Elrond

noun. starry dome

êl (“star”) + rond (“domed roof”)

Elrond

noun. Elrond

prop. n.

elrond

masculine name. Star-dome

Lord of Rivendell (LotR/170). His name is translated “Star-dome” (Let/448, WJ/414), a combination of êl “star” and rond “vaulted roof” (SA/rond, WJ/414).

Conceptual Development: The name Elrond first appeared in early Silmarillion drafts from the late 1920s (SM/38) and was first published in the Hobbit in 1937. His name appeared in The Etymologies from the 1930s in two forms: Noldorin Elrond “Starry-dome” (Ety/EL) and Ilkorin Elrond “Vault of Heaven” (Ety/ROD), both with essentially the same etymology as his later Sindarin name. In a few places Tolkien considered alternate etymologies for this name: in Quenya Notes (QN) from 1957, he suggested the final element might be rhond “body” (PE17/183), and in a letter to Rhona Beare from 1958, he suggested the initial element might be archaic †Ell “Elf” (Let/281). Both of these seem to have been transient ideas.

Cognates

• Q. Elerondo “Elrond, (lit.) Star-dome”

Element in

• S. Elrenniel “Arwen; *(lit.) Elrond-daughter”
• S. Elrondhel
• S. im Elrond echanthel ✧ VT47/38

Elements

Word	Gloss
êl	“star”
rond	“(vaulted or arched) roof; vaulted chamber or cavern; heavens [as a roof of the world]”

Elrond

Star-dome

The name Elrond has been translated as "Star-dome", and "Vault of Heaven" recalling the glory of Menegroth though at an earlier stage, it was supposed to mean "Elf of the Cave". His Quenya name was most likely Elerondo, isolated from the patronymic Elerondiel, "daughter of Elrond".

Elrond

Elrond

The name Elrond (S, pron. [ˈelrond]) has been translated as "Star-dome", and "Vault of Heaven" recalling the glory of Menegroth though at an earlier stage, it was supposed to mean "Elf of the Cave". His Quenya name was most likely Elerondo, isolated from the patronymic Elerondiel, "daughter of Elrond".