-el

suffix. your

_2nd sg./pl. poss. suff. _your. Maybe the polite form of this suff. See also the paradigm of poss. suff. in PE17:46. Later -lein. >> -eg, -lein

-el

suffix. 2nd person singular polite possessive suffix

-iel

suffix. daughter; feminine suffix

A widely used feminine suffix in Sindarin (PE17/23, 190). It sometimes more specifically meant “-daughter” in names such as Elrenniel “Arwen; ✱(lit.) Elrond-daughter” (PE17/56) or Tinúviel “Daughter of Twilight” (S/165), but in other cases it simply meant female as in names like Gilthoniel “Star-kindler [female]” (PE17/23). It was also sometimes reduced to -il or -el. See the entry on the root √YE(L) for a discussion of various conceptual vacillations in its connection to “daughter”.

Conceptual Development: The use of N. -iel dates back to Noldorin, where its connection to “daughter” was more explicit, though Tolkien vacillated on whether the suffix was based on ᴹ√YEL or ᴹ√SEL (Ety/SEL, YEL). The suffix does not appear to be specifically feminine in Gnomish of the 1910s, however, appearing in both female names like G. Níniel (LT2/100) and male names like G. Inwithiel (LT1/22).

Cognates

• Q. -iel “-daughter; feminine suffix” ✧ PE17/023

Derivations

• ✶-iel “feminine suffix”

Element in

• S. Adanel
• S. Ar-Feiniel “White Lady”
• S. Berúthiel “?Angry-queen”
• S. Elrenniel “Arwen; *(lit.) Elrond-daughter”
• S. Fíriel
• S. Gilthoniel “Star-kindler” ✧ PE17/023
• S. Glorfinniel “Goldilocks”
• S. Ivriniel
• S. Lothíriel
• S. Meiniel
• S. Nimrodel “Lady of the White Cave”
• S. Níniel “Tear-maiden”
• S. rodel “lady, high lady” ✧ PE17/049
• ᴺS. siel “granddaughter”
• S. Tinúviel “Nightingale, (lit.) Daughter of Twilight”

Variations

• iel ✧ PE17/023
• -el ✧ PE17/049 (-el)

-eg

suffix. your

_2nd sg./pl. poss. suff. your.Maybe the familiar form of this suff. See also the paradigm of poss. suff. in PE17:46. Later -gen_. >> -el, -gen

-il

suffix. feminine suffix

A fairly common feminine suffix appearing as -il in Sindarin, either formed on its own or as a variant of the feminine suffix -iel. This suffix was also common Noldorin words in The Etymologies of the 1930s, along with an alternate form -ril that seems to be a feminine agental suffix, the equivalent of masculine -(r)on, seen in pairs like N. melethril/melethron “lover” and N. odhril/odhron “parent” (Ety/MEL, ONO). The -il suffix and its -ril variant are seen all the way back in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s in pairs like G. gwadhril/gwadhron “inhabitant” (GL/47) and G. ainil/ainos “god”, female and male respectively (GL/18). So it seems this feminine suffix was well established in Tolkien’s mind.

Element in

• S. brethil “princess, (lit.) queen-daughter”
• S. híril “lady, lady; [G.] princess, †queen” ✧ SA/heru
• ᴺS. regil “mare”
• S. Thuringwethil “Woman of Secret Shadow”

edhel

noun. Elf

Cognates

• Q. Elda “Elf, (lit.) one of the Star-folk” ✧ LRI/Edhil; PE17/045; PE17/151; PE17/152; SA/êl; SA/êl; RC/780
• Q. Eldo “one of the Marchers” ✧ WJ/363

Derivations

• ✶edelā “the fair” ✧ PE17/139; PE17/151
  • √DEL “*fair” ✧ PE17/151
• ✶edelō “one who goes, traveller, migrant, marcher” ✧ PE17/141; PE17/152; WJ/360
  • √DEL “walk, go, proceed, travel” ✧ WJ/360; WJ/363

