-wen

maiden

-wen "maiden" as suffix, a frequent ending in feminine names like Eärwen "Sea-maiden" (SA:wen). Early "Qenya" also has -wen, feminine patronymic "daughter of" (LT1:271, 273), but the patronymic ending seems to be -iel "-daughter" in Tolkien's later Quenya.

wendë

noun. maiden

vendë

maiden

vendë < wendë noun "maiden" (WEN/WENED, VT45:16), "virgin" (in Tolkien's translations of Catholic prayers where the reference is to Mary; see VT44:10, 18). The form Véndë in VT44:10 seems abnormal; normally Quenya does not have a long vowel in front of a consonant cluster.

höa

adjective. big, large

@@@ used in NQNT

Derivations

• √KHAW “big” ✧ PE17/115

Element in

• ᴺQ. höassë “size”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√KHAWA > höa	[kʰawa] > [xawa] > [xoa] > [hoa]	✧ PE17/115

molda

adjective. big, large

Derivations

• √MŌ “labour, be afflicted” ✧ PE17/115

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√MBOL > molda	[mbolda] > [molda]	✧ PE17/115

túra

big, great

túra adj. "big, great" (PE17:115), related to words for power and apparently referring to a more abstract greatness than words like haura "huge". Cf. taura, túrëa. Apparently initial element of Túrosto.

polda

big

polda adj. "big" (PE17:115), "strong, burly" (POL/POLOD)

polda

adjective. big, big; [ᴹQ.] strong, burly; [ᴱQ.] mighty, powerful

Derivations

• √POL “can, have physical power and ability; large, big (strong); pound up, break up small, reduce to powder, can, have physical power and ability; large, big (strong); [ᴹ√] physically strong, [ᴱ√] have stength; [√] pound up, break up small, reduce to powder” ✧ PE17/115

Derivatives

• ᴺQ. poldavë “strongly”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√pol > polda	[polna] > [polda]	✧ PE17/115

Variations

• polya ✧ PE17/115 (polya)

gwen

noun. maiden

_n. _maiden. Q. wendē. >> gwend, gweneth

gwend

noun. maiden

_n. _maiden. Q. wendē. >> gwen, gweneth

gwend

noun. maiden, maiden, *young woman

A word for “maiden” or “✱young woman”, frequently appearing as suffixal -wen as an element in female names, derived from the root √WEN(ED) (PE17/191; Ety/WEN).

Conceptual Development: In the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, the word G. gwin meant “woman, female” and G. {gwen >>} gwennin was “girl” (GL/45). The former was derived from the root ᴱ√giu̯i which had to do with pregnancy, but the latter was derived from {ᴱ√gw̯ene >>} ᴱ√gu̯eđe. In the contemporaneous Qenya Lexicon {ᴱ√WENE >>} ᴱ√GWENE was the basis of words like ᴱQ. ’wen(di) “maiden” (QL/103). In the Gnomish Lexicon Slips it seems G. gwin was also reassigned to the root ᴱ√(G)WENE [ᴱ√u̯enĭ-], derived from ᴱ✶u̯einā́, though possibly shifted or blended in meaning with an adjectival sense “womanly” (PE13/113).

In the Early Noldorin Grammar of the 1920s, Tolkien had ᴱN. uin “woman” (PE13/123), a form that also appeared with this gloss in contemporaneous Early Noldorin Word-lists as a replacement for deleted {gwind, gwinn} (PE13/146, 155). In The Etymologies of the 1930s, Tolkien had N. gwend, gwenn “maiden” under the root ᴹ√WEN(ED) which he said was “often found in feminine names” (Ety/WEN). He noted that “since the [suffixed names] show no -d even in archaic spelling, they probably contain a form wen-”. Tolkien seems to have stuck with these forms thereafter.

Neo-Sindarin: For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I would use this word for a young woman or adolescent girl, especially prior to marriage, but for female children I would use neth.

