Quenya 

caw-

bow

#caw- vb. "bow" ("k")(1st pers aorist cawin "I bow") (LT1:257; cf. cauca, cauco). In Tolkien's later Quenya, a verbal stem with w in this position does not seem to fit the general phonology well; intervocalic w would become v. We should perhaps read *cav*- whereever the second consonant of the root follows a vowel, but the nasal-infixed past tense could be canwë with the original quality of the consonant preserved. (Compare such a past tense form as anwë, q.v.) However, Tolkiens later verb luhta**- may be preferred for intransitive "bow".

quinga

bow

quinga ("q")noun "bow" (for shooting) (KWIG, LT1:256)

cuv-

verb. bow

Quenya [PE 22:102] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

luhta-

verb. to bow, to bow, *curve

A verb for “bow” derived from primitive ✶luʒu appearing in notes from 1968 (VT47/35). For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would use this verb for transitive “bow, ✱curve” (something) = “cause to curve”, as opposed to ᴹQ. kuv- for “to bow” (the body).

lúva

noun. bow (in forming tengwar), bight, bend, curve

A word Tolkien used to describe the “bow” of tengwar in Appendix E of The Lord of the Rings (LotR/1118). Elsewhere he indicated it was a general word for a “bend, bow, bight, curve” (PE17/122, 168). Tolkien variously derived this word from the roots √LUB or √(N)DUB; see those entries for discussion. He also specified that lúva was not a bow for shooting (PE17/122), as opposed to [ᴹQ.] qinga given elsewhere as a shooting bow (Ety/KWIG).

Quenya [LotR/1118; PE17/122; PE17/168] Group: Eldamo. Published by

cúnë

crescent, bow

cúnë _("k")_noun "crescent, bow" (LT1:271). Cf. .

luhta-

to bow

luhta- (2) vb. "to bow" (VT47:35); this intransitive verb can be distinguished from luhta- "enchant" above, since #1 is transitive and will always have a direct object, something #2 never has.

lúva

bow, bight; bend, bow, curve

lúva noun "bow, bight; bend, bow, curve" (Appendix E, PE17:122, 168). The reference is to a "bow" as part of written characters and other uses, but "not for shooting" (a bow used to shoot arrows is called quinga, possibly also if the latter term is used as in Sindarin).

fion

bowl, goblet

fion (2) "bowl, goblet" (LT1:253)

salpa

bowl

salpa (2) noun "bowl" (LT1:266), also #salpë isolated from tanyasalpë "Bowl of Fire") LT1:292

tolpo

bowl

tolpo noun "bowl" (PE16:142)

hir

entrails, bowels

hir (hird-), pl. hirdi, noun "entrails, bowels" (PE13:161)

cúnë

noun. crescent, arch, bow

arch, crescent

("k")noun "arch, crescent" (KU3); "crescent Moon" (LT1:271; the long vowel was denoted by a circumflex rather than an accent in the early "Qenya" lexicon). In Sindarin, the same word can be used for a "bow" as used to shoot arrows (but possibly this is only quinga in Quenya).

tolpo

noun. bowl

quingamo

noun. archer, bowman

A neologism for “archer, bowman” coined by Almáriel and Luinyelle, posted on 2025-08-06 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS) as an agental form of [ᴹQ.] quinga “bow”.

Quenya Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

hirdë

noun. entrails, bowels

A neologism for “entrails, bowels” based on the early primitive word ᴱ✶ʒirdǝ from Early Noldorin Word Lists of the 1920s (PE13/144, 161).

Quenya Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

cauca

crooked

cauca _("k")_adj. "crooked" (LT1:257; cf. #caw-)

cautáron

bent

cautáron ("k") adj.?"bent" (MC:216; this is "Qenya")

cúna

bent, curved

cúna ("k") 1) adj. "bent, curved", from which is derived 2) cúna- vb. "bend", occurring with a- prefix (changed by Tolkien from a na-prefix) in Markirya. Here cúna- is intransitive; we do not know whether it can also be transitive "bend".

cúna-

verb. to bend

A verb for “to bend” based on the adjective Q. kúna “bent, curved” appearing in the Markirya poem of the 1960s (MC/223).

