aer

adjective. *hallowed, holy

This word appears in the phrase no aer i eneth lín “hallowed by thy name”, the second line of Ae Adar Nín, Tolkien’s Sindarin translation of the Lord’s Prayer. It is untranslated, but in context clearly means “✱hallowed, holy”. It is apparently the Sindarin cognate of Q. airë of similar meaning, which appears in the Quenya translation of the same prayer: Q. Átaremma.

Possible Etymology: David Salo suggested that aer may be a lenited form of the Sindarin adjective gaer (GS/231). Although N. gaer was glossed “dreadful” in The Etymologies (Ety/GÁYAS), in later writings Tolkien derived Q. airë “holy” from a similar root √GAY(AR) “awe, dread” (PM/363). The sense “dread” did not necessarily connote terribleness, but could also imply awe and respect. It was from this meaning of the root that words with the connotation “holy” arose, at least in Quenya (PM/363).

Bill Welden instead connected S. aer “holy” with the word aerlinn in the phrase Aerlinn in Edhil o Imladris (RGEO/62). This phrase is untranslated, but it is widely believed that aerlinn means “✱holy song” (VT44/24). Since aer cannot be lenited in aerlinn, this indicates that aer is the normal form of the word. In other writings, Tolkien derived Q. airë from primitive ✶airē “holiness, sanctity” (PE17/149), which could also be the origin of S. aer. That is the theory used here.

It is possible that this word appears in the name Aerandir, but that is rather speculative.

Conceptual Development: In the Gnomish Lexicon from the 1910s, there was a word G. air(in) “holy, sacred” (GL/18) marked archaic (†); this is probably the earliest precursor to S. aer. The form air reappeared in the Gnomish Lexicon slips, besides a new form eirin “holy” (PE13/113), reflecting Tolkien’s ongoing vacillation on the development of the diphthong ai.

aer

adjective. holy

aer

noun. sea

Tolkien changed this word several times, see aear , gaear

aerennel

masculine name. Aerennel

Sindarized form of the name of Eärendil, also with variant Aerendil (PM/364). These were phonetic alterations, not translations.

Conceptual Development: In some notes from the 1930s, the form (N?.) Aearendel appeared beside ᴹQ. Earendel, possibly a Noldorin adaption of the earlier form of his Quenya name.

Aerel

Aerel

pl1. Aeril

Aeriel

Aeriel

. This gloss was rejected.

aeredhil

aeredhil

{ð}

aear

Sea

_n. _Sea, especially the Great (Western) Sea. Q. ear. nef aear, sí nef aearon lit. 'beyond the Sea, here beyond the Great Sea'. >> gaear, gaer

aear

noun. sea

Tolkien changed this word several times, see gaear

aear

noun. sea

Aerandir

noun. sea-wanderer

aer, aear (“sea”) + randír (“wanderer, pilgrim”)

aerandir

masculine name. Sea-wanderer

A companion of Eärendil (S/248).

Conceptual Development: In Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, his name was given as N. Airandir (LR/324), changed to Aerandir in revisions from the 1950s-60s (WJ/246).

Possible Etymology: The second element of this name is very likely S. randir “wanderer” (SA/ran), but the meaning of the initial element is unclear. Christopher Tolkien translated this name as “Sea-wanderer” in The Silmarillion index (SI/Aerandir). If correct, the initial element is probably some form of S. gaear “sea”. This is problematic, since in J.R.R. Tolkien’s late writings this word usually (but not always) began with a g, which would have no reason to vanish in the initial position.

The Noldorin form of this name was Airandir. In The Etymologies, the Noldorin word for “sea” was N. oer (Ety/AY). Noldorin [oe] sometimes appeared as [ai] in names from earlier narratives. For example, compare (ᴱN.) Aiglir Angrin “Iron Mountains” from the 1920s and early 1930s (SM/220) to [N.] oeglir “range of mountain peaks” in The Etymologies (Ety/AYAK), and later still (S.) aeglir “line of peaks” (RC/11). Perhaps Tolkien originally intended this element to mean “sea”, updating it phonetically ([[n|[ai] revised to [ae]]]) in later Silmarillion revisions without considering a change in meaning.

Absent any further evidence, “Sea-wanderer” remains the best available translation.

aerlinn

noun. *hymn, (lit.) holy song

aerlinn

noun. (unknown meaning, perhaps a song about the sea, or possibly holy song)

aerlinn in edhil o imladris

*Holy Song of the Elves of Rivendell

gaear

noun. sea

A word for “sea” variously attested as gaear (PE17/027; PM/363; WJ/400), gaer (PE17/27; PE17/149), and aear (Let/386; RGEO/65) in later writings. Of these, I prefer gaear for purposes of Neo-Sindarin, reduced to gaer in compounds.