Cognates

• Q. vendë “maiden, *virgin” ✧ PE17/191

Derivations

• ✶wendē “maiden, young or small woman, girl”
  • √WEN(ED) “maiden, girl, virgin; woman” ✧ VT47/17; VT48/18
• √WEN(ED) “maiden, girl, virgin; woman” ✧ PE17/191

Element in

• S. Rodwen “High Virgin Noble”
• S. Arwen “Noble Maiden”
• ᴺS. arwen “noble lady”
• S. Galadwen
• S. Gladhwen “Laughing Maiden”
• ᴺS. gwendren “maidenly, girlish”
• S. gweneth “maidenhood, maidenhood, [N.] virginity” ✧ PE17/191
• ᴺS. gwennod “elder tree; elderberry, *(lit.) maiden berry”
• S. Hirwen
• S. Ivonwin “Maidens of Yavanna”
• S. Ivorwen
• S. Laewen
• S. Urwen
• S. -wen “maiden, *female suffix”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√WEN-ED > gwen(d)	[wende] > [gwende] > [gwend] > [gwenn]	✧ PE17/191

Variations

• gwen(d) ✧ PE17/191

elen

noun. Elf

penedh

noun. Elf

Derivations

• ✶kwende “speaker, elf” ✧ PE17/140; PE17/141
  • √KWENED “spoken, articulate, spoken, articulate; [ᴹ√] Elf” ✧ PE17/137
  • √KWEN “speak with rational words” ✧ PE19/093
    • √KWE “vocal speech” ✧ WJ/392
  • √KWEN “speak with rational words” ✧ PE17/140; WJ/360
  • √KWE “vocal speech” ✧ WJ/392

Element in

• S. Morbenedh “*Dark-elf” ✧ PE17/140; PE17/141

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶kwenedē > peneð	[kwenedē] > [penedē] > [penede] > [peneðe] > [peneð]	✧ PE17/140
✶kwenedē > Penn	[kwendē] > [pendē] > [pende] > [pend] > [penn]	✧ PE17/141

Variations

• peneð ✧ PE17/140; PE17/141
• Penn ✧ PE17/141

edhel

noun. Elf

Cognates

• Q. Elda “Elf, (lit.) one of the Star-folk” ✧ LRI/Edhil; PE17/045; PE17/151; PE17/152; SA/êl; SA/êl; RC/780
• Q. Eldo “one of the Marchers” ✧ WJ/363

Derivations

• ✶edelā “the fair” ✧ PE17/139; PE17/151
  • √DEL “*fair” ✧ PE17/151
• ✶edelō “one who goes, traveller, migrant, marcher” ✧ PE17/141; PE17/152; WJ/360
  • √DEL “walk, go, proceed, travel” ✧ WJ/360; WJ/363

Element in

• S. Adanedhel “Elf-man” ✧ SA/edhel
• S. Aerlinn in Edhil o Imladris “*Holy Song of the Elves of Rivendell” ✧ RGEO/62
• S. Aredhel “Noble Elf” ✧ SA/edhel
• S. Aredhel “Noble Elf” ✧ PE17/139; PE17/141
• S. Caledhel “*Light Elf”
• S. Danedhel “*Nando” ✧ PE17/141; PE17/141
• S. Dúnedhel “West-Elf” ✧ PE17/141; WJ/378
• S. Edhelharn “Elfstone”
• S. edhellen “elvish” ✧ PE17/045
• S. Edhellond “Elf-haven” ✧ UT/255
• S. Edhellos “Elven-flower” ✧ PM/346
• S. Glóredhel “*Golden Elf” ✧ SA/edhel
• S. Gwenedhel
• S. Lindedhel “Nandorin Elf”
• S. mellyn enin Edhellion “*friends of the Elves” ✧ PE17/097
• S. Mornedhel “Dark-elf” ✧ PE17/141; WJ/377
• S. Nínedhel “?Tear(ful) Elf” ✧ PE17/139
• S. Ost-in-Edhil “Fortress of the Eldar” ✧ SA/edhel
• S. Peredhel “Half-elf” ✧ SA/edhel
• S. Rúnedhel ✧ PE17/141
• S. Thinnedhel “Grey-elf” ✧ PE17/139

