Noldorin 

glaur

noun. gold

Noldorin [Ety/GLAW(-R); Ety/LÁWAR; Ety/MAK; EtyAC/LÁWAR] Group: Eldamo. Published by

gloriel

adjective. golden

Noldorin [Ety/LÁWAR] Group: Eldamo. Published by

baran

adjective. brown, swart, dark brown, golden brown, yellow brown

Noldorin [Ety/351, LotR/F, TC/179, RC/343] Group: SINDICT. Published by

celeb

noun. silver

Noldorin [Ety/367, S/429, LotR/E, Letters/426] Group: SINDICT. Published by

celeb

noun. silver

Noldorin [Ety/KYELEP] Group: Eldamo. Published by

celebren

adjective. like silver (in hue or worth)

Noldorin [Ety/367, S/429, VT/45:25] Group: SINDICT. Published by

celefn

adjective. of silver

Noldorin [Ety/367] Group: SINDICT. Published by

celevon

adjective. of silver

Noldorin [Ety/367] Group: SINDICT. Published by

côl

noun. gold (metal)

Noldorin [Ety/365] Group: SINDICT. Published by

côl

noun. gold (metal)

A word appearing in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a derivative of ᴹ√KUL “gold (metal)” (Ety/KUL). Tolkien updated this entry to change the root’s gloss to “golden-red”, after which its Noldorin derivative became N. coll “red”, while elsewhere in The Etymologies the word for “gold (as metal)” became N. malt (Ety/SMAL).

Conceptual Development: The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had G. †culu used poetically for “gold”, cognate to ᴱQ. kulu “gold” (GL/27) and thus derived from the same early root ᴱ√KULU (QL/49). G. culu was also given as an example noun for declensions in the contemporaneous Gnomish Grammar (PE11/14).

glawar

noun. sunlight, radiance (of the golden tree Laurelin)

Noldorin [Ety/368, VT/45:15] Group: SINDICT. Published by

glewellin

proper name. Song of Gold

Noldorin [Ety/LÁWAR; LR/210; LRI/Glewellin] Group: Eldamo. Published by

golodh

noun. one of the wise folk, Gnome

Noldorin [Ety/ÑGOLOD; LBI/Golodh; LR/201; PE21/57; PE22/034; PE22/041; PE23/021; SM/077; SMI/Golodh] Group: Eldamo. Published by

hmalt

noun. gold (as metal)

inglor

masculine name. *Heart of Gold

In Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, this name appeared as the true Elvish name of Felagund “Lord of Caves”, which was his title as the lord of Nargothrond (LR/116). In The Etymologies, Inglor was given as a derivative of ᴹ✶Indo-ʒlaurē, in effect a compound of N. ind “heart” and N. glaur “gold”, so “✱Heart of Gold”.

Conceptual Development: See S. Felagund for a discussion of the conceptual development of this and related names, and see S. Inglor for the later developments of this name.

Noldorin [Ety/ID; Ety/LÁWAR; LBI/Inglor; LR/116; LRI/Inglor; LT1I/Inglor; PE22/041; RSI/Inglor; SM/339; SMI/Inglor; TII/Inglor; UTI/Inglor; WJI/Inglor] Group: Eldamo. Published by

maglor

masculine name. Gold-cleaver

Noldorin [Ety/MAK; LRI/Maglor; SMI/Maglor] Group: Eldamo. Published by

malen

adjective. yellow

Noldorin [Ety/386] Group: SINDICT. Published by

malen

adjective. yellow, yellow, [ᴱN.] yellowish, pale, wan, sickly

Noldorin [Ety/SMAL] Group: Eldamo. Published by

mallen

adjective. of gold, golden

Noldorin [Ety/386, RC/625, VT/46:14, Tengwestie/20031207] Group: SINDICT. Published by

mallen

adjective. of gold

Noldorin [Ety/SMAL] Group: Eldamo. Published by

mallorn

noun. gold tree

Noldorin [SDI1/mallorn; TI/226; TI/233; TII/mallorn] Group: Eldamo. Published by

malt

noun. gold (as metal)

Noldorin [Ety/386, VT/46:14, VT/42:27, Tengwestie/20031207] Group: SINDICT. Published by

malt

noun. gold (as metal)

Noldorin [Ety/SMAL; EtyAC/SMAL; PE22/035] Group: Eldamo. Published by

malthen

adjective. of gold, golden

Noldorin [Ety/386, RC/625, VT/46:14, Tengwestie/20031207] Group: SINDICT. Published by

malthen

adjective. of gold, of gold [metal]

An adjective in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “of gold” based on N. malt “gold (as metal)” under the root ᴹ√SMAL “yellow” (Ety/SMAL). The form was revised to (h)malthen indicating an archaic voiceless hm that was the result of ancient sm (EtyAC/SMAL), but in Tolkien’s later writings the root became √MALAT (PM/366) so this would no longer be the case.

Neo-Sindarin: In Sindarin of the 1950s and 60s, medial lth became voiceless ll (VT42/27), as seen in the noun mallorn “gold tree” and (probably) the later adjective mallen “golden”. However Tolkien said:

> ... among those to whom Sindarin became a language of lore, as the men of Gondor who were or claimed to be of Numenórean race, the spirant [th] was reintroduced from the spelling. In true Sindarin of the Elves or Elf-friends of the early ages the final form [lt] was often introduced medially (VT42/27).

As such, I think malthen “of gold [metal]” may still be viable by analogy with its noun form malt “gold [metal]”, and the adjective mallen may be limited just to golden colors.

Conceptual Development: The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had similarly formed G. maltha “golden yellow, rich, mellow” (GL/56) likely based on the early root ᴱ√MALA “yellow” (QL/63).

Noldorin [Ety/SMAL; EtyAC/SMAL] Group: Eldamo. Published by

melthinorn

proper name. Tree of Gold

Noldorin [Ety/SMAL; LR/210; LRI/Melthinorn] Group: Eldamo. Published by

rhaud

noun. metal

Noldorin [Ety/383, X/RH] Generalized from OS *rauta "copper". Group: SINDICT. Published by

rhaud

noun. metal

Noldorin [Ety/RAUTĀ] Group: Eldamo. Published by

rhosc

adjective. brown

Noldorin [Ety/385, X/Z] Group: SINDICT. Published by

tinc

noun. metal

Noldorin [Ety/394] Group: SINDICT. Published by

tinc

noun. metal

A word for “metal” in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√TINKŌ of the same meaning (Ety/TINKŌ).

Conceptual Development: A possible precursor is G. sinc “metal” from the Gnomish Lexicon (GL/67), a cognate of ᴱQ. sink “mineral, gem, metal” under the early root ᴱ√SINI “pale blue” in the contemporaneous Qenya Lexicon (QL/83). For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I prefer to use ᴺS. sinc for “✱mineral”.

Noldorin [Ety/TINKŌ] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Middle Ancient Quenya

alaure

noun. *gold

Middle Ancient Quenya [PE19/037] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Nandorin 

lóri

noun. gold

Nandorin [NM/347; PE17/048] Group: Eldamo. Published by

lórinand

place name. Valley of Gold(en Light)

Nandorin [NM/347; NM/351; PE17/048; TII/Lórinand; UT/252; UT/253; UTI/Lórien²; UTI/Lórinand] Group: Eldamo. Published by

lórinand

place name. Valley of Gold

Altered from Lindórinand, q.v. (UT:252-253). This word would seem to point to lóri- (the independent form may differ somewhat) as the Nandorin word for "gold, golden light", transparently a derivative of the stem LÁWAR (LR:368) that covers precisely this meaning; a primitive form laurê is given in the Etymologies. This word alone testifies a Nandorin shift au > ó. (However, the final vowel of laurê would be expected to come out as -a in Nandorin; cf. hrassa from khrassê; it may be that lóri- rather represents a colour-adjective lauri; if so the final -i may be preserved before endings and in compounds only, the independent form being lór.) >> Lórien

Nandorin [H. Fauskanger (UT:252-253:368)] < LÁWAR. Published by

Adûnaic

pharaz

noun. gold

A noun meaning “gold”, the only Adûnaic word defined in The Lord of the Rings (LotR/1114).

Conceptual Development: This noun also appears in “Lowdham’s Report on the Adunaic Language” from the 1940s (SD/426).

Adûnaic [LotR/1114; PE17/120; SD/426] Group: Eldamo. Published by

pharazôn

masculine name. Golden

The son of Gimilkhâd who usurped the throne to become the 25th and final ruler of Númenor, translated “Golden” (LotR/1114, S/270). His Quenya name was Tar-Calion. Since Calion appears to mean “✱Son of Light”, Ar-Pharazôn is an example of a Númenórean ruler whose Adûnaic and Quenya names had different meanings.

The first element in his name is the noun pharaz “gold”. Since Pharazôn is glossed “Golden”, the second element -ôn may be an adjectival suffix. Andreas Moehn instead suggested (EotAL/PHAR’Z) that the name means “✱Golden One”, closer to its Quenya equivalent, and that the suffix -ôn is a masculine variant of the agental suffix -ân. Either way, the name is also notable in that it does not undergo the Adûnaic syncope when its suffix is added.

Conceptual Development: The name also appeared in “The Notion Club Papers” from the 1940s (SD/311), in some examples inflected into the subjective case (SD/247, 428-9).

Adûnaic [LotR/1114; LotRI/Ar-Pharazôn; MRI/Ar-Pharazôn; PMI/Ar-Pharazôn; S/270; SD/247; SD/311; SD/312; SD/428; SD/429; SD/435; SDI2/Ar-Pharazôn; SDI2/Tar-kalion; SI/Ar-Pharazôn; SI/Pharazôn; UTI/Ar-Pharazôn] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Primitive elvish

mal

root. gold, yellow, gold

This was the root for Elvish words meaning “yellow” for much of Tolkien’s life, though with some minor variations. It appeared as ᴱ√MALA “yellow” (usually mali-) in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like ᴱQ. malina “yellow” and ᴱQ. malikon “amber” (QL/58). It also appeared in a list of M-roots at the end of that section (QL/63). It had derivatives in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon such as G. malon “yellow” and G. malthos “butter cup” (GL/56).

