indemma

noun. mind-picture (of apparition in dream)

A word for a “mind-picture”, a combination of indo “mind” and emma “picture” (PE17/174, 176, 179). Tolkien described them thus:

> They [the Elves] held that a superior mind by nature, or one exerting itself to its full in some extremity of need, could communicate a desired vision direct to another mind. The receiving mind would translate this impulse into the terms familiar to it from its use of the physical organs of sight (and hearing) and project it, seeing it as something external ... indemmar were by Men mostly received in sleep (dream). If received when bodily awake they were usually vague and phantom-like (and often caused fear); but if they were clear and vivid, as the indemmar induced by Elves might be, they were apt to mislead Men into taking them as real things beheld by normal sight (PE17/179).

Thus this word was used for telepathically induced visions, used among the Elves for communication, but Men could sometimes be fooled (intentionally or not) into believing these visions were real if they were awake when they received them, otherwise the visions were perceived as dreams. These “sorcerous” visions were likely one of the reasons for the mistrust between Elves and Men towards the end of the Third Age.

indo

noun. mind in its purposing faculty, will

telpina

adjective. like silver (in hue or worth), like silver (in hue or worth), [ᴹQ.] of silver

An adjective implied by the name Q. Telpinquar “Silver-fist”, the Quenya equivalent of S. Celebrimbor in notes from the mid-1960s (PE17/42). In other writings Tolkien gave this name as (archaic) Tyelpinquar (PM/318; VT47/8). It is conceivable that this adjective is t(y)elpin, but both The Etymologies of the 1930s and the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, Tolkien had ᴹQ. telpina (Ety/KYELEP) and ᴱQ. telpina “of silver” (QL/91), so I think the late form of this adjective is more likely telpina as a combination of telpë “silver” with the adjective suffix -ina “silver”.

Conceptual Development: In the Qenya Lexicon, ᴱQ. telpina was glossed “of silver” and had variants ᴱQ. telpea, telpia and {telpeksa}, the last of which was deleted (QL/91). In The Etymologies of the 1930s ᴹQ. telpina was equated to ᴹQ. telepsa “of silver”, but telepsa was deleted and no gloss was provided after these revisions (Ety/KYELEP). In the mid-1960s note mentioned above, Tolkien said of S. celebrin that it was “not implying ‘made of silver’ but ‘like silver’ in hue, or worth” (PE17/42), but it is not clear whether the same applies to Q. telpin[a].

Finally, there was a longer Quenya name Telperinquar for S. Celebrimbor in the mid-1960s note (PE17/42), implying a variant Quenya adjective telperin that was a more direct equivalent of S. celebrin. This alterate adjective form may be a loan for Telerin telperin since Quenya mostly uses -rin as a language suffix and not a general adjective suffix as in Telerin/Sindarin; hat-tip to Parmandil for this suggestion.

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would assume telpina is a general adjective “silver” than can mean either “made of silver” or “like silver”, while longer telperin more specifically means “like silver in hue or worth”.

-in

-in

-in dative pl. ending, seen in eldain, fírimoin, q.v.

Lindórië

she that arises in beauty

Lindórië fem. name, perhaps *"She that arises in beauty" (compare Melkor "He that arises in Might") (Silm). Cf. linda.

minga-ránar

in waning-moon

minga-ránar compound noun in pre-classical locative "in waning-moon" (locative -r) (MC:213; this is "Qenya")

perina

divided in middle, halved

perina adj.? *"divided in middle, halved" (PER) The word is not glossed, but seems to connect with the verb perya- "halve". If the relationship is the same as between the verb lerya- "to free" and the adj. lerina "free", then perina is most likely an adjective "halved"d.

ringwë

cold pool or lake (in mountains)

ringwë (1) noun "cold pool or lake (in mountains)" (VT46:11). The misreading ringë appears in Etym as printed in LR, entry RINGI.

sinen

in this way; so

sinen adv. "in this way; so" (VT49:18)

vírin

magic glassy substance of great lucency used in fashioning the moon. used of things of great and pure transparency.

vírin noun "a magic glassy substance of great lucency used in fashioning the Moon. Used of things of great and pure transparency." (LT2:339)

finca

adjective. clever (in petty ways), clever (in petty ways), *tricky

sanomë tarnë olórin, aracorno, eomer, imrahil, mi mísë, mi telepta yo morna, mi laiqua yo ninquë, mi luinë, ta gimli mi lossëa

There stood Gandalf, Aragorn, Eomer and Imrahil in grey, in silver and black, in green and white, and in blue, and also Gimli in white

yallumë eldalië enwa marnië endoressë lumincë

in times when the Eldalie dwelt yet a little while in Middle-earth

sinome

adverb. [in this place]

telperin

adjective. like silver (in hue or worth)

ar súlë manwëo etsurinyë ar eldaron indor turyaner

*and the spirit of Manwe went out and the hearts of the Eldar were comforted / or obeyed

mi

preposition. in, in, [ᴹQ.] within

The Quenya preposition for “in”, very well attested. It was derived from the root √MI of the same meaning (PE17/92; VT43/30; VT47/30). In The Etymologies of the 1930s ᴹQ. mi was glossed “in, within” under the root ᴹ√MI “inside” (Ety/MI).