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶edelā > eðel	[edelā] > [edela] > [eðela] > [eðel]	✧ PE17/139
✶edelō > eðel	[edelō] > [edelo] > [eðelo] > [eðel]	✧ PE17/141
✶edelā > edhel	[edelā] > [edela] > [eðela] > [eðel]	✧ PE17/151
✶edelā > eðel	[edelā] > [edela] > [eðela] > [eðel]	✧ PE17/152
✶edelō > Edhel	[edelō] > [edelo] > [eðelo] > [eðel]	✧ WJ/360
✶edelō > Edhil	[edelī] > [edeli] > [eðeli] > [eðili] > [eðil]	✧ WJ/360

Variations

• edhel ✧ PE17/045; PE17/151; RC/780; SA/edhel; UT/255; UTI/Edhelrim
• eðel ✧ PE17/139; PE17/141; PE17/152
• Eðel ✧ PM/346

eledh

noun. Elf

Cognates

• Q. Elda “Elf, (lit.) one of the Star-folk” ✧ Let/281; SA/êl; PE17/141
• Q. elenya “adjective referring to the stars, *of the stars, stellar” ✧ WJ/362

Derivations

• ✶eledā “star-folk, of the stars” ✧ Let/281; PE17/140; PE17/141; PE17/142
  • √EL “lo, behold; star, lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky” ✧ Let/281
• ✶elenā “connected with or concerning the stars” ✧ PE17/139; WJ/360
  • ✶elen “star” ✧ PE17/139
  • √EL “lo, behold; star, lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky” ✧ Let/281; PE17/067; VT42/11; WJ/360

Element in

• S. Edelbar “*Elf-home” ✧ PE17/142
• S. Eledhwen “Elfsheen, Elven-fair” ✧ Let/281; SA/êl; UTI/Haudh-en-Elleth
• S. Elennor “*Elf-land” ✧ PE17/142
• S. Eledhes “*Elf-maid” ✧ PE17/141; PE17/142
• S. Eledhon “*Elf-man” ✧ PE17/141; PE17/142

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶eledā/elenā > eledh	[eledā] > [eleda] > [eleða] > [eleð]	✧ Let/281
✶eledā/elenā > elidh	[eledī] > [eledi] > [eleði] > [eliði] > [elið]	✧ Let/281
✶elenyā > elein	[elenjā] > [elenja] > [elenia] > [eleni] > [elein] > [elain]	✧ PE17/139
✶eledā > eleð	[eledā] > [eleda] > [eleða] > [eleð]	✧ PE17/140
✶eledā > eleð	[eledā] > [eleda] > [eleða] > [eleð]	✧ PE17/141
✶eledā > eledh	[eledā] > [eleda] > [eleða] > [eleð]	✧ PE17/142
✶elenā > Elen	[elenā] > [elena] > [elen]	✧ WJ/360
✶elenā > Elin	[elenī] > [eleni] > [elini] > [elin]	✧ WJ/360

Variations

• eledh ✧ Let/281 (eledh); PE17/142; PE17/142; UTI/Edhelrim
• elein ✧ PE17/139 (elein)
• eleð ✧ PE17/140; PE17/141; PE17/142
• Elen ✧ WJ/363; WJ/377 (Elen); WJI/Elen

