Quenya 

Menel

heavens

Menel noun "heavens" (Markirya, SA), "the heavens, the firmament" (SD:401), "the apparent dome in the sky" (MR:387). Menel Cemenyë ("k") "Heaven and Earth" (VT47:30). Found in names like Meneldil "Heaven-friend" = astronomer (Appendix A; Letters:386), Meneldur masc. name, "Heaven-servant" (Appendix A, Tar-Menelduras a Númenórean King, UT:210); menelluin "sky-blue", used as noun = "cornflower" (J.R.R. Tolkien: Artist & Illustrator p. 193). Menelmacar "Swordsman of the Sky", the Orion constellation (also called Telumehtar, Appendix E, first footnote); the older name was Menelmacil "Heaven-sword" (WJ:411); Meneltarma "Pillar of Heaven", name of the great central mountain of Númenor (SA:tar, VT42:21).Menelya fifth day of the Eldarin six-day week, dedicated to the heavens (Appendix D) Locative meneldë "in heaven"; abandoned forms menellë, menelzë (VT43:12, 16). Adj. meneldëa "(being) in heaven", evidently based on a locative form meneldë "in heaven"; abandoned forms menelzëa, menellëa, menelessëa (VT43:13, VT44:16; the last of these forms would suggest the locative form #menelessë).

ilwë

sky, heavens

ilwë noun "sky, heavens" (LT1:255), "the middle air among the stars" (LT1:273). VT49:51, 53 also mentions an obscure prononominal element ilwë.

hellë

sky

hellë noun "sky" (3EL; a distinct word hellë "frost" was struck out, see KHEL.)

telumë

dome, roof, canopy

telumë noun "dome, roof, canopy" (TEL/TELU, WJ:411 cf. 399; see also telluma); "firmament" (MC:214), inflected telumen in MC:221 (the latter is "Qenya"). Telumehtar "warrior of the sky", older name of Menelmacar = Orion (Appendix E, TEL/TELU, WJ:411); Telumendil *"Sky-friend", name of a constellation (Silm)

telluma

dome, copula

telluma noun "dome, copula", especially the "Dome of Varda" over Valinor, but also applied to the domes of the mansion of Manwë and Varda upon Taniquetil. Adopted from Valarin _delgūmā under the influence of pure Quenya telumë (WJ:399, 411). Pl. tellumar is attested (Nam, RGEO:66)_.

Sindarin 

Menel

noun. the heavens

_n. _the heavens, the apparent dome of the sky. Probably a Quenya word introduced into Sindarin. It was a 'pictorial' word, as the lore of the Eldar and the Númenoreans know much astronomy.

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:24] _-_. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

Menel

noun. sky, high heaven, firmament, the region of the stars

Sindarin [LotR/II:I, LotR/IV:X, LB/354, RGEO/72, VT/44:21,] Q menel. Group: SINDICT. Published by

telu

dome

telu (i delu, o thelu) (high roof), pl. tely (i thely)

telu

dome

(i delu, o thelu) (high roof), pl. tely (i thely)

Primitive elvish

menel

root. heavens, firmament, heavens, firmament, [ᴹ√] sky

This root was first mentioned in notes on the Adûnaic language from the 1940s with the meaning “heavens, sky” (SD/414), and √MENEL appeared in Common Eldarin: Noun Structure from the early 1950s with the gloss “heavens, firmament” (PE21/84). Both Q. and S. menel appear quite regularly in Tolkien’s writings from the 1940s forward.

In the 1940s conception, √MENEL was ancient enough that it was able to influence the Adûnaic language indirectly via Avari, producing Ad. minal or minil (SD/414). However, in the 1950s Tolkien said “thus it is reported that √MENEL ‘heavens, firmament’ was devised by Quennar of Túna in ancient days while both Noldor and Vanyar dwelt in Tirion, and so is part of the Vanyarin (Quenya) speech and of Noldorin, but not of Telerin” (PE21/84). In notes from The Road Goes Ever On published in 1967 Tolkien said of menel: “The word was a Q. invention from men (direction, region) + el (the basis of many star words)” (RGEO/64). Thus it seems his later idea was that it is was originally a Quenya-only word, later borrowed into Sindarin.

