-li

the elves

-li partitive pl. ending (simply called a plural suffix in the Etymologies, stem LI). The ending is used to indicate a plural that is neither generic (e.g. Eldar "the Elves" as a race) nor definite (preceded by article); hence Eldali is used for "some Elves" (a particular group of Elves, when they are first mentioned in a narrative, VT49:8). Sometimes Tolkien also lets -li imply a great number; in PE17:129, the form falmalinnar from _Namárië _is broken down as falma-li-nnar "foam wave-many-towards-pl. ending", and falmali by itself Tolkien translated "many waves" (PE17:73). A distinct accusative in -lī seems to occur in the phrase an i falmalī (PE17:127, apparently meaning the same as i falmalinnar, but replacing the allative ending with a preposition). Genitive -lion in vanimálion, malinornélion (q.v. for reference), allative -linna and -linnar in falmalinnar, q.v. The endings for other cases are only known from the Plotz letter: possessive -líva, dative -lin, locative -lissë or -lissen, ablative -lillo or -lillon, instrumental -línen, "short locative" -lis. When the noun ends in a consonant, r and n is assimilated before l, e.g. Casalli as the partitive pl. of Casar "Dwarf" (WJ:402), or elelli as the partitive pl. of elen "star" (PE17:127). It is unclear whether the same happens in monosyllabic words, or whether a connecting vowel would be slipped in before -li (e.g. ?queneli or ?quelli as the partitive pl. of quén, quen- "person").

-lillo

-lillo

-lillo or -lillon ending for partitive pl. ablative (Plotz); see li

-lin

-lin

-lin ending for partitive pl. dative (Plotz); see -li

-linna

-linna

-linna or -linnar ending for partitive pl. allative (Plotz); see -li

-linnar

-linnar

-linnar see -li

-lion

-lion

-lion ending for partitive pl. genitive (Plotz); see -li

-lissë

-lissë

-lissë or -lissen ending for partitive pl. locative (Plotz); see -li

-ndon

suffix. -like, -ily

málimë

noun. wrist, (lit.) hand-link

A word for “wrist” in notes on Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals from the late 1960s, a combination of má “hand” and limë “link”, hence “(lit.) hand-link” (VT47/6).

Conceptual Development: There was a similar word in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s: ᴱQ. marikta “wrist”, a combination of suffixal ᴱQ. má “hand(s)” and some derivative of the early root ᴱ√RIKI “✱twist” (QL/57, 80), perhaps “✱hand-joint”.

úlairi

collective name. Ring-wraiths, (lit.) ?Un-living, Un-summer

Quenya name of the Nazgûl, of unclear meaning (S/296, PM/175). The first element is likely the negative prefix ú-. The second element resembles a plural form of the noun lairë “summer”, so perhaps it means “✱Un-summer”, referring to their cold and undead nature. Alternately, the second element could a derivative of an unattested primitive noun ✱lay-ro “living one” from the root √LAY (having to do with life), so that the name means “✱Un-living”. Both these derivations are quite speculative.

-líva

-líva

-líva ending for partitive pl. possessive (Plotz); see -li

angalailin

place name. Mirrormere

A Quenya name for Mirrormere (S. Nen Cenedril) appearing in notes from 1968 (NM/353). It is a compound of angal “mirror” and ailin “lake”. In earlier iterations these notes, Tolkien gave the name as {Angal-mille >>} Angal-limpe (NM/350, 353).

undulav-

verb. to drown, swallow, submerge, (lit.) lick down, to swallow, *engulf; (lit.) lick down; drown, submerge

A verb whose past form appears in the Namárië poem in the phrase ar ilyë tier undulávë lumbulë “and all paths are drowned deep in shadow” (LotR/377; RGEO/58). It is a combination of undu “down” and lav- “lick” (PE17/72). Thus, its literal meaning is “lick down” and it has various other less-literal translations such as “swallow, wash down, submerge” (PE17/72).

I suspect this verb is purely poetic and not used in ordinary speech, but if it is used outside of poetry I believe its closest meaning would be “swallow, ✱engulf”. This is because in Notes on Galadriel’s Song (NGS) from the late 1950s or early 1960s Tolkien glossed it “down-lick = swallow” (PE17/72), and similarly translated its past tense as “swallowed (lit. down-licked)” in the prose Namárië from The Road Goes Ever On of 1967 (RGEO/59). In particular, I think the gloss “drowned” in the Namárië poem from The Lord of the Rings is a loose translation.

amil(lë)

noun. mother

Tolkien used a number of similar forms for “mother” for most of his life. The earliest of these are ᴱQ. amis (amits-) “mother” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s along with variants ᴱQ. ambi, âmi, amaimi under the root ᴱ√AMA (QL/30). An additional variant ammi appeared in the Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/30). In Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s Tolkien had ᴱQ. ambe or mambe “mother” (PE16/135). This became ᴹQ. amil “mother” in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√AM “mother” (Ety/AM¹).

This 1930s form amil appears to have survived for some time. It appeared in a longer form Amille in Quenya Prayers of the 1950s (VT43/26; VT44/12, 18), and as an element in the term amilessi “mother-names” in a late essay on Elvish naming (MR/217). In the initial drafts of Elvish Hands, Fingers and Numerals from the late 1960s Tolkien used the form amilye or amye as an affectionate word for “mother”, and amaltil as the finger name for the second finger (VT47/26-27 note #34 and #35).

However, in those documents Tolkien seems to have revised the root for “mother” from √AM to √EM and the affectionate forms from amye to emya or emme (VT47/10; VT48/6, 19). The revised word for “mother” appears to be emil based on the 1st person possessive form emil(inya) (VT47/26).

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I prefer to retain the root √AM for “mother”, since that is what Tolkien used for 50 years, and ignore the very late change to √EM. As such, I would recommend amil(le) for “mother” and affectionate forms amme “mommy” and amya. However, if you prefer to use Tolkien’s “final” forms, then emil(le), emme and emya seem to be what Tolkien adopted in the late 1960s.

li(n)-

prefix. many

A Quenya prefix for “many” appearing regularly in Tolkien’s writings throughout his life, dating all the way back to the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s. It was derived from the root √LI that was also the basis for the partitive plural suffix Q. -li. In Demonstrative, Relative, and Correlative Stems (DRC) from 1948, Tolkien specified that li(n)- referred to an indefinite quantity bigger than a few: “a number, a good many, not a few” (PE23/101 note #36).

> Indefinite, expressing “mere plurality” (more than two at least); “some” with the plural, “(not) a few,” “several.” This is expressed by the stems lī̆-, and lĭn(i). In C. Eldarin the stem meant “many,” often a great number, but in Quenya except in a few older derivatives, especially the prefix lin-, lilin-, it is used always as expressing a lesser or vaguer number than the next (PE23/100).

This was then contrasted with ᴹQ. sem(p)- “few” and ᴹQ. hrim- “a great number, very many” [>> *rim-***].

ló

from

ló, lo (2) prep. "from", also used = "by" introducing the agent after a passive construction: nahtana ló Turin *"slain by Túrin" (VT49:24). A similar and possibly identical form is mentioned in the Etymologies as being somehow related to the ablative ending -llo, but is not there clearly defined (VT45:28). At one point, Tolkien suggested that lo rather than the ending -llo was used with proper names (lo Manwë rather than Manwello for "from Manwë"), but this seems to have been a short-lived idea (VT49:24).

málimë

wrist

málimë (stem *málimi-, given primitive form ¤mā-limi) noun "wrist", literally "hand-link" (má + #limë). (VT47:6)

quel-

verb. to fade, to fade; [ᴹQ.] †to fail; [ᴱQ.] to perish

A verb for “to fade” indicated by the season and month names quellë “fading” and Narquelië “Sun-fading” in The Lord of the Rings appendices (LotR/1110). It was clearly derived from the root √KWEL “fade, die away, grow faint” (PE18/103).

Conceptual Development: This verb dates back to the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, where ᴱQ. qele- “perish, etc.” appeared under the early root ᴱ√QELE “perish, die, decay, fail” (QL/76). In Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s, qel- was glossed “fade” (PE16/134). In ᴹQ. Fíriel’s Song from the 1930s it appeared in its future form ᴹQ. qeluva “faileth” (LR/63, 72).

súriquessë

noun. species of grass, (lit.) wind feather

The name of grass-like plant, a label of one of Tolkien’s drawings in the book J.R.R. Tolkien: Artist and Illustrator (TAI/197), like a combination of súrë (súri-) “wind” and quessë “feather”.

tar-

verb. to stand

The root √TAR is translated “stand” in notes from around 1967 (PE17/186), and its past form tarne “stood” appears in a sentence from the same document: sanome tarne Olórin, Aracorno... “there stood Gandalf, Aragorn...” (PE17/71).

Conceptual Development: Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s had ᴱQ. hyā- “stand” (PE16/132). The Quenya Verbal System (QVS) of 1948 had a past form ᴹQ. tolle “stood” (PE22/117) and an inceptive verb ᴹQ. tolu- “stand up” (PE22/114) clearly based on ᴹ√TOL (Ety/TOL²), but later in the same document had ᴹQ. thar- “stand” based on the root ᴹ√THAR (PE22/126), probably a precursor to later tar- “stand” < √TAR.

veru

noun. husband

The most common word for “husband” in Quenya (VT49/45).

Conceptual Development: This word dates all the way back to the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s where ᴱQ. veru “husband” appeared as a derivative of the early root ᴱ√VEŘE [VEÐE] (QL/101). In the English-Qenya Dictionary of the 1920s the word for “husband” appeared as ᴱQ. vero, but this form was marked as archaic (†) and became in normal speech the longer word ᴱQ. veruner (PE15/74). In Early Noldorin Word-lists and notes on the Valmaric Script from the 1920s the word was still veru (PE13/146; PE14/112), and in the Declension of Nouns from the early 1930s Tolkien gave ᴹQ. veru “husband” as an example of a ū-declension (PE21/15).

In The Etymologies of the 1930s, however, Tolkien gave a different form ᴹQ. venno for “husband” while ᴹQ. veru was a dual form meaning “husband and wife, married pair”, both derived from the root ᴹ√BES “wed” (Ety/BES). The nn in venno is because it was derived from primitive ᴹ✶besnō and sn &gt; zn &gt; nn in Quenya (PE19/49). In a 1969 note, Tolkien restored Q. veru for “husband”, deriving it instead from a root √BER “to mate, be mated, joined in marriage” (VT49/45).

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I prefer to retain the 1930s root ᴹ√BES for marriage words in order to preserve Noldorin/Sindarin forms, but I would still use the well-established veru for “husband”, just conceived of as a derivative of the root √BES, coming from ✱besū with intervocalic s &gt; z &gt; r.

-tar

king

-tar or tar-, element meaning "king" or "queen" in compounds and names (TĀ/TA3), e.g. Valatar; compare the independent nouns tár, tári. Prefix Tar- especially in the names of the Kings and Queens of Númenor (e.g. Tar-Amandil); see their individual names (like Amandil in this case), cf. also Tar-Mairon "King Excellent", title used by Sauron (PE17:183). Also in Tareldar "High-elves"; see also Tarmenel.

Calavénë

sun

Calavénë _("k")_noun "Sun" (lit. "light-vessel", "light-dish") (LT1:254)

aquapahtië

privacy

aquapahtië noun "privacy" (literally *"fully-closedness", of a mind that closes itself against telepathic transfers) (VT39:23)

aranel

princess

aranel noun "princess" (likely *aranell-) (UT:434)

calina

light

calina ("k")adj. "light" (KAL), "bright" (VT42:32) "(literally illumined) sunny, light" (PE17:153) but apparently a noun "light" in coacalina, q.v.

lepetta

noun. Gondorian hardwood

Quenya name for the S. lebethron tree appearing in an undated note likely from the late 1960s, so called “probably because its leaves (like chestnut) [were] shaped like a fingered hand” (PE17/89). As such it was likely derived from √LEP, the basis for finger-words.

lin-

many

lin- (1) (prefix) "many" (LI), seen in lindornëa, lintyulussëa; assimilated lil- in lillassëa.

melkor

masculine name. He who arises in Might; (lit.) Mighty Arising

Name of the Valar whose rebellion brought evil into the world (S/16), more commonly known as Morgoth. His name is an ancient compound of the root ✶(m)belek- “mighty” and ✶ōre “rising”, so meaning: “Mighty Arising” (MR/350, PE17/115), translated more loosely as “He who arises in Might” (WJ/402, PM/358). This name also appeared in the longer form Melkórë (MR/350, PE17/115). This is one of the names Tolkien generally spelled with a “k” (like Kementári and Tulkas) despite normally representing the [k]-sound with “c” in Elvish, though in a few places he did write Melcor (MR/362, VT49/24).

Possible Etymology: In the name Melkorohíni “Children of Melkor” (MR/416), the ancient stem form for Melkor seems to be Melkoro-. This is consistent with the primitive form ✶Mbelekōro appearing in the Quendi and Eldar essay from 1959-60 (WJ/402). Elsewhere its primitive form was given as ✶Mbelekōre (PE17/115) and its ablative form appears in notes from the mid-1960s as Melkorello (VT49/6-7), indicating a stem-form of Melkore-, consistent with the long form Melkórë noted above.

Conceptual Development: This name first appeared in the earliest Lost Tales as ᴱQ. Melko without its final -r (LT1/47). This name appeared in the Qenya Lexicon glossed “God of Evil” but without an etymology (QL/60). In the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon, it was connected to the root ᴱ√melek/mbelek/belek, along with ᴱQ. velka “flame” (GL/22). It is likely that Tolkien first considered this name as representative of his “fiery” evil, as his contemporaneous (but later abandoned) name ᴱQ. Yelur was that of “wintery” evil.

In some texts from the 1920s, ᴱQ. Melko was given as the derivative of (unglossed) ᴱ✶Mailiko (PE13/149; PE14/69), and the name ᴹQ. Melko appeared in The Etymologies from the 1930s as a derivative of ᴹ✶Mailikō < ᴹ√MIL(IK) “greed, lust” (Ety/MIL-IK). The form Melkor (with an -r) appeared towards the end of Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (LR/332). This was the form used thereafter, starting with Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s (MR/7, MR/22 note #5).

carastanyarro

noun. beaver, (lit.) build-rat

A neologism for “beaver” coined by Dírheron on Discord in 2019, a combination of carasta- “build” and [ᴹQ.] nyarro “rat”. He also proposed a reduced form ᴺQ. castor, a multi-lingual pun with Latin “castor” of the same meaning.

ilma Reconstructed

proper name. Starlight

An (archaic?) name for “Starlight”, it is not directly attested in Tolkien’s later writing, but appears as an element in several names (SA/ilm). It is a derivative of the root √(Ñ)GIL “shine (white)”. Elsewhere, the usual Quenya word for “starlight” is given as silmë (LotR/1123).

Conceptual Development: ᴱQ. ilma “air” appeared in Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s (PE16/142). The name ᴹQ. Ilma “Starlight” is directly attested in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (LR/205), where it first appeared as Silma (SM/240). Ilma also appeared in The Etymologies as a derivative of ᴹ√GIL (Ety/GIL), which is the source of the etymology noted above.

calatengwë

noun. photograph, (lit.) light-writing

A neologism for “photograph”, more literally “(lit.) light-writing”, appearing in ABNW (ABNW) from the early 2000s. It is a combination of cala “light” and tengwë “writing”, a translation of the original greek meaning of “photograph”.

yullas

noun. tea

A neologism for “tea” coined by Tamas Ferencz, a combination of yul- “drink” and lassë “leaf”; compare G. suithlas “tea, ✱(lit.) drink of leaf”.

ondolindë

place name. Rock of the Music of Water, (lit.) Singing Stone

The original Quenya name of S. Gondolin, translated “Rock of the Music of Water” (S/125), but more literally “Singing Stone” or “Stone of Music” (PE17/133). It also appeared in the shorter form Ondolin (PE17/29). It is a compound of ondo “stone” and lindë “singing, song” (PE17/29, PM/374, SA/gond).

Conceptual Development: In the very early Gnomish Lexicon from the 1910s, a similar form ᴱQ. Ondolinda “Singing Stone” was given as the Quenya equivalent of G. Gondolin (GL/41), where its second element was apparently ᴱQ. linda “singing”.

tári

noun. queen, queen, [ᴱQ.] mistress, lady

-is

respective

-is ending for the plural form of an unidentified case, by some called "respective" or "short locative" (Plotz)

-ldë

kindler

-ldë (2) feminine agental suffix. Tolkien at one point commented that Vardas title Tintallë "Kindler" should be Tintaldë because the ending -llë was rather the suffix for plural "you" (PE17:69). Since this pronominal suffix -llë was later revised to -ldë, it is now the ending of Tintaldë itself that would be potentially problematic.

-línen

-línen

-línen ending for partitive pl. instrumental (Plotz); see -li

-nen

most nouns have an instrumental in -nen

-nen instrumental ending (pl. -inen, dual -nten, partitive pl. -línen). Attested in ambartanen, lírinen, lintieryanen, súrinen, parmanen; see ambar (#2), lírë, lintië, súrë, parma. Tolkien noted that "most nouns have an instrumental in -nen" (PE17:62), a wording suggesting that the form of the ending may vary; given the normal development ln > ld, it is possible that it would appear as *-den when added to a noun in -l (*macilden "with a sword").

