vairë (2) adj. ?"wavy" (according to the editor, the gloss is almost illegible, but further notes may be taken as saying that the word describes wavy locks rather than wavy fluids). (PE17:34)
Quenya
Vairë
the weaver
Vairë
wavy
vaire
adjective. ?wavy
A word (adjective?) in Quenya Notes from 1957 (QN) derived from √WAYA “blow” whose gloss is unclear, perhaps “wavy[?] not of fluid[?] but locks[?]” as suggested by Christopher Gilson (PE17/34). Giving the uncertainty of this word’s meaning, I’d avoid using it in Neo-Quenya writings.
Derivations
- √WAY “blow (of wind), be disturbed” ✧ PE17/034
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources √WAYA > vaire [waire] > [βaire] > [vaire] ✧ PE17/034
vairë
feminine name. Weaver, Ever-weaving
The spouse of Námo (Mandos), this Valië weaves all things that have ever been into her storied webs (S/28). Her name is translated “Weaver” or “Ever-weaving” (MR/49, VT39/10). It is derived from √WIR “weave” (PE17/191), probably from an a-fortified form of that root: ✱✶Wairē (VT39/10).
Conceptual Development: In the earliest Lost Tales, ᴱQ. Vaire was an Elf, the wife of ᴱQ. Lindo (LT1/14). At this early stage, the spouse of Mandos was ᴱQ. Nienna (LT1/66). In Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, ᴹQ. Nienna became unmarried, and a new Valië, ᴹQ. Vaire “Weaver”, was named as the spouse of Mandos (LR/110).
In The Etymologies from the 1930s, ᴹQ. Vaire developed from ᴹ✶Weirē < ᴹ√WEY “weave” (Ety/WEY), since at this stage primitive [[mq|[ei] became [ai] when stressed and non-final]] (PE19/25). Later, Tolkien modified the development of this primitive diphthong so that [[q|stressed non-final [ei] became [ē]]] (PE19/53, 106). As further evidence of this phonetic change, Tolkien briefly considered changing the name of Vairë to Vérë (PE17/33), probably from the same primitive form ✶Weirē.
Tolkien did not adopt this variant name, however, which implies that the new primitive form of this name must have been ✶Wairē (not directly attested). Tolkien specified that this name did not develop from √WAY (which meant “blow”), proposing instead that it developed from a new root √WIR “weave” (PE17/191). Elsewhere Tolkien stated that the primitive form of Vairë probably developed from √WIR via the process of a-fortification (VT39/10).
Derivations
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources √WER > Vérë [wēre] > [βēre] > [vēre] ✧ PE17/033 √WIRI > Vaire [waire] > [βaire] > [vaire] ✧ PE17/191 √WIR > Vaire [waire] > [βaire] > [vaire] ✧ VT39/10 Variations
- Vérë ✧ PE17/033 (Vérë)
- Vaire ✧ PE17/191; VT39/10
vérë
vérë
Vérë (2) fem. name, tentative replacement form for the name Vairë, apparently never introduced in any narratives (PE17:33)
Valatári
vala-queen
Valatári noun "Vala-queen" (BAL; this entry of the Etymologies states that Vala has no feminine form except this compound, but Silm gives Valië as a feminine form). The word Valatári is apparently also the unchanged plural form, so used in this quote: "The Valatári were Varda, Yavanna, Nienna, Vana, Vaire, Este, Nessa, Uinen" (BAL; Tolkien later reclassified Uinen as a Maia, not a Valatári/Valië). Notice that the plural form of Valatar would apparently also be *Valatári.
Vairë
Vairë
The Quenya name Vairë means "Weaver", or "Ever-weaving", derived from the root WIR. In the Etymologies, Quenya Vaire ("Weaver") is a descendant form of Primitive Quendian weirē, deriving from root WEY ("wind, weave"). Her Noldorin name is said to be Gwîr ("Weaver"). An early, Gnomish version of her name was Gwairil.
Vairë (1) fem. name "the Weaver", name of a Valië, spouse of Mandos (Silm, WEY). The name is translated "Ever-weaving" in VT39:10, and it is implied that the archaic form was *Wairē rather than ¤Weirē, the reconstruction given in the Etymologies (entry WEY). Tolkien considered changing the name to Vérë (PE17:33) One source glosses the literal meaning as "weaving" rather than "weaver" (PE17:191).