthing, Fastred, fax, Felarof, Fengel, Folca, fold, Fram, Fréalaf, Fréawine, Freca, Frumgar, Gamling, Garulf, Gléowine, Goldwine, Gram, hame, Gríma, Grimbold, Guthláf, Guthwine, Haleth, Hama, Hamfast, Harding, Hasufel, Helm, Herefara, Herubrand, Herugrim (Théoden's sword), Hild, holbytla(n), holdwine, Holman, Hornburg, lathspell, Folcwine, Léod, Léofa, mark, mathom, mearas, Meduseld, Michel Delving, Mundburg, Quickbeam, Samwise, Scatha, simbelmynë, Sméagol, smial, Stybba (Merry's pony), Swerting, thain, Thengel, Théoden, Théodred, Théodwyn, Walda, warg, Widfara, Windfola, Wulf.
A very cool online searchable dictionary which I didn't use for this project, but can see coming in handy in the future: http://home.comcast.net/~modean52/oeme_dictionaries.htm
Source: Bosworth, Joseph. ed. T. Northcote Toller. An Anglo-Saxon dictionary. Oxford UP, London, 1898.
( ) = here usually marks the plural ending.
þ = thorn, the 'th' letter, and the cause of Ye Olde Shoppe syndrome, where the letter y is mistakenly used instead of the þ. The ð (eth) is used interchangeably in AS notation. Thank you Gritchka!
-a = affixed to words, denotes a person, agent, actor
ælf = elf, incubus, genius
- aldor (es) =
-
I. an elder, parent, author
-
II. a chief, prince
-
n. = I. live, vital parts of the body
-
II. age, in the expressions
arod =- n. a species of herb
- adj. quick, swift, ready, prepared
árod = honored; mark of honor/badge of office
- bald = bold, audacious, adventurous, confident
-
-bald, -bold = as the terminating syllable of proper names, denotes bold, courageous, honorable
beam = tree
- beorn, biorn = poetic form of
- I. man
- II. prince, nobleman, chief, general, warrior, soldier
- (note the sideways joke here, with bjorn, with regards to Beorn)
- beran, beoran =
- I. to bear, carry, bring, bear or carry a sacrifice, offer, bear off, carry out, extend, wear, support, endure, suffer
-
II. to bear, produce, bring forth
- bere (es) = barley
-
beren (es) = n. a barley place, a barn
- beren = adj. barley, made of barley
- beren, byren, biren = adj. ursine, belonging to a bear (bera = bear)
- bere (an) = a female bear
bére, bér = a bed
-
berg = a hill, mountain
- beorg =
- I. a hill
- II. an artificial mound
- beorg, beorh, biorg, biorh =
- I. a hill, mountain
- II. a heap, burrow or barrow, heap of stones, place of burial
- beorg-, burg- = a hill, in some compound words
berg, bearg = a swine
- beór (es) =
-
I. beer
- II. mead (hydromel)
beora (an) = a grove
- beorg, berg = a protection, refuge
- beorg = protection
- berge = protection, antidote
- bold (es) =
- I. a building, dwelling, house
-
II. a superior house, hall, castle, palace, temple
- brand, brond (es) =
- I. a brand (fire-brand), torch
-
II. a burning, flame, fire
-
III. metaphorically from its shining, a sword
brego, bregu, brega, breogo = (poetic term) leader, governor, ruler, prince, king, Lord.
- Bryt- = a Welshman, used in compounds
- Brytas, Bryttas, Brittas = the Britons
- brýt (e) = a nymph, bride
- bryta (an) = a lord
-
burcg = a city
-
burga = cities
-
burg (e) = a city
-
burh =
- I. a castle for defense, fortress, walled town, dwelling surrounded by a wall or rampart of earth.
