Quendi

zF2% noun. elves

Quendi "Elves" as a race (analogical sg. quendë, not much used) (WJ:361;SA:quen-/quet-, WJ:372, KWEN(ED), spelt "qende, Qendi" in Etym). Gen. pl. Quendion (PM:395)

Quendingoldo

elves

Quendingoldo masc. name, apparently compound of Quendi "Elves" and -ngoldo "Noldo", Sindarin Pengolodh, a loremaster of Gondolin. (PM:401, 404-405, VT48:5) Shorter form Quengoldo (PM:404, VT48:14)

eldalië

noun. Elvenfolk, Elven-folk, Elves, People of the Eldar, People of the Eldar, Elven-folk, Elf-folk, People of the Elves

elda

noun. Elf, Elf, (lit.) one of the Star-folk, Elven, one of the Star-folk, Elves in general

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√EL(ED) “star; star-folk” (Ety/EL, 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 √DEL¹), 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 √DEL² “fair” so that its meaning would be “the fair” (PE17/151), but this seems to have been a transient idea.

elen

star

elen noun "star" (SA:êl, elen, EL, VT49:39); pl. eleni (occasionally in verse: eldi) (WJ:362, PE17:127); partitive pl. elelli for elenli (PE17:127), gen. pl. elenion in the phrase Elenion Ancalima "brightest of stars" (LotR2:IV ch. 9; see Letters:385 for translation); elen atta "two stars" (VT49:44), genitive elen atto "of two stars" (VT49:45), eleni neldë "three stars", archaic elenion neldë = "of stars three". Genitive "of 3 stars" = elenion neldë (for archaic elenion neldëo) (VT49:45). Allative elenna "starwards" used as name of Númenor _(Silm; see Elenna)_; ablative pl. elenillor "from stars" in Markirya. **Nai elen siluva ***"may a star shine", VT49:38.

elena

of the stars

elena adj. "of the stars" (SA:êl, elen); also elenya

Quende#

noun. Elf

Elf

quendë

elf

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

él

star

†él noun "star", pl. éli given (WJ:362, EL)

él

noun. star

elda

of the stars

elda 1. originally adj. "of the stars", but wholly replaced (WJ:362) by: 2. noun (Elda) = one of the people of the Stars, (high-)elf, an Elf (SA:êl, elen, Letters:281, ELED, ÉLED; notice that Tolkien abandoned a former etymology with "depart"), chiefly in the pl. Eldar (WJ:362, cf. GAT(H), TELES).The primitive form Tolkien variously cited as ¤eledā / elenā(Letters:281, PE17:152) and ¤eldā(WJ:360). Partitive pl. Eldali (VT49:8), gen. pl. Eldaron (WJ:368, PM:395, 402);dative pl.eldain "for elves", for Eldar (FS); possessive sg. Eldava "Elf's" (WJ:407); possessive pl. Eldaiva (WJ:368), Eldaivë governing a plural word (WJ:369). The word Eldar properly refers to the non-Avari Elves only, but since Eldar rarely had any contact with the Avari, it could be used for "elves" in general (in LT1:251, Elda is simply glossed "Elf"). See also Eldo. The plural form Eldar should not require any article when the reference is to the entire people; i Eldar refers to a limited group, "(all) the Elves previously named"; nevertheless, Tolkien in some sources does use the article even where the reference seems to be generic (i Eldar or i-Eldar, VT49:8).

ílë

star

ílë noun "star" (LT1:269; rather elen, él in LotR-style Quenya.)

elen

star

pl1. elin, pl2. elenath _n._star. Its collective plural (pl2.) designates 'the (host of all the) stars, (all) the (visible) stars of the firmament'. Q. elen, pl1. eldi, eleni. o menel aglar elenath ! lit. 'from Firmament glory of the stars !'. êl

elvellon

noun. elf-friend

Teler

noun. an Elf, one of the Teleri

tawarwaith

noun. Silvan elves

el

star

n. star.

elleth

noun. elf-maid

edhel

Elf

pl1. edhil, pl2. edhellim {ð} _n. _Elf. A name used by the Sindar for themselves, characterizing other varieties by an adjective or prefix. Aredhel, Thinnedhel

edhel

noun. Elf

edhel

Elf

d _ n. _Elf. Q. elda.

edhel

Elf

{ð} _n. _Elf.