Conceptual Development: Versions of the poem from around 1930 had ᴱQ. lunga(na)- for “bend” (MC/214), more exactly meaning “sag, bend down, hang heavy” (PE16/75) and thus clearly based on ᴱQ. lungo or lunga “heavy” (PE13/163; PE16/75). Another poem from this same period had ᴱQ. kauta- “to bend” (MC/216; PE16/100).

Quenya [MC/222; MC/223] Group: Eldamo. Published by

hwarin

crooked

hwarin adj. "crooked" (SKWAR)

locin

adjective. bent, bent, *curled

An adjective meaning “bent” appearing in 1964 notes on Dalath Dirnen (DD) based on the root √LOK “bend” (PE17/160).

Neo-Quenya: I would use this adjective for “curled” as well, given lócë “bight, bend, curl of hair” appearing on the same page.

numba

bent, humped

numba adj. "bent, humped" (PE17:168)

raica

crooked, bent, wrong

raica ("k") adj. "crooked, bent, wrong" (RÁYAK, VT39:7), pl. raicar in LR:47 (read perhaps *raicë in LotR-style Quenya)

raica

adjective. crooked, crooked, [ᴹQ.] bent, wrong

Quenya [VT39/07; VT39/09] Group: Eldamo. Published by

rempa

crooked, hooked

rempa adj. "crooked, hooked" (REP)

Telerin 

noun. bow

lúta-

verb. to bow, bend

Sindarin 

noun. bow, bow; [N.] arch, crescent; [G.] waxing or waning moon

Sindarin [PE17/122; S/209; SA/cú] Group: Eldamo. Published by

noun. bow

Sindarin [Ety/365, S/429] Group: SINDICT. Published by

bow

1) (noun) (i gû, o chû) (arch, crescent), pl. cui (i chui), 2) (bow for shooting) peng (i beng, o pheng), pl. ping (i phing),

bow

(i gû, o chû) (arch, crescent), pl. cui (i chui)

peng

bow

(i beng, o pheng), pl. ping (i phing)

cov-

verb. to bow

A neologism for “to bow” coined by Elaran in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS) on 2023-04-09, the Sindarin equivalent of [ᴹQ.] cuv-, with short u becoming o as usual in Sindarin.

Sindarin Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

logra-

verb. to stoop, bow, cower; to submit

Sindarin Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

cûn

bowed

cûn (bowshaped, bent), lenited gûn; pl. cuin

cûn

bowed

(bowshaped, bent), lenited gûn; pl. cuin

cûn

bowshaped

cûn (bowed, bent), lenited gûn; pl. cuin

cûn

bowshaped

(bowed, bent), lenited gûn; pl. cuin

tolph

noun. bowl, basin

Sindarin Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

tang

bowstring

tang (i dang), pl. teng (i theng)

tang

bowstring

(i dang), pl. teng (i theng)

irdh

noun. entrails, bowels, innards

Sindarin Group: Eldamo - neologism/adaptations. Published by

eilian

rainbow

(pl. eiliain). Archaic elianw (so the coll. pl. may be eilianwath).

arch

(i gû, o chû) (bow, crescent), pl. cui (i chui)

arch

(i gû, o chû) (bow, crescent), pl. cui (i chui)

crescent

(i gû, o chû) (arch, bow), pl. cui (i chui);

crescent

(i gû, o chû) (arch, bow), pl. cui (i chui);

cûn

bent

cûn (bowed, bowshaped), lenited gûn; pl. cuin

cûn

bent

(bowed, bowshaped), lenited gûn; pl. cuin

cúron

noun. the crescent Moon

Sindarin [Ety/365, X/Z] cû+raun. Group: SINDICT. Published by

noun. arch, crescent

Sindarin [Ety/365, S/429] Group: SINDICT. Published by

raeg

adjective. crooked, bent, wrong

Sindarin [Ety/383, X/OE, X/RH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

raen

adjective. crooked

Sindarin [Ety/382, X/RH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

cúron

crescent moon

(i gúron, o chúron), pl. cúroen (i churoen). Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” cúran; compare the Sindarin month-names in -ron.