In The Etymologies of the 1930s it seems Tolkien first gave this root as ᴹ√MAL (EtyAC/MAL) but rejected this and replaced it with ᴹ√SMAL “yellow” (Ety/SMAL). It had derivatives like ᴹQ. malina/N. malen “yellow”, ᴹQ. malta/N. malt “gold (as metal)” and ᴹQ. malo/N. hmâl “pollen, yellow powder” (< ᴹ✶smalu), with some revisions in Noldorin forms as Tolkien vacillated on whether or not primitive sm- resulted in voiceless nasal hm- or a voiced nasal m-.

This √SMAL vs. √MAL variation seems to have continued into Tolkien’s later writings, as seen in Common Eldarin: Noun Structure from the early 1950s where ✶malu >> ✶smalu “dust, grit” (PE21/80), probably a later iteration of ᴹ✶smalu “pollen, yellow powder” from The Etymologies. But it seems Tolkien settled on √MAL as evidenced by the extended root √MALAT “gold” from The Shibboleth of Fëanor from 1968 (PM/366).

Primitive elvish [SA/mal] Group: Eldamo. Published by

malat

root. gold

Primitive elvish [PM/366] Group: Eldamo. Published by

glaware

noun. sheen of gold

Primitive elvish [PE17/017; PE19/079; PE21/80; VT41/10] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kul

root. golden-red, golden-red; [ᴱ√] gold

The root √KUL was connected to gold and gold-coloured things throughout Tolkien’s life but gradually shifted in meaning. The earliest form of this root was ᴱ√KULU “gold” from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s (QL/49), but at this early stage it was connected to actual metallic gold as much as the colour, as opposed to ᴱQ. laure which was “magic” name of gold (LT1/100). In The Etymologies of the 1930s, ᴹ√KUL was first glossed “gold (metal)”, but was eventually revised to “golden-red” (replacing a rejected variant ᴹ√GUL), and metallic gold became ᴹQ. malta < ᴹ√SMAL “yellow” (Ety/SMAL) while ᴹQ. laure shifted in sense to “golden light” (Ety/GLAW(-R)).

Tolkien’s continued use of names like Q. Culúrien (S/38) and Q. culumalda “tree with hanging yellow blossoms (prob[ably] a laburnum)” (RC/626) indicate the continued validity of this root, though I suspect in later writings it primarily referred to a golden-red or orangish colour.

Primitive elvish [SA/cul; SA/mal] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kyelep

root. silver

This root and ones like it were used for Elvish words for “silver” throughout Tolkien’s life. The earliest iteration of the root began with T-, however, appearing as unglossed ᴱ√TELEPE in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like ᴱQ. telpe “silver” (QL/91). Even at this early stage, however, the Gnomish equivalent was G. celeb (GL/25), but the reason for the t/c variation isn’t clear. The closest explanation is that palatal consonants like [c] became [tʲ] in Qenya vs. [k] in Gnomish (compare ᴱQ. tyava- vs. caf- “taste” from ᴱ√TYAVA) but this doesn’t explain why the Qenya form has initial t- rather than ty-.

Elsewhere in the Elvish languages of the 1910s there seem to be etymological variations of [k] vs. [t], such as ᴱQ. kitya- vs. G. tisca- “tickle” (QL/47; GL/70) and ᴱQ. talqe vs. G. celc “glass” (QL/88; GL/25), so perhaps ᴱQ. telpe vs. G. celeb “silver” is another example of this. Another explanation appeared in Early Noldorin word lists from the 1920s, where the primitive form was ᴱ✶kelekwé which produced ᴱN. celeb as usual but the Qenya form was ᴱQ. telqe with “k = t by dissimilation” (PE13/140), presumably away from q.

In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien had the root ᴹ√KYELEP with variant ᴹ√TELEP, producing N. celeb but ᴹQ. tyelpe or ᴹQ. telpe (Ety/KYELEP). But Tolkien revised this entry, marking ᴹ√TELEP as questionable and introducing the Telerin form ᴹT. telpe < ᴹ√KYELEP, concluding that ᴹQ. telpe must be a loan from Telerin. This finally put N. celeb vs. ᴹQ. telpe (borrowed from Telerin) on a solid phonological foundation. Tolkien seems to have stuck with this explanation, mentioning this borrowing from Telerin to Quenya several times in his later writings, with the proper but now archaic Quenya form being Q. †tyelpë (Let/426; PM/356; UT/266).

Primitive elvish [PM/366; UT/266] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kyelepē

noun. silver

Primitive elvish [Let/426; NM/349; PE17/036; PE21/71; PE21/80] Group: Eldamo. Published by

maltornē

noun. gold-tree

Primitive elvish [PE23/140] Group: Eldamo. Published by

áse

noun. sunlight

Primitive elvish [PE17/018] Group: Eldamo. Published by

mal(a)tā Reconstructed

noun. gold (as metal)

Sindarin 

malt

noun. gold, gold (as metal)

A noun for “gold” based on the root √MALAT. The Etymologies of the 1930s specified that N. malt was “gold (as metal)” derived from the root ᴹ√SMAL “yellow” (Ety/SMAL). This is consistent with Tolkien’s later notes in which Q. malta was “gold (metal)”, as opposed to Q. laurë/S. glaur which was “gold (colour or light)” (PE17/51, 159). Note that in The Etymologies the form was revised to (h)malt indicating an archaic voiceless hm that was the result of ancient sm (EtyAC/SMAL), but this would no longer be the case after the root became √MALAT.

Sindarin [PE17/050; PE23/136; VT42/27] Group: Eldamo. Published by

glóriel

adjective. golden

This appears to be an adjectival form of glaur “gold (colour or light)” seen only as a element in names like Galadlóriel “Golden Rain” (MR/155; RS/187) [not an exact translation] and Rathlóriel “Golden-bed” (S/235).

Conceptual Development: In The Etymologies of the 1930s these names had a short o under the root ᴹ√(G)LAWAR, indicating a Noldorin form of N. gloriel (Ety/LÁWAR). The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had G. glôriol “golden, like gold” based on G. glôr “gold” (GL/40).

glórin

adjective. *golden, golden, [G.] of gold

An adjectival form of glaur “gold (colour or light)” seen only as a element in the name Glórindol “Goldenhead” (S/147; WJ/225, 234).

Conceptual Development: The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had G. glôrin “golden, of gold” based on G. glôr “gold” (GL/40).

malh

golden

adj. #golden. This word is not explicitly presented as S. >> mall, mallorn

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:51] -. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

mall

golden

adj. #golden. This word is not explicitly presented as S. >> malh, mallorn

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:51] -. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

mallen

adjective. golden, golden, [N.] of gold

An adjective for “golden” mentioned in Tolkien’s “Unfinished Index” of The Lord of the Rings as an element in the name Cormallen “Golden Circle” (RC/625). It may also be seen in Rathmallen, a variant of the name Rathlóriel “Golden-bed”, replacing the second element glóriel “golden” with mallen (WJ/353). The word N. mallen also appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√SMAL “yellow” as an “analogical” variant of N. malthen “of gold” (Ety/SMAL).

Possible Etymology: In Tolkien’s later writings, this adjective was probably based on the root √MAL(AT) “gold”, also seen as the basis for the noun malt “gold [as metal]” (PE17/50; VT42/27). It was likely in keeping with the 1950s and 60s sound change whereby medial lth became voiceless ll; a similar sound shift may be seen in S. mallorn “golden tree” < OS. malthorn = malt + orn (VT42/27). In Noldorin of the 1930s lth was preserved, so 1930s N. mallen may have been based on ✱(s)maldina instead.

Neo-Sindarin: For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I would use this word only for golden colors, and would use [N.] malthen for “of gold [metal]”; see that entry for discussion.

Sindarin [RC/625; WJI/Rathlóriel] Group: Eldamo. Published by

malad

gold

(as metal) 1) malad (i valad), pl. melaid (i melaid) if there is a pl. 2) malt (i valt), pl. melt (i melt) if there is a pl. (VT42:27). ”Gold” in extended senses: glawar (i **lawar) (sunlight, radiance of the Golden Tree Laurelin), pl. glewair (in glewair**) (VT41:10) GOLD (COLOUR?) *mall (i vall), pl. mail (i mail) if there is a pl. Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” malt.

malad

gold

(i valad), pl. melaid (i melaid) if there is a pl.

mall

gold

(i vall), pl. mail (i mail) if there is a pl. – Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” malt.

malt

gold

(i valt), pl. melt (i melt) if there is a pl. (VT42:27). ”Gold” in extended senses: glawar (i ’lawar) (sunlight, radiance of the Golden Tree Laurelin), pl. glewair (in glewair) (VT41:10)

glóren

golden

(glórin-), lenited ’lóren; pl. glórin

mallen

golden

(lenited vallen; pl. mellin).

malthen

golden

1) (of gold) malthen (melthin- in compounds; lenited valthen; pl. melthin), 2) (shining with golden light) glóren (glórin-), lenited lóren; pl. glórin, 3) mallen (lenited vallen; pl. mellin).

malthen

golden

(melthin- in compounds; lenited valthen; pl. melthin)

Baranduin

noun. gold-brown river

baran (“gold-brown”) + duin (“long and large river”) David Salo: ”dh and mh were liable to revert to d and m when they came to follow a nasal after syncope” TolkLang message 19.31.

Sindarin [Tolkiendil] Group: Tolkiendil Compound Sindarin Names. Published by

Dol Baran

noun. gold-brown hill

(n-)dol (“hill”), baran (“gold-brown”) #The lack of lenition in baran could probably be explained by dialectal differences.

Sindarin [Tolkiendil] Group: Tolkiendil Compound Sindarin Names. Published by

Sîr Ninglor

noun. gladden (water-gold) river

sîr (“river”), nîn (pl. of nen “water”) + glaur (“gold”); not clear why the second element of Ninglor is not lenited, David Salo states that gh before a nasal could probably revert back to g, before it became zero, TolkLang message 19.31.