-nna

to

-n (1) dative ending, originating as a reduced form of -nă "to", related to the allative ending -nna (VT49:14). Attested in nin, men, ten, enyalien, Erun, airefëan, tárin, yondon (q.v.) and also added to the English name Elaine (Elainen) in a book dedication to Elaine Griffiths (VT49:40). The longer dative ending -na is also attested in connection with some pronouns, such as sena, téna, véna (q.v.), also in the noun mariéna from márië "goodness" (PE17:59). Pl. -in (as in hínin, see hína), partitive pl. -lin, dual -nt (Plotz). The preposition ana (#1) is said to be used "when purely dative formula is required" (PE17:147), perhaps meaning that it can replace the dative ending, e.g. *ana Eru instead of Erun for "to God". In some of Tolkiens earlier material, the ending -n (or -en) expressed genitive rather than dative, but he later decided that the genitive ending was to be -o (cf. such a revision as Yénië Valinóren becoming Yénië Valinórëo, MR:200).

-nna

to, at, upon

-nna "to, at, upon", allative ending, originating from -na "to" with fortified n, VT49:14. Attested in cilyanna, coraryanna, Endorenna, Elendilenna, númenórenna, parma-restalyanna, rénna, senna, tielyanna, q.v. If a noun ends in -n already, the ending -nna merges with it, as in Amanna, formenna, Elenna, númenna, rómenna as the allative forms of Aman, formen, elen, númen, rómen (q.v.). Plural -nnar in mannar, valannar, q.v.

-ssë

respective

-s (2) ending for the mysterious case sometimes called "respective", actually probably a shorter variant of the locative in -ssë. Pl. -is, dual -tes, partitive pl. -lis.

-ssë

at

-ssë (1) locative ending (compare the preposition se, sé "at", q.v.); in Lóriendessë, lúmessë, máriessë, yalúmessë (q.v. for reference); pl. -ssen in yassen, lúmissen, mahalmassen, símaryassen, tarmenissen, q.v. Pronouns take the simple ending -ssë, even if the pronoun is plural by its meaning (messë "on us", VT44:12). The part. pl. (-lissë or -lissen) and dual (-tsë) locative endings are known from the Plotz letter only.

-t

suffix. you (familiar)

-tyë

suffix. you (familiar)

-va

from

-va possessive ending, presumably related to the preposition va "from". In Eldaliéva, Ingoldova, miruvóreva, Oroméva, rómeva, Valinóreva (q.v. for references), Follondiéva, Hyallondiéva (see under turmen for references). Following a consonant, the ending instead appears as -wa (andamacilwa "of the long sword", PE17:147, rómenwa *"of the East", PE17:59). Pl. -vë when governing a plural word (from archaic -vai) (WJ:407), but it seems that -va was used throughout in late Exilic Quenya (cf. miruvóreva governing the plural word yuldar in Namárië). Pl. -iva (-ivë*), dual -twa, partitive pl. -líva**.

Aino

god

Aino noun "god", within Tolkien's mythos a synonym of Ainu (but since Aino is basically only a personalized form of aina "holy", hence "holy one", it could be used as a general word for "god") (PE15:72)

Anar

sun

Anar noun "Sun" (ANÁR, NAR1, SA:nár; UT:22 cf. 51); anar "a sun" (Markirya); Anarinya "my Sun" (FS). See also ceuranar, Úr-anar. (According to VT45:6, Tolkien in the Etymologies mentioned anar "sun" as the name of the short vowel carrier of the Tengwar writing system; it would be the first letter if anar is written in Quenya mode Tengwar.) Compounded in the masc. name Anárion "Sun-son" (Isildur's brother, also the Númenorean king Tar-Anárion, UT:210); also in Anardil "Sun-friend" (Appendix A), a name also occurring in the form Anardilya with a suffix of endearment (UT:174, 418). Anarya noun second day of the Eldarin six-day week, dedicated to the Sun (Appendix D). Anarríma name of a constellation: *"Sun-border"??? (Silm; cf. ríma)

Andafalassë

langstrand

Andafalassë place-name "Langstrand" (long shore/beach) (PE17:135)

Andúnië

sunset

Andúnië (apparently a variant form of andúnë) place-name, a city and port on the western coast of Númenor, said to mean "sunset". (Appendix A, Silm, UT:166, NDŪ/VT45:38)

Arcimbele

place name. Rivendell

Calainis

may

Calainis _("k")_noun "May" (LT1:252, 254; in Tolkien's later Quenya Lótessë)

Calaquendi

noun. Elves of the Light

Elves of the Light

Calaquendi

elves of the light, light-elves

Calaquendi pl. noun "Elves of the Light, Light-elves" (SA:kal-, SA:quen-/quet-, WJ:361, WJ:373); spelt Kalaqendi in Etym (KAL). Sg. *Calaquendë.

Calaventë

sun

Calaventë _("k")_noun "Sun" (LT1:254)

Endien

autumn

Endien noun, alternative term for "autumn" (PM:135). In the Etymologies, the word Endien was assigned a quite different meaning: "Midyear, Midyear week", in the calendar of Valinor a week outside the months, between the sixth and seventh months, dedicated to the Trees; also called Aldalemnar (YEN, LEP/LEPEN/LEPEK)

Formen

north

Formen noun "north" (SA:men), also name of tengwa #10 (Appendix E, PHOR, MEN; replacing the rejected form Tormen). In Formenos, place-name "Northern Fortress" (SA:formen). Allative formenna, VT49:26.

Fírimo

mortal

#Fírimo noun "mortal", see fírima

Harmen

south

[Harmen] noun "south" (MEN)(Changed to hyarmen.)

Hyarastorni

south

Hyarastorni place-name, region in Númenor, apparently including hyar- "south" and perhaps orni "trees" (UT:210)

Ilma

starlight

Ilma noun "starlight" (GIL)

Ilmarë

starlight

Ilmarë noun "starlight", also fem. name, referring to a Maia (GIL, SA:ilm-)

Ilweran

rainbow

Ilweran, Ilweranta noun "rainbow" (GL:74) (The Etymologies gives helyanwë.)

Isil

noun. moon

moon

Isil

moon

Isil (þ) place-name "Moon" (FS; SA:sil, Appendix E, SD:302, SIL; also defined as "the Sheen" under THIL); Isildur masc. name., *"Moon-servant" (SA:sil, Appendix A, NDŪ)

Istar

wizard

Istar noun "Wizard", used of Gandalf, Saruman, Radagast etc. Pl. Istari is attested. Gen. pl. in the phrase Heren Istarion "Order of Wizards" (UT:388). "The istari are translated wizards because of the connexion of wizard with wise and so with witting and knowing" (Letters:207); by this translation Tolkien tries to reproduce the relationship between Quenya istar and ista- #1, 2.

Lestanórë

doriath

Lestanórë place-name "Doriath", gen. Lestanórëo (WJ:369). If this name means the same as the Sindarin name Doriath, "Land of the Fence", #lesta ought to mean "fence" here (but it is obviously not a cognate of the Sindarin term iâth "fence").It may mean "girdle"; compare Sindarin Lest Melian as a name of the Girdle of Melian (WJ:XXX), suggesting*"Girdle-land" as the meaning of Lestanórë.

Lórien

lórien

Lórien (from lor-, q.v.), place-name also used as the name of a Vala, properly the place where he dwells, whereas his real name is Irmo (WJ:402, LOS (ÓLOS, SPAN) ). Alternative forms Lorien (with a short o) and Lorion, MR:144.

Mairen

well

Mairen fem. name(UT:210), initial element perhaps related or identical to mai "well". The second element is obscure; the root REN "recall, have in mind" (PM:372) could be related; if so the name may imply "well remembered", "(of) good memory" or something similar. It may also connect with the adj. maira, q.v. and compare the masc. name Mairon (PE18:163).

Moriquen(de)

noun. dark elf

dark elf

Narsil

sun

Narsil (Þ) noun the sword of Elendil, compound of the stems seen in Anar "Sun" and Isil "Moon"; see Letters:425 for etymology

Narvinyë

january

Narvinyë noun first month of the year, "January". The word seems to mean "New Fire/Sun". (Appendix D)

Ondonórë

gondor

Ondonórë, #Ondórë place-name "Gondor" (Stone-land). The shorter form of the name is attested in the genitive in the phrase aran Ondórëo, "a king of Gondor". (VT42:17, VT49:27)

Ondor-

place name. Gondor

Pereldar

half-elven

Pereldar pl. noun "Half-elven" (= Sindarin Peredhil) (Letters:282), in the Etymologies used of the Danas or Nandor (PER). Sg. #Perelda.

Quende#

noun. Elf

Elf

Rithil-Anamo

ring of doom

Rithil-Anamo place name "Ring of Doom", translation of the foreign word Máhanaxar that was adopted and adapted from Valarin (WJ:401). Compare Anamo, q.v. Presumably *Risil-Anamo in Exilic Quenya, since the digraph th of rithil must represent the spirant þ (expressed by the letter súlë, older thúlë, in Tengwar writing).

Taimondo

orion

Taimondo, also Taimordo masc. name "Orion" (LT1:268; Orion is rather called Telumehtar or Menelmacar in Tolkien's later Quenya)

Telimbectar

orion

Telimbectar ("k") noun,name of constellation:"Orion", lit. "Swordsman of Heaven". Also Telimectar ("k"). (LT1:268; in Tolkien's later Quenya Telumehtar, q.v. The combination ct is not found in LotR-style Quenya.)

Telimectar

orion

Telimectar ("k")noun, name of constellation,"Orion", lit. "Swordsman of Heaven". Also Telimbectar ("k"). (LT1:268; in Tolkien's later Quenya Telumehtar)

Tindómiel

daughter of twilight

Tindómiel, fem. name (UT:210), probably *"daughter of twilight" (tindómë + -iel) and thus the equivalent of Sindarin Tinúviel. Compare tindómerel.

Tindómisel

noun. nightingale

PQ. nightingale

Tintallë

kindler

Tintallë noun "Kindler", a title of Varda who kindled the stars (TIN, Nam, RGEO:67). From tinta- "kindle, make to sparkle" (MR:388). According to PE17:69, the form "should be Tintalde", apparently because -llë was at the time the ending for plural "you" and Tintallë could be taken as meaning *"you kindle" rather than as a noun "Kindler". However, Tolkien later changed the pronominal suffix, eliminating the clash of forms while leaving Tintallë correct (after the revision, it was *tintaldë itself that would be the verb "you kindle").

Tintanië

kindler

Tintanië noun "Kindler" = Varda (TIN; Tintánië under TAN, which according to VT46:17 Tolkien interpreted both as "Star-maker" and "Star-making")

Tormen

north

[Tormen] noun "north" (MEN; replaced by Formen, q.v.)

Ungoliantë

ungoliant

Ungoliantë fem. name "Ungoliant" (the Spider, ally of Morgoth); also Ungweliantë (UÑG, DYEL, SLIG)

airon

ocean

airon noun "ocean" (PE17:27). Also ëaron, q.v.

airon

noun. ocean

An (archaic) word for “ocean”, an augmentative form of airë mentioned in a couple of later notes (PE17/27, 149). A more modern form is ëaron.

Conceptual Development: The form ᴹQ. airen appeared in parenthesis beside ᴹQ. aire “sea” in The Etymologies of the 1930s (Ety/AY). Helge Fauskanger suggested that it might be a genitive form (QQ/airë), but in notes on The Feanorian Alphabet from the 1930s, aire “sea” >> airen (PE22/23 note #70), suggesting it is an alternate (augmentative?) form. If so, it is probably a precursor to airon.

aldaron

masculine name. Lord of Forests, (lit.) Of Trees

A title of Oromë as the Lord of Forests (S/29). The name is genitive plural of alda “tree”, so its literal meaning is “Of Trees”.

Conceptual Development: This name was well established in Tolkien’s lengendarium, appearing as ᴱQ. Aldaron “King of Forests” in the earliest Lost Tales (LT1/66) and in later stories as ᴹQ. Aldaron “Lord of Forests” (SM/79, LR/206), always having the same basic meaning and form. This name appeared in the published version of The Silmarillion, but according to Christopher Tolkien, his father deleted this name from the final version of the “Valaquenta”, leaving only S. Tauron (MR/202, notes §8). A shorter form Aldar appeared in linguistic notes from the 1950s (PE22/86), though whether this form was intended to be a name of Oromë is unclear.

alfirin

adjective. immortal

alfírima/alfírimo

immortal

amal

mother

amal noun "mother"; also emel (VT48:22, 49:22); the form amil (emil) seems more usual.

aman

place name. Blessed Realm

The continent in the Uttermost West where the Valar dwelled after the first wars with Morgoth destroyed the world as it was initially created (S/37). Its name is derived from the same root √MAN “blessed, unmarred” as the name of Manwë (PE17/162). The most common translation of this name was the “Blessed Realm” (S/62), though more precisely it describes the “unmarred” state of this land, free from the influence of Morgoth (PE17/162).

Tolkien elsewhere said that Aman was adapted from an (unknown) word from Valarin, meaning “at peace, in accord (with Eru)”, much as Manwë was an adaptation of Val. Mānawenūz (WJ/399). This is not incompatible with its derivation from the root √MAN, which itself may have been adopted into Primitive Elvish from Valarin.

Conceptual Development: According to Christopher Tolkien, the idea for this name first emerged from Ad. Amân, the Adûnaic name for Manwë (SD/376). In Tolkien’s earliest writings, the name for the Land of the Valar was simply ᴱQ. Valinor (LT1/70), but in later writings this became the Elvish name for this land, whereas Aman was its “proper” name (PE17/106).

amanar

proper name. Yule

ambalë

yellow bird, 'yellow hammer'

ambalë noun "yellow bird, 'yellow hammer' " (SMAL)

amil

mother

amil noun "mother" (AM1), also emil (q.v.) Longer variant amillë (VT44:18-19), compounded Eruamillë "Mother of God" in Tolkien's translation of the Hail Mary (VT43:32). If amil is a shortened form of amillë, it should probably have the stem-form amill-. Also compare amilyë, amya, emya. Compounded amil- in amilessë noun "mothername" (cf. essë "name"), name given to a child by its mother, sometimes with prophetic implications (amilessi tercenyë "mother-names of insight"). (MR:217).

ammalë

yellow bird, 'yellow hammer'

ammalë noun "yellow bird, 'yellow hammer' " (SMAL)

ammë

mother

ammë noun "mother" (AM1)

amuntë

sunrise

amuntë noun "sunrise" (LT2:335; Tolkien's later Quenya has anarórë)

an-

very

an- (2) intensive or superlative prefix carrying the idea of "very" or "most", seen in ancalima "most bright" (cf. calima "bright"), antara "very high, very lofty" and #anyára "very old" or "oldest" (the latter form occurring in the so-called Elaine inscription [VT49:40], there with the dative ending -n). Assimilated to am- before p-, as in amparca ("k") "very dry", and to al-, ar-, as- before words in l-, r-, s- (though Tolkien seems to indicate that before words in l- derived from earlier d, the original quality of the consonant would be preserved so that forms in and- rather than all- would result). See also un-. (Letters:279, VT45:5, 36) Regarding the form of the superlative prefix before certain consonants, another, partially discrepant system was also set down in the Etymologies and first published in VT45:36. The prefix was to appear as um- or un- before labialized consonants like p-, qu-, v- (the consonant v preserving its ancient pronunciation b- following the prefix, thus producing a word in umb-), as in- (technically iñ-) before c- and g- (the latter presumably referring to words that originally had initial g-, later lost in Quenya but evidently preserved following this prefix), and as an- otherwise. However, this system would contradict the canonical example ancalima, which would have been *incalima if Tolkien had maintained this idea. In a post-LotR source, the basic form of the prefix is given as am- instead (see am- #2). In this late conception, the prefix still appears as an- before most consonants, but as ama- before r, l, and the form an- is used even before s- (whether original or from þ), not the assimilated variant as- described above. General principles would suggest that the form am- should also appear before y- (so the form #anyára probably presupposes an- rather than am- as the basic form of the prefix, Tolkien revisiting the earlier concept in the _Elaine inscription). (PE17:92)_

ana

to

ana (1) prep. "to" (VT49:35), "as preposition _ana _is used when purely _dative formula is required" (PE17:147), perhaps meaning that the preposition ana can be used instead of the dative ending -n (#1, q.v.) Also as prefix: ana- "to, towards" (NĀ1); an (q.v.) is used with this meaning in one source (PE17:127)_

anar

noun. Sun

Anar is the most common Quenya name for the Sun and was derived from primitive ✶Anār, an augmented form of the root √NAR “fire” (Let/425; PE17/38; Ety/ANÁR; SD/302, 306). In the uninflected form the long vowel shortens as usual in final syllables, but its stem form is probably Anár- as with the name Anárion (LotR/1044) and the plural coranári of coranar “sun-round” (PM/126). When suffixes with consonant clusters are added, however, the á shortens such as with Anarinya “my Sun” (LR/72).