ell

noun. Elf

Cognates

• Q. Elda “Elf, (lit.) one of the Star-folk” ✧ Let/281; WJ/362

Derivations

• ✶eledā “star-folk, of the stars” ✧ PE17/141; WJ/360
  • √EL “lo, behold; star, lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky” ✧ Let/281
• Q. Elda “Elf, (lit.) one of the Star-folk” ✧ PE17/141
  • ✶eledā “star-folk, of the stars” ✧ Let/281; PE17/141; SA/êl; WJ/360; WJ/364; WJ/364
  • √EL “lo, behold; star, lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky” ✧ Let/281
  • ✶elenā “connected with or concerning the stars” ✧ PE17/139; PE17/152
  • ✶elen “star” ✧ PE17/139
    • √EL “lo, behold; star, lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky” ✧ Let/281; PE17/067; VT42/11; WJ/360
  • ✶edelā “the fair” ✧ PE17/139; PE17/151
  • √DEL “*fair” ✧ PE17/151
  • ✶edelō “one who goes, traveller, migrant, marcher” ✧ PE17/152
  • √DEL “walk, go, proceed, travel” ✧ WJ/360; WJ/363

Derivatives

• S. Elleth “Elf-maid” ✧ PE17/141
• S. Ellon “Elf-man” ✧ PE17/141

Element in

• S. Aranel
• S. Aredhel “Noble Elf” ✧ PE17/141
• S. ar in Ellath epholar eno vi Eressai “*and the Elves (?remember) still in Eressëa” ✧ VT50/19
• S. Dúnedhel “West-Elf” ✧ PE17/141
• S. Elladan “Elf-man” ✧ Let/281
• S. Elleth “Elf-maid” ✧ PE17/141; PE17/152; WJ/363
• S. Ellon “Elf-man” ✧ PE17/141; WJ/363
• S. Elrohir “Elf-knight” ✧ Let/281
• S. Elrond “Star-dome” ✧ Let/281
• S. Elros “Star-foam” ✧ Let/281
• S. Elvellyn “Elf-friends, Elf-lovers” ✧ WJ/412
• S. Glinnel “*Singer-elf”
• S. i glinn hen agorer Edain mi Velerian, ach hí in Ellath îr ed epholar “*this song Men made in Beleriand, but now the Elves alone (?remember) it” ✧ VT50/15; VT50/15; VT50/15
• S. Laegel “Green-elves”
• S. Lindel “Nando”
• S. Miniel “Vanyar”
• S. sí il chem en i Naugrim en ir Ellath thor den ammen “*now all (?hands) of the Dwarves and Elves will be (?against) to us” ✧ VT50/23

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶eldā > ell	[eldā] > [elda] > [elða] > [elð] > [ell]	✧ PE17/141
Q. elda > eld > ell	[elda] > [elða] > [elð] > [ell]	✧ PE17/141
✶eldā > Ell-	[eldā] > [elda] > [elða] > [elð] > [ell]	✧ WJ/360

Variations

• ell ✧ Let/281; PE17/141; PE17/141 (ell); PE17/141; PE17/152 (ell)
• elt ✧ PE17/141
• Ell- ✧ WJ/363
• ell- ✧ WJ/364

gwend

maiden

gwend (i **wend, construct gwen) (friendship), pl. gwind (in gwind), coll. pl. gwennath**. Note: a homophone means ”bond, friendship”.

gwend

maiden

(i ’wend, construct gwen) (friendship), pl. gwind (in gwind), coll. pl. gwennath. Note: a homophone means ”bond, friendship”.

wen

maiden

, see MAIDEN. The final element -wen in names means ”girl, maiden, virgin”.

gwanwel

elf of aman

(”departed” Elf), pl. gwenwil (in gwenwil), coll. pl. gwanwellath. (WJ:378) Also gwanwen; see

lefn

elf left behind

pl. lifn.

send

grey-elf

(i hend, o send, construct sen) (probably a term only used by the Noldor, borrowed from Quenya Sinda), pl. sind (i sind), coll. pl. Sendrim (the only attested form).

laegel

green-elf

pl. laegil; coll. pl. laegrim or laegeldrim (WJ:385). These forms from a late source would seem to supersede the ”N” forms listed in LR:368 s.v. LÁYAK: *Lhoebenidh* or *Lhoebelidh*. The Green-elves of Beleriand were also called Lindel (pl. Lindil), also Lindedhel (pl. Lindedhil)  *(WJ:385)*.

ellon

elf-man

(pl. ellyn)

calben

elf of the great journey

(i galben, o chalben), pl. celbin (i chelbin).