Note, though, that Ad. minal remained in later writings as well, as an element in the city name Arminalêth (PM/145). These two competing conceptions can be reconciled if Ad. minil is likewise a loan word from Quenya in the First Age, adapted in a period where ancient Adûnaic did not have short e, and then later altered to minal. This was, in fact, an alternate scenario that Tolkien considered in the 1940s, though in that period he considered it more likely that √Ad. MINIL was more ancient than that (SD/414).

Derivatives

  • ✶menel “heaven, sky”
    • Q. menel “the heavens, firmament, sky”
    • S. menel “the heavens, firmament, region of the stars”

Elements

WordGloss
MEN“go, move, proceed (in any direction); make for, go towards; have as object, (in)tend; direction, object, point moved toward; region”
EL“lo, behold; star, lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky”
Primitive elvish [PE21/84] Group: Eldamo. Published by

rondō

noun. vaulted roof or chamber; cave; †heavens

Derivations

  • √RON “arch over, roof in” ✧ WJ/414

Derivatives

  • Q. rondo “vaulted or arched roof, vaulted hall, vaulted or arched roof, vaulted hall; [ᴹQ.] cavern, cave” ✧ WJ/414
  • S. rond “(vaulted or arched) roof; vaulted chamber or cavern; heavens [as a roof of the world]” ✧ WJ/414

Element in

  • S. Aglarond “Glittering Cavern” ✧ Let/282
  • S. Elrond “Star-dome” ✧ Let/282
  • S. Nargothrond “*Underground Fortress of Narog” ✧ Let/282
Primitive elvish [Let/282; WJ/414] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Noldorin 

ell

noun. sky

An element meaning “sky” in several names from The Etymologies of the 1930s: N. Elfaron “Sky-hunter” (Ety/SPAR) and N. Elthoron “Eagle of the Sky” (Ety/THOR). It was derived from the root ᴹ√ƷEL “sky” which had an Old Noldorin form: ON. elle (Ety/ƷEL). However, Tolkien said “In Noldorin and Telerin this is confused with EL star”, implying that the word was not used in modern language; an earlier but rejected version of this entry had archaic N. †ell, el “sky” (EtyAC/ƷEL).

Neo-Sindarin: Despite the above statements, ell is probably the best attested option for “sky” in Neo-Sindarin, and I would use it as such, since it is in fact distinct from S. êl “star”, a word that is itself archaic/poetic versus more common S. gil.

Derivations

  • On. elle “sky” ✧ Ety/ƷEL
    • ᴹ√ƷEL “sky” ✧ Ety/ƷEL

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
On. elle > ell > el[elle] > [ell] > [el]✧ Ety/ƷEL

Variations

  • el ✧ Ety/SPAR (el); Ety/THOR (el); EtyAC/ƷEL (el)
Noldorin [Ety/SPAR; Ety/THOR; EtyAC/ƷEL] Group: Eldamo. Published by

telu

noun. dome, high roof

Noldorin [Ety/391] Group: SINDICT. 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!

Valarin 

delgūmā

noun. dome

Derivatives

  • Q. telluma “dome, cupola, vault” ✧ WJ/399
Valarin [WJ/399; WJ/411] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Qenya 

helle

noun. sky

A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “sky” derived from the root ᴹ√ƷEL of the same meaning (Ety/ƷEL).

Cognates

  • On. elle “sky” ✧ Ety/ƷEL
  • Ilk. gell “sky” ✧ Ety/ƷEL

Derivations

  • ᴹ√ƷEL “sky” ✧ Ety/ƷEL

Element in

  • ᴹQ. helyanwe “rainbow, (lit.) sky-bridge, rainbow, (lit.) sky-bridge, *sky-joining” ✧ Ety/ƷEL

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√ƷEL > helle[ɣelle] > [helle]✧ Ety/ƷEL

Variations

  • helle ✧ Ety/ƷEL

Doriathrin

gell

noun. sky

A Doriathrin noun for “sky” derived from the root ᴹ√ƷEL (Ety/ƷEL), probably from a primitive form ✱✶ʒellē [ɣellē] based on its cognates. It is a clear example of how [[ilk|initial [ɣ] became [g]]] in Ilkorin.