edhel

noun. Elf

_ n. _Elf, a general name for all the Elves (since the name Quendi had gone out of use in Sindarin). Probably related to or connected with Q. Elda. edhellen

edhel

noun. Elf

ell

noun. Elf

ell

noun. elf

n. elf, esp. [?in ?the ?South]. Noldorin form.

ellon

noun. elf

penedh

noun. Elf

iathrim

noun. Elves of Doriath

telerrim

noun. the Teleri, a tribe of Elves

êl

noun. star (little used except in verses)

êl

star

pl1. elin, pl2. elenath** ** n. star. Q. elen, pl1. eldi, eleni, pl2. elelli. elen

êl

noun. star

golodhrim

noun. Deep Elves, Gnomes

edhelharn

noun. elf-stone

galadhrim

noun. Elves of Lothlórien

calben

noun. Elf of the Great Journey (lit. "light person")

calben

noun. all Elves but the Avari

eglath

noun. "The Forsaken", Elves of the Falathrim

laegel

noun. a Green Elf

miniel

noun. an Elf, one of the Vanyar

ódhel

noun. Deep Elf or Gnome, one of the Wise Folk

glinnel

noun. Elf, one of the Teleri

gódhel

noun. "Deep Elf" or "Gnome", one of the Wise Folk

lachend

noun. Deep Elf (Sindarin name for the Ñoldor)

lachenn

noun. Deep Elf (Sindarin name for the Ñoldor)

laegrim

noun. the people of the Green Elves

mornedhel

noun. Dark-Elf

laegeldrim

noun. the people of the Green Elves

dúnedhel

noun. Elf of the West, Elf of Beleriand (including Noldor and Sindar)

egladhrim

noun. "The Forsaken", Elves of the Falathrim

ódhellim

noun. Deep Elves or Gnomes, the Wise Folk

gódhellim

noun. "Deep Elves" or "Gnomes", the Wise Folk

gil

noun. star, bright spark

In The Etymologies (Ety/358, corrected by VT/45:15), this word was given as geil , plural gîl. However, later in LotR/E and RGEO/73, Tolkien seems to consider gil as a singular (with no hints in the sources of what the plural would be, besides the collective plural giliath )

giliath

noun. all the host of stars

gil-

noun. star

golodh

noun. "Deep Elf" or "Gnome", one of the Wise Folk

edhel

elf

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

gîl

star

gîl (i ngîl = i ñîl, o n**gîl, construct gil) (bright spark, silver glint), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gîl = i ñgîl), coll. pl. giliath** (RGEO, MR:388). Poetic †êl (elen-, pl. elin, coll. pl. elenath) (RGEO, Letters:281, WJ:363).

elen

noun. star

ellálië

noun. Elvenfolk

ella

noun/adjective. Elf

ello

noun. Elf

él

noun. star

nimir

noun. Elf, Elf, (lit.) Shining One

A noun translated “Elf” (WJ/419) and fully declined as an example of a Strong I noun (SD/436). In one place, its plural Nimrî was translated “Shining Ones” (SD/358), which indicates was probably derived from the Primitive Adûnaic root √NIMIR.

Conceptual Development: In its earliest appearances from the 1940s, this noun had the plural form Nimrî (SD/358, 388) as opposed to later plural Nimîr (SD/388, 436), which could indicate either an earlier singular form Nimri or a variant syntax for draft-plural formation. The word also appears in Tolkien’s “Quendi and Eldar” essay from 1959-60 (WJ/386), indicating that this word survived in Tolkien’s later conception of Adûnaic.

azar

noun. star, star (draft)

Christopher Tolkien mentions this as a noun meaning “star” from early and unpublished materials related to “The Notion Club Papers” stories (PM/372). It may be an element in the early Adûnaic name Indilzar for Elros. As Indilzar was replaced by Gimilzôr, it is likely that azar was replaced by gimli and gimil, which are well attested in later writings.

gimli

noun. star, star (in the sky)

A noun translated “star” (SD/431) or “star (in the sky)” (SD/427), and fully declined on SD/431 as an example of a Strong II noun.

cwenda

noun. elf

A doubtful word according to Tolkien's later conception; in the branch of Eldarin that Nandorin belongs to, primitive KW became P far back in Elvish linguistic history [WJ:375 cf. 407 note 5]. This was not a problem in Tolkien's earlier conception, in which the Danians came from the host of the Noldor, not the Teleri [see PM:76; the idea of the Nandor being of Noldorin origin also occurs in VT47:29]. In his later version of Nandorin, the word cwenda is probably best ignored; simply emending it to *penda would produce a clash with primitive pendâ "sloping" [cf. WJ:375].