-
II. a fortress or castle necessary for the protection of those dwelling together in cities or towns.
-
byld = constancy, boldness
- bylda(n) = a builder
-
býtla(n) = hammerer, builder
- býtlian = to build
- cwic, cwyc, cwuc, cuc = alive, quick
-
cwic-beám (es) = the quickbeam, a sort of poplar
-
deágol = secret
-
deáglenes = solitariness
-
deágollíce, deágolíce = secretly
-
dégle = secret, hidden
-
dégol = obscurity, mystery, secret, unknown
- delf (es) = a delving, the act of digging
-
delfan = to dig, dig out, delve
-
delfing (es) = a delving, digging, laying bare, exposing
- dene (an); dene (es) = a valley
- Dene = the Danes
- deóp, dióp = deep, profound, stern, powerful, solemn
- deóp, dýp, dióp (es); dýpe (an) = depth, the deep, abyss
- deópe
= deeply, profoundly
- deór, diór (es) = an animal, any sort of wild beast, deer
- deór, diór, dýr =
- I. brave, bold (as an animal)
- II. heavy, severe, dire, vehement
derne = secret, hidden
dun = adj. brown/black color, dun
-
dún = a mountain, hill, down
- dún-lendisc = adj. of hilly, mountainous land
- dwimor, dwimer, dwymer (es) = an illusion, delusion
- dwimor-líc = adj. visionary
- eádi- = happy
- eádig, eadeg = happy, blessed, prosperous, fortunate, rich, perfect
- ed- = prefix denoting anew, again
-
-ed = pp. termination
-
éd = (eád = happiness) safety, security, happiness
-
éd, ád = a funeral pile
- ed-neowe = renewed
-
ed-niwan, ed-niwe = anew, again
-el, -ol = an ending denoting persons or inanimate objects
-en = forms a few masculine noun endings and many feminine noun endings, also an adjectival ending
- ent (es) = a giant
- entisc = belonging to or made by a giant, giant
eodor, eoder, eodur, edor, eder (-es) = hedge, fence, enclosure, dwelling, house
eoh = war horse (pl. eohes = eoes = eós)
eóh = yew tree
eóred, eórod = cavalry, legion, troop
eorl = a high ranking nobleman
erk (e) = ark
fára = gen. pl. of hostile
- fara (an) = a farer, traveller
-
faran = a word expressing every kind of going from one place to another
-
I. to go, proceed, travel, march, sail
-
II. to fare, happen, to be in any state
fast, fæst = fast (as in steadfast, or fasten), firm
feax, fex (es) = hair of the head
- fela, fæla, feala, feola =
-
I. many, much
-
II. many things, much, very
-
III. so many __ as __
fel, felo, fæle = adj. fell, cruel, savage
fel, fell = n. skin, hide
-
feng =
- I. a grasp, span, hug, embrace
-
II. what is taken, booty
-
fengel = a prince
feorþ (es) = the soul, spirit, life
- feórþa, feówerþa = fourth
- feórþling (es); feórþung (e) = a 4th part of a thing, farthing
- féorð-a = fourth
- féorðing, féorðung = farthing
fola (an) = a foal, colt
folc (es) = collective noun for the folk, people, common people, multitude, tribe, family
- folde (an) =
-
I. the earth, dry land
-
II. a land, country, district, region, territory
-
III. the ground, soil
-
IV. earth, clay
fram = from
fram = valiant, stout, firm
freá (freaha), freó = a lord, master, The Lord
freá-, frǽ- = before, in greater degree, very, exceedingly
- frec, fræc = desirous, greedy, gluttonous, audacious, bold
-
freca (an) = a bold man, warrior, hero
- frum (fruma) = original, primative, first
-
frum-gár; frum-gára (an) =
(gár = spear) first spear;
A chieftan, leader, prince
gamel, gamol = old, aged
gá (es) = a dart, javelin, spear, shaft, arrow, weapon, arms
- gleó- = glee, music
-
gleów, gleó, gliw, glig (es) = glee, joy, music, musical accompaniment to a song, mirth, jesting, sport
