glaur

noun. gold

côl

noun. gold (metal)

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).

glewellin

proper name. Song of Gold

golodh

noun. one of the wise folk, Gnome

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.

maglor

masculine name. Gold-cleaver

mallen

adjective. of gold, golden

mallen

adjective. of gold

mallorn

noun. gold tree

malt

noun. gold (as metal)

malt

noun. gold (as metal)

malthen

adjective. of gold, golden

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).

melthinorn

proper name. Tree of Gold

rathloriel

place name. Golden-bed, Bed of Gold

alaure

noun. *gold

lóri

noun. gold

lórinand

place name. Valley of Gold(en Light)

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

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).

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).

malat

root. gold

glaware

noun. sheen of gold

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.

maltornē

noun. gold-tree

mal(a)tā Reconstructed

noun. gold (as metal)

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.

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).

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.

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)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

glawar

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

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

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”.

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.

mallorn

noun. gold tree, yellow tree

Name of the golden trees of Lórien (LotR/346).

Possible Etymology: In notes on Words, Phrases and Passages from the Lord of the Rings (WPP) from the late 1950s or early 1960s, Tolkien considered a couple etymologies for this word. Initially he derived this word as a combination of malt “gold” and orn “tree”, saying it was “a later Sindarin word (since in earlier times the word malta was only used literally of the metal ‘gold’): older form malh-orn with long voiceless l” (PE17/51). He then considered it as the equivalent of Q. malinornë or maldorne where the initial element was based on ✶malnā “yellow”, with *ln* becoming *ll* in Sindarin as opposed to becoming *ld* in Quenya (PE17/51).

This second etymology seems to have been a transient idea. In notes from the late 1960s Tolkien said: “in The Lord of the Rings ll is used in the manner of modern Welsh for the medial voiceless l; as in mallorn < malhorn < malþorn < malt ‘gold’ and orn ‘tree’ (VT42/27)”. Thus mallorn is the best example of how ancient *lt* became *ll* (via *lþ*) in Sindarin. Whether or not the ll was voiceless in modern Sindarin is an open question, however; in other places Tolkien said ll was eventually voiced (PE17/131).

Conceptual Development: This word was already N. mallorn when it first appeared in Lord of the Rings drafts of the 1940s (TI/226).

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”.

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.

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”.

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.

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)*

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.

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)

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 @@@

alaurē†

noun. sheen of gold

PQ. sheen of gold

aurë

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

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).

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.

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).

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”.

laurië

noun/adverb. goldenness; like gold

An abstract noun form of laurë “gold (light or colour)” meaning something like “goldenness”, also used adverbially for “like gold” or “goldenly” (PE17/58, 61). The word laurië “like gold” appeared in the Namárië poem from The Lord of the Rings (LotR/377), but Tolkien vacillated on whether it was an abstract noun used adverbially or the plural of the adjective laurëa “golden” used as an adverb. See the discussion of Quenya adverbs for more information.

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).

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

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.

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.

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).

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.

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)

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)”.

maltalos

noun. buttercup (lit.) flower of gold

A neologism coined by Parmandil posted on 2024-05-07 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), a combination of malta “gold” and LOTH “flower”. Thus its more archaic form would be maltaloþ.

alaurē

noun. sheen of gold

malthorn

noun. gold tree