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. helle “sky” ✧ Ety/ƷEL

Derivations

  • ᴹ√ƷEL “sky” ✧ Ety/ƷEL

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√ƷEL > gell[ɣellē] > [ɣelle] > [gelle] > [gell]✧ Ety/ƷEL
Doriathrin [Ety/ƷEL] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Old Noldorin 

elle

noun. sky

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. helle “sky” ✧ Ety/ƷEL

Derivations

  • ᴹ√ƷEL “sky” ✧ Ety/ƷEL

Derivatives

  • N. ell “sky” ✧ Ety/ƷEL

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√ƷEL > elle[ɣelle] > [elle]✧ Ety/ƷEL
Old Noldorin [Ety/ƷEL] Group: Eldamo. Published by

el

noun. sky

Derivations

  • ᴹ√ƷEL “sky” ✧ Ety/ƷEL

Element in

  • On. elyanme “rainbow, (lit.) sky-bridge” ✧ Ety/ƷEL

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√ƷEL > el[ɣel] > [el]✧ Ety/ƷEL
Old Noldorin [Ety/ƷEL] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Middle Primitive Elvish

ʒel

root. sky

A root in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “sky”, with derivatives like ᴹQ. helle/N. ell “sky” and ᴹQ. helwa/N. elw “(pale) blue” (Ety/ƷEL). It was the basis for the initial elements of the names N. Elrond, N. Elwing and ᴹQ. Elwe, but elsewhere Tolkien connected these names to √EL “star”. It was also an element in the word N. eilian(w) “rainbow, (lit.) sky-bridge”, later given as S. ninniach. On the basis of these changes, I think it is likely Tolkien abandoned ᴹ√ƷEL, but some of its derived words are still popular in Neo-Eldarin.

Derivatives

  • Ilk. gell “sky” ✧ Ety/ƷEL
  • Ilk. gelu “(pale) blue” ✧ Ety/ƷEL
  • ᴹ✶Helwe “Elwe” ✧ Ety/ƷEL
    • N. Elwe “Elwe” ✧ EtyAC/ƷEL
  • ᴺQ. helin “pansy”
  • ᴹQ. helle “sky” ✧ Ety/ƷEL
  • ᴹQ. helwa “(pale) blue” ✧ Ety/ƷEL
  • ᴹT. Elu
  • On. el “sky” ✧ Ety/ƷEL
  • On. elle “sky” ✧ Ety/ƷEL
    • N. ell “sky” ✧ Ety/ƷEL
  • On. elwa “(pale) blue” ✧ Ety/ƷEL
    • N. elw “(pale) blue” ✧ Ety/ƷEL

Element in

  • ᴹQ. Elwe ✧ Ety/ƷEL
  • N. Elrond “Starry-dome, Sky” ✧ Ety/ƷEL
  • N. Elwing “Star-spray” ✧ Ety/ƷEL
  • N. eilian(w) “rainbow, (lit.) sky-bridge” ✧ Ety/YAT
  • ᴹT. Elulindo “?Elwe Singer” ✧ Ety/ƷEL
Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/ƷEL; Ety/YAT] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Gnomish

ilwi(n)

noun. sky, heavens

ilwint

noun. sky, heavens; (lit.) face of god

A noun in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s described as follows:

> ilwint (face of God ?) = Q ilwe. The blue airs (above Gwilfa) that flow about the stars. The etymology “face of god” is popular and responsible for form, which is properly (and so occurs) ilwi or ilwin (GL/50).

Thus this word is the equivalent of ᴱQ. ilwe “sky, heavens” from the root ᴱ√ILU (QL/42), but a folk etymology assumed the final element was G. gwint “face”, and this supplemented the more ordinary historical form ilwi(n).