Conceptual Development: In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, the preposition mi appeared (untranslated) in the phrase ᴱQ. Uole·mi·Kūme “Moon King” = “✱Uole in the Moon” (QL/48). The main dictionary had the adverb ᴱQ. imi “in, inside” under the early root ᴱ√IMI (QL/42). In one place in Tolkien’s later writings from the 1950s, the preposition mi “in” had the variant form imi as well (VT43/30).

imi

in

imi prep. "in"; see mi (VT43:30)

imi

preposition. in, in, [ᴱQ.] inside

hecel

proper name. Elf who stayed in Beleriand

A term for the Eldar who remained behind in Beleriand (WJ/365). In Quenya, it became a technical term, rarely used in everyday speech (WJ/374). It was originally derived from hecil “one lost or forsaken”, reformed to Hecel (pl. Heceldi) after the pattern of terms like Oärel (WJ/364).

Conceptual Development: A similar term Ecelli “The Forsaken” appeared in earlier writing (MR/169-170). Ecelli was in all cases replaced by other words: Alamanyar (MR/170) or Sindar (MR/175). Nevertheless, it was probably the precursor to Hecel.

tanen

adverb. in that way, in that way, [ᴹQ.] by that means

A word for “in that way” appearing in a list of demonstratives from 1968 (VT49/11), a combination of ta “that” and the instrumental suffix -nen. In drafts of the Ambidexters Sentence, Tolkien used tánen for “therefore”, but this was rejected (VT49/11). Similarly formed ᴹQ. tainen “by that means” appeared in Demonstrative, Relative, and Correlative Stems (DRC) from 1948 (PE23/111).

-issë

suffix. ending in feminine names

An ending in feminine names, most notably Q. Írissë (PM/345).

Conceptual Development: ᴱQ. -sse was also a feminine suffix in Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s in words like ᴱQ. heresse “sister” from neuter ᴱQ. hes “✱sibling” (QL/40).

nonda

noun. hand especially in (?clutching)

A word for “hand especially in (?clutching)” appearing only in draft notes on Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals from the late 1960s derived from primitive ✶dond(a) with assimilation of the initial *d* to the later nasal *n* (VT47/23 note #25). A more usual word for “closed or grasping hand” is Q. quár(ë).

nótima

adjective. countable, limited in number (weight and measure); (colloquial) moderate in amount, some few, several

A word for “countable”, a combination of Q. not- “count” and -ima “-able” (PE17/62, 68). In Late Notes on Verb Structure (LVS) from 1969, Tolkien said that nótima also had the sense “limited in number (weight or measure)”, and thus colloquially was used to mean “moderate (in amount), some few, several” as in tas cennen nótimë eldali “I saw a few elves there” (PE22/155). See also [ᴹQ.] sempa for another word meaning “few”.

Conceptual Development: Early Qenya of the 1910s had a word ᴱQ. tasinwa “numbered” as an element in the name ᴱQ. Nieriltasinwa “Unnumbered Tears” (LT2/84).

-nen

most nouns have an instrumental in -nen

-nen instrumental ending (pl. -inen, dual -nten, partitive pl. -línen). Attested in ambartanen, lírinen, lintieryanen, súrinen, parmanen; see ambar (#2), lírë, lintië, súrë, parma. Tolkien noted that "most nouns have an instrumental in -nen" (PE17:62), a wording suggesting that the form of the ending may vary; given the normal development ln > ld, it is possible that it would appear as *-den when added to a noun in -l (*macilden "with a sword").

alcarissen

in light-rays

alcarissen _("k")_noun "in light-rays" (a "Qenya" form from MC:221; alcar means "glory" in Tolkien's later Quenya)

ambena

nearer to (to a further point in the motion) towards an object

ambena adv. "nearer to (to a further point in the motion) towards an object" (PE17:91). Also amna.

amna

nearer to (to a further point in the motion) towards an object

amna adv. "nearer to (to a further point in the motion) towards an object" (PE17:91). Also ambena.