Sindarin [Tolkiendil] Group: Tolkiendil Compound Sindarin Names. Published by

Dol Baran

place name. Dol Baran

topon. >> dol, paran

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:36:86:171] < ? & PAR peel (hence bark, book). Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

baran

adjective. brown, swart, dark brown, golden brown, yellow brown

Sindarin [Ety/351, LotR/F, TC/179, RC/343] Group: SINDICT. Published by

celeb

noun. silver

Sindarin [Ety/367, S/429, LotR/E, Letters/426] Group: SINDICT. Published by

celeb

silver

_n. _silver. >> Celebdil, Celebrant, celebrin

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:36:42:49] < _kelep_, _kyelep_. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

celeb

noun. silver

The word celeb was the word for “silver” in Sindarin and its conceptual precursors throughout Tolkien’s life.

Conceptual Development: G. celeb “silver” appeared all the way back to the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, where it was related to the early root ᴱ√TELEPE of the same meaning (GL/25; QL/91). In Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s ᴱN. celeb was derived instead from ᴱ✶kelekwé with the sound change of primitive kw to p and later to b (PE13/140), though in that same document he considered (but rejected) ᴱ✶t’lépe > ᴱN. tlub “silver” (PE13/154). In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien introduced a new root ᴹ√KYELEP “silver” to be the basis of N. celeb, with the sound change whereby intial ky became k (c) (Ety/KYELEP). This sound change continued to be a feature of Sindarin of the 1950s and 60s, and Tolkien retained this derivation going forward.

Sindarin [Let/423; Let/426; LotR/1113; NM/349; PE17/036; PE17/042; PE17/049; RC/775; SA/celeb; TI/174; UT/266] Group: Eldamo. Published by

glaur

noun/adjective. gold [light or colour]

A noun for “gold (light or colour)”, appearing as either glaur or glawar, derivatives of the root √(G)LAWAR of the same meaning (NM/351; PE17/17, 159; VT41/10). As Tolkien described it:

> The application to gold of this stem was poetic and referred to colour primarily (as especially of laburnum) not to material ([which was instead Q.] malta) (PE17/159).

The distinction between the two forms glaur and glawar is not entirely clear. In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien had N. glaur “gold” and N. glawar “sunlight, radiance of Laurelin” as derivatives of distinct forms of the root: ᴹ√GLAW(-R) and ᴹ√(G)LAWAR, with the first of these being rejected (Ety/GLAW(-R); LÁWAR). In notes from the late 1960s, Tolkien said:

> [Q.] Makalaure was converted simply phonetically to S. maglaur > maglor. Its pure Sindarin [development] would have been {maka-glawar >>} maka-glaur-. [In] S. glaware > glawar = Q. laure but as second element in compound glaware > glaur (VT41/10).

This note seems to imply that glawar is the normal form, and glaur is just a reduced form in compounds. However, glaur does appear as independent word in Tolkien’s later writings, for example in its mutated form ’laur in Nan Laur “Valley of Gold(en Light)” (UT/253). Conversely, longer glawar appears in a few compounds, such as Glewellin “Song of Gold” (MR/155) and Lothlewerian(d), the “pure Sindarin” form of Lothlórien (PE17/48). These glawar forms in compounds seem to have resisted reduction because they first underwent i-affection to glewer.

The vast majority of compounds with this word show a further reduction to either glór or glor, where au became o in polysyllables as was usually the case in Sindarin. The reduced form is always -glor as the second element of a compound (Maglor), but is glór- as an initial element if followed by a vowel (Glóredhel), or glor- if followed by a consonant cluster (Glorfindel).

Neo-Sindarin: For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I would treat glaur and glawar as variants of the same word, both functioning as a noun meaning “gold (light or colour)”. However when “golden light, sunlight” is the intended meaning, I would tend to use glawar. Furthermore, I think glaur can also be used adjectivally = “golden [colour]”, as in Nan Laur where the mutation of the second element indicates an adjective rather than a noun.

Conceptual Development: The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had G. glôr “gold” as a cognate to ᴱQ. laure (GL/40), and hence probably derived from the early root ᴱ√LOU̯RI (QL/51) since ou became ō in Gnomish of the 1910s. ᴱN. glór “gold” appeared Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s (PE13/144). Its most notable use in the early period was in the name G. Glorfindel which meant “Golden Hair” throughout Tolkien’s life.

The Etymologies of the 1930s had {ᴹ√GLAW(-R) > N. glaur “gold”} revised to ᴹ√(G)LAWAR > N. glawar “sunlight, radiance of Laurelin” as noted above (Ety/GLAW(-R); LÁWAR). Possible precursors to N. glawar “sunlight, radiance” include G. galwen “brilliance” from the 1910s (PE13/114) and ᴱN. gladwen “radiance, sunshine” (PE13/123, 144). From the 1930s forward Tolkien had both glaur and glawar, as discussed above.

Sindarin [PE17/017; PE17/159; UT/253; VT41/10] Group: Eldamo. Published by

glaurung

masculine name. Gold-worm

The first dragon (S/116), also called the “Gold-worm” (UT/75). The initial element of his name is clearly glaur “gold”, but the meaning of the second element is unclear.

Conceptual Development: In the earliest Lost Tales, his name was G. Glorund (LT2/19), appearing in the Gnomish Lexicon as Glorunn, a combination of G. glôr “gold” and an untranslated word gunn (GL/40). The word gunn does not appear elsewhere in the Gnomish Lexicon, but gund appears with the gloss “dragon” in Early Noldorin word lists as an element in the name Glorund (PE13/144, 145, 162).

The name Glorund was revised to Glómund in Lays of Beleriand from the 1920s (LB/208), and kept this form in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (SM/32, LR/255). The name Glaurung emerged in Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s (WJ/46, 121). In these later forms of the name, the meaning of the final element is unclear.

Sindarin [LBI/Glómund; LRI/Glaurung; LT2/068; LT2I/Glaurung; LT2I/Glorund; MRI/Glaurung; NM/355; PE17/097; S/226; SI/Glaurung; SMI/Glaurung; UTI/Glaurung; WJ/121; WJI/Glaurung; WJI/Glómund] Group: Eldamo. Published by

glawar

noun. gold (light or colour), gold (light or colour); [N.] sunlight, radiance (of Laurelin)

Sindarin [NM/351; PE17/048; PE17/061; PE17/159; VT41/10] Group: Eldamo. Published by

glewellin

proper name. Song of Gold

Sindarin cognate of Q. Laurelin “Song of Gold” appearing in the Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s but not in the published version of The Silmarillion (MR/155). It is a combination of Old Sindarin †glawar “gold” (PE17/61) and lind “song”, with the vowels in the initial element shifted to e because of the i in the last syllable.

Conceptual Development: The name N. Glewellin first appeared in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (LR/210). In The Etymologies, it already had the derivation given above (Ety/LÁWAR). @@@ Glorlin

Sindarin [MR/155; MRI/Glewellin; PE17/061] Group: Eldamo. Published by

glornan

place name. Valley of Gold(en Light)

Sindarin equivalent of the original Nandorin name of Lórien: Lórinand (UT/253), a combination of glaur “gold” and nan(d) “valley”.

Sindarin [UT/253; UTI/Glornan; UTI/Lórien²] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ithildin

noun. a silver-colored substance, which mirrors only starlight and moonlight

Sindarin [LotR/II:IV] ithil+tinu "moon-star". Group: SINDICT. Published by

maglor

masculine name. *Forging Gold

Second son of Fëanor (S/60), his name is phonetic conversion of his mother-name Q. Macalaurë “Forging Gold” (PM/353), which in proper Sindarin would have been Magalor (VT41/10).

Conceptual Development: In the earliest Lost Tales, his name was G. Maglor (LT2/241). It remained N. Maglor in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (SM/88, LR/223). In The Etymologies, it was translated “Gold-cleaver”, a combination of the root ᴹ√MAK “cleave” and the suffixal form -lor of glaur “gold” (Ety/MAG). In “The Lay of Leithian Recommenced” from the 1950s, Tolkien revised the name to Maelor (LB/353), a form that also appears as a late change in Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s (MR/182 note §41), but when Tolkien devised the derivation given above in The Shibboleth of Fëanor from the late 1960s, he reverted back to Maglor.

Sindarin [LB/353; LBI/Maelor; MRI/Maglor; PM/352; PMI/Maglor; SI/Maglor; VT41/10; WJI/Maglor] Group: Eldamo. Published by

malvegil

masculine name. ?Sword of Gold

The 6th king of king of Arthedain (LotR/1038), perhaps a combination of malt “gold” and the lenited form of megil “sword”.

Sindarin [LotRI/Malvegil; PMI/Malvegil] Group: Eldamo. Published by

melthinorn

proper name. Tree of Gold

A name of Laurelin translated “Tree of Gold” (MR/155), apparently a combination of a variant form of the adjective [N.] malthen “of gold” and orn “tree” (Ety/SMAL). The initial adjective melthin- appears to be plural, though the reason why is unclear since the second element is obviously singular.

Conceptual Development: The name N. Melthinorn appeared in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (LR/30). It also appears in The Etymologies, which is the source of the derivation above (Ety/SMAL). In the same entry, there is an archaic form †Mellinorn, apparently containing a plural of N. mallen.

Sindarin [MR/155; MRI/Melthinorn] Group: Eldamo. Published by

mithril

noun. true-silver, a silver-like metal

Sindarin [LotR] mith+rill "grey brilliance". Group: SINDICT. Published by

nan laur

place name. Valley of Gold(en Light)

Sindarin equivalent of the original Nandorin name of Lórien: Lórinand (UT/253), a combination of nan(d) “valley” and the lenited form of glaur “gold”.