Possible Etymology: The presence or absence of the initial g- depends on whether the word’s root is √AY(AR) (as it appears in The Etymologies and some later writings) or √GAY(AR) (as it appears in other later writings). See the entry of the root √GAY(AR) for a discussion of this vacillation. Similarly, the form gaer appears primarily as an element in compounds, and can be explained as a reduced form of gaear in that context. For these reasons, this entry uses gaear as the ordinary Sindarin word for “sea”. This has the additional advantage of disambiguating it from the adjective gaer “dreadful”.

Conceptual Development: This word appeared as N. oer or oear “sea” in The Etymologies of the 1930s, reflecting the Noldorin sound change of ai to oe (Ety/AY). However name for the “Great Sea” was N. {Belegar >>} Belegaer in the narratives of this period (LR/19), and the name N. Rhûnaer “Eastern Sea” appeared in draft Lord of the Rings maps from 1943 (TI/307). The element N. oer did appear in the day-of-the-week name N. Aroeren “✱Sea-day” in drafts of The Lord of the Rings appendices, but this was revised to S. Oraeron (PM/130, 138).

gaear

Sea

_n. _Sea, especially the Great (Western) Sea. Shorter form gaer. Q. ear. >> aear, gaer

gaear

noun. sea

laer

noun. song

laer

noun. song, long lay

gaer

noun. sea

gaer

Sea

_n._Sea, especially the Great (Western) Sea. Shorter form of gaear.Q. aire (obsolete). >> aear, gaear

gaer

noun. sea

gaeron

noun. great sea, ocean

Aerandir

Aerandir

Aerandir is Sindarin, meaning "Sea-wanderer" (aer + randir). The name for the character appearing in an early manuscript was Airandir, a form later rejected by Tolkien.

Aerin

Aerin

The name incorporates aer "ocean". The ending perhaps is the same in the names of Húrin and Túrin; in that case the name would mean "She who desires the Sea".

aear

sea

aear (ocean); pl. aeair. The shorter form aer (for N oer) is maybe best avoided since it can be confused with aer "holy", unless the latter is actually a lenited form of gaer. Forms with g-, representing an alternative concept of the word for ”sea”: gaear (i **aear) (ocean), pl. gaeair (i ngaeair = i ñaeair) (PM:363), also gaer (i **aer, no distinct pl. form except with article: i ngaer = i ñaer), but homophones of the latter mean "reddish, copper-coloured, ruddy" and also "dreadful, awful, fearful; holy".

aear

sea

(ocean); pl. aeair. The shorter form aer (for N oer) is maybe best avoided since it can be confused with aer "holy", unless the latter is actually a lenited form of gaer. Forms with g-, representing an alternative concept of the word for ”sea”: gaear (i ’aear) (ocean), pl. gaeair (i ngaeair = i ñaeair) (PM:363), also gaer (i ’aer, no distinct pl. form except with article: i ngaer = i ñaer), but homophones of the latter mean "reddish, copper-coloured, ruddy" and also "dreadful, awful, fearful; holy".

aerlinn

hymn

aerlinn (no distinct pl. form). It is unclear whether the literal meaning is "sea-song" (because the Elves made pilgrimages to the towers of Emyn Beraid near the sea) or "holy-song"; it depends on whether aer is interpreted as "sea" or "holy".

aerlinn

hymn

(no distinct pl. form). It is unclear whether the literal meaning is "sea-song" (because the Elves made pilgrimages to the towers of Emyn Beraid near the sea) or "holy-song"; it depends on whether aer is interpreted as "sea" or "holy".

aerem

noun. icon

@@@ Discord 2022-03-20

aeron

noun. saint

gaer

holy

gaer (awful, fearful); lenited aear; no distinct pl. form. Note: homophones mean "reddish, copper-coloured, ruddy" and also "sea".

gaer

holy

(awful, fearful); lenited ’aear; no distinct pl. form. Note: homophones mean "reddish, copper-coloured, ruddy" and also "sea".

aredhel

proper name. Noble Elf

A term for the “Noble Elves”, the Sindar and Noldor, with the variant form Aerel (PE17/139, 141) and draft forms Edaeron, Edaerel, Aeriel (PE17/140). It is a combination of the prefix ar(a)- “noble” and Edhel “Elf”, with its variant using Ell “Elf” instead.

glîr

song

1) glîr (i **lîr, construct glir) (poem, lay), no distinct pl. form except with article (in glîr), coll. pl. glíriath. 2) laer (no distinct pl. form). Note: a homophone means ”summer”. 3) lind (air, tune; also = singer, in the latter sense also used of rivers), no distinct pl. form (WJ.309). See also HYMN regarding the word aerlinn**.