Element in

• S. Adanedhel “Elf-man” ✧ SA/edhel
• S. Aerlinn in Edhil o Imladris “*Holy Song of the Elves of Rivendell” ✧ RGEO/62
• S. Aredhel “Noble Elf” ✧ SA/edhel
• S. Aredhel “Noble Elf” ✧ PE17/139; PE17/141
• S. Caledhel “*Light Elf”
• S. Danedhel “*Nando” ✧ PE17/141; PE17/141
• S. Dúnedhel “West-Elf” ✧ PE17/141; WJ/378
• S. Edhelharn “Elfstone”
• S. edhellen “elvish” ✧ PE17/045
• S. Edhellond “Elf-haven” ✧ UT/255
• S. Edhellos “Elven-flower” ✧ PM/346
• S. Glóredhel “*Golden Elf” ✧ SA/edhel
• S. Gwenedhel
• S. Lindedhel “Nandorin Elf”
• S. mellyn enin Edhellion “*friends of the Elves” ✧ PE17/097
• S. Mornedhel “Dark-elf” ✧ PE17/141; WJ/377
• S. Nínedhel “?Tear(ful) Elf” ✧ PE17/139
• S. Ost-in-Edhil “Fortress of the Eldar” ✧ SA/edhel
• S. Peredhel “Half-elf” ✧ SA/edhel
• S. Rúnedhel ✧ PE17/141
• S. Thinnedhel “Grey-elf” ✧ PE17/139

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶edelā > eðel	[edelā] > [edela] > [eðela] > [eðel]	✧ PE17/139
✶edelō > eðel	[edelō] > [edelo] > [eðelo] > [eðel]	✧ PE17/141
✶edelā > edhel	[edelā] > [edela] > [eðela] > [eðel]	✧ PE17/151
✶edelā > eðel	[edelā] > [edela] > [eðela] > [eðel]	✧ PE17/152
✶edelō > Edhel	[edelō] > [edelo] > [eðelo] > [eðel]	✧ WJ/360
✶edelō > Edhil	[edelī] > [edeli] > [eðeli] > [eðili] > [eðil]	✧ WJ/360

Variations

• edhel ✧ PE17/045; PE17/151; RC/780; SA/edhel; UT/255; UTI/Edhelrim
• eðel ✧ PE17/139; PE17/141; PE17/152
• Eðel ✧ PM/346

eledh

noun. Elf

Cognates

• Q. Elda “Elf, (lit.) one of the Star-folk” ✧ Let/281; SA/êl; PE17/141
• Q. elenya “adjective referring to the stars, *of the stars, stellar” ✧ WJ/362

Derivations

• ✶eledā “star-folk, of the stars” ✧ Let/281; PE17/140; PE17/141; PE17/142
  • √EL “lo, behold; star, lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky” ✧ Let/281
• ✶elenā “connected with or concerning the stars” ✧ PE17/139; WJ/360
  • ✶elen “star” ✧ PE17/139
  • √EL “lo, behold; star, lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky” ✧ Let/281; PE17/067; VT42/11; WJ/360

Element in

• S. Edelbar “*Elf-home” ✧ PE17/142
• S. Eledhwen “Elfsheen, Elven-fair” ✧ Let/281; SA/êl; UTI/Haudh-en-Elleth
• S. Elennor “*Elf-land” ✧ PE17/142
• S. Eledhes “*Elf-maid” ✧ PE17/141; PE17/142
• S. Eledhon “*Elf-man” ✧ PE17/141; PE17/142

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶eledā/elenā > eledh	[eledā] > [eleda] > [eleða] > [eleð]	✧ Let/281
✶eledā/elenā > elidh	[eledī] > [eledi] > [eleði] > [eliði] > [elið]	✧ Let/281
✶elenyā > elein	[elenjā] > [elenja] > [elenia] > [eleni] > [elein] > [elain]	✧ PE17/139
✶eledā > eleð	[eledā] > [eleda] > [eleða] > [eleð]	✧ PE17/140
✶eledā > eleð	[eledā] > [eleda] > [eleða] > [eleð]	✧ PE17/141
✶eledā > eledh	[eledā] > [eleda] > [eleða] > [eleð]	✧ PE17/142
✶elenā > Elen	[elenā] > [elena] > [elen]	✧ WJ/360
✶elenā > Elin	[elenī] > [eleni] > [elini] > [elin]	✧ WJ/360