Conceptual Development: This term appeared in Silmarillion drafts of the 1930s with the gloss “Heart of Flame” (LR/240) and as ᴹQ. Anar “sun” in The Etymologies of the 1930s, already with the derivation given above (Ety/ANÁR, NAR¹).

anarya

noun. Sunday, (lit.) Sun-day

anarórë

sunrise

anarórë noun "sunrise" (ORO)

ancárima

adjective. easy, (lit.) very doable

A word for “easy” in Late Notes on Verb Structure (LVS) from 1969, a combination of the intensive prefix an- and the adjective cárima “doable”, so more literally “very doable” (PE22/155).

andafalassë

place name. Langstrand

The Quenya form of the name S. Anfalas “Langstrand” (PE17/135). It is a compound of anda “long” and falassë “shore”.

andúne

noun. sunset

sunset

andúnië

place name. Sunset

A city in western Númenor, “so called because it faced the sunset” (S/261). It is andúnë “sunset” with the abstract-noun suffix -ië.

Conceptual Development: The name ᴹQ. Andúnie appeared in the earliest tales of Númenor, first as a name for Númenor itself (LR/14), but soon changing to the name of a major city of that land (LR/25). At one point Tolkien considered changing this name to ᴹQ. Undúnië, but he soon rejected the idea (SD/333, SD/340 note #2).

andúnë

sunset, west, evening

andúnë noun "sunset, west, evening" (NDŪ, Markirya, SA), also in Namárië: Andúnë "West" (but the standard Quenya translation of "west" is Númen) (Nam, RGEO:66) Cf. andu- in Andúnië, Andúril.

angal

noun. mirror, mirror, *reflective surface

A noun for “mirror” in notes from the late 1960s, derived from primitive ✶aññala based on the root √ñal- (NM/350, 353). Another derivative of this root was ✶ñalatā “a glitter (of reflected light)” (NM/349), so perhaps this word meant “mirror” in the sense “✱reflective surface”.

ango

snake

ango noun "snake"; stem angu- as in angulócë (q.v.); pl. angwi (ANGWA/ANGU)

apacenyë

foresight

apacenyë is translated "foresight" in MR:216; yet the context and the form of the word itself clearly indicates that it is not a noun but actually the pl. form of an adjective *apacenya *"of foresight". The noun "foresight" is almost certainly apacen; cf. tercen "insight". (MR:216) The literal meaning of apacen is "aftersight", sc. knowledge of that which comes after. [Essi] apacenyë** "[names] of foresight", prophetic names given to a child by its mother (MR:216)

aquet

answer

[aquet noun? vb? "answer" (PE17:166)]

aran

king

aran noun "king"; pl. arani (WJ:369, VT45:16, PE17:186); gen.pl. aranion "of kings" in asëa aranion, q.v.; aranya "my king" (aran + nya) (UT:193). Aran Meletyalda "king your mighty" = "your majesty" (WJ:369); aran Ondórëo, "a king of Gondor" (VT49:27). Also in arandil "king's friend, royalist", arandur "king's servant, minister" (Letters:386); Arantar masc. name, "King-Lord" (Appendix A); Arandor "Kingsland" region in Númenor (UT:165); the long form Arandórë appears as a name of Arnor in PE17:28 (elsewhere Arnanórë, q.v.) Othercompounds ingaran, Noldóran, Núaran, q.v.

aran

noun. king

arandur

noun. minister, steward, (lit.) king’s servant

aranel

noun. princess

aranië

kingdom

#aranië noun "kingdom" (aranielya "thy kingdom") (VT43:15). Cf. #aranyë in Ardaranyë "the Kingdom of Arda" (PE17:105)

aranië

noun. kingdom

aranyë

kingdom

#aranyë noun "kingdom", isolated from Ardaranyë "the Kingdom of Arda" (PE17:105)

arca

narrow

arca (1) adj. "narrow" (AK)

arda

place name. The World, (lit.) Realm

One of the Elvish names of the world (S/19, Let/283). It is simply arda “realm” used as a proper name, and refers to the world as the realm of Manwë (MR/349). Properly speaking, this kingdom extends beyond just the world, including Aman and the rest of the Solar System as well (MR/337; NM/282). This makes this term more expansive than Ambar, which refers only to the world itself, which is contained with Arda. Arda is in turn contained within Eä “Creation”, which is the whole (physical) universe.

In less technical writings, however, Arda and Ambar are often used synonomously.

Conceptual Development: As a name of the world this name seems to have first emerged in Númenórean stories from the 1940s (SD/246).

ata

again

ata adv. "again", also prefix ata-, at- "back, again, re-; second time, double" (AT(AT), PE17:166, cf. ataquanta-, ataquetië) or "two" (PE17:166), also "ambi-" as in ataformaitë, q.v.

atan

noun. Man, (lit.) the Second (People)

This is the most common Quenya word for “Man” as a species, most frequently appearing in its plural form Atani (LotR/1034). In notes on Words, Phrases and Passages from the Lord of the Rings (WPP) from the late 1950s or early 1960s, Tolkien wrote:

> The name Atan, pl. atani was already given in Quenya in Valinor to the “Second Kindred” whom the Eldar learned were to appear (or had appeared) in Endor. It meant “the Second”. The Sindar had no name for Men, until they arrived in Beleriand and were first found by Finrod. They borrowed the Q atan and gave it Sindarin form adan. For a long time this word therefore referred only to the three “houses” or kindreds of the “Elf-friends” or Elendili; and always tended to refer primarily to them. But when the Eldar became aware of other kinds of Men (more or less parallel to their own division into Eldar and Avari) they distinguished the Elendili as Núnatani, Dúnedain (pl. of Dún·adan) “western men” ... Other men were called Hrónatani, Rhúnedain [Easterlings] (PE17/18).

Thus while Atan applied to all humans, there was a bias towards considering the Elf-friends as the “true Men”, and Atan was sometimes used only to refer to them. Tolkien typically translated this word as “Man”, but the Elvish word has no particular association with the male gender, and actually means “the Second” (S/103; WJ/403; PE17/18) being related to the word atta “two”, referring to the fact that Men were the second-born race of the children of Eru.

Conceptual Development: ᴹQ. Atan seems to have been coined in the 1940s, for example appearing in the phrase ᴹQ. atani koitar endoresse “men live in Middle-earth” in the Quenya Verbal System document from this period (PE22/125).

The last description of this word’s origin appeared in notes from the late 1960s, where Tolkien said it was instead borrowed from the language of Men: “The name is said to have been derived from atan ‘man, human being as distinct from creatures’, a word used by that kindred which the Eldar first encountered in Beleriand” (PM/324 note #38).

However, as pointed out by Christopher Tolkien: “The statement here that Atani was derived from a word in the Bëorian language, atan ‘man’, contradicts what was said in the chapter Of the Coming of Men into the West that was added to the Quenta Silmarillion”, referring to the footnote on WJ/219 in Silmarillion drafts from the 1950s. This footnote was the same scenario as described above where Atan meant “the Second”, which is also how the origin of the word was described in the Quendi and Eldar essay of 1959-60 (WJ/386). It is this scenario that Christopher Tolkien used in the published version of the Silmarillion (S/103, 143; SI/Atani).

attalaitë

biped

attalaitë adj. "biped" (having two feet) (VT49:42, PE12:88)

attalya

noun/adjective. biped, *(lit.) two-footed

A noun or adjective meaning “two-legged”, attested only in its (noun) plural form attalyar (WJ/389). It is a combination of atta “two” and tál “foot”, with the adjective suffix -ya.

Conceptual Development: In the Qenya Lexicon from the 1910s, there were similar words for “biped”: the noun ᴱQ. attalin and the adjective ᴱQ. attalaite (QL/88).

attalyar

collective name. Bipeds, (lit.) The Two-footed

A Quenya translation of S. tad-dail, a name given to the Petty Dwarves before the Elves realized they were people (WJ/389). It is the plural of the otherwise unattested adjective attalya “biped”, used as a collective noun.

ava-

verb. refuse, forbid

avaquet-

refuse, forbid

avaquet- ("q")vb. "refuse, forbid" (KWET)

avatyar-

forgive

#avatyar- vb. "forgive" (VT43:18); the form ávatyara (VT43:10) seems to include the imperative particle á (the two-word phrase *á avatyara "forgive!" merging into ávatyara). Plural aorist avatyarir (VT43:20). Where Tolkien used avatyar-, he cited the person(s) forgiven in the ablative (ávatyara mello** "forgive us", literally "from us"), whereas the matter that is forgiven appears as a direct object (VT43:11). Compare apsenë**.

avatyar-

verb. *to forgive, (lit.) do away with

avestalis

january

avestalis noun "January" (LT1:252; LotR-style Quenya has Narvinyë)

axa

waterfall

axa ("ks") (2) noun "waterfall" (LT1:249, 255 - this "Qenya" word may have been obsoleted by # 1 above)

cainen

cardinal. ten

[cainen] ("k") cardinal "ten" (KAYAN/KAYAR). According to VT48:12, Tolkien eventually rejected this word (cainen would only mean "I lay", sc. the pa.t. cainë with the ending -n "I"). See quain, quëan.

cainen

cardinal. ten

cala

light

cala ("k")noun "light" (KAL). Concerning the "Qenya" verb cala-, see #cal- above.

cala

noun. light, light; [ᴱQ.] daytime (sunlight), 12 hours

This is the most common Quenya word for “light”, derived from the root √KAL of similar meaning (RGEO/62; PE17/84). It appears in numerous compounds, either in its full form or in a reduced form cal-.

Conceptual Development: ᴱQ. kala appeared all the way back in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s glossed “daytime (sunlight), 12 hours” and derived from the early root ᴱ√KALA “shine golden” (QL/44), but it had the sense “light” in the phrase ᴱQ. i·kal’antúlien “Light hath returned” (LT1/184), and it was given as the cognate of G. gala “light, daylight” in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon (GL/37).

ᴹQ. kala “light” appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a derivative of the root ᴹ√KAL “shine” (Ety/KAL). Somewhat curiously in that document its primitive form was given as ᴹ✶k’lā́ (EtyAC/KAL), a form that also appeared in the first version of Tengwesta Qenderinwa (TQ1) from the 1930s (PE18/38). Tolkien may have used this variant form to explain N. glaw “radiance” (< ᴹ✶g’lā́), but in later writings S. glaw “sunshine” was derived from √LAW.

calaquendi

collective name. Elves of the Light, (lit.) Light Elves

This term was used for Elves who saw the light of the Two Trees in Valinor (S/53). Later the meaning was extended to include the Elves of Beleriand (the Sindar) who also opposed Morgoth (WJ/373). It is a compound of cala “light” and the plural form Quendi of the term Quendë “Elf” (WJ/361).

Conceptual Development: An early term ᴱQ. kalmar “child of day or light” form the 1910s (QL/44) seems to be the first precursor to this name, apparently replaced by ᴱQ. Kalmaliondo and ᴹQ. Kalion “Son of Light” from the 1920s and early 1930s (PE14/75, PE21/33). A similar term ᴹQ. Kalamor “Light-elves” appeared in a discussion of the branches of the Elves in the mid-1930s, along with ᴹQ. Kalaqendi (LR/197). Both these terms appeared in The Etymologies (Ety/KAL), though Christopher Tolkien incorrectly indicated that Kalamor was Noldorin rather than Quenya (EtyAC/KAL). Thereafter, only the term Calaquendi appeared, though it was sometimes spelled with a K.

calima

bright

calima adj. "bright" (VT42:32); cf. ancalima; in PE17:56, arcalima appears as another superlative "brightest" (see ar- #2).

calina

adjective. light, bright, sunny, (lit.) illumined

cassa

helmet

cassa ("k")noun "helmet" (KAS; though spelt cassa also in the Etymologies as printed in LR, VT45:19 indicates that Tolkien's own spelling was kassa). Cf. carma in a later source.

castol

helmet

castol noun "helmet", synonyms tholon (q.v.), sól (q.v), also variant castolo ("k")(PE17:186, 188)

castol(o)

noun. helmet

celima

adjective. fluent

celima

adjective. fluent, fluent, *able to flow freely

An adjective glossed “fluent” in Late Notes on Verb Structure (LVS) from 1969 (PE22/156), a combination of √KEL “flow” and the adjective suffix -ima. I suspect that this word means “✱able to flow freely” rather than its common English connotation of able to speak a language well.

celu

stream

celu _("k")_noun "stream" (LT1:257; rather celumë in LotR-style Quenya)

celumë

stream, flow

celumë ("k")noun "stream, flow" (KEL, LT1:257); locative pl. celumessen ("k") in Markirya (ëar-celumessen is translated "in the flowing sea", lit. *"in sea-streams").

cemi

earth, soil, land

cemi noun "earth, soil, land"; Cémi ("k")"Mother Earth" (LT1:257; the "Qenya" word cemi would correspond to cemen in LotR-style Quenya)

cesya-

verb. to cause interest, interest (oneself), (lit.) to cause one to enquire

ciryamo

mariner

ciryamo noun "mariner", nominative and genitive are identical since the noun already ends in -o, cf. Indis i-Ciryamo "the Mariner's Wife" (UT:8)

ciryamo

noun. mariner

A word for a “mariner” in the title Indis i·Ciryamo “The Mariner’s Wife” (UT/8), a combination of cirya “ship” with the agental suffix -mo.

Conceptual Development: The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had ᴱQ. veniel “mariner” as an elaboration of ᴱQ. vene “small boat” (QL/100).

col-

bear, carry

#col- vb. "bear, carry", not attested by itself by suggested by colindo and colla, q.v.; also compare Tancol.

coranar

noun. (solar) year, (lit.) sun-round

culumalda

noun. laburnum, *(lit.) orange-tree

Quenya name for a “laburnum” described as “a tree with hanging yellow blossoms (prob[ably] a laburnum) growing in Ithilien espec[ially] at Cormallen” (RC/626). Helge Fauskanger suggested it is probably [ᴹQ.] culuma “orange” + alda “tree” (QQ/culumalda).

curuvar

wizard

curuvar _("k")_noun "wizard" (LT1:269 but Gandalf, Saruman etc. were istari)

cálë

light

cálë ("k")noun "light" (Markirya; in early "Qenya", cálë meant "morning", LT1:254)

cálë

noun. light

A noun for “light” appearing in the versions of the Markirya poem from the 1960s (MC/222-223).

Conceptual Development: In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, ᴱQ. kále “morning” was a derivative of the early root ᴱ√KALA “shine golden” (QL/44), and kāle was mentioned again Gnomish Lexicon Slips as a cognate of G. gaul “a light” (PE13/114). The form ᴱQ. kale “day” appeared in the Early Qenya Grammar of the 1920s, but was deleted (PE14/43). It might also be an element in ᴹQ. yúkale “twilight” (= “both lights”) from The Etymologies of the 1930s (Ety/KAL).

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I’d stick to the better attested Q. cala “light”.

cëa

cardinal. ten

[cëa, cëan ("k") cardinal "ten", forms Tolkien later abandoned in favour of quain or quëan. An adjectival form caina ("k") was also listed, but must likewise be considered obsolete. (VT48:12-13, VT49:54)]

cëa(n)

cardinal. ten

ehtelu-

verb. well, bubble out

elda

noun. Elf, (lit.) one of the Star-folk

The most common Quenya word for “Elf”. Its literal meaning is “one of the Star-folk” (WJ/374), a name given to them by Oromë (S/49) and derived from the same primitive root √EL as Q. elen “star”. Strictly speaking, this term excludes the Avari who chose not to journey to Valinor, so that the proper term for all of Elvenkind is Q. Quendë “one of the Elven race”. The Elves of the West rarely encountered the Avari, however, so that term Elda was ordinarily broad enough to describe all Elves.

Conceptual Development: This word dates back to the earliest stages of Tolkien’s languages. At its first appearance, ᴱQ. Elda was glossed “a beach-fay” (QL/35), but was soon extended to describe all Elves (LT1/113). In Tolkien’s earliest writings the word was not given a clear etymology. In the Lhammas “Account of Tongues” from the 1930s (LR/168-180), Tolkien gave ᴹQ. Elda the sense of “one who departed” (LR/169), as opposed to the ᴹQ. Lembi “Lingerers” who remained behind (precursors of the Avari). With this sense, Elda was derived from ᴹ√LED “go, fare, travel” (Ety/LED).

Tolkien soon revised the etymology of Elda so that it was derived instead from ᴹ√ELED “star-folk” (Ety/ELED). In some later writings, he considered both etymologies of this word to be valid, so that Elda was blending of both “star-folk” (from √EL) and Q. Eldo “marcher” (from √LED or √DEL), as discussed in the Quendi and Eldar essay from 1959-60 and elsewhere (WJ/362-3, PE17/139). However, the sense “star-folk” is probably better known.

In some notes from 1957, Tolkien considered deriving this word from a variant root √DEL “fair” so that its meaning would be “the fair” (PE17/151), but this seems to have been a transient idea.

emel

mother

emel noun "mother"; also amal (VT48:22, 49:22); the form amil (emil) seems more usual.

emil

mother

emil noun "mother", emilinya "my mother" (also reduced to emya) the terms a child would use in addressing his or her mother (VT47:26). Emil would seem to be a variant of amil. Also compare emel.

emil

noun. mother

emma

picture

emma noun *"picture" (compounded in indemmar "mind-pictures") (PE17:179)

en

there, look! yon (yonder)

en (1) interjection "there, look! yon (yonder)" (EN, VT45:12)

enar

adverb. tomorrow

endaquet-

answer

endaquet- vb. "answer" (gloss uncertain) (PE17:167)

engwar

collective name. Men, (lit.) The Sickly

A somewhat insulting Elvish term for Men (S/103), the plural of the adjective engwa “sickly”.