-
gleowian, gliowian, gliwian, glywian = to play on an instrument, sing, joke, jest, act the gleeman or buffoon
gold (es) = gold
- gram, grom = furious, fierce, wroth, angry, offended, incensed, hostile, troublesome
-
grama (an) = anger, rage, fury, indignation, wrath, trouble
grim = sharp, bitter, severe, fell, fierce, dire, savage, cruel, grim, horrible
- gríma (an) =
-
I. a mask, visor, helmet
-
II. a spectre
- gúþ (e) = (poetic) war, battle, fight
-
gúþ-leóþ (es) = a war song
hál = whole, hale, well, in good health, sound, safe, without fraud, honest
hæleþ, heleþ (es) = (poetic only, but common in poetry) a man, warrior, hero
- ham, hom (es) = a covering, garment, shirt
-
hama, homa = a covering
ham, hom, hamm (e) = the ham, the inner or hind part of the knee
-
ham, hama = home
-
ham (es) = home, house, abode, dwelling, residence, habitation, land, estate, property
-
-ham = general assemblage of homes
- hám-fæst = resident, dwelling at home
háma = a cricket
hasu, heasu = adj. grey, ash colored
- heard, hard = hard, harsh, austere, severe, rigorous, stern, stubborn, firm, hardy, brave
-
hearding (es) = a brave man, warrior, hero
-
helm =
- I. helm
- II. crown (of a tree)
- III. covering
- IV. poetic usage for God, Christ, and earthly rulers
- hér = here, in this world, at this time
- hér, hǽr = hair
- hér = noble, excellent, holy, honorable, sublime
-
héra (an) = One who obeys another, a servant, follower
- heoro, heoru, hioro = (poetic) a sword (Old Saxon heru used in compounds only)
- heoru-grim = very fierce or cruel, savage
here = an army, a host, multitude, large predatory band
hére (e) = dignity, majesty, greatness
hild, hyld = grace
hild(e) = (poetic) war, battle
hol = hole, hollow, cavern, den
-
hold = a Danish (?) title; a carcass or body
- adj. = kind, friendly, pleasant, favorable, gracious (of a prince to his subject)
- adj. = faithful, loyal, elevated, liege (of a subject to his prince)
-
hold-áþ = an oath of fealty
holm = a mound, hill, rising ground; (poetic use) a wave, water, the sea
horn (es) = a horn, drinking horn, cupping horn, trumpet, horn shaped projection on the gable-end of a house, a pinnacle
hors = horse
-
-ing =
- suffix for feminine nouns denoting action
- a patronymic suffix (many changes in form can occur)
- láf (e) =
-
I. what is left, remnant, remains, relic, remainder, rest
-
II. used in poetry of weapons, ex.: ''I am the leaving of foes, or fire, and of file''
-
III. what is left as an inheritance, legacy, kingdom
-
IV. a relict, widow
land = land
- láð (es) = that which is hateful, harmful; harm, evil, injury, hurt, trouble, grief, pain, annoyance, enmity
-
láð =
-
I. causing hate, evil, injury, annoyance; hateful, hated, loathed, loth, displeasing, injurious, grievous
-
II. bearing hate to another, hostile, malign, inimical
-
láð-spell (es) = a painful, grievous story
- leód (es) = a man; (poetic) a prince.
-
leód (e) = a people, nation, race, district occupied by a people
-
leód (es) = fine for slaying a man
-
leóda (an) = a man, one of a people or country
leóf = a form of address to one or many = ''dear sir''
leóf = lief, desirable, pleasant, acceptable, loved, beloved, dear
- líc (es) = a body (living or dead), usually dead
- -líc = forms -ly adjectival ending
- ge-líc = likeness, similitude, like, alike
- ge-líca (an) = an equal
- ge-lícan = to liken, imitate
lobbe (an) = a spider
-
mǽre =
- n. a boundary, limit, confines, border.