raen

crooked

raen (no distinct pl. form). Note: a homophone means ”netted, enlaced”.

raen

adjective. crooked

Sindarin Group: Eldamo - neologism/adaptations. Published by

raen

crooked

(no distinct pl. form). Note: a homophone means ”netted, enlaced”.

rhaen

adjective. crooked

Noldorin 

noun. bow

Noldorin [Ety/365, S/429] Group: SINDICT. Published by

cûn

adjective. bowed, bow-shaped, bent, bowed, bent, bow-shaped, [G.] concave

An adjective in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “ bowed, bow-shaped, bent” derived from primitive ᴹ✶kuʒnā under the root ᴹ√KUƷ “bow” (Ety/KUƷ).

Conceptual Development: G. cûn “bowed, bent, concave” appeared in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, along with variant forms cunwed, cuvon (GL/27).

Noldorin [Ety/KUƷ] Group: Eldamo. Published by

peng

noun. bow (for shooting)

Noldorin [Ety/KWIG] Group: Eldamo. Published by

cûn

adjective. bowed, bow-shaped, bent

Noldorin [Ety/365] Group: SINDICT. Published by

peng

noun. bow (for shooting)

Noldorin [Ety/366] Group: SINDICT. Published by

tang

noun. bowstring

Noldorin [Ety/394] Group: SINDICT. Published by

tang

noun. bowstring

Noldorin [Ety/TING] Group: Eldamo. Published by

cúran

noun. the crescent Moon

Noldorin [Ety/365, X/Z] cû+raun. Group: SINDICT. Published by

noun. arch, crescent

Noldorin [Ety/365, S/429] Group: SINDICT. Published by

rhaen

adjective. crooked

Noldorin [Ety/382, X/RH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

rhaen

adjective. crooked

rhoeg

adjective. crooked, bent, wrong

Noldorin [Ety/383, X/OE, X/RH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

Primitive elvish

luʒu

noun. *bow

Primitive elvish [VT47/35] Group: Eldamo. Published by

dūbā

noun. bend, bow, curve

Primitive elvish [PE17/168] Group: Eldamo. Published by

noun. bow, curve

Primitive elvish [VT47/12; VT47/34; VT47/35] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ku(h) Reconstructed

root. bow, [ᴱ√] bend

lub

root. bend

Primitive elvish [PE17/122; PE17/161] Group: Eldamo. Published by

raika

adjective. crooked

Primitive elvish [VT39/07; VT39/09] Group: Eldamo. Published by

swar

root. crooked

Primitive elvish Group: Eldamo - neologism/adaptations. Published by

Nandorin 

cogn

noun. bow

Primitive form given as kuȜnâ, derived from KUȜ "bow" (LR:365); it is probable that ku3nâ was originally an adjective "bow-shaped", since -nâ is predominantly an adjectival ending. As for Ȝ (spirant g) becoming a plosive g, compare garma.

Nandorin [H. Fauskanger (LR:365)] < KUȜ. Published by

Beware, older languages below! The languages below were invented during Tolkien's earlier period and should be used with caution. Remember to never, ever mix words from different languages!

Middle Primitive Elvish

ku(ʒ)

root. bow

The root ᴹ√KU(Ʒ) “bow” appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s (Ety/KUƷ), most likely a later version of ᴱ√KUVU “bend, bow” from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s (QL/49). One notable derivative in both periods was G. “bow, crescent” and N. “arch, crescent”, which regularly appeared as S. “bow” in later writings, for example in S. Laer Cú Beleg “Song of the Great Bow” (GL/27; Ety/KUƷ; S/209).