Conceptual Development: The name ᴹQ. Engwar first appeared in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (LR/245). It also appeared in The Etymologies (Ety/GENG-WĀ).

entar

noun. tomorrow

enwa

tomorrow

enwa adv. "tomorrow" (QL:34)

enyalië

noun. memory, (lit.) recalling

epetai

consequently

epetai adv. "consequently" (VT49:11). Since this is to contain tai "that which" (epe-ta-i "before that which"), a form Tolkien may later have abandoned, the less problematic synonym etta should perhaps be preferred. Compare potai.

eruamillë

feminine name. *Mother of God

A title for Mary as the Mother of God in early drafts of Aia María, Tolkien’s translation of the Ave Maria prayer (VT43/26-7), and also as a rejected word in Ortírielyanna, Tolkien’s Quenya translation of the Sub Tuum Praesidium (VT44/5). It is a compound of Eru “God” and amil(lë) “mother”. In later drafts of Aia María, this name was replaced by the term Eruo ontaril (VT43/27-28), and in the translation of other prayers he used the name Eruontarië of similar meaning.

eruontarië

feminine name. *Mother of God, (lit.) God-genetrix

A title for Mary as the Mother of God in Ortírielyanna (VT44/5), Tolkien’s Quenya translation of the Sub Tuum Praesidium, as well as Tolkien’s Quenya translation of the Litany of Loreto (VT44/12). It appeared in both the forms Eruontarië (VT44/12) and Eruontari (VT44/5). It is a compound of Eru “God” and the word ontarië “✱mother, genetrix”. In the final drafts of Aia María, Tolkien’s translation of the Ave Maria prayer, he used the similar term Eruo ontaril (VT43/27-28).

Conceptual Development: In earlier versions of these prayers, Tolkien used the name Eruamillë of similar meaning.

estat-

verb. to distribute in even portions, to distribute (in even portions), *partition

A verb appearing in notes associated with Quenya Fractions from the late 1960s, appearing as etsat or estat “distribute in even portions” based on the root √SAT “divide, apportion” (VT48/11). Likely it was originally et “out” + sat- “apportion”, with estat- being an alternate form produced by metathesis.

etsat-

distribute in even portions

etsat- vb. "distribute in even portions" (apparently et- "out" + the base sat "divide, apportion"). Not cited with a final hyphen in the source (VT48:11), but some ending would obviously be required in Quenya; the verb should probably be treated as a consonant stem (primary verb). Alternative form estat-, but as pointed out in VT48:12, the transposition ts > st is not regular in Quenya.

etsat-

verb. to distribute in even portions

etsir

mouth of a river

etsir noun "mouth of a river" (ET)

etta

therefore

etta adv. "therefore" (VT49:12)

falmari

collective name. Sea-elves, (lit.) Wave-folk

A name for the Teleri as Elves of the sea (S/53). It is an elaboration on falma “wave” (SA/falas) and its literal meaning is “Wave-folk” (PM/386).

Conceptual Development: Earlier Quenya words connecting the third tribe of Elves to the sea include ᴱQ. Solosimpe “Shore Piper” (LT1/50; QL/35, 85), ᴹQ. Solonyeldi “✱Surf Singers” (Ety/NYEL, SOL) and ᴹQ. Falanyel “✱Beach Singer” (Ety/PHAL).

fauca

thirsty

fauca ("k") adj. "thirsty" (PHAU; original glosses "thirsty, parched; lit. open-mouthed", VT46:9)

firya

proper name. Mortal

A shorter variant of Fírima (WJ/219, 387). It is the adjectival form of the root √PHIR produced by the suffix -ya.

Conceptual Development: In The Etymologies, the word ᴹQ. firya is glossed “human” and is derived from the same root ᴹ√PHIR (Ety/PHIR).

formen

noun. north, north, [ᴹQ.] right-hand [direction]

fírima

mortal

fírima adj. "mortal" (PHIR; firima with a short i in VT46:4); also used as noun: Fírima pl. Fírimar "those apt to die", "mortals", an Elvish name of Mortal Men (WJ:387). This adj. is also the source of an explicit noun, personalized #Fírimo = mortal, mortal man. Pl. Fírimor (VT49:10-11), dative pl. fírimoin "for men" in Fíriel's Song; cf. also the pl. allative fírimonnar in VT44:35.

fírima

proper name. Mortal, (lit.) One Apt to Die

A name of Men as mortal beings (S/102, WJ/387). It is the adjective fírima “mortal” used as a noun.

Conceptual Development: In Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, the form of this word was ᴹQ. Fírimo ending with an -o (LR/245). This form also appeared in Fíriel’s Song from the same time period. The form Fírima appeared in the Quendi and Eldar essay from 1959-60 (WJ/387), and this was the form used in the published version of The Silmarillion (S/102).

In later writings, the older form form still appeared, however. The form fírimonnar appeared later in a draft version of Alcar mi Tarmenel na Erun, Tolkien’s partial translation of Gloria in Excelsis Deo from the 1950s, but it was eventually replaced with híni “children [of God]”. Also, fírimor appeared in a draft version of the Ambidexters Sentence from the late 1960s, but it did not appear in the final version. Tolkien seems to have vacillated between Fírimo and Fírima in his later writings, but Fírimo was always replaced with something else, while Fírima was allowed to stand.

fúmella

poppy

fúmella noun "poppy" (also fúmellot) (LT1:253). Read perhaps *húmella in a LotR-compatible form of Quenya, since Tolkien later decided that fu- tended to become hu-.

fúmellot

poppy

fúmellot noun "poppy" (also fúmella) (LT1:253) Read perhaps *húmellot in a LotR-compatible form of Quenya, since Tolkien later decided that fu- tended to become hu-.

halatir

kingsfisher

halatir (halatirn-, as in dat.sg. halatirnen), also halatirno, noun "kingsfisher", etymologically "fish-watcher" (TIR, SKAL2, KHAL1)

hanquenta

answer

hanquenta vb.? noun? "answer" (PE17:176)

hanquenta

noun. answer, answer, *response

@@@ gloss “response” suggested by Tamas Ferencz

haran

king, chieftain

haran (#harn-, as in pl. harni) noun "king, chieftain" (3AR, TĀ/TA3, VT45:17; for "king", the word aran is to be preferred in LotR-style Quenya). In a deleted entry in the Etymologies, haran was glossed "chief" (VT45:17)

haranyë

century

haranyë noun, last year of a century in the Númenórean calendar (or possibly the word for "century" itself; Tolkien's wording is unclear) (Appendix D)

harna

helmet

harna (3) noun "helmet" (VT45:21)

harpa

helmet

harpa noun "helmet" (VT45:21)

helyanwë

rainbow

helyanwë noun "rainbow", lit. "sky-bridge" (3EL)

heren

fortune

heren (2) noun "fortune", etymologically "governance" ("and so what is in store for one and what one has in store") (KHER).Herendil masc. name *"Fortune-friend" = Eadwine, Edwin, _Audoin(LR:52, 56, cf. the Etymologies, stems KHER-, NIL/NDIL)_

hildi

followers

hildi, -hildi noun "followers" (used = mortal men, the Second-born of Ilúvatar) (KHIL) (also Hildor, q.v.). Dat. pl. hildin "for men", a dative pl. occurring in Fíriel's Song. Cf. hildinyar "my heirs", evidently *hildë, hildo "follower, heir" + -inya "my" + -r plural ending (EO)

hildor

collective name. Men, Aftercomers, (lit.) Followers

A name for Men as the second-born children of Ilúvatar, following the elves (S/99). This name is a derivative of the root √KHIL (WJ/386-7) and is related to the word hildë “heir, follower”. This term is only attested in the plural, and it isn’t clear whether the singular term ✱Hildo can be used for a single Man (normally Atan). This name was sometimes glossed “Aftercomers” (S/99), but its other gloss “Followers” (S/103) is a better translation. The gloss “Aftercomers” probably alludes to Apanónar “After-born”, another name for Men.

Conceptual Development: In Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, this term appeared as ᴹQ. Hildi (LR/245). In The Etymologies, the word hildi “followers, mortal men” appeared as a derivative of ᴹ√KHIL (Ety/KHIL), implying a singular form of ✱hilde.

In The Lord of the Rings, the plural term Q. Hildinyar was translated as “my heirs” (LotR/967). When it was written, Tolkien probably intended it to be the same word as Hildi “Men, Followers” (PE17/101, 103). In Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s, this term was first written Hildi (MR/130) but in the late-50s was changed to Hildor (WJ/219). Perhaps Tolkien split these terms, so that Hildor (singular ✱Hildo) was the proper name for Men, while hildi (singular ✱hildë) was the ordinary word for “follower” or “heir”.

himíte

adjective. clinging, able to stick on

histanë

fading

histanë pre-classical participle? "fading" (MC:213; this is "Qenya")

hlócë

snake, serpent

hlócë ("k")noun "snake, serpent", later lócë ("k")(SA:lok-)

ho

from

ho prep. "from" (3O); cf. hó-

holmo

adverb. sincerely, heartily, sincerely, heartily; *(lit.) from the heart; [ᴹQ.] from the middle

hrai(a)

adjective. easy

hró-

prefix. east

hróme(n)

noun. east

hyarmen

south

hyarmen, Hyarmen noun "south" (SA, SA:men, KHYAR), literally "lefthand-direction" (VT49:12), since the Elves named the directions as they were to a person facing the Blessed Realm in the West Also name of tengwa #33 (Appendix E). In Hyarmendacil masc.name, "South-victor" (Appendix A), apparently also in the place-name Hyarmentir (name of a mountain; the element -tir means *"watch[ing point]".) (SA) Hyarnustar "the Southwestlands" of Númenor; Hyarrostar the "Southeastlands" (UT:165)

hyarmen

noun. south, (lit.) left-hand direction

hí

here

hí adv. "here" (VT49:34)

hí

adverb. here, here [ᴹQ.] (for both you and me), now

A word for “here” in notes from the late 1960s, derived from primitive ✶khĭn- (VT49/34). It seems to be part of an attempt to explain S. hí “now”.

Conceptual Development: Demonstrative, Relative, and Correlative Stems (DRC) from 1948 had a root √KHI that was a “demonstrative of 1st pers (b)”, that is “here by us” (PE23/96). It had a derived form ᴹQ. hi that could be used both spatially (“here by us”) and temporally (“now”). Primitive ✶khi was mentioned again in Eldarin Pronouns, Demonstratives, and Correlatives from the early 1950s, but the page where it appeared was deleted (PE23/131 note #31).

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would assume Q. hí had a meaning similar to its 1948 sense “here by us”, as opposed to the more general word sissë for “here”. On the basis of this hí, I would also used the 1948 elaborations of ᴹQ. hi such as ᴹQ. hina “this (by us)” or ᴹQ. hillo “hence (from us)”

hísilómë

place name. Land of Mist, (lit.) Mist-and-Dusk

The Quenya name of NS. Hithlum (S/118). It is usually glossed “Land of Mist”, but it is a compound of hísë (hísi-) “mist” and lómë “dusk”, so a more literal translation would be “Mist-and-Dusk” (given as a translation of Hithlum on LR/406).

Conceptual Development: This name dates back to the earliest Lost Tales, where ᴱQ. Hisilóme was translated “Shadowy Twilights” (LT1/112) or “Misty-gloom” (PE15/63). It was a compound of ᴱQ. híse “dusk” and ᴱQ. lóme “gloom, darkness”, as suggested by Christopher Tolkien (LT1A/Hisilómë). In Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, ᴹQ. Hisilóme was translated “Twilit Mist” (SM/4) and “Land of Mist” (SM/101). The name appeared in The Etymologies with the same form but a slightly different derivation, with its second element originally derived from ᴹQ. lumbe “gloom, shadow” (Ety/LUM).

hópa

haven, harbour, small landlocked bay

hópa noun "haven, harbour, small landlocked bay" (KHOP)

ilfirin

immortal

ilfirin adj. "immortal" (PHIR)

ilpirin

immortal

*ilpirin (hypothetical form; the word actually appears in Q as ilfirin) adj. "immortal" (PHIR)

iluquinga

rainbow

iluquinga ("q") noun "rainbow" (LT2:348)

inga

top, highest point

inga (1) noun "top, highest point" (PM:340), "only applied to shapes pointing upwards...[it] referred primarily to position and could be used of tops relatively broad". Compounded in the nouns aldinga "tree-top" (alda + inga) (VT47:28), ingaran "high-king" (PM:340)

irmin

the world, all the regions inhabited by men

irmin noun "the world, all the regions inhabited by Men" (LT2:343; hardly a valid word in Tolkien's later Quenya)

isil

noun. Moon, (lit.) Sheen

The usual name for the Moon in Quenya, also translated as “Sheen” (LR/240; MR/130), from an augmented form of the root √THIL (Let/425; Ety/THIL). This word is most likely the proper name of the Moon, analogous to English “Luna”. Compare this to Q. Rána “Wayward”, which is more descriptive of the nature of the body and hence closer to “Moon” (and “moon”).

Conceptual Development: The precursor to this name seems to be ᴱQ. Sil (Sill-) “moon” from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, derived from the early root ᴱ√SILI (QL/83). The root had various derivatives having to do with “gleam(ing)”, but in the contemporaneous narratives ᴱQ. Sil was translated “(silver) rose” (LT1/192 and 197 note #17). There was also ᴱQ. Silmo as a masculinized name for “moon” (QL/83), which seems to be the ordinary word for “moon” in the English-Qenya Dictionary of the 1920s (PE15/75).

The name ᴹQ. Isil first appeared in early versions of the tales of Númenor from the 1930s (LR/41). The derivation given above appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s (Ety/THIL) and again in a 1972 letter to Richard Jeffery (Let/425).

isse

where

istar

proper name. Wizard, (lit.) One Who Knows

A name for the five Wizards who travelled from the West to aid the free peoples against Sauron (LotR/1084, UT/388). It usually appeared in its plural form Istari, which meant “those who know” (Let/202, PM/360). Tolkien generally translated the name as “Wizard”, because the Old English sense of word was similar to the true meaning of this Quenya word (Let/207). The name Istar was most likely a combination of the verb ista- “to know” and the old agental suffix -r(o).

The title Istar was not used for ordinary mortal “wizards” or “magicians” (UT/388). For this purpose, perhaps the word [ᴹQ.] sairon was used instead.

ita

very, extremely

ita, íta adv. 2) "very, extremely" (PE17:112). Like #1 above, this element emerged as part of Tolkiens efforts to explain the initial element of the name Idril (Q Itaril), so it is questionable if #1 and #2 were ever meant to coexist in the "same" version of Quenya.

kemen

earth

kemen noun "earth"; see cemen.

lai

very

[lai adverbial particle "very" (VT45:8)]

laista

noun. ignorance, (lit.) not-knowing

lasselanta

noun. (late) autumn, (lit.) leaf-fall, (late) autumn, (lit.) leaf-fall; [ᴹQ.] October

lelta-

send

#lelta- vb. "send", attested in the past tense with pronominal suffixes: leltanelyes "you sent him" (VT47:21)

lemen

cardinal. five

lemen, alternative cardinal "five" (VT48:6, 20); the word normally appears as lempë, but compare lemenya below.

lemen

cardinal. five

lemnë

cardinal. five

lempë

cardinal. five

lempë cardinal "five" (LEP/LEPEN/LEPEK, GL:53, VT42:24, VT47:10, 24); lempëa ordinal "fifth", an analogical formation replacing older lemenya, in turn altered from the historically "correct" form lepenya because of analogy with the cardinal lempë "five" (VT42:25; Vanyarin Quenya maintained lepenya, VT42:26)

lempë

cardinal. five

lenta-

send

[#lenta- vb. "send", attested in the past tense with pronominal suffixes: lentanelyes "you sent him". Changed by Tolkien to #lelta-, q.v. (VT47:22, 21)]

leuca

snake

leuca (1) noun "snake" (Appendix E)

leuca

noun. snake

The best known Quenya word for “snake”, appearing in Appendix E of The Lord of the Rings (LotR/1115). In 1964 notes on Dalath Dirnen (DD), Tolkien said it was derived from the root √LEWEK “worm” (PE17/160).

limbë

many

limbë (2) adj. "many", probably obsoleted by #1 above (LT2:342)

limil

chain

limil noun "chain" (QL:54)

lér

man

**lér noun "man" (NI1; hypothetical Q form of PQ dēr; the form actually used in Quenya was nér)

lómelindë

noun. nightingale, (lit.) dusk-singer

The Quenya word for “nightingale”, a combination of Q. lómë “night” and Q. lindë “song”, more literally “dusk-singer” (MR/172).