Variations

• eledh ✧ Let/281 (eledh); PE17/142; PE17/142; UTI/Edhelrim
• elein ✧ PE17/139 (elein)
• eleð ✧ PE17/140; PE17/141; PE17/142
• Elen ✧ WJ/363; WJ/377 (Elen); WJI/Elen

elen

noun. Elf

ell

noun. Elf

Cognates

• Q. Elda “Elf, (lit.) one of the Star-folk” ✧ Let/281; WJ/362

Derivations

• ✶eledā “star-folk, of the stars” ✧ PE17/141; WJ/360
  • √EL “lo, behold; star, lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky” ✧ Let/281
• Q. Elda “Elf, (lit.) one of the Star-folk” ✧ PE17/141
  • ✶eledā “star-folk, of the stars” ✧ Let/281; PE17/141; SA/êl; WJ/360; WJ/364; WJ/364
  • √EL “lo, behold; star, lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky” ✧ Let/281
  • ✶elenā “connected with or concerning the stars” ✧ PE17/139; PE17/152
  • ✶elen “star” ✧ PE17/139
    • √EL “lo, behold; star, lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky” ✧ Let/281; PE17/067; VT42/11; WJ/360
  • ✶edelā “the fair” ✧ PE17/139; PE17/151
  • √DEL “*fair” ✧ PE17/151
  • ✶edelō “one who goes, traveller, migrant, marcher” ✧ PE17/152
  • √DEL “walk, go, proceed, travel” ✧ WJ/360; WJ/363

Derivatives

• S. Elleth “Elf-maid” ✧ PE17/141
• S. Ellon “Elf-man” ✧ PE17/141

Element in

• S. Aranel
• S. Aredhel “Noble Elf” ✧ PE17/141
• S. ar in Ellath epholar eno vi Eressai “*and the Elves (?remember) still in Eressëa” ✧ VT50/19
• S. Dúnedhel “West-Elf” ✧ PE17/141
• S. Elladan “Elf-man” ✧ Let/281
• S. Elleth “Elf-maid” ✧ PE17/141; PE17/152; WJ/363
• S. Ellon “Elf-man” ✧ PE17/141; WJ/363
• S. Elrohir “Elf-knight” ✧ Let/281
• S. Elrond “Star-dome” ✧ Let/281
• S. Elros “Star-foam” ✧ Let/281
• S. Elvellyn “Elf-friends, Elf-lovers” ✧ WJ/412
• S. Glinnel “*Singer-elf”
• S. i glinn hen agorer Edain mi Velerian, ach hí in Ellath îr ed epholar “*this song Men made in Beleriand, but now the Elves alone (?remember) it” ✧ VT50/15; VT50/15; VT50/15
• S. Laegel “Green-elves”
• S. Lindel “Nando”
• S. Miniel “Vanyar”
• S. sí il chem en i Naugrim en ir Ellath thor den ammen “*now all (?hands) of the Dwarves and Elves will be (?against) to us” ✧ VT50/23

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶eldā > ell	[eldā] > [elda] > [elða] > [elð] > [ell]	✧ PE17/141
Q. elda > eld > ell	[elda] > [elða] > [elð] > [ell]	✧ PE17/141
✶eldā > Ell-	[eldā] > [elda] > [elða] > [elð] > [ell]	✧ WJ/360

Variations

• ell ✧ Let/281; PE17/141; PE17/141 (ell); PE17/141; PE17/152 (ell)
• elt ✧ PE17/141
• Ell- ✧ WJ/363
• ell- ✧ WJ/364

penedh

noun. Elf

Derivations

• ✶kwende “speaker, elf” ✧ PE17/140; PE17/141
  • √KWENED “spoken, articulate, spoken, articulate; [ᴹ√] Elf” ✧ PE17/137
  • √KWEN “speak with rational words” ✧ PE19/093
    • √KWE “vocal speech” ✧ WJ/392
  • √KWEN “speak with rational words” ✧ PE17/140; WJ/360
  • √KWE “vocal speech” ✧ WJ/392

Element in

• S. Morbenedh “*Dark-elf” ✧ PE17/140; PE17/141

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶kwenedē > peneð	[kwenedē] > [penedē] > [penede] > [peneðe] > [peneð]	✧ PE17/140
✶kwenedē > Penn	[kwendē] > [pendē] > [pende] > [pend] > [penn]	✧ PE17/141

Variations

• peneð ✧ PE17/140; PE17/141
• Penn ✧ PE17/141

-gen

suffix. your

_2nd sg. poss. suff. your.Maybe the familiar form of this suff. See also the paradigm of poss. suff. in PE17:46. Earlier -eg_. >> -eg