Sindarin [UT/253; UTI/Lórien²; UTI/Nan Laur] Group: Eldamo. Published by

rathlóriel

place name. Golden-bed

Another name of the river Ascar translated “Golden-bed” (S/235), a combination of rath “river-bed” and the lenited form of glóriel “golden” (SA/laurë; Ety/RAT, LÁWAR).

Conceptual Development: When it first appeared in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, this name was N. Rathlorion “Golden-bed” (SM/134), later changed to N. Rathloriel “Bed of Gold” (LR/141). The second name appeared in The Etymologies, with essentially the same derivation as given above (Ety/RAT, LÁWAR). In Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s the o was lengthened (WJ/346), and Tolkien considered changing the name to Rathmalad or Rathmallen (WJ/191, 353).

Sindarin [S/235; SA/laurë; SI/Rathlóriel; WJI/Rathlóriel] Group: Eldamo. Published by

raud

noun. metal

Sindarin [Ety/383, X/RH] Generalized from OS *rauta "copper". Group: SINDICT. Published by

raud

noun. metal

A noun appearing as N. rhaud “metal” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from the root ᴹ√RAUTĀ of the same meaning (Ety/RAUTĀ). In that document, it was the basis for the second element of the names Finrod, Angrod and Damrod. In Tolkien’s later writings the second element of these names were based on S. raud “noble” instead. This 1930s “metal” word might reappear in Rodëol “metal of Eöl” in drafts of the Silmarillion from the 1950s, since in Sindarin initial r did not become rh as it did in Noldorin. For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I think it best to stick to [N.] tinc “metal”

rhosg

adjective. brown

Sindarin [Ety/385, X/Z] Group: SINDICT. Published by

Baranduin

Golden-brown river

The name Baranduin was Sindarin for "golden-brown river", from baran and duin.

The Hobbits of the Shire originally gave it the punning name Branda-nîn, meaning "border water" in original Hobbitish Westron. This was later punned again as Bralda-hîm meaning "heady ale" (referring to the colour of its water), which Tolkien renders into English as Brandywine.

The word "Brandywine" both resembles the original Elvish name "Baranduin", and provides the Hobbitish meaning adequately.

Sindarin [Tolkien Gateway "Baranduin"] Published by

Baranduin

Baranduin

The name Baranduin was Sindarin for "golden-brown river", from baran and duin. The Hobbits of the Shire originally gave it the punning name Branda-nîn, meaning "border water" in original Hobbitish Westron. This was later punned again as Bralda-hîm meaning "heady ale" (referring to the colour of its water), which Tolkien renders into English as Brandywine. The word "Brandywine" both resembles the original Elvish name "Baranduin", and provides the Hobbitish meaning adequately. The word brandywine was actually the archaic English word for brandy as imported from the Dutch brandewijn. David Salo noted that it represents a possible Old English *baernedwin, meaning "burned wine", which would resemble quite closely the original Elvish Baranduin. making Hobbitish Brandywine a legitimate corruption of S. Baranduin.

Sindarin [Tolkien Gateway] Published by

Dol Baran

Dol Baran

The name means "Shaven hill" (dol + paran) referring to its lack of trees.

Sindarin [Tolkien Gateway] Published by

Maglor

Gold-cleaver

His father-name was Canafinwë, a name which in Quenya means "Strong-voiced [of] Finwë". It is derived from cáno, a noun which means "commander", added to the name of his grandfather. His mother-name was Makalaurë. In The Etymologies it is interpreted as "Gold-cleaver". A possible explanation for this translation is given in The Shibboleth of Feanor, where it is stated that the name might be a reference to his skill in harping, whose sound was golden.

Sindarin [Tolkien Gateway "Maglor"] Published by

baran

yellow brown

(swart, dark brown, golden-brown), pl. berain.

baran

brown

1) baran (swart, dark brown, yellow brown, golden-brown), pl. berain; 2) rhosc (red, russet), lenited ?throsc or ?rosc (the lenition product of rh is uncertain), pl. rhysc

baran

brown

(swart, dark brown, yellow brown, golden-brown), pl. berain

celeb

silver

1) (noun) celeb (i geleb, o cheleb), pl. celib (i chelib) if there is a pl. form. 2) (adj., "of/like silver") celebren (lenited gelebren, pl. celebrin; also celebrin- as first element of compounds, as in Celebrindal). Also celefn (lenited gelefn, pl. celifn). As for ”silver” as adjective, see also SHINING WHITE. Adj.

galad

sunlight

1) galad (i ngalad = i ñalad), (bright light, brilliance, radiance, glittering reflection), pl. gelaid (in gelaid = i ñgelaid). 2) glawar (i **lawar) (gold; radiance of the Golden Tree Laurelin), pl. glewair (in glewair**) (VT41:10)

galad

sunlight

(i ngalad = i ñalad), (bright light, brilliance, radiance, glittering reflection), pl. gelaid (in gelaid = i ñgelaid).

galvorn

copper, gold,  iron, silver

(i** ’alvorn, pl. gelvyrn [in ngelvyrn*] if there is a pl.), a black metal made by the Dark Elf Eöl. (WJ:322)*

glawar

sunlight

glawar (i **lawar) (gold, radiance of the Golden Tree Laurelin), pl. glewair (in glewair**) if there is a pl. (VT41:10)

glawar

laurelin, radiance of

(i ’lawar) (sunlight, gold), pl. glewair (in glewair) (VT41:10)

malen

yellow

malen (lenited valen; pl. melin).

malen

yellow

(lenited valen; pl. melin).

mallos

flower of gold

(a species of flower growing in Lebennin) mallos (i vallos), pl. mellys (i mellys)

mallos

flower of gold

(i vallos), pl. mellys (i mellys)

mithril

copper, gold,  iron, silver

(i** vithril, no distinct pl. form except with article [i** mithril], coll. pl. ?mithrillath). The description of mithril may seem to fit titanium.

mâl

yellow powder

(i vâl; construct mal) (pollen), pl. mail or archaic mely (i mail, i mely). Older pl. meil (LR:386 s.v. SMAL).

rhosc

brown

(red, russet), lenited ?throsc or ?rosc *(the lenition product of rh is uncertain)*, pl. rhysc

ross

polished metal

(glitter), pl. ryss (idh** ryss**). Note: homophones mean ”reddish, russet, copper-coloured, red-haired” and also ”spray, foam, rain, dew”. For concrete metals, see

tinc

metal

tinc (i dinc, o thinc), no distinct pl. form except with article (i thinc), coll. pl. tingath. The word rhaud “metal” occurring in the Etymologies would normally be ”updated” to Sindarin in the form raud, but since raud appears with different meanings in later sources (see

tinc

metal

(i** dinc, o thinc), no distinct pl. form except with article (i** thinc), coll. pl. tingath. The word rhaud**metal” occurring in the Etymologies would normally be ”updated” to Sindarin in the form raud, but since raud** appears with different meanings in later sources (see

tinc

eminent

should at least be preferred for clarity).

Quenya 

Tar-culu

gold

Tar-culu ("k"), name listed in the Etymologies but not elsewhere attested. The second element is apparently culu "gold" (a word Tolkien seems to have abandoned); Hostetter and Wynne suggest that this may be an alternative name of Tar-Calion (= Ar-Pharazôn "the Golden"); see VT45:24.

culo

gold

[culo, culu ("k")noun "gold" (substance)] (KUL, VT49:47; the word culu_ also occurred in early "Qenya" [LT1:258], but in the Etymologies it was struck out; the regular Quenya word for "gold" is apparently _malta. In another version, culo meant "flame" [VT45:24], but this is apparently also a word Tolkien abandoned.)

laurë

gold

laurë noun "gold", but of golden light and colour, not of the metal: "golden light" (according to PE17:61 a poetic word). Nai laurë lantuva parmastanna lúmissen tengwiesto "may (a) golden light fall on your book at the times of your reading" (VT49:47). In Etym defined as "light of the golden Tree Laurelin, gold", not properly used of the metal gold (LÁWAR/GLÁWAR, GLAW(-R), VT27:20, 27, PE17:159). In early "Qenya", however, laurë was defined as "(the mystic name of) gold" (LT1:255, 258) or simply "gold" (LT1:248, 268). In Laurelin and Laurefindil, q.v., Laurenandë "Gold-valley" = Lórien (the land, not the Vala) (UT:253) and laurinquë name of a tree, possibly *"Gold-full one" (UT:168). Laurendon "like gold" or "in gold fashion" (but after citing this form, Tolkien decided to abandon the similative ending -ndon, PE17:58).

malta

gold

malta noun "gold", also name of tengwa #18 (Appendix E). The Etymologies (entry SMAL) instead has malda, q.v. for discussion, but according to VT46:14, the form malta originally appeared in the Etymologies as well. Also compare the root MALAT listed in PM:366.

Ormal

high-gold

Ormal noun, one of the Lamps of the Valar: *"High-Gold"??? (Silm)

laurina

golden

laurina adj. "golden" (LT1:258). Compare laurëa in later material.

-ndon

similative

-ndon, case-ending for "similative": wilwarindon "like a butterfly" (see wilwarin), laurendon "like gold" _(PE17:58) In the post-LotR period Tolkien decided to abandon this ending, apparently because it was to similar to the agental suffix -ndo (PE17:58)_, and it does not appear in the Plotz decension.

Culúrien

golden-red

Culúrien another name of Laurelin; apparently derived from the stem KUL- "golden-red" (Silm; LR:365)

Laurelin

g.sg. laurelinden

Laurelin ("g.sg. Laurelinden" or Laurelingen; in LotR-style Quenya this is dat.sg.) Name of the Golden Tree of Valinor, interpreted both *"singing-gold" (stem Laurelind-) and "hanging-gold" (stem Laureling-) (LIN2, VT45:27, LÁWAR/GLÁWAR, [GLAW(-R)], SA, Letters:308)

Laurelindórinan

valley of singing gold

Laurelindórinan noun "Valley of Singing Gold", an earlier name of Laurenandë (Lórien) (UT:253); laurelindórenan lindelorendor malinornélion ornemalin *"Goldenlight-music-land-valley music-dream-land of yellow-trees tree-yellow", Quenya elements agglutinated in Entish fashion; this supposedly means something like "the valley where the trees in a golden light sing musically, a land of music and dreams; there are yellow trees there, it is a tree-yellow land" (LotR2:III ch. 4, translated in Letters:308). The last word ornemalin is defined in as "bearing yellow flowers" in PE17:80.