Conceptual Development: The word ᴹQ. lómelinde appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s, already with the derivation given above (Ety/DOƷ, LIN², TIN).

löa

noun. (seasonal) year, (lit.) (time of) growth, blooming

mahalma

throne

mahalma noun "throne", nominative pl. mahalmar "thrones" and locative pl. mahalmassen in CO. Adopted and adapted from Valarin (WJ:399)

mahalma

noun. throne

A noun for “throne” in the phrase nai tiruvantes i hárar mahalmassen mi Númen “in the keeping of those who sit upon thrones of the West” (UT/305, 317). In the Quendi and Eldar essay of 1959-60, Tolkien said that mahalma was derived from Valarin maχallām of the same meaning and was “properly one of the seats of the Valar” (WJ/399). As such, this word is unlikely to be used for an ordinary “throne”, which instead would be tarhanwa.

mai

well

mai (1) adv. "well" (VT47:6), apparently also used as prefix (PE17:17:162, 163, 172)

mai

adverb. well, well; [ᴱQ.] too much

malinornë

noun. mallorn, (lit.) golden/yellow tree

The usual Quenya name for the mallorn tree, most notably appearing in the Entish phrase Laurelindórenan lindelorendor malinornélion ornemalin (LotR/467; Let/448). It is a combination of malina “yellow, golden colour” and ornë “tree”. In one place Tolkien considered an alternate form maldorne where the initial element was instead derived from primitive ✶malnā with ancient ln becoming ld (PE17/51).

malwa

fallow, pale

malwa adj. "fallow, pale" (SMAL)

mamil

mother, mummy

mamil noun *"mother, mummy" (UT:191)

mandë

well

mandë (2) adv. "well" (VT49:26; this is "Qenya"). Rather mai in Tolkiens later Quenya.

manen

how

manen interrogative "how" (PM:395)

manen

adverb. how, how, [ᴹQ.] by what means

A word for “how” in the question manen lambë Quendion ahyanë “How did the language of the Elves change?” (PM/395), a combination of interrogative ma and the instrumental suffix -nen. Similarly formed ᴹQ. mainen or manainen “by what means” appeared in Demonstrative, Relative, and Correlative Stems (DRC) from 1948 (PE23/111).

mar

earth

mar (1) noun "earth" (world), also "home, dwelling, mansion". Stem mard- (VT46:13, PE17:64), also seen in the ablative Mardello "from earth" (FS); the word is used with a more limited sense in oromardi "high halls" (sg. oromar, PM17:64), referring to the dwellings of Manwë and Varda on Mt. Taniquetil (Nam, RGEO:66). The initial element of Mardorunando (q.v.) may be the genitive mardo (distinguish mardo "dweller"). May be more or less identical to már "home, house, dwelling" (of persons or peoples; in names like Val(i)mar, Vinyamar, Mar-nu-Falmar, Mardil) (SA:bar, VT45:33, VT47:6). Már is however unlikely to have the stem-form mard-; a "Qenya" genitive maren appears in the phrase hon-maren, q.v., suggesting that its stem is mar-. A possible convention could therefore be to use már (mar-) for "home, house" (also when = household, family as in Mardil, q.v.), whereas mar (mard-) is used for for "earth, world". Early "Qenya" has mar (mas-) "dwelling of men, the Earth, -land" (LT1:251); notice that in LotR-style Quenya, a word in -r cannot have a stem-form in -s-.

marto

fortune, fate, lot

marto (2) noun "fortune, fate, lot" (LT2:348); cf. marta # 3 and see mart-.

masse

interrogative. where

meneldil

noun. astronomer, *(lit.) lover of the heavens

A term for “astronomer” appearing in a 1967 letter to Mr. Rang, a combination of the word Q. menel “the heavens” with the suffix -(n)dil “-lover”, so more literally “✱lover of the heavens” (though specifically “love” as in “deep interest in”). It also appeared as the proper name Q. Meneldil, the third king of Gondor (LotR/1038).

menta-

send, cause to go

menta- (1) vb. "send, cause to go" (in a desired direction) (VT41:6, VT43:15). A similar-sounding primitive verb mentioned in PE17:93 is said to have past and perfect forms that would produce Quenya *mennë*, eménië, but here Tolkien seems to be discussing a distinct intransitive verb "go" and its Sindarin descendants, and Quenya menta- rather belongs to the causative (transitive) verbs which according to the same source has "weak" past-tense forms (in -në, hence mentanë "sent", and likely ementië** as perfect "has sent").

minquë

cardinal. eleven

minquë ("q") cardinal "eleven" (MINIK-W, LT1:260, VT48:4, 6, 8, VT49:57). Not to be confused with minquë as the pa.t. of miqu- "to kiss", q.v. Etymology discussed, VT48:7, 8 (where the unorthodox spelling "minkwe" occurs besides "minque").

minquë

cardinal. eleven

miruvor

mead

miruvor, full form miruvórë noun "mead", "a special wine or cordial"; possessive miruvóreva "of mead" (Nam, RGEO:66; WJ:399).In the "Qenya Lexicon", miruvórë was defined "nectar, drink of the Valar" (LT1:261).

miruvórë

noun. mead, nectar, special wine or cordial, drink of the Elves, (lit.) precious juice, mead, nectar, special wine or cordial, drink of the Elves, (lit.) precious juice, [ᴱQ.] sweet drink

The Quenya word for the special Elvish drink of Rivendell, more commonly known by its (Sindarin) name S. miruvor (LotR/290), itself a loan word from Quenya (PE17/37). The Quenya word dates all the way back to the earliest versions of the legendarium, with ᴱQ. miruvōre “nectar, drink of the Valar, sweet drink” appearing in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s (QL/61), and the shorter form miruvor appearing The Lost Tales from this same period (LT1/153).

Possible Etymology: In notes from 1967, Tolkien admitted this word was inspired by Germanic među + wōþi = “sweet mead”, which would have become miřuwoři in the English language branch (PE17/64). In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s it was a combination of ᴱQ. miru “wine” and ᴱQ. wóre “sweet” (QL/61, 104). In notes from the late 1950s, Tolkien redefined it as a combination of √MIR “precious” and ✶wōri “juice”, but then declared this was a false etymology (PE17/37-38). Indeed, in the Quendi and Eldar essay of 1959-60 Tolkien said the Quenya word was based on Valarin mirubhōze (WJ/399), elsewhere glossed “a honey wine” (PE17/38), with the element Val. mirub being “wine”.

morco

bear

morco ("k")noun "bear" (MORÓK)

morilindë

nightingale

morilindë noun "nightingale" (MOR)

moriquendi

collective name. Elves of the Darkness, (lit.) Dark Elves

Originally, this term was used for the Elves who never saw the light of the Two Trees of Valinor (S/51, WJ/361). Later, the meaning of this term was modified to exclude the Sindar, and so became more or less equivalent to Avari (WJ/373, SI/Moriquendi). It is a compound of morë (mori-) “darkness” and the plural of Quendë “Elf”.

Conceptual Development: One of the earliest name for the Dark Elves may have been ᴱQ. Hisildi “Twilight People” (LT1/232). The term ᴹQ. Moriqendi first appeared in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (LR/197). It also appeared in The Etymologies, with the same derivation as given above (Ety/MOR). In this earlier period, Tolkien also used the terms ᴹQ. Moreldar and ᴹQ. Morimor for “Dark-elves” (LR/197, 405; Ety/MOR).

A singular form, Moriq(u)en, appeared in linguistic notes from the 1930s and 1940s (PE19/59; PE21/69), as an illustration of the loss of short final vowels in trisyllabic or longer words. A longer singular form Moriquende, reformed from the independent word Quendë, also appeared (PE19/59).

mísë

adjective. (light) grey

na

to, towards

na (2) prep. "to, towards", possibly obsoleted by #1 above; for clarity writers may use the synonym ana instead (NĀ1). Originally, Tolkien glossed na as "at, by, near"; the new meaning entered together with the synonyms an, ana (VT45:36).

naicea

adjective. cruel

namárië

farewell

namárië interjection "farewell" (Nam, RGEO:67)

namárië

Farewell

This was the poem that Galadriel recited to Frodo and the fellowship as they departed Lórien (LotR/377). It is the longest canonical Elvish text published by Tolkien, and one of the longest texts in the corpus. In the literature, it is usually called the Namárië or “Farewell” poem, though in one place Tolkien gave it the formal title Altariello nainië Lóriendesse “Galadriel’s lament in Lórien” (RGEO/58).

As a poem, this text is freer in word order and syntax than ordinary Quenya prose (RGEO/58). This makes it somewhat difficult to interpret the poem, since the English translation of the poem does not correspond directly with the Elvish wording. Fortunately, Tolkien published an extensive commentary on the poem within his lifetime (RGEO/58-62), making the proper interpretation the poem abundantly clear. In this commentary, Tolkien included a prose version of the poem, written in a “normal style” and with more ordinary (and therefore easier to follow) word order. The prose version of the poem is discussed in a separate entry.

The text below mostly divides the poem into one phrase for each line of the original poem. The exceptions are lines 5-6, 9-10 and 13-14 which are organized differently to facilitate discussion. The English glosses are from the translation of the poem in the 50th anniversary edition of The Lord of the Rings. Only proper names are capitalized. Interpretations are discussed in the entries for individual phrases.

namárië

interjection. farewell, (lit.) be well, let it be well (to you)

nan

adverb. again

nandor

collective name. Silvan Elves, (lit.) Those who go back

The common Quenya name for the Silvan Elves meaning “Those who go back” (SI/54, WJ/384). This name was derived from the ancient word ✶ndandō “one who goes back on his word or decision” (WJ/412), and its Quenya form is attested only in the plural.

Conceptual Development: The name ᴹQ. Nanar “Green-elves” appeared in The Etymologies with a similar derivation (Ety/DAN). A deleted form ᴹQ. Nanyar appears in the first draft of the Lhammas from the mid-30s (LR/175). In Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s, this word was first written Nandar but was immediately changed to Nandor (MR/169).

nernehta

man-spearhead

nernehta noun "man-spearhead", a battle-formation (UT:282)

nernehta

noun. man-spearhead

nessamelda

noun. species of tree in Númenor, (lit.) beloved of Nessa

Name of a species of tree in Númenor (UT/167), a combination of Nessa and melda “beloved”.

nieninquë

snowdrop

nieninquë ("q") noun "snowdrop", etymologically "white tear" (NIK-W, LT1:262, 266)

nieninquë

noun. snowdrop, snowdrop, [ᴹQ.] (lit.) white tear

A word for “snowdrop”, perhaps a reference to that species of flower, appearing in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a combination of ᴹQ. nie “tear” and ᴹQ. ninqe “white”, so literally “white tear” (Ety/NEI, NIK-W). ᴱQ. nieninqe also appeared with the same form, meaning and etymology in the Qenya Lexicon and the Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa of the 1910s (QL/68; PME/68). In later writings, it appeared in adjectival form nieninquëa “like a snowdrop” in the 1950s version of the Nieninquë poem (PE16/96); the same form appeared in the version of the poem written around 1930, and its drafts (MC/215; PE16/90, 92). The word nieninquë likewise served as the title of that poem.

nornë lintieryanen

he ran as swiftly as he could, (lit.) he ran with his speed

nuquerna

reversed

nuquerna adj. "reversed", or perhaps rather *"turned upside down". Attested in the phrases silmë nuquerna and árë nuquerna, q.v.

nwalca

cruel

nwalca ("k")adj. "cruel" (ÑGWAL; this must represent earlier *ñwalca = *ngwalca; these forms are not given in Etym, but compare nwalmë_ below. In Tengwar writing, the initial NW would be represented by the letter nwalmë.)_

náha

narrow

náha adj. "narrow" (PE17:166)

náha

adjective. narrow, narrow, *thin

nápo

thumb

nápo noun "thumb" (VT47:10, VT48:4, 5). Compare nápat.

nápo

noun. thumb, (lit.) picker

A word for “thumb” in notes on Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals from 1968 (VT47/10; VT48/5). In rough drafts of these notes it was glossed “picker” as a derivative of √NAP “pick up” (VT47/29). Its (fossilized?) dual form nápat was used to refer to the “thumb and index [finger] as a pair” (VT48/5). Presumably the ordinary dual for a pair of thumbs was ✱nápot or ✱nápu (I personally prefer ✱nápu as a bit more distinctive).

Conceptual Development: In rough drafts of these notes, Tolkien explored several alternate words for “thumb”: Q. tolle, Q. toltil, {(tal)tolle >>} (lep)tolle and tolpe (< ✱tol-lepe), all based on the root √TOL “stick up” (VT47/26-28). In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s it was ᴱQ. tyúte “thumb” from the early root ᴱ√TYU whose derivatives had to do with “thick” things (QL/50).

násan

interjection. *amen, (lit.) may it be so

násië

amen

násië interjection "amen", "may it be so" (VT43:24, 35. As a translation of "amen", Tolkien apparently abandoned the earlier form násan and the two-word variant san na, VT43:24)

násië

interjection. *amen, (lit.) may it be so

návarot

place name. Hollowbold

The Quenya translation of Kh. Tumunzahar “Hollowbold” (WJ/389). It is a compound of náva “hollow” and rotto “cave, tunnel”.

nér

man

nér (1) (ner-, as in pl. neri) noun "man" (adult male elf, mortal, or of other speaking race) (MR:213, VT49:17, DER, NDER, NI1, VT45:9; see also WJ:393)

nér

noun. man

númen

west, the way of the sunset

númen noun "west, the way of the sunset" (SA:andúnë, cf. NDŪ, MEN; capitalized Númen under SA:men and in CO), "going down, occudent" (Letters:361), also name of tengwa #17 _(Appendix E). _According to VT45:38, the word is actually cited as "nú-men" in Tolkien's Etymologies manuscript. Allative númenna "Westward" (LR:47, SD:310, VT49:20, capitalized Númenna, VT49:22; numenna with a short u, VT49:23); adj. númenquerna "turned westward" (VT49:18, 20). See also númenyaron, númessier. - In the pre-classical Tengwar system presupposed in the Etymologies, "nú-men" was intended as the name of tengwa #21, to which letter Tolkien at this stage assigned the value n (VT45:38). However, this tengwa was later given the Quenya value r instead and was renamed órë.

númen

noun. west, direction or region of the sunset, occident, (lit.) going down

númenórë

place name. Westernesse, (lit.) West-land

The island-continent where the Edain settled after the fall of Beleriand (LotR/1035, S/261), often appearing in its shorter form Númenor. It is generally translated as “Westernesse” (LotR/194, S/261) but more literally means “West-land” (Let/224, RC/778). It is a compound of númen “west” and nórë “land” (Let/361).

Conceptual Development: In the very first draft of the Fall of Númenor, this name was given as ᴹQ. Númar or ᴹQ. Númenos (LR/11), but in the next draft these became the name its capital city, and the name Númenor emerged as the name of the land (LR/14). The full form ᴹQ. Númenóre appeared in The Etymologies, already with the derivation discussed above (Ety/NDŪ). It also appeared in an adjectival form Númenórea in linguistic notes from the 1930s (PE22/19).

númë

noun. west

o

preposition. from

oaris

mermaid

oaris (oarits-), also oarwen, noun "mermaid" (LT1:263; read perhaps ëar- for oar- in LotR-style Quenya)

omentië

noun. meeting (of pathways), (lit.) coming together of journey-path, meeting or junction of the directions of two people

ondonórë

place name. Gondor, (lit.) Stone Land

The Quenya name of S. Gondor, translated “Stone Land” (RC/347, PE17/28). It is a compound of ondo “stone” and nórë “land”. It also appeared in the shorter form Ondórë in the phrase savin Elessar ar i nánë aran Ondórëo “I believe that E[lessar] really existed and that he was the King of Gondor” (VT49/27).

Conceptual Development: An earlier Quenya name for this land was ᴹQ. Ondor (PE22/125).

ontari

mother

ontari noun "mother" or etymologically "begetter, parent" (fem.); clashing with the plural ontari "parents", this was apparently an emphemeral form (see ontarë, ontaril, ontarië for other feminine forms of "begetter, parent") (VT44:7)

ontari(l)

noun. *mother, (lit.) genetrix

ontaril

mother

ontaril noun "mother", female *"begetter" (cf. onta-). Variant of ontarë. (VT43:32)

orontë

sunrise

orontë, oronto noun "Sunrise" (LT1:264). Notice that in Tolkiens later Quenya, orontë is also the intransitive pa.t. ("rose") of the verb orta- "rise/raise" (q.v.)

ortírië

patronage

#ortírië noun "patronage", isolated from ortírielyanna "to thy patronage" (VT44:7). A verbal stem #ortir- "over-watch" (look after, care for, protect) seems implied.

ortírië

noun. *patronage, (lit.) watching over (from above)

palantír

noun. far-gazer, far-seer, (lit.) that which looks far away

A word for the seeing stones of Númenor, a combination of palan “far” and some form of the root TIR “see” (Let/427), hence: “far-seer” or “far-gazer” (LotR Index; PE17/25, 86). This word is unusual in that it has a long vowel in its final syllable, something that does not normally occur in Quenya words. The ancient form of this word was palantīrā̆ (Let/427), and the reduction of short vowels in long compounds was not unusual in Quenya, for example: Valinor as a shorter form of Valinórë. However, after such reductions long vowels in final syllables tended to shorten, so the expect form would be palantir, not palantír. In one place Tolkien described this word as a “a Numenorean formation” (PE17/86), perhaps as a way of explaining the unusual retention of a long vowel in its final syllable.