arwa

in control of, possessing

arwa (1) adj. "in control of, possessing" (followed by genitive, e.g. *arwa collo, "having a cloak [colla]"). Also suffix -arwa"having", as in aldarwa "having trees, tree-grown" (3AR). In a deleted entry in the Etymologies, -arwa was glossed "having, possessing, holding, controlling" (VT45:14)

caila

lying in bed, bedridden, sickness

caila ("k")adj.(and noun???) "lying in bed, bedridden, sickness" (KAY, VT45:19). It may be that the gloss "sickness" applies only to the "Noldorin"/Sindarin form cael listed before Quenya caila, since cael could be both an adjective and a noun (the ancient adjective kailā "bedridden" merging with the noun kailē "sickness"). In Quenya the form caila < *_kailā _would probably be an adjective only.

caimassë

lying in bed, sickness

caimassë ("k")noun "lying in bed, sickness" (KAY)

enyárë

in that day

enyárë adv. "in that day" (pointing to the future) (FS)

etsat-

verb. distribute in even portions

etsat- vb. "distribute in even portions" (apparently et- "out" + the base sat "divide, apportion"). Not cited with a final hyphen in the source (VT48:11), but some ending would obviously be required in Quenya; the verb should probably be treated as a consonant stem (primary verb). Alternative form estat-, but as pointed out in VT48:12, the transposition ts > st is not regular in Quenya.

fanwos

mind-picture of apparition in dream

fanwos noun "mind-picture of apparition in dream", possibly ephemeral variant of indemma (q.v.) (PE17:174). Normally Quenya phonology seems to prohibit a combination like wo.

haloisi

the sea (in storm)

haloisi noun "the sea (in storm)", cf. haloitë (LT1:254)

hlapu-

blow; fly or stream in the wind

hlapu- verb "blow; fly or stream in the wind", participle hlápula "blowing" in Markirya

imbë

in(wards)

imbë (3) adv. "in(wards)" (obsoleted by #1 and #2 above?). Changed by Tolkien from imba (VT45:18)

loctë

blossom (of flowers in bunches or clusters)

loctë ("k")noun "blossom (of flowers in bunches or clusters)" (LT1:258; this would have to become *lohtë in LotR-style Quenya)

loiparë

mistake in writing

loiparë noun "a mistake in writing" (PE17:151). Cf. parma.

loiquetë

mistake in speech

loiquetë noun "a mistake in speech" (PE17:151)

mi

in, within

mi prep. "in, within" (MI, VT27:20, VT44:18, 34, VT43:30; the latter source also mentions the variant imi); mí "in the" (Nam, RGEO:66; CO gives mi; the correct forms should evidently be mi = "in" and mí = mi i "in the"; VT49:35 also has mí with a long vowel, though the gloss is simply "in"). Used in PE17:71 (cf. 70) of people clad "in" various colours, e.g. mi mísë "in grey". Allative minna "to the inside, into" (MI), also mina (VT43:30). The forms mimmë and mingwë seem to incorporate pronominal suffixes for "us", hence ?"in us", inclusive and exclusive respectively. The pronoun -mmë denoted plural inclusive "we" when this was written, though Tolkien would later make it dual instead (see -mmë). Second person forms are also given: mil or milyë *"in you" (sg.), millë "in you" (pl.) (VT43:36). A special use of mi appears in the phrase Wendë mi Wenderon "Virgin of Virgins" (VT44:18); here mi appears superfluous to achieve the desired meaning, but this combination of singular noun + mi + plural genitive noun may be seen as a fixed idiom expressing that the initial noun represents the most prominent member of a class.

númessier

they are in the west

númessier vb. "they are in the west", a construction occurring in Fíriel's Song, evidently núme(n)-ssë-ie-r "west-in-are-they"; the stative-verb suffix -ië is probably not valid in LotR-style Quenya (FS)

númëa

in the west

númëa adj. "in the West" (actually an adjective *"western", in Tolkien's later Quenya also númenya)(LT1:263)

olvar

growing things with roots in the earth, *plants

olvar (sg. #olva) noun "growing things with roots in the earth, *plants" (Silm). Apparently more or less the same word as olwa, olba, which is however glossed "branch". Cf. laima.

ondomaitar

noun. sculptor in stone

A noun for a “sculptor in stone” in Quenya Notes (QN) from 1957, a combination of ondo “stone” and maitar “artist” (PE17/163).

pel-

verb. to go round, encircle, to go round, encircle; [ᴱQ.] to surround, fence in, pen in; [ᴹQ.] to revolve, return

A verb for “go round, encircle” (SA/pel) with a long history in Tolkien’s writings. In The Etymologies of the 1930s it appeared under the root ᴹ√PEL “revolve on fixed point” and was glossed “go round” but also “revolve, return” (Ety/PEL). In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s ᴱQ. pele- was glossed “surround, fence in, pen in” under the early root ᴱ√PELE “fence in” (QL/73).