- adj. (of persons or things) great, excellent, distinguished, sublime, splendid, celebrated, famous, widely known
máðum, máðm, mádm, máððum (es) = a precious or valuable thing, often refers to gifts; a treasure, jewel, ornament
- mearc (e) =
-
I. a mark, sign (made upon a thing)
-
II. a mark, ensign
-
mearc (e) =
-
I. a limit, bound, term (of time)
-
IIa. a limit, boundary (of a place)
-
IIb. a boundary, particularly of an estate
-
IIc. a boundary, confine of a district, border
-
III. the territory within its boundaries
mearh (mearas) = horse, steed
méd = meed, reward
-
medu, meodu = mead
- medu-seld = mead-house, feasting-house
mene, myne (es) = a necklace, ornament
mere, mære = the sea, a mere
mere, myre = a mare
- micel = mickle, great
-
I. of size
-
II. of quantity - much, many
-
III. great in a metaphorical sense
mín = mine, my
mine (es) = a minnow
-
mund =
- I. a hand
- II. a hand (the measurement)
- III. a) protection; b) (technical sense) guardianship; c) (personal sense) protector, guardian
- IV. legal term a) protection, guardianship extended by the king to the subject, by the head of a family to its members. b) the fine paid for violation of mund
- myne (es) =
-
I. the mind
- II. mind (to have a mind for)
- III. love
rád = riding
- rǽd =
-
I. council, advice
-
II. counsel, prudence, intelligence
-
III. counsel, plan, deliberate course of action, decree
-
IV. what is advisable
-
V. a council
-
VI. as part of proper names, generally réd (red?)
rǽde = adj. mounted
read = red
róf = (poetic only) valiant, stout, strong
- sam = conj. whether, or
-
sam- = prefix denoting agreement, combination
sám- = half, prefix denoting imperfection
sceaþa (an) = scathe, harm, injury
sceaþa, sceáþ = a nail
- scír (e) =
-
I. office, charge, business, administration, government
-
Ia. where the term refers to an English official
-
II. a district, province, as an ecclesiatical term - diocese, parish
-
IIa. the people of a district, a tribe
-
III. as a technical English term, a shire
-
IIIa. the people of a shire, the community inhabiting a shire
-
IV. as an ecclesiatical term - the district in the charge of an ecclesiastic; diocese, parish
- scír = clear, bright
-
I. of living creatures = bright, brilliant, splendid, resplendant
-
Ia. of a quality
-
II. of inanimate things: a) vegetation - bright, brilliant, white; b) of metals, stones, etc. - bright, lustrous, glittering, brilliant; c) of glass - clear, translucent; d) of water - clear, limpid; e) of wine - bright, clear, pure, neat; f) of light and light giving things - bright, clear, brilliant; ... i) of the voice - clear
-
seld =
- I. a seat, throne
- II. a seat, residence, mansion, hall
- simbel, symbel, simel = continual, perpetual, only adverbial or in compounds
-
simble, symble, simle, siemle, semle, symle = ever, always
-
I. continually, without intermission
-
II. on every occasion or opportunity without missing, in unbroken succession
- smeáh, smeóh; =
-
I. creeping in, penetrating
-
II. subtle, crafty
-
smeágan, smeán
-
I (III). to consider, ponder, examine, inquire into, discuss, search
-
II (IIIa). to seek an opportunity
-
III (IV). to accept as the result of inquiry, to suppose
-
smeágelegen (e) = a syllogism
-
smeágend-líc = meditative
-
smeágendlíce = searchingly, exactly
-
smeágung, smeáwung, smeáung, sméung, smeáng (e) =
-
I. search, inquiry, investigation where something is lost
-
II. inquiry carried on by the mind, inquiry, consideration, meditation, discussion, deliberation
-
smeá-líc =
-
I. searching, penetrating
-
II. that goes to the root or heart of the matter, profound
smygel, smygels (es) = a burrow, place to creep into
stybb, stubb, stebb (es) = a stub, stump of a tree
- sweart =
-
I. of color; swart, swarthy, black, dark
-
II. of absence of light or brightness; dark, black, gloomy
-
III. of absence of good; black (crime), dark, dismal
- þegen, þegn, þeng, þén (es) =
- I. a servant, one who does service for another
-
II. where the service is of a public or official character, an officer or minister
-
IIa. figurative
-
III. where the service is military, a soldier
-
IV. a follower of a great man, a retainer
-
IVa. figurative
-
V. a follower of a teacher, a disciple
-
Va. in poetry, borrowing the terms of war
-
VI. one engaged in a king or queen's service, a thane (whether in the household or in the country). Also a class of persons, with degrees.
