Elven Words for Rivers, Streams and Springs
Elven words for the ocean, tides, and rain
More in the linguistic resources and word of the day (wotd) tags! Let me know if there are any topics you would like to see covered! These are Sindarin words and I will hopefully post Quenya ones later
Water in all its forms is one of the most commonly occurring motifs in Tolkien. The song that brought about creation is most tangible in the water and all known elven languages have many, many water related words including many wonderfully specific ones! For @tolkienseaweek
I’ve included information on the words derivations and roots where we have them!
Eithel is the Sindarin word for a spring or issue of water. It derives from the older word et-kelē meaning the same
Ael means a large lake. It derives from the root lin meaning pool, lake, or mere.
Lin in Sindarin also means a deep pool, mere (mountain lake) or river feeding well.
Muil was an archaic word for a tarn or mountain lake, derived from moyo meaning quiet
Soth meant bath, derived from sovo meaning wash. See also the early Quenya word lusta meaning to bathe in warm water
Duin is the Sindarin word specifically for a large river, deriving from duy meaning to flow. Sîr was the word for a smaller river or stream, also derived from Sir. Duinë is the Telerin word for river.
Celeth meant a small stream, brook or rivulet derived from kel meaning flow
Oll was an older Sindarin word for a mountain stream derived from the root ulu meaning pour or flow
Lanthir was the Sindarin word for waterfall, derived from the root lat meaning (to) fall to the ground and sir meaning river or stream. Acha is an older Sindarin word for waterfall, derived from asaka meaning the same.
Ethir in Sindarin meant the mouth of a river, derived from Esteri meaning the same. Rant is an Ilkorin word for the course or path of a river
Nen is the general word for water in both Sindarin and Quenya
Both meant a puddle or small pool, deriving from mboth meaning the same















