Etymograph

English

Nazgul

Nazgul comes from Irish nasc ‘link, bond’.

  1. Irishc. 1200–presentnasc‘link, bond’
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1994Nazgul

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Earlier history not traced here.

Lineage

  1. Irishc. 1200–presentnasc‘link, bond’
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1994Nazgul

Earliest quotation: 1994, Chiaroscuro, Re: ColdMUD, interesting career(class,guild)-systems, and th: “(On Lost Souls there is a Ringwraith guild; Nazguls…”

The story

Tolkien thought it “probable” that the former term nazg was “actually derived from” Irish nasc (‘link, bond’), though not borrowed consciously. For the latter term gûl compare ghoul.

Every English word from Irish nasc

Today it means

noun An evil force which heedlessly destroys everything in its path, and appears like a horseman dressed all in black.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Irish nasc / Nazgul

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