-
VIa. a thane who served a bishop
-
VIb. one engaged in the service of a republic
-
VII. a person or rank, one of a class higher than the ordinary freeman (ceorl)
-
VIII. a brave man, noble man, good warrior
-
VIIIa. in poetry, used like eorl as a complimentary term for man, warrior.
þengel = a prince (from Icelandic þengill = prince, poetic only)
-
þeód = a people, nation
-
þeóden = almost an exclusively poetic use
- I. the chief of a þeód; a prince, king
- II. a great man, lord, chief
- IIa. (can be used for other than men)
- III. referring to the Deity
- tunge (an) =
-
I. a tongue
- II. tongue 1) as representing a person who speaks with the tongue; 2) representing the words expressed by the tongue (words, speech, language)
- III. a tongue shaped thing
wáse (an) = ooze, mud, slime
- wæsc = washing
- wæsce (an) = a washing place
wæd (es) = a ford, shallow water
- wǽd (e)
- I. referring to the dress of human beings, widow's weeds
- II. of other covering, equipment, or dressing
- weald (es) = high land covered with woods
-
weald = power
-
weald = found as the 2nd part of proper names.
- wealda (an) = a ruler, as a proper name
- wealdan = to have power over
-
wearg[h] = n. (from Icelandic vargr = wolf)
- I. if human = a villain, felon, scoundrel
- II. if animal = a monster, malignant being, evil spirit
- adj. evil, vile, malignant, accursed
- wíd
-
I. in reference to dimensions of an object; wide, of a width
-
II. where there is a considerable distance between the extremities or sides of an object; wide, of great width, broad
-
III. of great surface, wide, vast, spacious, broad, ample
-
IIIa. of that which is spread over a wide surface
-
IV. wide, having no limit near, open
-
V. figuratively not confined within narrow limits, of far reaching power
-
VI. of travel, that traverses many lands, distant, far and wide
-
VII. of the duration of time, long lasting; in phrases, equivalent to ever, always
win(n) = a pasture
- wind (es) =
-
I. wind, air in motion
-
II. wind, flatulence
-
III. wind, breath
wine = a friend
wín = wine
wis = certain
- wís, wíse = a manner
-
wís =
-
I. wise, discreet, judicious
-
Ia. in a bad sense, cunning
-
II. wise, learned, skilled, expert
-
III. known
-
wíse (an), wís (e) =
-
I. a wise way, manner, mode, fashion.
-
II. state, condition
-
III. an arrangement, instruction, a disposition, direction, condition
-
IV. a thing
-
IVa. a cause, reason
wísa (an) = a leader, director, captain
wíse (an) = a sprout, stalk
wulf = wolf
-
wyn(n) =
- I. delight, pleasure
- II. a delight which causes pleasure
- IIa. used as an epithet for persons
- III. the best (of a class), the pride (of its kind)
- wyrm, wurm, weorm (es) =
-
I. a reptile, serpent
- II. a creeping insect, a worm
- wyrms (es) = corrupt matter
-
worms, worsm, wurms, wursm (es) = corrupt matter