aearon

great ocean

also Gaearon (i** ’Aearon), pl. Gaearyn (i** Ngaearyn = *i Ñaearyn). Also short form Gaeron (i** ‘Aeron), pl. Gaeryn (i** Ngaeryn = i Ñaeryn*). Coll. pl. Gaearonnath, Gaeronnath.

glîr

song

(i ’lîr, construct glir) (poem, lay), no distinct pl. form except with article (in glîr), coll. pl. glíriath. 2)  laer (no distinct pl. form). Note: a homophone means ”summer”. 3) lind (air, tune; also = singer, in the latter sense also used of rivers), no distinct pl. form (WJ.309). See also

daedhelos

great fear

daedhelos (i naedhelos, o ndaedhelos), pl. daedhelys (i ndaedhelys). Coll. pl. daedhelossath. A side-form ends in -oth instead of -os. The word appears in the mutated form "ndae<u>d</u>elos" in LotR Appendix F, but since the second element must be delos "abhorrence" and it would surely be lenited following a vowel, this would seem to be one of the cases where Tolkien wrote d even though dh would be technically correct. Another term for GREAT FEAR is goe (i **oe) (terror), no distinct pl. form except with article (i ngoe** = i ñoe).

goe

great fear

goe (i **oe) (terror), no distinct pl. form except with article (i ngoe** = i ñoe);

aearon

noun. great sea, ocean

Tolkien changed this word several times, see gaearon

aredhel

feminine name. Noble Elf

The commonly known name of Turgon’s sister (S/60) and mother of Maeglin (S/133). Her name is a compound of ar(a)- “noble” and Edhel “Elf”, and thus: “Noble Elf” (WJ/318). She was also (less commonly) known by the sobriquet Ar-Feiniel “White Lady” (S/60).

Conceptual Development: This character dates back to the earliest Lost Tales, first appearing as G. Isfin (LT2/165). At this early stage, her name meant “Snow-locks” or “Exceeding-cunning” (LTA2/Isfin). Tolkien kept this name for a long time, and it appeared in The Etymologies from the 1930s as N. Isfin, a compound of N. ist “knowledge” and ON. phinya “skillful”, so: “✱Skillful Knowledge” (Ety/IS, Ety/PHIN).

Over time, this name lost any linguistic significance, until Tolkien became dissatisfied with it. Tolkien experimented with various alternate forms, first Íreth (MR/182), briefly Rodwen “High Virgin Noble” (WJ/317), and later either Aredhel or Ar-Feiniel (WJ/317). In the published version of The Silmarillion, Christopher Tolkien used both of the last two names, but elsewhere he admitted that the two names were in competition to replace Isfin, and that Aredhel seems to have been his father’s final choice (WJ/318).

To avoid the issue, this entry assumes that both Aredhel or Ar-Feiniel were sobriquets and that Íreth was her “true” Sindarin name, derived from her given name Q. Írissë. See S. Íreth for further discussion.

gaearon

noun. great sea, ocean

lîr

noun. song, poem, lay

ardhon

great province

(great region, world), pl. erdhyn, coll. pl. ardhonnath.

daedhelos

great fear/dread

(i** naedhelos, o ndaedhelos), pl. daedhelys (i** ndaedhelys). Coll. pl. daedhelossath. A side-form ends in -oth instead of -os. The word appears in the mutated form "ndaedelos" in LotR Appendix F, but since the second element must be delos "abhorrence" and it would surely be lenited following a vowel, this would seem to be one of the cases where Tolkien wrote d even though dh would be technically correct.

gond

great stone

(i ’ond, construct gon) (rock), pl. gynd (i ngynd = i ñynd), coll. pl. gonnath (Letters:410).

iaun

holy place

(fane, sanctuary), pl. ioen, coll. pl. ionath

lae

great number

(no distinct pl. form) (VT45:27), also rim (crowd, host), no distinct pl. form except with article (idh** rim), coll. pl. rimmath**. Note: a homophone means ”cold pool or lake”.

roval

great wing

(pinion, wing), pl. rovail (idh rovail); this is a suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” *rhoval* pl. *rhovel*.

sirion

great river

(i** hirion, o sirion), pl. siryn (i** siryn).

taur

great wood

(i daur, o thaur) (forest), pl. toer (i thoer), coll. pl. torath. Note: homophones mean ”king (of a people)” and also ”lofty, high, sublime, noble” etc.

thamas

great hall

pl. themais, coll. pl. thamassath.

tirion

great watchtower

(i** dirion, o thirion), pl. tiryn (i** thiryn).