Macalaurë

gold-cleaver

Macalaurë ("k"), masc. name, the mother-name (never used in narrative) of Canafinwë = Maglor (PM:353, MAK); his Sindarin name is seen to be based on his mother-name. In the Etymologies, Macalaurë is interpreted "Gold-cleaver" (MAK)

ai! laurië lantar lassi súrinen

ah! like gold fall the leaves in the wind

First line @@@

Quenya [LotR/0377; RGEO/58] Group: Eldamo. Published by

alaurē†

noun. sheen of gold

PQ. sheen of gold

Quenya [PE 19:79] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

aurë

sunlight, day

aurë noun "sunlight, day" (SA:ur), "day (of light), a day of special meaning or festival" (VT49:45). locative auressë "in (the) morning" in Markirya, allative aurenna *"on the day" (VT49:43-45). Also compare amaurëa.

aurë

noun. day (as opposed to night), daylight, sunlight, morning, day (as opposed to night), daylight, morning; sunlight, [ᴱQ.] sunshine, gold light, warmth

Quenya [MC/222; MC/223; Minor-Doc/1955-CT; PE17/120; PE17/148; RC/727; S/190; S/195; SA/ur; VT49/45; WJ/166] Group: Eldamo. Published by

cullo

red gold

cullo ("k")noun "red gold" (KUL, VT45:24)

culuina

of gold

[culuina ("k") (2) (misread as **culuinn_ in the Etymologies as printed in LR; see VT45:24)] adj. "of gold" (KUL; this word was struck out, and _culuina became the adjective "orange" instead.)

culusta

gold-coin

culusta ("k") "a gold-coin" (QL:49)

ingalaurë

masculine name. *Top Gold

The first mother-name Tolkien gave to Finarfin (MR/230, PE17/118). It seems to be a compound of inga “top” and laurë “gold”. It was Sindarized as Inglor.

Conceptual Development: In later writing Finarfin’s mother-name was changed to Ingoldo (PM/360).

Quenya [MR/230; MRI/Ingalaurë; PE17/118; PMI/Finarfin] Group: Eldamo. Published by

laurelin

proper name. Song of Gold, Singing Gold

Name of the Golden Tree of Valinor, the one of the Two Trees which shone with golden light (S/38). It is a compound of laurë “gold” and lin(dë) “singing, song” (SA/laurë, lin²), variously translated as “Song of Gold” (MR/155) or “Singing Gold (PE17/80)”.

Conceptual Development: In the earliest Lost Tales, the tree was first named ᴱQ. Lindelokte “Singing Cluster” with numerous variations (LT1/22, LTA/Lindelos). Towards the end of Tolkien’s work on the Lost Tales, he introduced the name ᴱQ. {Lindelaure >>} Laurelin “Singing-gold” (LT2/216), and used this as the name thereafter.

The name ᴹQ. Laurelin was translated “Song of Gold” in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (LR/210). This translation also appeared in The Etymologies (Laurelind-, Ety/LIN²), but there Tolkien considered a variant, co-existing translation “Hanging Flame” (Laureling-, EtyAC/LING). This variant was retained in the later Sindarin name of the tree: S. Glingal.

Quenya [LotRI/Laurelin; LotRI/Trees, Two; MR/155; MRI/Laurelin; PE17/061; PE17/080; PMI/Laurelin; S/038; SA/laurë; SA/lin²; SI/Laurelin; UTI/Laurelin; WJI/Laurelin] Group: Eldamo. Published by

laurelindórenan

place name. (Land of the) Valley of Singing Gold

The full Quenya name of S. Lórien (UT/253), appearing in the even longer Entish description of that land: Laurelindórenan lindelorendor malinornélion ornemalin (LotR/467). The name is a combination of the elements laurë “gold”, lin(dë) “singing”, -ndor “land” and the suffix -nan “valley” (Let/448, UT/253). This name was crafted by Galadriel, and was an allusion to the Golden Tree of Valinor, Laurelin (UT/253).

Conceptual Development: This name appeared as Laurelindórinan in the first edition of The Lord of the Rings, revised to Laurelindórenan in the second (SD/73). It also appeared in a shorter variant Laurelindórë “Land of Singing Gold” (PE17/80). It seems that when Tolkien first conceived of this name, it was merely an extended, Enticized version of Lórien (PE17/80). The idea that it was the full name coined by Galadriel came later, as Tolkien further developed the etymological history of S. Lórien (UT/253).

Quenya [Let/448; LotR/0467; LotRI/Laurelindórenan; LotRI/Lothlórien; NM/351; PE17/048; PE17/080; SDI1/Laurelindórenan; UT/253; UTI/Laurelindorinan; UTI/Lórien²] Group: Eldamo. Published by

laurenandë

place name. Valley of Gold

The Quenya translation of the original Nandorin name Lórinand for S. Lórien. It was the inspiration for the complete Quenya name Laurelindórenan (UT/253). This name is a compound of laurë “gold” and nandë “valley”.

Quenya [NM/351; UT/253; UTI/Laurenandë; UTI/Lórien²] Group: Eldamo. Published by

laurië

goldenness

laurië noun "goldenness", also used as adv. "goldenly" (PE17:74); the word laurië occurring in Namarië Tolkien variously interpreted either as this adverb or as the pl. form of laurëa, q.v.

laurë

noun. gold (light or colour)

A very well-attested noun for “gold (light or colour)”, an element in many names, derived from √(G)LAWAR of the same meaning. This word only refers to “those things which we often call ‘golden’ though they do not much resemble metallic gold: golden light, especially sunlight” (RGEO/62), as opposed to gold as a metal which is malta (PE17/51, 159).

Conceptual Development: This word dates all the way back to the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, where ᴱQ. laure was the “(magic name of) gold”, derived from the early root ᴱ√LOURI (LT1/100; QL/42, 51), as opposed to ᴱQ. kulu which was ordinary gold (QL/49). The shift towards laure being only light or color seems to have begun in The Etymologies of the 1930s, where ᴹQ. malda was “gold (as metal)” (Ety/SMAL), later Q. malta (as noted above). This use of laurë only for color and light was reaffirmed frequently in Tolkien’s later writings (RGEO/62; Let/308; PE17/159).

Quenya [Let/308; NM/347; NM/351; PE17/048; PE17/058; PE17/061; PE17/076; PE17/080; PE17/159; PE19/079; PE21/81; PM/353; RGEO/62; SA/laurë; UT/253; VT41/10; VT49/47] Group: Eldamo. Published by

laurëa

golden, like gold

laurëa adj. "golden, like gold"; pl. laurië is attested (Nam, RGEO:66)

laurē

noun. sheen of gold

PQ. sheen of gold

Quenya [PE 19:79] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

macalaurë

masculine name. Forging Gold

The mother-name of S. Maglor, from which his Sindarin name is derived (PM/353). This name is a compound of the root √MAK “forge metal” and laurë “gold” (VT41/10).

Conceptual Development: In The Etymologies from the 1930s, ᴹQ. Makalaure “Gold-cleaver” appeared as the Quenya form of N. Maglor (Ety/MAK), though in this period, Maglor would have been his birth name since the native language of the Noldor was Noldorin.

Quenya [PM/353; PMI/Maglor; VT41/10] Group: Eldamo. Published by

malda

yellow, of golden colour

malda adj. "yellow, of golden colour" (PE17:51), variant of malina. An earlier source (the Etymologies, entry SMAL) has malda as the noun "gold" but LotR gives malta, q.v., and according to VT46:14 the form malta originally appeared in the Etymologies as well. Since Quenya sometimes uses adjectives as nouns (see for instance fanya), malda could still be regarded as a valid side-form of the noun malta "gold".

malina

yellow

malina adj. "yellow" (SMAL, Letters:308), "yellow, of golden colour" (PE17:51). Malinalda *"Yellow-tree", a name of Laurelin (SA:mal-; evidently malina + alda), translated "Tree of Gold" in the Silmarillion index. Cf. also malinornë.

malinalda

proper name. Tree of Gold

Another name of Laurelin (S/38), a compound of malina “yellow, golden” and alda “tree” (SA/alda, mal).

Conceptual Development: The name ᴹQ. Malinalda also appeared in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (LR/210), likely with the same meaning and etymology.

Quenya [MRI/Malinalda; S/038; SA/alda; SA/mal; SI/Malinalda] Group: Eldamo. Published by

malta

noun. gold (metal), gold as material

A noun for “gold” appearing in Appendix F of The Lord of the Rings, also used as the name of tengwa #18 [t] (LotR/1123). In private notes on The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien specified that it was “gold metal” or “gold as material”, as opposed to laurë which was golden light or gold as a color (PE17/50-51, 159).

Conceptual Development: In Tolkien’s writings in the 1910s he had ᴱQ. laure as the mystical or magical name of gold as opposed to ordinary “gold” which was ᴱQ. kulu (LT1/100). The word ᴹQ. kulu “gold” survived until The Etymologies of the 1930s, but there its root ᴹ√KUL was redefined to refer to the color “golden-red” (Ety/KUL). Tolkien introduced a new word {malta >>} ᴹQ. malda for “gold (as metal)” derived from the root ᴹ√SMAL “yellow” (Ety/SMAL; EtyAC/SMAL). In notes on The Feanorian Alphabet from the 1940s Tolkien had the form ᴹQ. malta “gold” (PE22/50), and he seems to have kept that form thereafter. At some point he revised the root to √MALAT “gold” as well (PM/366).