Because of this long vowel, the proper pronunciation of this word is in dispute. The usual rules for Quenya stress would put the stress on the second syllable: paLANtír. The speech coaches for Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movies instructed the actors to pronounce this word like English “lantern” to help them remember this stress pattern. However in private notes Tolkien wrote pálan-tìr (PE17/86), indicating primary stress on the first syllable and secondary stress on the last: PAlanTÍR. Perhaps the long vowel in the final syllable is retained to enforce this stress. Compare also María with an abnormal long vowel before another vowel, also enforcing a stress pattern that would be atypical for Quenya if all the vowels were short.

Conceptual Development: This word appeared in the Etymologies of the 1930s where it was probably a later addition. In its earliest appearances, both in Etymologies and the drafts of The Lord of the Rings, it was Palantir with a short i (Ety/PAL, TIR; WR/76).

parca

adjective. thirsty

peccuvo

noun. squirrel, (lit.) nut-hider

A word for “squirrel” in Late Notes on Verb Structure (LVS) from 1969, literally meaning “nut-hider” (PE22/155), hence a combination of (otherwise unattested) ✱pecco “nut” and cuvo “hider”.

pen-

to have

pen- vb. negative of #sam- "to have" (q.v.), used as a negative answer to inquires on ownership: penin "no / I haven't" (PE17:173)

pereldar

collective name. Half-elven

The Quenya term for those with mixed Mannish and Elvish blood such as Elrond and Elros (Let/386, PM/348), though in The Lord of the Rings itself, only its Sindarin equivalent Peredhil was used (LotR/1034). Pereldar is a compound of the prefix per- “half-” and the plural of Elda “Elf”.

Conceptual Development: The term ᴹQ. Pereldar appeared in The Etymologies, but there it was translated “Half-eldar” and referred to those Elves such as the Danians who turned back on the journey to Valinor (Ety/PER, LR/215). Pereldar was first applied to the Half-elves in the draft of The Lord of the Rings (RS/412). In later writings, the term for the Elves who did not go to Aman was Q. Úmanyar.

potai

therefore

potai adv. "therefore". Tolkien seems uncertain whether to use this form or etta (VT49:12). Cf. also epetai.

quain

cardinal. ten

quain cardinal "ten" (also quëan); quainëa ordinal "tenth" (VT48:6, 20; VT42:25). Quain or quëan replaced the form cainen in Tolkiens conception.

quain

cardinal. ten

quanta-

verb. to fill, to fill [something], *(lit.) make full; [ᴱQ.] to complete, *fulfill

quat-

verb. to fill, to fill, *be filled

quellë

fading

quellë noun "fading", in the calendar of Imladris a precisely defined period of 54 days, but also used without any exact definition, for the latter part of autumn and the beginning of winter (Appendix D)

quellë

noun. late autumn and early winter, (lit.) fading

quendë

elf

quendë noun "Elf", the little-used analogical sg. of Quendi, q.v. (KWEN(ED), WJ:361)

quendë

noun. Elf, (lit.) One That Speaks

quetië

noun. words, words, *(lit.) saying

quëan

cardinal. ten

quëan cardinal "ten", also quain (VT48:6, 12, 20). Quain or quëan replaced the form cainen in Tolkiens conception.

quëan

cardinal. ten

randa

cycle, age

randa noun "cycle, age" (100 Valian Years) (RAD, cf. LR:171: "an age, which is 100 years of the Valar"). A Valian year is equated with ten of "our" years (LR:171), making a randa the equivalent of 1,000 solar years (but possibly the word can also be used for "age" in general).

rasillo

noun. squirrel

A word for “squirrel” in notes from 1968-69 based on the root √RATH “climb” (NM/363).

rombaras

proper name. Horn of Oromë

The earliest name of the Horn of Oromë (MR/7). The exact meaning is unclear, but is most likely some derivation of the root √ROM “horn noise”. It was soon changed to Valaróma.

ruinë

fire, a blaze

ruinë noun "a fire, a blaze" (PE17:183). Compare nárë.

rána

noun. Moon, (lit.) Wayward

Another name of the Moon (usually Q. Isil), translated as “Wayward” (S/99). This name is a derivative of the root √RAN “wander” (UT/242), with a primitive form ✶rānā (VT48/7).

Conceptual Development: The name ᴱQ. Rána appears as a name of the moon in the earliest Lost Tales (LT1/192), though at this early stage its precise meaning and etymology were unclear. In Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, ᴹQ. Rana appeared with a short a, with the translation “Wayward” (LR/240). The name also appeared with a short a in The Etymologies as a derivative of ᴹ√RAN “wander, stray” from primitive ᴹ✶Ranā (Ety/RAN). The long á was restored in Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s (MR/130).

In some later notes, Tolkien said that Rána was the name of the spirit of the Moon rather than the Moon itself (VT42/13). Elsewhere this spirit was named Tilion, so this was probably a transient idea. In the indexes of The Silmarillion and The Unfinished Tales, Christopher Tolkien translated Rána as “Wanderer”, but the source of that translation is unclear.

róme

noun. east

róna

adjective. east

rú

proper name. Wose

Given as the Quenya word for “Wose” (UT/385), most likely an adaptation of its Sindarin cognate S. Drû.

rúatan

proper name. Wose, (lit.) Wose-man

The fuller the Quenya name for “Wose” (UT/385), a compound of the shorter name Rú “Wose” and Atan “Man”, so more literally: “Wose-man”. Most likely it was an adaptation of its Sindarin cognate S. Drúadan.

sairon

wizard

sairon noun "wizard" (SAY); according to LT2:337 and GL:29, Sairon is also the Quenya (or Qenya) name of Dairon (Daeron).

san na

interjection. *amen, (lit.) may it be so

sanomë

there

sanomë adv. "there" (PE17:71). Cf. sinomë, tanomë.

sanomë

adverb. there

A word for “there” appearing in notes from mid-1960s in the phrase sanome tarne Olórin, Aracorno, Eomer, Imrahil “There stood Gandalf, Aragorn, Eomer and Imrahil” (PE17/71). A similar form ᴹQ. sanome(s) appeared in Demonstrative, Relative, and Correlative Stems (DRC) from the late 1940s, where it was based on ᴹ√NOM “spot, place” (PE23/112).

The word can be contrasted with tanome “there” in different notes from the late 1960s (VT49/11, 19), and also in DRC from the 1940s. DRC made the distinction between these two words clear, in that tanome was “demonstrative there” pointing to a place not previously mentioned, while sanome was “anaphoric there” referring back to a place mentioned before. So “go there” would be á mene tanome, but “I went to the city and found Aragorn there” would be mennen i ostonna ar hirnen Aracorno sanome.

Lokyt originally suggested this distinction to me in a Discord conversation from 2022, and was eventually proven right by the publication of DRC in 2024.

se

at, in

se (2), also long sé, preposition "at, in" (VT43:30; compare the "locative prefix" se- possibly occurring in an early "Qenya" text, VT27:25)

si

here

si adv. "here" (VT49:33; this may be a root or "element" rather than a Quenya word; see sissë, sinomë)

silmë

starlight

silmë noun "starlight", also name of tengwa #29 (Appendix E), though in the pre-classical Tengwar system presupposed in the Etymologies, the name silmë instead applied to tengwa #3 (VT46:13). Silmë nuquerna "_s reversed", name of tengwa #30, similar to normal silmë but turned upside down (Appendix E)_. In the Etymologies, stem SIL, silmë is defined as the "light of Silpion" (Telperion), and also a poetic word for "silver".

silmë

noun. starlight, starlight; [ᴹQ.] silver [light], moonlight, light of Silpion

A word for “starlight” and also the name of tengwa #29 [i] (LotR/1123), clearly derived from the root √SIL.

Conceptual Development: The earliest hint of this word was in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s where ᴱQ. silmea seems to be an adjective meaning “✱lunar” (QL/56). ᴱQ. silme also seems to be an adjectival element “gleaming, silver” in ᴱQ. silmerána “gleaming moon, silver moon” from the Oilima Markirya poem and its drafts from around 1930 (MC/220; PE16/75). In The Etymologies of the 1930s ᴹQ. silme was derived from primitive ᴹ✶silimē “light of Silpion, †silver” under the root ᴹ√SIL “shine silver” (Ety/SIL) and thus seems to mean “moonlight”. Indeed, silme had the gloss “moonlight” in notes on The Feanorian Alphabet from the 1930s and 40s (PE22/22, 51), where it was already the name of tengwa #29. It became “starlight” in Appendix E of The Lord of the Rings, however (LotR/1123), and elsewhere “moonlight” was isilmë (MC/223).

silumë

adverb. now, (lit.) at this time, now, at this time, *present

A word for “now, at this time (only referred to the present of the time of speech)” appearing in a list of demonstratives from 1968 (VT49/18), a combination of si “this” and lúmë “time”. Similarly formed ᴹQ. sillume “at that date/time” appeared in Demonstrative, Relative, and Correlative Stems (DRC) from 1948 (PE23/110).

Neo-Quenya: The gloss “present” was suggested in ABNW (ABNW) from the early 2000s.

sin

now

sin (2) adv., a form of sí "now" (q.v.) often occurring before vowels; also sín (SI). However, sí itself (q.v.) may also appear before a vowel.

sinomë

adverb. here, (lit.) in this place

A word for “in this place” appearing in Elendil’s Oath (LotR/967). It also appeared in a list of demonstratives from 1968 with the glosses “in this place, here” (VT49/18), a combination of si “this” and nómë “place”. Similarly formed ᴹQ. {sinnome >>} sinome appeared in Demonstrative, Relative, and Correlative Stems (DRC) from 1948 (PE23/112).

Conceptual Development: Drafts of Elendil’s Oath from the 1940s had símane (SD/56), while Fíriel’s Song from the 1930s had ᴹQ. símen “here” (LR/72), where the second element was ᴹQ. men “place”.

sinta-

fade

sinta- (þ) (2) vb. "fade", pa.t. sintanë (THIN)

sissë

here

sissë adv. "here" (VT49:18), also sís

sissë

adverb. here

The words sís and sissë “here” appeared in a list of demonstratives from 1968 (VT49/18), combinations of si “this” and the locative suffix -ssë. Similarly formed ᴹQ. sisse “here” appeared in Demonstrative, Relative, and Correlative Stems (DRC) from 1948, also with a short variant sis (PE23/108, 111). It also had a longer variant {sinas(se) >>} sinis(se).

soica

thirsty

soica ("k") adj. "thirsty" (VT39:11)

soica

adjective. thirsty

An adjective for “thirsty” in notes from around 1960 derived from the root √SOK “drink” via i-infixion (VT39/11), a process which produced a small class of desiderative words in Quenya, as in “desiring to drink”. See the entry ᴹQ. fauka for earlier and alternate words for “thirsty”.

suctë

resin, gum

suctë ("k") "resin, gum"; read *suhtë if the word is to be used in LotR-style Quenya, since Tolkien decided that ct becomes ht in Quenya. (QL:86)

sá

fire

sá noun "fire" (LT1:265; "Qenya" spelling sâ. Rather nárë in LotR-style Quenya.)

sí

now

sí adv. "now" (Nam, RGEO:67, LR:47, SD:310, VT43:34, VT49:18, PE17:94), sin (SI, LR:47) or sín _(SD:247, 310) _before vowels. Compare the distribution of a/an in English, though in his Quenya version of Hail Mary, Tolkien used sí also before a vowel (sí ar "now and", VT43:28). Si, a short (or incompletely annotated) form of sí (VT43:26, 34). In Fíriel's Song, sí is translated "here".

sí

adverb. now

sí

adverb. now

The Quenya word for “now” which is very well attested. In notes on demonstratives from 1968, it is a vowel-lengthened form of demonstrative si “this” (VT49/18) which seems to be a standard way of forming adverbs of time in Tolkien’s later writings; compare tá “then” (VT49/11) and yá “when” (VT49/23). This vowel-lengthening construction was explicitly described in Demonstrative, Relative, and Correlative Stems (DRC) from 1948: “The bare stems lengthened are used [for adverbs of time]” (PE23/109).

In Tolkien’s writings from the 1930s and 40s, he occasionally had sin or sín “now” with an n (Ety/SIN; LR/47; SD/247; SD/310). One working theory is that this is the form of sí when it appears before a vowel. However, in the aforementioned DRC from 1948, Tolkien had a variant form ᴹQ. sin(an) “now” using the suffix ᴹQ. -n(an), also used for adverbs of time.

Conceptual Development: The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had ᴱQ. tyá “now” based on the early root ᴱ√KI “this by me” (QL/46, 49). In the Early Qenya Grammar (EQG) from the 1920s he had ᴱQ. qí or qin for adverbs of time based ᴱQ. qi “this”, hence = “✱now”. However, the untranslated text Sí Qente Feanor from the 1910s seems to use sí = “now” (PE15/32, 34).

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would mostly use sí “now”, but I would also use sín or sin in cases where the results are more euphonic, particularly preceding a word starting with a vowel.

sír

adverb. now

sís

here

sís adv. "here" (VT49:18, 23), also sissë

sís

adverb. here

sól

helmet

sól, also solma or solos, noun variant words apparently for "helmet", cf. castol, q.v. (PE17:188)

súlimo

masculine name. Lord of the Breath of Arda, (lit.) Breather

A title of Manwë as the Vala of Winds, glossed “Lord of the Breath of Arda” in The Silmarillion (S/26) and translated “Breather” in linguistic notes from the 1950s (PE21/85). This name is a compound of súlë (þúle) “spirit; breath”, and the agental suffix -mo, but was also influenced by ✶sūli “wind” (NM/237).

Conceptual Development: This name dates back to the earliest Lost Tales (LT1/52), and ᴱQ. Súlimo appeared in the Qenya Lexicon from the 1910s as a personalized form of ᴱQ. súlime “wind” (QL/86, LT1A/Súlimo). In The Etymologies from the 1930s, Tolkien gave a new etymology of ᴹQ. Súlimo, deriving it from ᴹQ. súle “breath” (Ety/THŪ).

Tolkien continued to use similar derivations in his later writings, where Q. Súlimo appeared as a derivative of the related roots √THŪ or √SŪ, as a blending of more archaic Thūrimo and Sūlimo (PE17/124; NM/237). See the entry on Q. súlë for a discussion of the relation between “breath” and “spirit” in Elvish thought.

ta

there

ta (5) adv. "there" (VT49:33; this may be an Elvish root or "element" rather than a Quenya word; see tanomë; see however also tar, tara, tanna under ta #1).

tampo

well

tampo noun "well" (QL:93)

tanomë

adverb. there, (lit.) in the place (referred to)

A word for “in the place (referred to)” appearing in a list of demonstratives from 1968 (VT49/11), a combination of ta “that” and nómë “place”. Similarly formed ᴹQ. tanome appeared in Demonstrative, Relative, and Correlative Stems (DRC) from 1948 (PE23/112).

tar-

stand

#tar- (3) vb. "stand", attested in the past tense: tarnë (PE17:71)

taran

king

taran (1) noun "king", possibly ephemeral variant of aran, q.v. (PE17:186)

tarhanwa

noun. throne, (lit.) high seat

A noun for “throne” in Late Notes on Verb Structure (LVS) written in 1969, a combination of tar- “high” and hanwa “seat” (PE22/148). Tolkien previously considered a form arkanwar which also seems to mean “✱thrones” (PE22/147 and note #10), where the initial element was ar(a)- “noble, high”.

tasse

there

tassë

there

tassë adv. "there" (VT49:11), short form tás. These seem to be properly locative forms of ta "that, it", hence "in that [place]". Compare allative tanna "thither" and ablative talo "thence".

tassë

adverb. there

The words tās and tasse “there” appeared in a list of demonstratives from 1968 (VT49/11), combinations of ta “that” and the locative suffix -ssë. Short form tas appeared in the phrase tas kennen nótime eldali “I saw a few elves there” in notes from 1969 (PE22/155). Similarly formed ᴹQ. tasse “there” appeared in Demonstrative, Relative, and Correlative Stems (DRC) from 1948, also with a short variant tas (PE23/97, 111).

telconta-

verb. to stride, *(lit.) to leg it

A verb whose existence is implied by the name Telcontar “stride”, obviously an elaboration of telco “leg” so probably meaning “to stride = ✱to leg it”.

tele

verb. mean, intend

telumehtar

proper name. Orion, (lit.) Warrior of the Sky

The name of the constellation Orion (LotR/1113). The initial element of this name is telumë “roof, canopy” = “sky” (WJ/411). The second element might be mehtar “warrior” (a possible late variant of ᴹQ. mahtar; see QQ/mehtar), but I think it could instead be ohtar “warrior”.

Conceptual Development: In the earliest Lost Tales, this name appeared as ᴱQ. Telimektar “Swordsman of Heaven”, the son of Tulkas who would become Orion (LT1/101, 200). At this stage, the first element of this name was ᴱQ. telimbo “canopy; sky” (QL/90). Christopher Tolkien suggested its second element may be an otherwise unattested ᴱQ. mektar derived from the root ᴱ√MAKA “slay” (LT1A/Telimektar), but I think it is likelier that the second element was the attested ᴱQ. ektar “swordsman” (QL/35).

In The Etymologies from the 1930s, this name appeared as ᴹQ. Telumehtar “Warrior of the Sky” (Ety/TEL). At this stage, its initial element was ᴹQ. telume “dome of heaven”, and its final element might be ᴹQ. mahtar “warrior” from ᴹ√MAK “sword; fight (with a sword), cleave” (Ety/MAK), though it could have been just a remnant of the Early Qenya form of the name.