elvellon

elf-friend

(pl. elvellyn, coll. pl. elvellonnath (WJ:412);

edhelharn

elf-stone

(pl. edhelhern) (SD:128-31).

elleth

elf-woman

(pl. ellith) (WJ:363-64, 377)

edhel

elf

(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.

avar

non-eldarin elf

pl. Evair, also called

dúnedhel

elf of beleriand

(i Núnedhel), pl. *Dúnedhil*** (i Ndúnedhil*). (WJ:378, 386)*

miniel

first elf

(i Viniel), pl. Mínil (i Mínil), coll. pl. Miniellath. (WJ:383)

peredhel

half-elf

(pl. peredhil) (PM:256, 348).

mornedhel

dark elf

(i Vornedhel), pl. Mornedhil (i Mornedhil). Conceivably the entire word could be umlauted in the pl.: ?Mernedhil. **(WJ:409) Another term for ”Dark Elf” is Dúredhel (i Dhúredhel), pl. Dúredhil (i Núredhil**).

ella

noun/adjective. Elf

Cognates

• Q. Elda “Elf, (lit.) one of the Star-folk” ✧ WJ/362; WJI/Eldar

Derivations

• ✶eledā “star-folk, of the stars” ✧ WJ/360
  • √EL “lo, behold; star, lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky” ✧ Let/281

Element in

• T. Ellálië “Elvenfolk” ✧ WJ/375

ello

noun. Elf

Cognates

• Q. Elda “Elf, (lit.) one of the Star-folk” ✧ WJ/375; WJ/373
• Q. Eldo “one of the Marchers” ✧ WJI/Eldar

Derivations

• ✶edelō “one who goes, traveller, migrant, marcher” ✧ WJ/362; WJ/360
  • √DEL “walk, go, proceed, travel” ✧ WJ/360; WJ/363

Element in

• T. Audel “Elf who left for Aman” ✧ WJ/364

khaw

root. big

Changes

• KHAW → KHAWA ✧ PE17/115

Derivatives

• Q. haura “huge” ✧ PE17/115
• Q. höa “big, large” ✧ PE17/115

Variations

• KHAWA ✧ PE17/115; PE17/157
• KHAW ✧ PE17/115 (KHAW)

gwenn

noun. maiden

gwenn

noun. maiden

Cognates

• ᴹQ. vende “maiden, maid” ✧ Ety/WEN

Derivations

• ᴹ√WEN(ED) “maiden” ✧ Ety/WEN

Element in

• N. Banwen “Vana”
• N. Eledhwen “Elf-maid”
• N. gweneth “virginity” ✧ Ety/WEN
• N. Morwen

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
ᴹ√WENED > gwend > gwenn	[wende] > [gwende] > [gwend] > [gwenn]	✧ Ety/WEN

gwend

noun. maiden

penn

noun. Elf

Cognates

• ᴹQ. Qende “Elf”

Derivations

• ᴹ√KWEN(ED) “Elf”

Element in

• N. Morbenn “Dark Elf” ✧ EtyAC/MOR (Morbenn)

Variations

• penn ✧ PE22/067

penedh

noun. Elf

Cognates

• ᴹQ. Qende “Elf” ✧ Ety/KWEN(ED)
• ᴹQ. Qendelie “Elf-race” ✧ Ety/KWEN(ED)

Derivations

• ᴹ✶kwenedē “Elf” ✧ Ety/KWEN(ED)
  • ᴹ√KWEN(ED) “Elf” ✧ Ety/KWEN(ED)

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
ᴹ✶kwenedē > penedh	[kwenedē] > [penedē] > [penede] > [peneðe] > [peneð]	✧ Ety/KWEN(ED)
ᴹ✶kwenedē > penidh	[kwenedī] > [penedī] > [penedi] > [peneði] > [peniði] > [penið]	✧ Ety/KWEN(ED)

Variations

• peneð ✧ EtyAC/SET (peneð)