Quenya [LotR/1123; PE17/050; PE17/051; PE17/125; PE17/159] Group: Eldamo. Published by

maltaras

place name. gold-horn

A mountain name appearing only in notes on the Common Eldarin Article (CEA) from 1969 (PE23/143), clearly a combination of malta “gold” and ras(së) “horn”.

noldo

proper name. one of the wise folk, Gnome

An Elf of the second tribe, known as “The Wise” (WJ/383). Their name developed from the primitive root √ÑGOL having to do with wisdom (PM/360, WJ/383).

Conceptual Development: The name ᴱQ. Noldo dates back to the earliest Lost Tales, and in the Qenya Lexicon from the 1910s, where it already had the derivation given above (QL/67). In Tolkien’s earlier writings, he often translated this name as “Gnome”, in the sense of the Greek origin of this word (having to do with thought and wisdom) rather than that of a dwarf-like creature. This translation of ᴹQ. Noldo continued to appear in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (LR/201), but became less common in Tolkien’s later writings, and was not used in the published version of The Silmarillion.

In Tolkien’s earliest writings, the plural form of this word was usually ᴱQ. Noldoli (LT1/21), but by the 1930s this had been replaced by ᴹQ. Noldor (LR/119), the form that was used thereafter.

In notes from the 1950s, Tolkien considered an alternate etymology of this name from the root √ÑGOL “dark-hued, dark-brown” referring to their dark hair (PE17/125), just as the tribal name of the Vanya referred to their fair hair. Presumably he considered this alternate origin because the newly-awakened Noldor would not yet have been known for their wisdom, but there is no evidence that this alternate etymology was anything other than a transient idea.

Quenya [LBI/Noldor; Let/176; LotR/1123; LotRI/Eldar; LotRI/Noldor; MR/230; MR/350; MR/470; MRI/Noldor; PE17/086; PE17/125; PE17/141; PE17/153; PE18/073; PE19/076; PM/030; PM/360; PMI/Noldor; RC/736; S/087; SA/golodh; SA/gûl; SI/Golodhrim; SI/Noldor; UTI/Noldor; VT39/16; WJ/364; WJ/380; WJ/383; WJI/Goldo; WJI/Golodh; WJI/Noldor] Group: Eldamo. Published by

rauta

metal

rauta noun "metal" [meaning changed by Tolkien from "copper"]. Notice that in the LotR, the word for metal is given as tinco. (RAUTĀ)

sil-

verb. to shine

#sil-cal- ("k") vb. "to shine" (silver and gold) < "Qenya" sílankálan *"they shine (silver and gold)" (VT27:20, 27); cf. sil-, cal-, q.v.

silma

silver, shining white

silma adj. "silver, shining white" (SIL), "crystal (white)" (PE17:23)

sisilcala-

verb. to shine continuously (silver and gold)

sisilcala- ("k")vb. "to shine continuously (silver and gold)" ("Qenya" inflected form sisilkalan) (VT27:20, 26, 27)

telempë

silver

telempë noun "silver" (LT1:268; in Tolkien's later Quenya telpë, which is actually also found in early "Qenya")

telepta

silver

telepta adj. "silver" (as adj.: silvery) (LT2:347), used as noun in the phrase mi telepta of someone clad "in silver", where the context (involving other colour-words) shows that this adj. describes something of silver colour(PE17:71). Compare telemna, telepsa, telpina.

telepta

adjective. silver, silver, *silver-coloured

An adjective for “silver” appearing in the phrase Sanome tarne Olórin, Arakorno, Eomer, Imrahil, mi mīse, mi telepta yo morna, mi laiqua yo ninque, mi luini, ta Gimli mi losseä “There stood Gandalf, Aragorn, Eomer and Imrahil in grey, in silver and black, in green and white, and in blue, and also Gimli in white” in notes from the mid-1960s (PE17/71).

Conceptual Development: The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had unglossed ᴱQ. telepta under the early root ᴱ√TELEPE whose derivatives had to do with silver (QL/91). A similar form ᴹQ. telepsa “of silver” appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√KYELEP “silver”, which Tolkien equated to ᴹQ. telpina (Ety/KYELEP). This form telepsa may reflect the 1930s sound change whereby pt became ps; compare ᴹQ. lepse “finger” from ᴹ√LEPET (Ety/LEPET). Tolkien revised the entry for ᴹ√KYELEP, replacing telepsa with (unglossed) ᴹQ. telemna (Ety/KYELEP). The adjective telepta “silver” was restored in the 1960s (see above) after Tolkien abandoned the ps > pt sound change.

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya I would use this word primarily for silver as a color.

telpë

silver

telpë noun "silver" (in one example with generalized meaning "money", PE14:54), telep- in some compounds like Teleporno; assimilated telem- in Telemnar and the adj. telemna (KYELEP/TELEP, SA:celeb, LT1:255, 268; also tyelpë, telep-, UT:266). The true Quenya descendant of primitive ¤kyelepē is tyelpë, but the Telerin form telpë was more common, "for the Teleri prized silver above gold, and their skill as silversmiths was esteemed even by the Noldor" (UT:266). In various names: Telperion the White Tree of Valinor; Telperien ("Telperiën"), fem. name including telp- "silver" (Appendix A); Telperinquar "Silver-fist, Celebrimbor" (SA:celeb - also Tyelperinquar); Telporno, Teleporno "Silver-high" = Sindarin _Celeborn(Letters:347, UT:266). _It seems that Teleporno is properly Telerin, Quenyarized as Telporno. Compare adjectives telemna, telpina, telepsa, telepta (q.v.)

telpë

noun. silver, silver; [ᴱQ.] money

This was the Quenya word for “silver” throughout Tolkien’s life. The word was derived from the root √KYELEP, which became †tyelpë in Quenya and S. celeb in Sindarin. However, the Quenya form of the word was influenced by Telerin telpë “because the Teleri in their lands, to the north of the Noldor, found a great wealth of silver, and became the chief silversmiths among the Eldar” (Let/426). The archaic Quenya form †tyelpë was retained for the name of the palatal series of tengwar consonants, the tyelpetéma (LotR/1120), but in ordinary use (and most names) the forms telpë or telep- (in compounds) were used.

Conceptual Development: The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had ᴱQ. telpe based on the early root ᴱ√TELEPE, but its Gnomish cognate was G. celeb (QL/91). Tolkien did not explain this difference in these early documents from the 1910s. In Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s he had ᴱQ. telqe and ᴱN. celeb “silver” derived from primitive ᴱ✶kelekwé, explaining initial t in the Qenya form as the result of dissimilation away the kw (PE13/140).

In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien introduced a root ᴹ√KYELEP “silver” as an alternate to ᴹ√TELEP, with derivatives ᴹQ. telpe or tyelpe, N. celeb and ᴹT. telpe (Ety/KYELEP). He then said “Q telpe may be Telerin form (Teleri specially fond of silver, as Lindar of gold), in which case all forms may refer to KYELEP”. It seems that he stuck with this idea thereafter and abandoned ᴹ√TELEP.

Note that in the Early Qenya Grammar of the 1920s Tolkien used ᴱQ. telpe for “money” (PE14/54), and I would give telpë this meaning for purposes of Neo-Quenya as well, much like the French word argent means both “silver” and “money”.

Quenya [Let/426; NM/349; PE17/036; PE18/093; PE21/81; PM/356; SA/celeb; UT/266] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tinco

metal

tinco noun "metal" (TINKŌ), also name of tengwa #1 (Appendix E, there spelt "tinco", but "tinko" in Etym); tincotéma noun "t-series", dental series, first column of the Tengwar system (Appendix E)

tinco

noun. metal

A word for “metal” in Appendix F of The Lord of the Rings as the name of tengwa #1 [1] and the tincotéma series of tengwar. ᴹQ. tinko “metal” first appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√TINKŌ of the same meaning (Ety/TINKŌ). It also appeared in notes on The Feanorian Alphabet from the 1930s and 40s (PE22/22, 50, 61), already the name of tengwa #1 and its corresponding series.

Conceptual Development: A possible precursor is ᴱQ. sink (sinq-) “mineral, gem, metal” from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√SINI “pale blue” (QL/83). Hints of this earlier word can be seen in ✶sinkitamo >> sintamo “[metal] smith” in notes from the late 1960s.

Quenya [LotR/1122; PE17/123] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tulca

yellow

tulca (3) ("k") adj. "yellow". Adopted and adapted from Valarin; the normal Quenya word for "yellow" is rather malina (WJ:399)

tyelpë

silver

tyelpë noun "silver" (KYELEP/TELEP), etymology also in Letters:426 and UT:266. Tyelpë is the true Quenya descendant of primitive ¤kyelepē, but the Telerin form telpë was more common, "for the Teleri prized silver above gold, and their skill as silversmiths was esteemed even by the Noldor" (UT:266). In the Etymologies, tyelpë is also the name of Tengwa #1 with overposed dots, this symbol having the value ty (VT45:25). Cf. tyelpetéma as the name of the entire palatal series of the Tengwar system.

tyelpë

noun. silver

Quenya [Let/426; NM/349; PM/356; UT/266] Group: Eldamo. Published by

varnë

brown, swart, dark brown

varnë (1) adj. "brown, swart, dark brown", stem-form varni- (BARÁN)

Laurelin

Laurelin

Laurelin is said to mean "Song of Gold". In the Etymologies, the element laure ("gold") in Laurelin derives from the root LÁWAR-. The name Laurelin appears to be Quenya.

Quenya [Tolkien Gateway] Published by

maltaina

adjective. of gold

A neologism for “of gold” coined by Raccoon on the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS) on 2021-03-09 based on malta “gold (metal)”.

Quenya Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

Quendya 

tulka

adjective. yellow

Khuzdûl

kibil

noun. silver

Khuzdûl [PE17/036; PE17/037; TI/174] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Telerin 

telpe

noun. silver

Telerin [Let/426; NM/349; UT/266] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Beware, older languages below! The languages below were invented during Tolkien's earlier period and should be used with caution. Remember to never, ever mix words from different languages!