The later meaning of the root √MAK shifted so that it meant either “cut, hew with a sharp edge” (VT39/11) or “forge metal” (VT41/10). The form mahtar “warrior” does not appear in later writing; it seems to have been replaced by macar “swordsman; †forger” (VT39/11, VT41/10). In later writings, the word for “warrior” seems to be ohtar (UT/282), which might be the second element in the later form of this name. However, it may be that Tolkien simply copied forward the older name without working out (or writing down) a proper etymology for it.

tercen

insight

tercen ("k")noun "insight", literally *"through-sight" (MR:471); adj. #tercenya (only pl. tercenyë attested) "of insight"; essi tercenyë "names of insight", names given to a child by its mother, indicating some dominant feature of its nature as perceived by her (MR:216)

termar-

stand

termar- vb. "stand" meaning last (ter-mar- "through-abide"); future tense termaruva in CO.

termar-

verb. to stand, *endure, last, (lit.) through-abide

tholon

helmet

tholon noun "helmet", variant of castol (q.v.), though Tolkien might have mistakenly marked it as Quenya instead of Sindarin (PE17:186)

tindómerel

noun. nightingale

TQ. nightingale

tindómerel

daughter of twilight

tindómerel (also capitalized Tindómerel) fem. name "daughter of twilight", a kenning (poetic name) of the nightingale; = Sindarin Tinúviel. (TIN, SEL-D, SA:tin; "Tindómrl" in mirrored Tengwar in VT47:37 would seem to be an incomplete annotation of the same word). The form Tindómiel (UT:210) could well be an alternative Quenya equivalent of Tinúviel, and it is possibly to be preferred because the status of the ending -rel "daughter" is uncertain (it was to represent older -zel, -sel corresponding to the independent word seldë, but Tolkien changed the meaning of this word from "daughter" to "child", and since the word for "child" appears as hína in later texts, it may be that seldë and the corresponding ending -rel were dropped altogether).

tindómerel

feminine name. Daughter of Twilight

The Quenya name of Tinúviel (SA/tin, PE19/73). Since she was a Sindarin elf, this name is largely theoretical, as a development from the same primitive form: ✶Tindōmiselde. This name is a compound of tindómë and a suffixal form -rel of seldë “daughter”. In a couple places, Tolkien used this name to illustrated the development of primitive intervocalic ✶[s] into Quenya [r] (PE19/33, 73).

Conceptual Development: The earliest “Qenya” name for Tinúviel was ᴹQ. Tinúviel in linguistic notes from the early 1930s; it was declined in various noun cases, and was clearly intended to be a purely Qenya name rather than an adaptation of the Noldorin Tinúviel (PE21/35). The name ᴹQ. Tindómerel appeared in The Etymologies from the mid-1930s, where it already had the derivation described above (Ety/SEL-D, TIN). In some notes on Quenya phonology from the 1930s, this name appeared as Tindómirel with a medial i (PE19/33), but in a revision of those notes from the 1950s it was reverted back to Tindómerel (PE19/73). It appeared as (Tindómrl) in some examples of left-handed tengwar writing from the 1960s (VT47/37); Tolkien probably neglected to add the vowel diacritics in this case.

tindómizel

noun. nightingale

PQ. nightingale

tollë

noun. thumb

tolmo

thumb

[tolmo noun "thumb", rejected by Tolkien in favour of nápo (VT48:15)]

tolpë

thumb

tolpë noun "thumb" (VT47:28, VT48:8), a form Tolkien may have rejected in favour of nápo, q.v.

tolpë

noun. thumb

toltil

thumb

[toltil noun "thumb" (VT47:26)]

toltil

noun. thumb

top-

cover

top- vb. "cover" (1st pers. aorist topë "covers"), pa.t. tompë (TOP). Variant tup-, q.v.

tuilindo

swallow

tuilindo noun "swallow", etymologically "spring-singer" (TUY, LIN2, LT1:269, LT2:338)

tuilë

spring, spring-time

tuilë noun "spring, spring-time", also used = "dayspring, early morn" (VT39:7, TUY), in the calendar of Imladris a precisely defined period of 54 days, but also used without any exact definition. Cf. tuilérë, q.v. (Appendix D) - In early "Qenya", the word tuilë is glossed "Spring", but it is said that it literally refers to a "budding", also used collectively for "buds, new shoots, fresh green" (LT1:269). Cf. tuima in Tolkien's later Quenya.

tuilë

noun. spring, spring, [ᴹQ.] spring-time, [ᴱQ.] (lit.) a budding; buds, new shoots, fresh green

tulta-

send for, fetch, summon

tulta- vb. "send for, fetch, summon" (TUL). Tultanelyes "you summoned him", changed by Tolkien to leltanelyes "you sent him" (possibly tulta- was meant to have the meaning "send" here, but Tolkien decided to use another word) (VT47:22)

tup-

cover

#tup- vb. "cover", isolated from untúpa, q.v. Variant top- in the Etymologies.

turinasta

kingdom

#turinasta, #túrinasta noun "kingdom" (turinastalya, túrinastalya "thy kingdom", VT43:15). These words for "kingdom" Tolkien perhaps abandoned in favour of #aranië, q.v.

turindië

kingdom

#turindië, #túrindië noun "kingdom" (turindielya, túrindielya "thy kingdom", VT43:15). These words for "kingdom" Tolkien perhaps abandoned in favour of #aranië, q.v.

turinqui

queen

turinqui ("q") noun "queen" (LT1:260; apparently the fem. of tur. In Tolkien's later Quenya, "queen" is tári.)

tár

king

tár noun "king" (only used of the legitimate kings of whole tribes); the pl. tári "kings" must not be confused with the sg. tári "queen" (TĀ/TA3). Prefix tar-, compare -tar above. The normal Quenya word for "king" is aran, but compare Tarumbar.

tára

lofty

tára (1) adj. "lofty". (SA:tar, LT1:264, TĀ/TA3 (AYAK, TÁWAR), VT45:6), "tall, high" (WJ:417). Compare antara. Adverb táro in an early "Qenya" text (VT27:20, 26). The adj. tára is not to be confused with the continuative form of the verb #tar- "stand".

tári

queen

tári noun "queen", used especially of Varda (TĀ/TA3, LT1:264), etymologically "she that is high" (SA:tar). Dative tárin in the Elaine inscription (VT49:40), genitive tário in Namárië. Elentári "Starqueen", a title of Varda. (Nam, RGEO:67). Tarinya "my queen" (UT:179; sic, not *tárinya). Táris or tárissë "queenship" (PE17:155)

tás

there

tás adv. "there" (VT49:11); also tassë, q.v.

tás

adverb. there

tóquet-

answer

[tóquet- vb. "answer" (PE17:166)]

túr

king

túr, tur noun "king" (PE16:138, LT1:260); rather aran in LotR-style Quenya, but cf. the verb tur-. Also compare the final element -tur, -ntur "lord" in names like Axantur, Falastur, Fëanturi, Vëantur (q.v.)

túrion

palace

túrion (túriond-) noun "palace" (QL:95)

túrosto

place name. Mickleburg, (lit.) Great Fortress

Quenya name of Belegost (WJ/389). Its first element is a derivative of the root √TUR “strong” and the second element is osto “fortress”.

untup-

verb. to cover (over or up), (lit.) to cover down

uru

fire

uru noun "fire" (LT1:271)

va

from

va prep. "from" (VT43:20; prefixed in the form var- in var-úra "from evil", VT43:24). In VT49:24, va, au and o are quoted as variants of the stem awa "away from".

vainolë

quiver

vainolë noun "quiver" (= case for holding arrows) (LT1:271)

vardar

king

vardar noun "king" (LT1:273; rather aran in LotR-style Quenya)

varni

queen

varni noun "queen" (LT1:273; rather tári in Tolkien's later Quenya)

venno

husband

venno noun "husband" (cited as **verno_ in the Etymologies as printed in LR, entry BES, but according to VT45:7, this is a misreading of Tolkien's manuscript)_. In a later source, the word for "husband" is given as veru, q.v.

verno

husband

**verno noun "husband", misreading for venno, q.v. (BES)

veru

husband

veru (1) noun "husband" (VT49:45). An earlier source gives the word for "husband" as venno.

veryanwë

wedding

veryanwë "wedding"; veryanwesto "of your (dual) wedding" (VT49:44, 45)

veryanwë

noun. wedding

A word for “wedding” in notes from 1968, a combination of the root √BER “man/wife” and Q. yanwë “joining” (VT49/44-45).

Conceptual Development: The earliest precursor of this word was ᴱQ. vestale “wedding” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, a noun form of vesta- “to wed” under the early root ᴱ√VEŘE [VEÐE] (QL/101). ᴹQ. vestale “wedding” reappeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s, also related to vesta- “to wed”, but under the 1930s root ᴹ√BES (Ety/BES).

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I prefer to retain the 1930s form of the root ᴹ√BES in order to keep attested Sindarin/Noldorin forms. However, veryanwe could still be derived form this root, from ✱bes+yanwē, since s &gt; z &gt; r before y. Thus veryanwë “wedding” is compatible with my preferred “marriage” root and I recommend its use. ᴹQ. vestale “wedding” might also remain valid as a variant.

vestalë

wedding

vestalë noun "wedding" (BES, VT49:46) (under WED the word was defined as "oath", but this was struck out)

vinda-

fade

[vinda- vb. "fade"; pa.t. vindanë given (VT46:21). Compare vinta-.]

vinta-

fade

[vinta- (2) vb. "fade", pa.t. vintë, vintanë given. (WIN/WIND) Compare vinda-.]

vëo

man

†vëo noun "man" (WEG; etymologically connected to vëa "manly, vigorous"; the more neutral word for "man" is nér. According to VT46:21, Tolkien indicated that vëo is an archaic or poetic word.) Tolkien at a later point defined the word as "living creature" (PE17:189). Cf. variant wëo, q.v.

vórima

adjective. faithful, faithful, *(lit.) able to endure; [ᴹQ.] continuous, enduring, repeated; [ᴱQ.] everlasting

waya

noun. ocean

yatta

narrow neck, isthmus

yatta noun "narrow neck, isthmus" (YAK). In the pre-classical Tengwar system presupposed in the Etymologies, yatta was also the name of tengwa #35, which letter Tolkien would later call yanta instead.

yavanna

feminine name. Giver of Fruits, (lit.) Fruit-gift

Valië of the earth, spouse of Aulë, whose name was translated “Giver of Fruits” (S/27). This name is a compound of yávë “fruit” and the noun anna “gift” (SA/yávë, anna), so literally meant “fruit-gift” (PE17/93).

Conceptual Development: This name dates back to the earliest Lost Tales (LT1/66), and ᴱQ. Yavanna appeared in the Qenya Lexicon as a derivative of the root ᴱ√ẎAVA along with other words having to do with “fruit” (LTA1/Yavanna, QL/105). In The Etymologies from the 1930s, ᴹQ. Yavanna appeared with the etymology given above (Ety/ANA¹, YAB). This etymology appeared in later writings as well (PE17/93).

yá

when

yá (2) conj. "when" in the sentence yá hrívë tenë, ringa ná "when winter comes, it is cold" (VT49:23). Compare írë #2.

yá

conjunction. when

A relative conjunction “when” appearing in various phrases in Tolkien’s writings of the 1950s and 60s, a vowel-lengthened form of the relative pronoun ya.

Conceptual Development: Demonstrative, Relative, and Correlative Stems (DRC) from 1948 had ᴹQ. í glossed “(relative) at the time mentioned, at the same time”, a vowel-lengthened form of the relative pronoun ᴹQ. i (PE23/109). This was also given the gloss “when, whenever” in the Quenya Verbal System (QVS) from this same period (PE22/121). Earlier still, ᴹQ. íre was used as the relative conjunction “when” in Fíriel’s Song of the 1930s. In the Early Qenya Grammar it seems ᴱQ. yan “when” served this function (PE14/59).

yávië

autumn

yávië noun "autumn" (SA:yávë); "autumn, harvest", in the calendar of Imladris a precisely defined period of 54 days, but also used without any exact definition (Appendix D). Noun yáviérë *"Autumn-day", a day outside the months in the Steward's Reckoning, inserted between Yavannië and Narquelië (September and October) (Appendix D)

ámen

ámen

ámen, see me

á na márië

be well

ëarendur

noun. (professional) mariner

A word for a “(professional) mariner” as a compound of ëar “sea” and -(n)dur “servant” in a draft letter from 1967 (Let/386). The suffix -(n)dur is often used for those who work on something in a professional capacity; compare ornendur “tree-keep, forester, woodsman” (NM/20). Thus ëarendur refers to people who work on the sea as their job. This word may be contrasted with Eärendil “Lover of the Sea”.

Conceptual Development: The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had ᴱQ. yarendila “like a sailor” and ᴱQ. yarendilyon “sailor” based on ᴱQ. Yarendl, a dialectical variant of ᴱQ. Earendel often used to mean “mariner” (QL/105). In the 1910s, ᴱQ. Earendel was not yet derived from the word for “sea”, so this association must have come from the fame of Earendel as a sailor, not from the meaning of the name itself.

ëaron

ocean

ëaron noun "ocean" (PE17:27), also airon. Cf. ëar.

í(qua), illume, iquallume

conjunction. when, whenever

írë

when

írë (2) conj. "when" (subordinate conjunction, not question-word: írë Anarinya queluva, "when my sun faileth") (FS). Compare yá #2.

úr

fire

úr noun "fire" (UR)This stem was struck out in Etym, but a word that must be derived from it occurs in LotR, so it seems that Tolkien restored it. Early "Qenya" also has Ûr, noun "the Sun" (also Úri, Úrinci ("k"), Urwen) (LT1:271). Cf. Úri.

úr(in)

proper name. Sun

A late remnant of earlier names for the Sun: ᴱQ. Ûr and ᴹQ. Úrin. In Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s, this name was changed from Úrin >> Naira >> Vása (MR/198), but the form Úr(in) occasionally appeared in some later writings (PE17/148, MR/377). This name was a derivative of the root √UR “heat, be hot” (PE17/148).

Conceptual Development: In the earliest Lost Tales, this name was ᴱQ. Ûr, Ur or Úri “Sun”, but literally meaning “Fire” (LT1/187, QL/98). The name became ᴹQ. Úrin in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (LR/240). It was rejected in The Etymologies along with the root form ᴹ√UR, but reappeared sometimes in later writing as noted above.

úri

sun

úri noun "sun" (MC:214, 221; this is "Qenya"); genitive úrio "sun's" (MC:216)

þolon

noun. helmet

Este

Estë

Estë is a Quenya name meaning "rest". The same Root, EZDE, also yielded her Sindarin name, Îdh (pron. [iːð]) and the Nandorin Eord.

ahtarulas(së)

noun. responsibility, (lit.) aptitude to react

aimahto

noun. martyr, (lit.) blessed slain

aino

noun. god

airalindë

noun. hymn, (lit.) holy song

airelinna

noun. hymn, (lit.) holy song

airilírë

noun. hymn

alasatya

adjective. common, general, *communal, (lit.) not private

alimya

adjective. different, (lit.) not-same

almien

interjection. cheers, (lit.) to good fortune

amaquat-

verb. to fulfill, (lit.) up fill

ambahep-

verb. to maintain, (lit.) upkeep

A neologism for “maintain” coined by Tamas Ferencz, a combination of amba “up” and hep- “keep”, so more literally “upkeep”.

amna

adverb. almost

andalango

noun. giraffe, (lit.) long-neck

A neologism for “giraffe” coined by Dírheron on Discord in 2019, a combination of anda “long” and lango “neck”.

andosan

noun. vestibule, (lit.) gate room

A neologism coined by Helge Fauskanger for his NQNT (NQNT), a combination of ando “gate” and [ᴹQ.] sambe “room”.

angwenda

noun. chain

A neologism for “chain” created by Petri Tikka in PPQ (PPQ) from the early 2000s based on angwedh. I would use [ᴱQ.] limil for “chain” instead.

antelwa

adjective. later, (lit.) very late

antolatta

noun. bridle, (lit.) mouth-strap

apalúmë

noun. future, (lit.) after-time

aranta-

verb. to turn over, (lit.) give by

A neologism for “to turn over” coined by Helge Fauskanger for his NQNT (NQNT), a combination of ar- “by” and an agental form of anta- “give”, so more literally “give by”.

arantyalmë

noun. chess, (lit.) king-game

arcólima

adjective. equivalent, (lit.) beside-bear-able

arinwat

noun. breakfast, (lit.) morning-meal

A neologism for “breakfast” coined by Helge Fauskanger for his NQNT (NQNT), a combination of [ᴹQ.] arin “morning” and [ᴹQ.] mat “meal”, inspired by [ᴹQ.] ahtumat “supper = maker’s meal” (PE21/32).

artaquetië

noun. conversation

asahanyë

adverb. understandably, of course, (lit.) easily understood

A neologism coined by Tamas Ferencz as asahanya, a combination of as(a)- “easy” and [ᴹQ.] hanya- “to understand”. I think it should be asahanyë with a final ë, following the example asalastë “easily heard” based on the verb lasta- “listen”.

asamahte

adjective. simple, (lit.) easily handled

A neologism coined by Sami Paldanius in the 1000W project (1000W), a combination of as(a)- “easy” and mahta- “to handle”, so literally “easily handled”. For the final ë, compare asalastë “easily heard” based on the verb lasta- “listen”.