The probably-related root ᴹ√KUB “bow” appeared in the Quenya Verbal System (QVS) from 1948 (PE22/102); ᴹQ. nukumna “humbled (?under-bowed)” from this period may also be related (SD/246). In notes from the late 1950s or early 1960s Tolkien gave ✶kūma, Q. cúma and S. cû(f) next to Q. lúva “bow, bight (not for shooting)” < √LUB “bend”, so presumably cúma/cû was “bow (for shooting)” (PE17/122). Finally Q. cúna “bent, curved” appeared in notes associated with the version of the Q. Markirya poem from the late 1960s, along with a verb form cúna- “to bend” (MC/222-223).

These variations make it difficult to determine what Tolkien intended the root to mean, but for purposes of Neo-Eldarin I would assume a base root of √KU(Ʒ) or √KU(H) with perhaps a verbal variant √KUB based on its use in the 1940s, and with the primitive sense “bow, bend”.

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/KUƷ; Ety/KWIG; EtyAC/KWIG; PE22/102] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kuu̯

noun. bow

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/KUƷ; EtyAC/KUƷ] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kub

root. bow

Middle Primitive Elvish Group: Eldamo. Published by

kwig

root. *bow (for shooting), *bow (for shooting); ?shoot

An unglossed root in The Etymologies of the 1930s that was the basis of the words ᴹQ. qinga/N. peng “bow (for shooting)” (Ety/KWIG). It was a later iteration of ᴱ√QINGI from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, which was the basis for ᴱQ. qinga and G. cwing “bow” (QL/77; GL/28). In The Etymologies, Tolkien contrasted this root with ᴹ√KU(Ʒ) which was “bow” as a shape. However, in notes from the late 1950s or early 1960s Tolkien contrasted ✶kūma > Q. cúma/S. cû(f) with Q. lúva “bow, bight (not for shooting)” < √LUB “bend” (PE17/122). In the 1950s and 60s S. was the normal word for a “shooting bow” in Sindarin, appearing in S. Cúthalion “Strongbow” and S. Laer Cú Beleg “Song of the Great Bow” (S/200, 209).

Given the above, it is possible that Tolkien abandoned ᴹ√KWIG. However, I think it is useful to retain for purposes of Neo-Eldarin as the basis for words having to do with “shoot”, especially since there are still some later derivatives of √KU(Ʒ) that have nothing to do with “shooting”, such as Q. cúna “bent, curved”.

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/KWIG] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kuʒnā

adjective. bowed, bow-shaped, bent

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/KUƷ] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kwingā

noun. bow (for shooting)

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/KWIG] Group: Eldamo. Published by

n(d)ur

root. bow down, bend (low), obey, serve; grow/be dark

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/NDŪ; EtyAC/NDŪ; PE22/103] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ragnā

adjective. crooked

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/RAG] Group: Eldamo. Published by

skwar

root. crooked

This root appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s as ᴹ√SKWAR “crooked” with derivatives like ᴹQ. hwarin “crooked” and Dan. swarn “perverse, obstinate, hard to deal with” (Ety/SKWAR). In red-ink revisions to the Outline of Phonology (OP2) from the 1950s Tolkien decided that the initial combination skw- was not possible (PE19/78 and note #51). For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, this root might be salvaged by assuming its actual form was ᴺ√SWAR.

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/SKWAR] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Gnomish

cwing

noun. bow

Gnomish [GL/28; LT2A/Teld Quing Ilon; PE13/104] Group: Eldamo. Published by

quing

noun. bow

cam(m)a-

verb. to stoop, bend, bow, cower; to submit

A verb appearing as {camba- >>} G. cam(m)a- in the Gnomish Lexicon (GL) of the 1910s with glosses “stoop, bend, bow, cower - submit” (GL/25), probably based on the early root ᴱ√KAẆA “stoop” in the contemporaneous Qenya Lexicon (QL/45). Beneath it was a deleted verb {G. cav-} “to bend”. This deleted verb reappeared later in GL, with the glosses “to bend, make stoop” and its second appearance was also deleted (GL/25). Beneath its second deletion was a verb G. cavra- that Tolkien said was equivalent to camba-; an earlier entry for cavra- was glossed “stoop, cower”, but the glossed entry for cavra- was deleted.