aer

noun. sea

lhaer

noun. song, long lay

oer

noun. sea

airandir

masculine name. Sea-wanderer

oeros

masculine name. Osse

glîr

noun. song, poem, lay

lhîr

noun. song, poem, lay

oear

noun. sea

oear

noun. sea

oer

noun. sea

aimo

noun. saint

aina

holy

aina (2) adj "holy" (AYAN), derived from Ainu. Adopted and adapted from Valarin. According to VT43:32, the word is "obsolete, except in Ainur", apparently suggesting that airë or airëa (q.v.) was the normal term for "holy" in later Quenya. However, Tolkien repeatedly used aina in his translation of the Litany of Loreto: Aina Fairë "Holy Spirit", Aina Neldië "Holy Trinity", Aina Maria "Holy Mary", Aina Wendë "Holy Virgin". He also used Aina Eruontari for "holy Mother" in his rendering of the Sub Tuum Praesidium(WJ:399, FS, SA, VT43:32, VT44:5, 12, 17-18)

aira

holy

aira (2) adj. "holy"; see airë #1

airen

noun. sea

airë

holy

airë (1) adj. "holy", #Airefëa "the Holy Spirit" (VT43:37, dative airefëan on the previous page), airetári or Airë Tári "holy queen" (a title of Varda, PM:363), genitive aire-tário "holy-queen's" (Nam, RGEO:67). However, according to PM:363, airë is the noun "sanctity", while aira is the adjective "holy". VT43:14 refers to an etymological note of "Sept.-Oct. 1957" where airë is said to be a noun "sanctity, holiness", and the adjective "holy" is given as airëa. However, the verb #airita- "hallow" seems to be formed from an adjective airë, airi- "holy". Evidently airë can function as both adjective ("holy") and noun ("holiness"); if so airë as adj. could represent a primitive adjective gaisi, whereas airë as noun may descend from gaisē. The former but not the latter would have the stem airi- (as observed in the derived verb #airita-), and compounds like airetári (rather than *airitári) would seem to contain properly the noun "holiness".

airë

sea

airë (2) noun "sea" (the form airen is given, intended as a genitive singular when Tolkien wrote this; in LotR-style Quenya it would rather be a dative sg.) (AYAR/AIR; cf. airon)

airë

noun. sea

An archaic word for “sea” which fell out of use to due conflict with “holy” words like aira or airë; it was a noun form of primitive ✶gaı̯ră (PE17/27). The more common modern word for “sea” is ëar.

Conceptual Development: ᴹQ. aire “sea” appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a derivative of ᴹ√AYAR (Ety/AY); it appeared beside a form ᴹQ. airen that might be a genitive form, or might be a longer form; see the entry on ᴹQ. airon for discussion.

airëa

holy

airëa adj. "holy"; see airë.

aista

holy

aista (1) adj. "holy" (VT43:37)

lírë

song

lírë noun "song", stem #líri- in the instrumental form lírinen "in [the] song" or *"by [the] song" (Nam, RGEO:67)

lírë

noun. song

váya

sea

váya noun "sea" (considered as "waters, motion"). The wording of the source indicates that Tolkien only tentatively considered such a word (PE17:33)

vëa

sea

vëa (3) noun "sea" (MC:213, 214, 216; possibly obsoleted by #1 and #2 above, though some argue that the initial element of the late names Vëantur and Vëandur [q.v.] could be vëa #3 rather than #2 (it can hardly be #1) . In any case, the normal word for "sea" in LotR-style Quenya seems to be ëar.) Inflected vëan "sea" (MC:220), vëar "in sea" (a "Qenya" locative in -r, MC:213), vëassë "on sea" (MC:220). Cf. also vëaciryo.

ëar

sea

ëar noun "sea" (AYAR/AIR [gives also dat. sg. ëaren],WJ:413; see Letters:386 for etymology). Not to be confused with the pl. form of the verb ëa "be, exist". Pl. ëari "seas" (FS, LR:47); Eär "the Great Sea" (cf. ëaron "ocean"), ablative Eärello "from the Great Sea", et Eärello "out of the Great Sea" (EO). Eärë noun "the open sea" (SD:305). Compound ëaruilë noun "seaweed" (UY). Found in proper names like Eärendil "Sea-friend", Eärendur masc. name, *"Sea-servant"; in effect a variant of Eärendil(Appendix A). Eärendur was also used ="(professional) mariner" (Letters:386).Fem. name Eärwen "Sea-maiden" (Silm); Eärrámë "Sea-wing", "Wings of the Sea", name of Tuor's ship (RAM, AYAR/AIR, SA)

airilírë

noun. hymn

azra

noun. sea

The Adûnaic word for “sea” (SD/429), appearing as azar in some early texts (SD/305). It is fully declined on SD/431.

pharaz

noun. sea

A draft word for “sea”, deleted and replaced with azar (SD/305), which later become azra. This word reappeared later with a different meaning: pharaz “gold”.

ay(ar)

root. sea