In the Etymologies, Tolkien derived cwenda from kwenedê "elf" (stem KWEN(ED) of similar meaning, LR:366; as for the shift of original final -ê to Nandorin -â, compare hrassa "precipice" from khrassê). But later the primitive word that yielded Quenya Quende was reconstructed as kwende (WJ:360).

No certain example shows how original short final -e comes out in Nandorin, so we cannot say whether kwende is also capable of yielding cwenda, ignoring the question of kw failing to become p.

Danas

noun. Green-elves, Nandor

In Etym derived from the stem DAN (LR:353), simply defined as an "element found in names of the Green-elves", and tentatively compared to NDAN "back" (since the Nandor "turned back" and did not complete the march to the Sea). Tolkien's later view on the derivation of the name of the Green-elves, as set down in WJ:412, is that the stem dan- and its strengthened form ndan- do indeed have a similar meaning: these forms have to do with "the reversal of an action, so as to undo or nullify its effect", and a primitive form ndandô, "one who goes back on his word or decision", is suggested. However, it seems unlikely that the Nandor would have called themselves by such a name, and indeed Tolkien in WJ:385 states that "this people still called themselves by the old clan-name Lindai [= Quenya Lindar], which had at that time taken the form Lindi in their tongue". It may be, then, that Tolkien had rejected the idea that the Nandor called themselves Danas. - As for the ending -as, it is probably to be compared to the Sindarin class plural ending -ath; indeed a Sindarin ("Noldorin") form Danath evidently closely corresponding to Danas is given in LR:353.

galadrim

noun. Elves of Lothlórien

Note: "The Galadrim were 'Tree-people' (though the formation is Sindarin, + S [rim] = Q rimbë, great number) = true Sindarin galadhrim."

eledh

noun. Elf, Star-folk, Elf

el

noun. star

edhel

noun. Elf

penedh

noun. Elf

penn

noun. Elf

geil

noun. star, bright spark

geil

noun. star

golodhrim

noun. Deep Elves, Gnomes

giliath

noun. all the host of stars

golodh

noun. "Deep Elf" or "Gnome", one of the Wise Folk

elen

noun. star

el

root. star, behold!

ēl

noun. star

edelā

noun. Elf, the fair

kwened

root. Elf

elen

noun. star

qen

noun. Elf

qende

noun. Elf

él

noun. star

íle

noun. star

estanosse

collective name. Firstborn

A rejected term for the Elves as Firstborn of Iluvator (EtyAC/SET), a combination of (rejected) esta “first” and nosse “clan”.

tinwe

noun. star

el

noun. star

A Doriathrin noun meaning “star”, a simple derivative of the root ᴹ√EL (Ety/EL).

cwend

noun. Elf

A Doriathrin noun meaning “Elf” derived from primitive ᴹ✶kwenedē (EtyAC/KWEN(ED)), an example of the Ilkorin syncope.

Conceptual Development: This word is nearly identical to earlier Gnomish Cwenn “Elf” before Tolkien revised the phonological history of the Noldorin language so that [kw] became [p].

cwenda

noun. Elf

A noun for “Elf” developed from primitive ᴹ✶kwenedē (Ety/KWEN(ED)). It is an example of the Danian syncope, with second unstressed [e] vanishing after the identical vowel. It is also one of the Danian words for which a long final vowel developed into short final [a].

edel

noun. Elf, Star-folk, Elf

A noun for “Elf” derived from primitive ᴹ✶edel-, an inversion of the primitive root ᴹ√ELED (Ety/ELED). Unlike most similar Danian nouns, it did not undergo the Danian syncope and retained its second vowel. One possible explanation is that the primitive form of this noun ended in a short vowel, *✶edelă, and this short final vowel vanished before the period of the syncope, preventing it from occurring in this word. Helge Fauskanger originally suggested a theory much like this one (AL-Nandorin/edel).

Conceptual Development: In an earlier version of this entry, the Danian word for Elf was given as Elda (Ety/ELED).

kwen(ed)

root. Elf

kwenedē

noun. Elf

gilya

noun. star

ednōno

noun. firstborn

cwenn

noun. Elf

gail

noun. star

gwenn

noun. Elf