Neo-Sindarin: In Tolkien’s later writings the roots √KAW and √KAM had different meanings, so I don’t think any of these early verbs can be salvaged. I would instead use the neologism ᴺS. logra- “to stoop, bow, cower; to submit” based on the later root √LOK “bend”, a neologism I coined in 2018.

noun. bow, crescent; the waxing or waning moon

Gnomish [GG/14; GL/27; LT1A/Uolë Kúvion] Group: Eldamo. Published by

branc

noun. bow (for shooting)

brant

noun. bow (for shooting)

Gnomish [GL/24; GL/50; GL/65; LT1A/Ilweran] Group: Eldamo. Published by

branta

noun. bow (for shooting)

fion

noun. bowl, goblet

A noun in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s for a “bowl” or “goblet” of unclear derivation, an element in G. Fionaur “Goblet Smith”, an early version of the name Fëanor (GL/35).

salf

noun. bowl, basin

The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had G. {salpa >> salp >>} salf “bowl, basin” (GL/66), clearly based on the early root ᴱ√SḶPḶ which also had ᴱQ. salpa “bowl” (QL/84).

Neo-Quenya: The Etymologies of the 1930s had N. salff “broth” under the root ᴹ√SALAP (Ety/SÁLAP). To avoid a conflict, I would coin a neologism ᴺS. tolph “bowl, basin” based on ᴱQ. tolpo of the same meaning from Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s (PE16/142).

naud

adjective. bowed, bent; ashamed, abashed, bashful

An adjective in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s glossed “bowed, bent” and also meaning “ashamed, abashed, bashful” (GL/59). It might be based on G. nud- “incline head, bend face down”.

cunwed

adjective. bowed, bent, concave

cuvon

adjective. bowed, bent, concave

cûn

adjective. bowed, bent, concave

cam

adjective. bent, bowed; submissive, humble

fant

adjective. crooked, bent, bowed

Gnomish [GL/34; GL/35] Group: Eldamo. Published by

craig

adjective. crooked

Gnomish [GL/27; PE13/111] Group: Eldamo. Published by

crictha-

verb. to bend

gwegla

adjective. crooked

Early Quenya

qinga

noun. bow

Early Quenya [LT1A/Ilweran; PME/077; QL/077] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kúne

noun. crescent, bow, arch

Early Quenya [LT1A/Uolë Kúvion; PE13/105; PME/049; QL/049] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kawa-

verb. to bow, make obeisance

Early Quenya [LT1A/Kaukaeldar; QL/045] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tanyasalpe

proper name. Bowl of Fire

Pool where the ship of the sun rested at night (LT1/187), a compound of tan(y)a “fire” and salpa “bowl” as suggested by Christopher Tolkien (LT1A/Tanyasalpë).

Early Quenya [LT1/187; LT1A/Tanyasalpë; LT1I/Tanyasalpë; LT2I/Tanyasalpë] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tolpo

noun. bowl

A word appearing as ᴱQ. tolpo “bowl” in Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s (PE16/142). The Qenya Lexicon and Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa of the 1910s instead had ᴱQ. salpa “bowl” derived the early root ᴱ√SḶPḶ (QL/84).

Neo-Quenya: I would use the later word ᴺQ. tolpo as the Neo-Quenya word for “bowl”, since later ON. salpha from the 1930s was “broth” rather than “bowl” (Ety/SÁLAP).