Doriathrin

(n)gold

noun. one of the wise folk, Gnome

A Doriathrin name for the ᴹQ. Noldo from the same primitive root ᴹ√ÑGÓLOD (Ety/ÑGOLOD). In the entry for ÑGOLOD in The Etymologies, it appeared as (n)gold, indicating a variation of the usual rule that [[ilk|initial [ŋg] became [g]]] in Ilkorin. The second [o] of the primitive form was lost due to the Ilkorin syncope. Its genitive form golda also appeared as an element in the name Goldamir “✱Noldo-jewel” = Silmaril.

Doriathrin [Ety/ÑGOLOD] Group: Eldamo. Published by

gold

noun. one of the wise folk, Gnome

laur

noun. gold

A Doriathrin noun for “gold” developed from primitive ᴹ✶laurē, properly golden light rather than the metal (Ety/LÁWAR).

Doriathrin [Ety/LÁWAR] Group: Eldamo. Published by

telf

noun. silver

A noun for “silver” derived from the root ᴹ✶KYÉLEP (Ety/KYELEP), most likely from a primitive form ✱✶kyelepē [kjelepē]. In Ilkorin, the initial [t] developed from [kj] because initial palatalized velars became dentals, the middle [e] vanished due to the Ilkorin syncope, and the [p] became [f] because [[ilk|voiceless stops became spirants after liquids (like [l])]]. These developments were all suggested by Helge Fauskanger (AL-Ilkorin/telf).

Doriathrin [Ety/KYELEP] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Gnomish

gold

noun. Gnome

culon

noun. *gold

culu

noun. gold

Gnomish [GG/14; GL/26; GL/27; GL/38; LT1A/Ilsaluntë; LT1A/Kulullin; LT2A/Glingol; PE15/22] Group: Eldamo. Published by

glôr

noun. gold

Gnomish [GG/12; GL/40; LT1A/Glorvent; LT1A/Laurelin; LT2A/Glingol; LT2A/Glorfalc; PE15/22; PE15/25; QL/051] Group: Eldamo. Published by

cuilin

adjective. golden

culwin

adjective. golden

A word appearing as culwin or culuin “golden” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, an adjectival form of G. culu “gold” (GL/27).

aus(s)aith

noun. avarice

avasaith

noun. avarice, greed of gold

celeb

noun. silver

Gnomish [GG/12; GL/25; LT1A/Ilsaluntë; LT1A/Telimpë] Group: Eldamo. Published by

culugorm

proper name. disc of gold

culugrithnir

proper name. ring of gold

culuvrad

proper name. wain of gold

glingol

proper name. Singing Gold

Gnomish [LR/211; LT1/022; LT1A/Lindelos; LT1I/Glingol; LT1I/Laurelin; LT2/216; LT2A/Glingol; LT2I/Glingol; PE13/103; PE15/08; PE15/22; PE15/25] Group: Eldamo. Published by

glorfindel

masculine name. Gold-tress, Goldlocks

Gnomish [GL/40; LBI/Glorfindel; LT2/216; LT2A/Glorfindel; LT2I/Glorfindel; PE13/104; PE15/25] Group: Eldamo. Published by

glorvent

proper name. Ship of Gold

Gnomish [GL/40; LT1/187; LT1A/Glorvent; LT1I/Glorvent] Group: Eldamo. Published by

golda

noun. Gnome, wise one

Gnomish [GG/08; GG/13; GG/15; GL/17; GL/41; LBI/Golda; LT1A/Noldoli; PE13/099; PE13/117; PE14/009] Group: Eldamo. Published by

goldrin

adjective. Gnome

goltha

noun. Gnome

gul

noun. Gnome

malon

adjective. yellow

sinc

noun. metal

A noun from the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s appearing as G. sinc “metal” (GL/67), clearly the cognate of ᴱQ. sink “mineral, gem, metal” from the root ᴱ√SINI (QL/83).

Neo-Sindarin: I would retain this word for purposes of Neo-Sindarin, but would revise its sense to ᴺS. sinc “mineral”, derived from the primitive form ✶sinki (PE17/108) which may itself mean “✱mineral”; see that entry for discussion. I would use N. tinc for “metal”.

Middle Primitive Elvish

ñgolod

root. one of the wise folk, Gnome

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/ÑGOLOD; EtyAC/ÑGOL; PE18/034; PE18/040; PE18/061] Group: Eldamo. Published by

(g)lawar

root. *gold

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/GLAW(-R); Ety/LÁWAR; Ety/RAT; EtyAC/GAL] Group: Eldamo. Published by

indo-ʒlaurē

masculine name. *Heart of Gold

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/ID; EtyAC/ID] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kul

root. golden-red

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/GUL; Ety/KUL; EtyAC/KAL; EtyAC/KUL; EtyAC/YUL] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kyelep

root. silver

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/KYELEP; Ety/TELEP; EtyAC/KYELEP] Group: Eldamo. Published by

rauta

root. metal

A root in The Etymologies of the 1930s, first glossed “copper” and then “metal”, with derivatives ᴹQ. rauta/N. rhaud “metal” and serving mainly to explain names like N. Angrod and N. Finrod (Ety/RAUTĀ). It might have reappeared in the name S. Rodëol “metal of Eöl” from later Silmarillion drafts (WJ/322), but by 1957 Tolkien was explaining the final element of S. Finrod as S. raud “noble” (PE17/49, 118), so I think it is likely that ᴹ√RAUTA “metal” was abandoned.

Neo-Eldarin: For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I’d use Q. tinco (LotR/1122) and its cognate [N.] tinc (Ety/TINKŌ) for “metal” words. For “copper” I'd use derivatives of √(U)RUS (VT41/10).

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/NDAM; Ety/PHIN; Ety/RAUTĀ] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ruskā

adjective. brown

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/RUSKĀ] Group: Eldamo. Published by

smal

root. yellow

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/LÁWAR; Ety/SMAL; EtyAC/MAL] Group: Eldamo. Published by

smaldā

noun. gold (as metal)

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/LÁWAR; Ety/SMAL; EtyAC/LÁWAR; EtyAC/SMAL] Group: Eldamo. Published by

smalinā

adjective. yellow

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/SMAL] Group: Eldamo. Published by

telep

root. silver

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/KYELEP; Ety/TELEP; EtyAC/KYELEP; EtyAC/SIL; EtyAC/TELEP; PE18/066] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tinkō

root. metal

The “root” ᴹ√TINKŌ (more likely just a primitive word) appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s with the gloss “metal” and derivatives like ᴹQ. tinko/N. tinc of the same meaning (Ety/TINKŌ). The reappearance of Q. tinco “metal” in The Lord of the Rings appendices (LotR/1122) strongly indicates its ongoing validity.

ᴹ√TINKŌ may have replaced the root ᴱ√SINI “pale blue” from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like ᴱQ. sink “mineral, gem, metal” and G. sinc “metal” (QL/83; GL/67); these early mineral words were originally attributed to ᴱ√SṆT͡YṆ “twinkle” before they were transferred to ᴱ√SINI, leaving only derivatives like ᴱQ. sintl “crystal” and ᴱQ. sinty- “sparkle” under ᴱ√SṆT͡YṆ (QL/85). However, in notes from the late 1960s Tolkien had primitive ✶sinki as an element ✶sinkitamo, the basis for Q. sintamo “smith” (PE17/108). Likewise there is evidence of the earlier root in Q. sinca “flint” as in Q. sincahonda “flint-hearted” (LotR/979), initially given as ᴹQ. tingahondo in Lord of the Rings drafts (SD/68).

Neo-Eldarin: For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I would definitely use ✶tink- = “metal”, but I think it is worth keeping ✶sinki = “✱mineral = any inorganic solid including both stone and metal” as a variant.

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/TINKŌ] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ñgolodō

noun. gnome

Middle Primitive Elvish [PE19/036; PE19/058; PE21/33] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Old Noldorin 

ngolodo

noun. one of the wise folk, Gnome

Old Noldorin [Ety/ÑGOLOD; PE21/58] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kelepe

noun. silver

Old Noldorin [Ety/KYELEP] Group: Eldamo. Published by

malda

noun. gold (as metal)

Old Noldorin [Ety/SMAL; EtyAC/SMAL] Group: Eldamo. Published by

malina

adjective. yellow

Old Noldorin [Ety/SMAL] Group: Eldamo. Published by

rauta

noun. metal

Old Noldorin [Ety/RAUTĀ] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ruska

adjective. brown

Old Noldorin [Ety/RUSKĀ] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Noldorin

glór

noun. gold

Early Noldorin [PE13/144] Group: Eldamo. Published by

celeb

noun. silver

Early Noldorin [PE13/140; PE13/156] Group: Eldamo. Published by

glingol

proper name. Singing Gold

Early Noldorin [LB/080; LB/195; LBI/Glingal; LRI/Glingal; SM/081; SMI/Glingol] Group: Eldamo. Published by

goloth

noun. gnome

Early Noldorin [PE13/120; PE13/121; PE13/123; PE15/62] Group: Eldamo. Published by

golt

noun. gnome

malw

adjective. yellow

Early Noldorin [PE13/150] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tlub

noun. silver

Early Noldorin [PE13/154] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Primitive Elvish

kulu

root. gold

Early Primitive Elvish [LT1A/Kulullin; QL/049] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kulū

noun. gold

Early Primitive Elvish [PE14/071] Group: Eldamo. Published by

louri

root. *gold

Early Primitive Elvish [QL/051] Group: Eldamo. Published by

mala

root. yellow

Early Primitive Elvish [QL/058; QL/063] Group: Eldamo. Published by

t’lépe

noun. silver

Early Primitive Elvish [PE13/154] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Quenya

kulu

noun. gold

Early Quenya [LT1/100; LT1A/Laurelin; LT2A/Glingol; LT2A/Parma Kuluinen; MC/220; PE14/046; PE14/050; PE14/071; PE14/083; PE14/084; PE14/110; PE15/22; PE15/72; PE15/73; PE16/057; PE16/060; PE16/062; PE16/072; PE16/074; PE16/077; PME/049; QL/049; QL/051] Group: Eldamo. Published by

laurelin

proper name. Singing-gold

Early Quenya [LBI/Glingal; LBI/Laurelin; LT1A/Laurelin; LT1I/Laurelin; LT2/216; LT2I/Laurelin; LT2I/Lindelaurë; PE13/102; PE13/104; PE15/08; PE15/25; SM/080] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kuluina

adjective. golden

Early Quenya [PE13/104; PE14/046; PE15/73; PME/049] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kuluksa

adjective. golden

kuluvoite

adjective. golden

Early Quenya [PME/049; QL/049] Group: Eldamo. Published by

laurea

adjective. golden

Early Quenya [PE15/73] Group: Eldamo. Published by

laurina

adjective. golden

Early Quenya [LT1A/Laurelin; QL/051] Group: Eldamo. Published by

a kálie kulundon

it shone like gold

Early Quenya [PE14/046] Group: Eldamo. Published by

aure

noun. sunlight, sunshine, gold light, warmth

Early Quenya [QL/033] Group: Eldamo. Published by

i tolma kuluinen

the helm of gold

Early Quenya [PE14/046] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kai kuluinen

*ten pieces of gold

Early Quenya [PE14/084] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kea kulu

ten pieces of gold

Early Quenya [PE14/084] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kulullin

proper name. Gold-song

Qenya cognate of G. Glingol in the earliest Lost Tales (LT1/71), a combination of kulu “gold” and lin “song” as suggested by Christopher Tolkien (LT1A/Kulullin).

