Eldamo : Noldorin : silith

N. silith n. “light of Silpion, †silver” (Category: Moon)

N. silith, n. “light of Silpion, *moonlight” (Category: Moon): G. gilm “moonlight, silver light”

A word in The Etymologies of the 1930s, for which Tolkien said “For *silif N has silith, by assimilation to or from influence of †Ithil” (Ety/SIL). Since N. silif was derived from primitive ᴹ✶silimē for the “light of Silpion” (Ety/SIL), it seems silith was a more modern replacement of it, probably with the same meaning. As it was influenced by Ithil “Moon”, it probably had the sense “*moonlight” after Silpion was lost.

Reference ✧ Ety/SIL ✧ “light of Silpion, †silver”

silith “light of Silpion, †silver” assimilated to or influenced by †Ithil “Moon” ✧ Ety/SIL

Cognates

Ilk. istil “silver light, starlight” ✧ Ety/SIL (istel/istil)
ᴹQ. silme “moonlight, light of Silpion, †silver” ✧ Ety/SIL

Derivations

< N. †silif “light of Silpion, †silver” ✧ Ety/SIL
- < ᴹ✶silimē “light of Silpion, †silver” ✧ Ety/SIL
  - < ᴹ√SIL “shine silver” ✧ Ety/SIL

Phonetic Developments

N. silif > silith

[siliv] ? [siliθ]

✧ Ety/SIL