Early Quenya [PE16/142] Group: Eldamo. Published by

salpa

noun. bowl

Early Quenya [LT1A/Tanyasalpë; PME/084; QL/084] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kauka

adjective. crooked, bent, bowed, humped

Early Quenya [GL/25; LT1A/Kaukaeldar; QL/045] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kauta-

verb. to bend

Early Quenya [MC/216; PE16/100; PE16/104] Group: Eldamo. Published by

pereqa

adjective. crooked

Early Quenya [QL/073] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Qenya 

noun. bow, bow; [ᴱQ.] crescent moon

kuv-

verb. to bow, to bow [the body]

A verb for “bow” based on the root ᴹ√KUB, appearing in the Quenya Verbal System from 1948 (PE22/102).

qingatelko

adjective. *bow-legged

A word appearing in Lord of the Rings drafts as part of Treebeard’s description of orcs (SD/68), the equivalent of English “bow-legged” from the finished text (LotR/979) and a combination of [ᴹQ.] qinga “bow” and telko “leg”.

qinga

noun. bow (for shooting)

hwarin

adjective. crooked

Early Primitive Elvish

qingi

root. *bow

Early Primitive Elvish [QL/077] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kuvu

root. bend, bow

Early Primitive Elvish [GL/27; LT1A/Uolë Kúvion; PME/049; QL/049] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nuhu

root. bow, bend down; stoop, sink

Early Primitive Elvish [LT1A/Númë; PME/068; QL/068; QL/096] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ʒirdǝ

noun. entrails, bowels

Early Primitive Elvish [PE13/144; PE13/161] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kaẇa

root. stoop

Early Primitive Elvish [GL/25; GL/27; LT1A/Kaukaeldar; QL/045] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Doriathrin

caun

adjective. bowed, bow-shaped, bent

An adjective meaning “bowed, bow-shaped, bent” developed from the primitive form ᴹ✶kuʒnā (Ety/KUƷ). The middle diphthong went through various sound changes as indicated in The Etymologies. First the [[ilk|[u] became [o] preceding the final [a]]] (kogna), then the [[ilk|[g] (from ✶ʒ) vocalized to [u] before the [n]]] (coun) and finally the diphthong [[ilk|[ou] became [au]]] (caun).

Doriathrin [Ety/KUƷ] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Ossriandric

cogn

adjective. bowed, bow-shaped, bent

An adjective glossed “bowed, bow-shaped, bent” from primitive ᴹ✶kuʒnā (Ety/KUƷ). It is the best evidence for Danian a-mutation, with [u] becoming [o] before the following [a]. It is also a good example of how [[dan|[ɣ] became [g]]] in Danian.

Ossriandric [Ety/KUƷ] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Noldorin

girdh

noun. entrails, bowels, inwards

A word appearing as ᴱN. girdh in Early Noldorin Word Lists of the 1920s, glossed either “inwards, entrails” (PE13/144) or “entrails, bowels” (PE13/161), with “inwards” being an archaic English variant of “innards” according to the editors. This word was originally a plural form of ᴱN. gir “interior”, from primitive ᴱ✶ʒirdǝ.

Neo-Sindarin: I would adapt this word as ᴺS. irdh “entrails, bowels” for purposes of Neo-Sindarin based on this primitive form, since the ʒ vanished in Sindarin.

Early Noldorin [PE13/144; PE13/161] Group: Eldamo. Published by

crib-

verb. to bend

A verb in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s glossed “to bend” with a transitive variant ᴱN. crimtha-, both based on primitive ᴱ✶krikw- (PE13/141). The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had G. crictha- “to bend” (GL/27), perhaps based on the early root ᴱ√KṚKṚ though its Qenya derivatives mostly had to do with fangs and tusks (QL/48).

Early Noldorin [PE13/141] Group: Eldamo. Published by

gaug

adjective. crooked

Early Noldorin [PE13/122; PE13/144] Group: Eldamo. Published by

gog

adjective. crooked

gwag

adjective. crooked

Old Noldorin 

ragna

adjective. crooked

Old Noldorin [Ety/RAG] Group: Eldamo. Published by