Early Quenya [LRI/Kulullin; LT1A/Kulullin; LT1I/Kulullin; PE13/103] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kululta

adjective. of gold

An adjective for “of gold” or “gold” in the Qenya Lexicon and Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa of the 1910s, an elaboration of ᴱQ. kulu “gold” based on the early root ᴱ√KULU of the same meaning (QL/49; PME/49).

Early Quenya [PME/049; QL/049] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kulurin

noun. orange; piece of gold

Early Quenya [PME/049; QL/049] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kulusta

noun. gold coin

A noun for “a gold coin” in the Qenya Lexicon, an elaboration of ᴱQ. kulu “gold” based on the early root ᴱ√KULU of the same meaning (QL/49).

Early Quenya [QL/049] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kuluva

adjective. of gold

An adjective for “of gold” in the Qenya Lexicon, an elaboration of ᴱQ. kulu “gold” based on the early root ᴱ√KULU of the same meaning (QL/49).

Early Quenya [QL/049; VT40/08] Group: Eldamo. Published by

laure

noun. (mystic name of) gold

Early Quenya [GL/40; LT1/100; LT1A/Ilsaluntë; LT1A/Laurelin; LT1A/Tilkal; LT2A/Glorfalc; PE15/25; PE15/72; PE15/73; QL/042; QL/051] Group: Eldamo. Published by

malin(d)

adjective. yellow

malina

adjective. yellow

Early Quenya [PME/058; QL/044; QL/058; VT40/08] Group: Eldamo. Published by

noldo

proper name. Gnome

Early Quenya [GG/13; GL/32; GL/41; LBI/Golda; LBI/Noldoli; LT1/021; LT1/050; LT1/162; LT1A/Noldoli; LT1I/Noldoli; LT1I/Noldor; LT2I/Noldoli; LT2I/Noldor; PE13/099; PE13/145; PE14/009; PE14/042; PE14/045; PE14/047; PE14/048; PE14/071; PE14/079; PE14/081; PE15/72; PME/067; QL/067; SM/013; SMI/Noldoli; WJI/Noldor] Group: Eldamo. Published by

telempe

noun. silver

telqe

noun. silver

wal(i)na

adjective. brown

Early Quenya [QL/048; QL/103; VT40/08] Group: Eldamo. Published by

yúyo kuluinen

two (pieces of) gold

Early Quenya [PE14/050; PE14/083] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Qenya 

laure

noun. gold

Qenya [Ety/GLAW(-R); Ety/LÁWAR; PE19/037; PE22/019; PE22/046] Group: Eldamo. Published by

laurea

adjective. *golden

noldo

proper name. one of the wise folk, Gnome

Qenya [Ety/ÑGOLOD; EtyAC/ÑGOL; LBI/Golodh; LR/119; LR/168; LRI/Noldoli; LRI/Noldor; PE18/023; PE18/040; PE19/036; PE19/058; PE21/08; PE22/019; PE22/022; PE22/051; RSI/Noldor; SDI2/Noldor; SM/085; SMI/Golodh; SMI/Noldor; TI/167; TII/Noldor; WRI/Noldor] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kina malta

some gold

kina malto

a certain amount of gold

kullo

noun. red gold

Qenya [Ety/KUL; EtyAC/KUL] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kulu

noun. gold (metal)

The Etymologies of the 1930s had a pair of words kulu “gold (metal)” and kulo “gold (substance)” derived from the root ᴹ√KUL of similar meaning (Ety/KUL). However Tolkien revised the meaning of this root to “golden-red” and the derivatives of the root became color words: ᴹQ. †kullo “red gold” and ᴹQ. kulda or ᴹQ. kulina “flame-coloured, golden-red”.

Conceptual Development: The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had ᴱQ. kulu “gold” under the early root ᴱ√KULU of the same meaning (QL/49). The word ᴱQ. kulu “gold” reappeared in the Early Qenya Grammar and English-Qenya Dictionary of the 1920s (PE14/46, 71; PE15/72) before being abandoned in The Etymologies of the 1930s, as noted above. In later writings, “gold (metal)” was Q. malta.

kuluina

adjective. orange (coloured); of gold, golden

Qenya [Ety/KUL; EtyAC/KUL; PE21/59; PE21/60] Group: Eldamo. Published by

laka malta

much (abundant) gold

laka malto

a great quantity of gold

lakar malto

great quantities of gold

laurelin

proper name. Song of Gold

Qenya [Ety/GLAW(-R); Ety/GLIN; Ety/LÁWAR; Ety/LIN²; EtyAC/LING; LR/210; LRI/Laurelin; RSI/Laurelin; SMI/Laurelin] Group: Eldamo. Published by

makalaure

masculine name. Gold-cleaver

malda

noun. gold (as metal)

malina

adjective. yellow

malinalda

proper name. Malinalda

Qenya [LR/210; LRI/Malinalda] Group: Eldamo. Published by

malta

noun. gold (as metal)

Qenya [Ety/SMAL; EtyAC/SMAL; PE22/050; PE22/103; PE23/102; PE23/104; PE23/105; PE23/106] Group: Eldamo. Published by

malta launen

gold abounded to me, I had lots of gold

rauta

noun. metal

A noun for “metal” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from the root ᴹ√RAUTĀ of the same meaning (Ety/RAUTĀ). In that document, its Noldorin cognate was the basis for the second element of the names Finrod, Angrod and Damrod. In Tolkien’s later writings the second element of these names were based on S. raud “noble”. For purposes of Neo-Quenya I think it’s better to stick to Q. tinco “metal” from Appendix F of The Lord of the Rings.

sempar maltar

{few kind[s] of or things of gold >} few (kind[s] of) gold

tar-kulu

masculine name. *High Gold

A name appearing only in The Etymologies from the 1930s, as a combination of tar- “high” and kulu “gold” (EtyAC/KUL). Carl Hostetter and Patrick Wynne suggested it might be a variation of Tar-Calion.

telpe

noun. silver

Qenya [Ety/KYELEP; EtyAC/KYELEP; PE22/023; PE22/052] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tinko

noun. metal

Qenya [Ety/TINKŌ; PE22/022; PE22/050; PE22/061] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tyelpe

noun. silver

Ossriandric

laur

noun. gold

A noun for “gold” developed from primitive ᴹ✶laurē, and one of the few words explicitly marked as Ossiriandic (Ety/LÁWAR). In this word the long final vowel was lost. Unlike the rules described in the Comparative Tables, this [[dan|[au] did not become [ō]]], so perhaps Tolkien changed his mind on the development of [au] in Ossiriandic.

Ossriandric [Ety/LÁWAR] Group: Eldamo. Published by

golda

noun. one of the wise folk, Gnome

A noun glossed “one of the wise folk, Gnome” developed from the root ᴹ√ÑGOLOD (Ety/ÑGOLOD), most likely from primitive ✱✶ñgolodō given its cognates. It is an example of the Danian syncope, with second unstressed [o] vanishing after the identical vowel. It is also one of the Danian words for which a long final vowel developed into short final [a]. Finally, it provides an example of how initial nasals vanished before stops.

Ossriandric [Ety/ÑGOLOD] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Middle Telerin

golodo

noun. one of the wise folk, Gnome

Middle Telerin [Ety/ÑGOLOD] Group: Eldamo. Published by

telpe

noun. silver

Middle Telerin [Ety/KYELEP] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Ilkorin

helh

noun. silver

Early Ilkorin [PE13/140] Group: Eldamo. Published by

þil[f]

noun. silver

Early Ilkorin [PE13/154] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Solosimpi

celpe

noun. silver

Solosimpi [PE13/140] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Ancient quenya

alaurē

noun. sheen of gold

Ancient quenya [PE19/079] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Ancient telerin

tele(pe)

noun. silver

Ancient telerin [PE21/72] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Old sindarin

kele(pe)

noun. silver

Old sindarin [PE21/72] Group: Eldamo. Published by

malthorn

noun. gold tree

Old sindarin [PE17/050; VT42/27] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Valarin 

tuluk-ha(n)

adjective. yellow

tulukhedelgorūs

proper name. Laurelin

Undetermined

Maglor

Maglor

His father-name was Kanafinwë, a name which in Quenya means "Strong-voiced [of] Finwë". It is derived from káno, a noun which means "commander", added to the name of his grandfather. His mother-name was Makalaurë. In The Etymologies it is interpreted as "Gold-cleaver". A possible explanation for this translation is given in The Shibboleth of Feanor, where it is stated that the name might be a reference to his skill in harping, whose sound was golden.

Undetermined [Tolkien Gateway] Published by