atacar-

verb. to revenge, (lit.) back-make

atartur

noun. patriarch, (lit.) master-father

attindo

noun. doubt, (lit.) two mind

aucelië

noun. sewer, (lit.) away-flowing

A neologism for “sewer” coined by Helge Fauskanger for his NQNT (NQNT), an abstract noun formation based on au- “away” and √KEL “flow”, so more literally “an away-flowing”.

aucol-

verb. to remove, (lit.) bear away

aumanca-

verb. to sell, (lit.) trade away

A neologism for “sell” coined by Sami Paldanius in the 1000W project (1000W), a combination of au- “away from (the speaker)” and [ᴹQ.] manca- “trade”, inspired by homanca- “buy”.

aumapando

noun. abductor, (lit.) away-seizer

A neologism for “abductor” coined by Helge Fauskanger for his NQNT (NQNT), more literally “away-seizer” as an agental formation based on au- “away” + mapa- “sieze”.

aumenta-

verb. to dismiss, divorce, (lit.) away-send

A neologism for “to dismiss or divorce” coined by Helge Fauskanger for his NQNT (NQNT), a combination of menta- “to send” with the prefix au- “away”, hence more literally “to send away”.

auquer-

verb. to reject, (lit.) turn away

ausatië

adverb. especially, (lit.) setting aside

A neologism coined by Tamas Ferencz in the 1000W project (1000W), a combination of au- “away” with a noun form of sat- “set aside”.

autulya-

verb. to deport, (lit.) bring away

A neologism for “to deport” coined by Helge Fauskanger in his NQNT (NQNT), a combination of au- “away (from)” and tulya- “lead”, appearing primarily in its noun form ᴺQ. autulyalë “deportation”.

avamat-

verb. to fast, (lit.) refuse to eat

avanev-

verb. to avoid, (lit.) refuse to face

caraxo

noun. skull, *(lit.) head-bone

carcapolca

noun. boar, *(lit.) tusk-pig

carniambos

noun. robin, (lit.) red-breast

castor

noun. beaver

celvamatya

adjective. carnivorous, (lit.) animal-eating

celvatarwa

noun. zoo, (lit.) life-garden

A neologism for “zoo” from the NQW (NQW), a combination of celva “animal” and a noun form of [ᴱQ.] tarwa “animal”.

cemma

noun. picture, (lit.) something seen

A neologism for “picture” appearing in ABNW (ABNW) from the early 2000s, based on ✱ken-mā < √KEN “see”, more literally “something seen”. I think it is better to use attested emma “✱picture, image” which was published after the neologism was coined.

ceniril(lë)

noun. mirror

A neologism for “mirror” appearing in ABNW (ABNW) from the early 2000s as the cognate of S. cenedril “looking-glass” (RS/456), but in notes published in 2007 Tolkien said this word had no direct cognate in Quenya, and that its equivalent was Q. cilintilla (PE17/37).

ciryampa

noun. anchor, (lit.) boat-hook

A neologism for “anchor” coined by Helge Fauskanger for his NQNT (NQNT), a combination of cirya “ship” and ampa “hook”.

ciryapanda

noun. haven, (lit.) ship-enclosure

A neologism for “haven” coined by Boris Shapiro in PPQ (PPQ) from the early 2000s, a combination of cirya “ship” and [ᴹQ.] panda “enclosure”, inspired by N. cirban “haven”. I would just used attested Q. londë “haven” instead.

colcallë

noun. phylactery, (lit.) little box

A neologism for “phylactery” coined by Helge Fauskanger for his NQNT (NQNT), a diminutive of [ᴱQ.] colca “box”.

combemen

noun. museum

coropë

noun. skull

corpë

noun. skull

Helge Fauskanger proposed the neologism ᴺQ. caraxo “skull = head bone” for his NQNT (NQNT), but Damien Bador instead used ᴺQ. coropë < √KOR “round”, adapted from Gnomish G. corob “skull”. I prefer Bador’s solution, with the caveat that I think it would likely undergo the Quenya syncope and become ᴺQ. corpë instead, as pointed out by Röandil in a Discord chat from 2021-06-08.

cuilórë

noun. day-dream, (lit.) awake-dream

A neologism for “day-dream” coined by Paul Strack in 2018 specifically for Eldamo to replace ᴱQ. fanóre, it is a combination of √KUY “awake” with lórë “dream”.

cuilórëa

adjective. absent-minded, (lit.) day-dreamy

cungandë

noun. violin, (lit.) bow-harp

cávima

adjective. acceptable

cólemaina

adjective. patient

eccahta

noun. hawthorn, (lit.) thorn-hedge

ehtipolca

noun. porcupine, (lit.) spike-pig

A neologism for “porcupine” coined by Dírheron on Discord in 2019, a combination of [ᴹQ.] ehte “spear” and [ᴱQ.] polca “pig”.

eldafindë

noun. maidenhair fern, (lit.) elf tress

eldatár

`Vm#1~C6 noun. elf-king, elfking, elven-king

elerondo Reconstructed

masculine name. Elrond, (lit.) Star-dome

Probably the Quenya name of S. Elrond, attested only in the names Elerondiel and (rejected) Elerondorel for his daughter Arwen (PE17/56). These two names probably meant “✱Daughter of Elrond”. The name Elerondo was therefore probably a compound of elen “star” and rondo “vaulted roof”, a direct translation of S. Elrond. The final -n of elen was probably assimilated to the r, which also happened in the names Elerossë and Elerrína.

endaurë

noun. noon, (lit.) mid-day

eneques

noun. rumor, (lit.) re-saying

erutercáno

noun. prophet, (lit.) God-herald

etementa-

verb. to banish, send out, (lit.) out-send

A neologism for “banish, send out” appearing in ABNW (ABNW) from the early 2000s, a combination of et(e)- “out” and menta- “send”.

ettanië

noun. spectacle, (lit.) showing forth

fanto Speculative

noun. whale

This word only appears in the name of the Númenórean ship Turuphanto “Wooden-whale” (UT/191). The language of the name is unclear, but Carl Hostetter suggested (Tolklang/5.31) that the name is likely to be Quenya, since ᴱQ. turu meant “wood”. If so, the second element phanto might be Quenya for “whale”. This spelling is unusual, however. In Quenya, [f] was normally spelled “f”, while the spelling “ph” appeared only in languages like Sindarin or Adûnaic.

Conceptual Development: The only other attested words for “whale” are the very early G. uin and G. uimoth in the Gnomish Lexicon (GL/74).

filiculumpe

noun. ostrich, (lit.) sparrow-camel

A neologism for “ostrich” coined by Dírheron on Discord in 2019, a combination of [ᴹQ.] filit (filik-) “sparrow” and [ᴱQ.] ulumpe “camel”, inspired by Latin “strúthiocamélus”.

fintemótalë

noun. industry, (lit.) making toil

A neologism for “industry” from the NQW, a combination of finta- “to make” and a noun form of [ᴹQ.] móta- “to toil”, so more literally “making toil”.

hairië

noun. distance, (lit.) farness

haita-

verb. to remove, (lit.) make distant

A neologism for “remove” created by Petri Tikka in PPQ (PPQ) from the early 2000s as a causative verb based on the root ᴹ√KHAY “distant”, so more literally “make distant”. In the 2018 1000W project (1000W), Sami Paldanius instead suggested ᴺQ. aucol- “remove” as a combination of au- “away” and col-, so more literally “to bear away”. I have a slight preference for haita- myself.

harnalasse

noun. schadenfreude, malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else’s misfortune, (lit.) wound-joy

hasaino

noun. patient, (lit.) medically treated one

A neologism for “patient” coined by Sami Paldanius, a nominalized form of the passive participle hasaina “treated” of the verb Q. hasa- “to treat (medically)”, hence literally “✱one who is treated medically”.

hayassë

noun. distance

helillos

noun. wisteria, (lit.) purple cluster

helmunquë

noun. wrinkle, (lit.) skin-hollow

A neologism for “wrinkle” coined by Helge Fauskanger for his NQNT (NQNT), a combination of [ᴹQ.] helma “skin” and unquë “hollow”.

hendelë

noun. window

A neologism for “window” coined by Tamas Ferencz from the root √KHEN “eye” and inspired by S. henneth “window”. I prefer to use attested [ᴱQ.] lattin “window”.

henet

noun. window

A neologism for “window” coined by Boris Shapiro in PPQ (PPQ) from the early 2000s based on S. henneth “window”. I prefer to use attested [ᴱQ.] lattin “window”.

himyalë

noun. connection

A neologism from the NQW based on ᴺQ. himya- “stick to, adhere”.

hlárelóra

adjective. deaf, (lit.) hearing-less

hristondur

noun. Christian, (lit.) Servant of Christ

hrúcen

noun. envy, (lit.) evil-sight

@@@ also hrucen

hórista

noun. citation, quotation, (lit.) something cut out

immotuntië

noun. conscience, (lit.) self-perceiving

imnetyala

adjective. hypocritical, (lit.) self-adorning

ingëa

adjective. top

@@@ Discord 2022-05-23

lahlaraitë

adjective. deaf, (lit.) unable to hear

A neologism for “deaf” coined by Paul Strack in 2022 specifically for Eldamo, a combination of la- “not”, hlar- “hear”, and the suffix -itë “apt to do”, patterned after lacenítë “blind” (PE22/153). Helge Fauskanger instead used the neologism hlárelóra “deaf, ✱without-hearing” in his NQNT (NQNT), having the suffix [ᴹQ.] -lóra “without”.

lai

adverb. very

laimamatya

adjective. herbivorous, vegetarian, (lit.) plant-eating

lairemírë

noun. daisy, (lit.) meadow-jewel *(or summer-jewel)

A neologism for “daisy” coined by Tamas Ferencz, a combination of [ᴱQ.] laire “meadow” and Q. mírë “jewel”. In Tolkien’s later writing, lairë became “summer”, but I think this neologism still works as “✱summer-jewel”.

lalevítë

adjective. lame

A neologism for “lame” coined by Helge Fauskanger in his NQNT (NQNT), a combination of la- “not”, [ᴺQ.] lev- “move” and the suffix -itë meaning “generally or naturally doing”, hence “✱not apt to move”. Fauskanger sometimes used úlévima for “lame” as well, but I’d limit that word to “paralyzed”.

lalevítë

adjective. lame, (lit.) incapable of moving

lalië-malina

noun. daffodil, (lit.) yellow laughter

lantasírë

noun. waterfall, (lit.) falling river

A neologism for “waterfall” created by Boris Shapiro in PPQ (PPQ) from the early 2000s, a combination with Q. lanta “falling” and Q. sírë “river”.

lapsarwa

adjective. pregnant, (lit.) baby-having

lapselunga

adjective. pregnant, (lit.) baby-heavy

A neologism for “pregnant” appearing in ABNW (ABNW) from the early 2000s, a combination of [ᴹQ.] lapse “baby” and [ᴹQ.] lunga “heavy”, so literally “✱baby-heavy”. In his NQNT (NQNT), Helge Fauskanger instead used ᴺQ. lapsarwa with final element [ᴹQ.] arwa “having, possessing” (so = “✱baby-having”), but I prefer lapselunga as more evocative.

lattin

noun. window

lietarwa

noun. park, (lit.) people-garden

A neologism for “park” appearing in the NQW, a combination of lië “people” and [ᴱQ.] tarwa “garden”.

limil

noun. chain

A word appearing as ᴱQ. limil “a chain” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√LIMI (QL/54).

Neo-Quenya: In Tolkien’s later writings √LIM means “link, join”, so I think it can continue to serve as the basis for a (Neo-Quenya) word ᴺQ. limil “chain”.

lina

adjective. many

A neologism for “many” derived from the root √LI. I’ve deprecated this word in favor of attested ᴹQ. lia.

lincantëa

adjective. diverse, (lit.) many shaped

látacar

noun. pub, public house, (lit.) open-house

A neologism for a “pub, public house” appearing in the NQW, a combination of láta “open” and [ᴹQ.] car (card-) “house”, so more literally “open house”.

löacasta

noun. season, (lit.) year-quarter

maicámima

adjective. acceptable, (lit.) well-receivable

malumë

adverb. when

manan

adverb. why

mancamen

noun. market, (lit.) trade-place

matimar

noun. restaurant, (lit.) eating hall

A neologism for “restaurant” coined by Tamas Ferencz, a combination of Q. mat- “eat” and Q. mar(da) “house”.

menessë

adverb. instead, (lit.) in place

milpio

noun. olive, (lit.) oily-berry

A neologism for a “olive” coined by Helge Fauskanger for his NQNT (NQNT), a combination of [ᴱQ.] millo “oil” and [ᴱQ.] pio “berry”, so more literally “✱oil-berry”.

minatec-

verb. to record, (lit.) into-write

mirquet-

verb. to persuade, (lit.) into-talk

mirupio

noun. grape, (lit.) wine-berry

A neologism for “grape” coined by Paul Strack in 2018 specifically for Eldamo, a combination of [ᴱQ.] miru “wine” (as in miruvórë) and [ᴱQ.] pio “berry”, hence = “wine berry”, as inspired by the similarly formed G. mirobin “grape” (GL/57).

Alternate Forms: Helge Fauskanger instead used ᴺQ. tiuma for “grape” in his NQNT (NQNT), apparently based on the root ᴹ√TIW “thick”, though the rationale isn’t clear.

morilúpë

noun. blackbird, (lit.) black plume

A neologism for “blackbird” coined by Tamas Ferencz in 2022, a combination of more “black” and [ᴹQ.] lúpe “plume”.

mánacestië

noun. intercession, (lit.) boon-seeking

móletyeller

noun. career, (lit.) work-steps

A neologism for “career” coined by Sami Paldanius in the 1000W project (1000W) as a combination of mólë “work” and the plural of tyellë “step”, so more literally “work-steps”.

mórolingwe

noun. squid, (lit.) ink-fish

A neologism for “squid” coined by Dírheron on Discord in 2019, a combination of [ᴱQ.] móro “ink” and lingwë “fish”.

nalanta-

verb. to attack, (lit.) fall upon

nambírë

noun. jasper

A neologism for “jasper” coined by Helge Fauskanger for his NQNT (NQNT). Its second element is likely mírë “jewel” but the intended meaning of the first element (?√NAB or ?√NDAB) is unclear.

nammar

noun. court, courthouse, (lit.) judgment-house

nancal-

verb. to reflect, (lit.) shine back

nangwesa

noun. answer

nastalaima

noun. thistle, (lit.) spear plant

natsemen

noun. website, (lit.) web-spot

A neologism for a “website” from the NQW, a combination of [ᴹQ.] natse “web” and [ᴹQ.] men “place, spot”.

nengarmo

noun. otter, (lit.) water-wolf

A neologism for “otter” coined by Dírheron on Discord in 2019, a combination of nén “water” and [ᴹQ.] narmo “wolf”.

nisquë

noun. incense, *(lit.) sweet smoke

A neologism for “incense” from Helge Fauskanger’s NQNT (NQNT), which seems to be a combination of nis- “sweet” + usquë “✱smoke”. In VQP (VQP), Tamas Ferencz instead coined ᴺQ. ussa based on the early root ᴱ√USU “✱burn” from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, but the actual form of this root was likely ✱ᴱ√ƷUÐU (e.g. its Gnomish form was gudh-) rendering ᴺQ. ussa “incense” dubious.

nolmar

noun. school, university, (lit.) wisdom-house

nolta-

verb. to teach, *educate, tutor, (lit.) make knowledgable

nyarrincë

noun. mouse

A neologism coined by Eruanwa in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS) on 2020-02-22, a diminutive of nyarro “rat”, hence actually “✱little rat”.

námima

adjective. culpable, (lit.) judgeable

námondur

noun. court-attendant, (lit.) judge-servants

nólecöa

noun. school, (lit.) house of lore

rianna

noun. queen

russambos

noun. robin

A neologism for “robin” coined by Tamas Ferencz in the VQP (VQP), a combination of russa “red-haired” and [ᴱQ.] ambos “breast”. I prefer adapting ᴱQ. karneambar “robin” as ᴺQ. carniambos.

rénë

noun. memory

sáquetië

noun. agreement

tampo

noun. well

tantal

noun. shuttle

telumbë

noun. mushroom

telwina

adjective. later

tiuma

noun. grape

tyul-

verb. to stand

A neologism coined by Alex Grigny de Castro in PPQ (PPQ) from the early 2000s, based on the root ᴹ√TYUL “stand up (straight)”, along with an intransitive variant ᴺQ. tyulya- and a transitive form ᴺQ. tyulta- (inspired by ᴱQ. tyulta-) suggested by Helge Fauskanger. I’d stick to attested tar- instead for “stand (intr.)”, which was published in 2007.

táranar

noun. noon, (lit.) high-sun

ussa

noun. incense

vainolë

noun. quiver

valatëa

adjective. proud

árinqua

adjective. sunny, (lit.) sunlight-full

A neologism for “sunny”, more literally “sunlight-full”, appearing in ABNW (ABNW) from the early 2000s. It is a combination of árë “sunlight” and the suffix -inqua “-ful”. However, we now have attested Q. calina of similar meaning, which is probably preferable.