Cognates

  • Eq. ilwe “sky, heavens” ✧ GL/50; LT1A/Ilwë

Elements

WordGloss
ILU“ether, the slender airs among the stars”
gwint“face”

Variations

  • ilwi ✧ GL/50
  • ilwin ✧ GL/50
Gnomish [GL/50; LT1A/Ilwë] Group: Eldamo. Published by

luithon

noun. sky

A word for “sky” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, an elaboration of G. lui “blueness” (GL/55).

dai

noun. sky

Cognates

  • Eq. taime “sky” ✧ LT1A/Telimektar

Derivations

  • ᴱ√DAHA “*high” ✧ LT1A/Telimektar

Element in

  • G. daimoth “heaven” ✧ GL/29; LT1A/Telimektar
  • G. Dor-na-Dhaideloth “[Land of] Heaven Roof” ✧ LT1A/Telimektar
  • G. Ladwen-na-Dhaideloth “Heath of the Sky-roof” ✧ LT1A/Telimektar
  • G. Daimord “Shepherd of the Sky” ✧ GL/29; LT1A/Telimektar; PE13/112

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√TAHA > dai[daxa] > [dax] > [dai]✧ LT1A/Telimektar

Variations

  • dai ✧ LT1A/Telimektar; PE13/112
Gnomish [GL/29; LT1A/Telimektar; PE13/112] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ilon

noun. sky

A word for “sky” in an early name list from the 1910s and appearing in a couple early names: G. Thlim Quing Ilon “✱Folk of the Heavenly Arc” and G. Cris o Teld Quing Ilon “Gully of the Rainbow Roof” (PE13/101, 104), the latter revised to G. Cris Ilbranteloth (LT2/202). In the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon, however, G. Ilon was the name of Ilúvatar (GL/50).

Derivations

  • ᴱ√ILU “ether, the slender airs among the stars”

Element in

Variations

  • Ilon ✧ LT2A/Teld Quing Ilon; PE13/104; PE13/104; PE15/27 (Ilon)
Gnomish [LT2A/Teld Quing Ilon; PE13/104; PE15/27] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Noldorin

telum

noun. sky, sky; [G.] roof

Early Noldorin [PE13/153] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Quenya

ilwe

noun. sky, heavens

A noun in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s described as “sky, heavens, the blue air that is about the stars, the middle layers”, derived from the root ᴱ√ILU “ether, the slender airs among the stars” (QL/42). Hence it was above the lower airs (where people breathed) and below the upper airs (outer space); this arrangement of lower, middle, upper airs is one that Tolkien eventually abandoned in his later writings.

Cognates

  • G. ilwint “sky, heavens; (lit.) face of god” ✧ GL/50; LT1A/Ilwë

Derivations

  • ᴱ√ILU “ether, the slender airs among the stars” ✧ QL/042

Element in

  • Eq. ilweran(ta) “bridge of heaven, rainbow” ✧ LT1A/Ilwë; QL/042

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√ILU > ilwe[iluē] > [ilue] > [ilwe]✧ QL/042

Variations

  • Ilwë ✧ LBI/Ilwë; LT1/085; LT1I/Ilwë; LT2I/Ilwë; SMI/Ilwë
  • ilwë ✧ LT1/127; LT1A/Ilwë; LT1A/Vilna
Early Quenya [GL/50; LBI/Ilwë; LT1/085; LT1/127; LT1A/Ilwë; LT1A/Vilna; LT1I/Ilwë; LT2I/Ilwë; PME/042; QL/042; SMI/Ilwë] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tea

noun. sky

taime

noun. sky

A word for “the sky” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, with variants Taime and Taimie from the early root ᴱ√TAHA [DAHA] (QL/87). ᴱQ. tea “sky” from Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s is probably related, as suggested by Patrick Wynne and Christopher Gilson (PE16/142).

Cognates

  • G. dai “sky” ✧ LT1A/Telimektar
  • G. daimoth “heaven” ✧ LT1A/Telimektar

Derivations

  • ᴱ√DAHA “*high” ✧ LT1A/Telimektar; QL/087

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√TAHA > Taime[taximē] > [taxime] > [taɣime] > [taime]✧ QL/087

Variations

  • Taimë ✧ LT1A/Telimektar
  • Taimië ✧ LT1A/Telimektar
  • tea ✧ PE16/142
  • Taime ✧ QL/088
  • Taimie ✧ QL/088
Early Quenya [LT1A/Telimektar; PE16/142; QL/088] Group: Eldamo. Published by

taimie

noun. sky