-lein

suffix. your

_2nd sg. poss. suff. your.Maybe the polite form of this suff. See also the paradigm of poss. suff. in PE17:46. Earlier -el_. >> -el

mellon

noun. friend

mellon

noun. friend

_ n. _friend. Pedo mellon a minno! 'Say friend and enter'. 

mellon

noun. friend

Cognates

• Q. meldo “friend, lover” ✧ WJ/412

Derivations

• √MEL “love, love, [ᴹ√] love (as friend)” ✧ SA/mel

Element in

• S. ar e aníra ennas suilannad mhellyn în phain “and he desires to greet there all his friends” ✧ AotM/062; SD/129
• S. Elvellyn “Elf-friends, Elf-lovers” ✧ WJ/412
• S. mellyn enin Edhellion “*friends of the Elves” ✧ PE17/097
• S. pedo beth mellon “say the word mellon” ✧ VT44/26
• S. pedo mellon a minno “speak, friend, and enter; (alternately) say ‘friend’ and enter” ✧ LotR/0305; LotR/0305; PE17/041

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√mel- > mellon	[meldondo] > [melðondo] > [melðond] > [mellond] > [mellonn] > [mellon]	✧ SA/mel

Variations

• Mellon ✧ LotR/0308; LotRI/Mellon

edhel

elf

(pl. edhil). Coll. pl. Edhelrim (or Edhellim) (UT:318). Also †eledh, pl. elidh, coll. pl. eledhrim (Letters:281), also elen, pl. elin, also with coll. pl. eledhrim (elen + rim with the regular change nr > dhr). (WJ:363, 377-78; the shorter coll. pl. Eldrim > *Elrim*** may also occur). But since elin** also means "stars", other terms for "Elf" may be preferred.

peredhel

half-elf

(pl. peredhil) (PM:256, 348).

send

grey-elf

(i hend, o send, construct sen) (probably a term only used by the Noldor, borrowed from Quenya Sinda), pl. sind (i sind), coll. pl. Sendrim (the only attested form).

ellon

elf-man

(pl. ellyn)

laegel

green-elf

pl. laegil; coll. pl. laegrim or laegeldrim (WJ:385). These forms from a late source would seem to supersede the ”N” forms listed in LR:368 s.v. LÁYAK: *Lhoebenidh* or *Lhoebelidh*. The Green-elves of Beleriand were also called Lindel (pl. Lindil), also Lindedhel (pl. Lindedhil)  *(WJ:385)*.

elleth

elf-woman

(pl. ellith) (WJ:363-64, 377)

meldis

friend

(i veldis), no distinct pl. form except with article (i meldis), coll. pl. meldissath.

mellon

friend

1) (masc.) mellon (i vellon) (lover), pl. mellyn (i mellyn), coll. pl. mellonnath. Also meldir (i veldir), no distinct pl. form except with article (i meldir). Also seron (i heron, o seron), pl. seryn (i seryn), coll. pl. seronnath. 2) (fem.) meldis (i veldis), no distinct pl. form except with article (i meldis), coll. pl. meldissath.

mellon

friend

(i vellon) (lover), pl. mellyn (i mellyn), coll. pl. mellonnath. Also meldir (i veldir), no distinct pl. form except with article (i meldir). Also seron (i heron, o seron), pl. seryn (i seryn), coll. pl. seronnath.

miniel

first elf

(i Viniel), pl. Mínil (i Mínil), coll. pl. Miniellath. (WJ:383)

gwanwel

elf of aman

(”departed” Elf), pl. gwenwil (in gwenwil), coll. pl. gwanwellath. (WJ:378) Also gwanwen; see

elvellon

elf-friend

(pl. elvellyn, coll. pl. elvellonnath (WJ:412);

avar

non-eldarin elf

pl. Evair, also called

dúnedhel

elf of beleriand

(i Núnedhel), pl. *Dúnedhil*** (i Ndúnedhil*). (WJ:378, 386)*

edhelharn

elf-stone

(pl. edhelhern) (SD:128-31).

mornedhel

dark elf

(i Vornedhel), pl. Mornedhil (i Mornedhil). Conceivably the entire word could be umlauted in the pl.: ?Mernedhil. **(WJ:409) Another term for ”Dark Elf” is Dúredhel (i Dhúredhel), pl. Dúredhil (i Núredhil**).

lefn

elf left behind

pl. lifn.

calben

elf of the great journey

(i galben, o chalben), pl. celbin (i chelbin).