Neo-Quenya: In Tolkien’s later writings the root √PEL meant “edge, bound, fence, limit” (PE17/65) rather than “revolve” (which became √KWER), so for purposes of Neo-Quenya I would use pel- mainly in the sense “go round, encircle” as suggested by Christopher Tolkien in the Silmarillion Appendices (SA/pel). I would also use the Early Qenya senses “surround, fence in, pen in”, but not the 1930s meanings “revolve, return” for which I would use quer- (“revolve”) or entul- (“return”) instead.

perya-

verb. divide in middle, halve

perya- vb. "divide in middle, halve" (PER)

raita-

verb. catch in a net

raita- 2) vb. "catch in a net" (VT42:12)

silda-ránar

in gleaming-moon

silda-ránar noun in locative "in gleaming-moon" (locative -r) (MC:213; this is "Qenya"; cf. sildë)

tanen

in that way

tanen, tánen adv. "in that way", "therefore" (VT49:11). Basically the instrumental form of ta (#1) "that".

tanomë

in the place (referred to)

tanomë adv. "in the place (referred to)" (VT49:11). Cé tulis, tanomë nauvan *"if (s)he comes, I will be there" (VT49:19). Compare sanomë, sinomë.

tárë

in that day

tárë adv.? "in that day", not translated in its first occurrence in Fíriel's Song

un-

in evil sense

un- intensive prefix used before qu; the assimilated variant um- is said to occur before p, and "b" (the latter evidently = v developed from prehistoric b, but following um- its original quality would be preserved so that we would see umb-). This prefix is reportedly only used "in evil sense"; otherwise the intensive prefix is an- (and assimilated variants thereof). (VT45:5)

vehtë

life - not life in general or as a principle, but (a period of) individual activity

vehtë noun "life - not Life in general or as a principle, but (a period of) individual activity", thus also "the place where a person, people &c. lived and had their business, i.e. habitat, haunt" (PE17:189)

verta-

verb. to give in marriage

verta- vb. "to give in marriage" (give a person in marriage to another); also "to take as husband or wife (to oneself)" (VT49:45)

voronda

steadfast in allegiance, in keeping oath or promise, faithful

voronda adj. "steadfast in allegiance, in keeping oath or promise, faithful", used as a title of Elendil Voronda "Elendil the Faithful"; genitive Vorondo in CO. Only glossed "faithful" in LT1:250.

vórima

steadfast in allegiance, in keeping oath or promise, faithful

vórima (more or less identical to vorima above?) adj. "steadfast in allegiance, in keeping oath or promise, faithful"; genitive vórimo in a variant of CO; see UT:317. In VT45:7, vórima is glossed "continuous, enduring, repeated".

yassë

in which

#yassë (1) relative pronoun in locative "in which", pl. yassen referring back to a plural noun (relative pronoun ya + locative ending) (Nam, RGEO:66)

ímen

in them

ímen a word occurring in Fíriel's Song, translated "in them" (ar ilqua ímen "and all [that is] in them"). Probably not valid in LotR-style Quenya.

ó-

used in words describing the meeting, junction, or union of two things or persons, or of two groups thought of as units

ó- (usually reduced to o- when unstressed) a prefix "used in words describing the meeting, junction, or union of two things or persons, or of two groups thought of as units". In omentië, onóna, ónoni, q.v. _(WJ:367, PE17:191; in the Etymologies, stem WŌ, the prefix _o-, ó- is simply defined as "together".) In VT43:29 is found a table showing how pronominal endings can be added to the preposition ó-; the resulting forms are onyë or óni "with me", ómë "with us" [also in VT43:36, where "us" is said to be exclusive], ólyë or ólë "with you" (olyë only sg. "you", whereas ólë can be either sg. or pl.), ósë "with him/her", ótë *"with them" (of animates where "them" refers to non-persons, óta [or shortened ót] is used, though the conceptual validity of ta as a pl. pronoun is questionable), ósa (or shortened ós) "with it". (Two additional forms, ótar and ótari, presumably mean "with them" of inanimate things; see VT49:56 for a possible second attestation of tar as the word for plural inanimate "they".) However, Tolkien's later decision to the effect that ó- refers to two parties only may throw doubt upon the conceptual validity of some of these forms, where at least three persons would be implied (like ótë "with them", where one person is "with" two or more others though Tolkien indicates that two groups may also be involved where the preposition ó- is used). The explicit statement in WJ:367 that the prepostion o (variant of ó) did not exist independently in Quenya is however difficult to get around, so instead using the preposition ó/o (with or without endings) for "with", writers may rather use as, the form appearing in the last version of Tolkien's Quenya Hail Mary (also attested with a pronominal suffix: aselyë "with you").

óressë

in morning

óressë noun "in morning" (MC:214), evidently the locative of órë # 2 above.

itas

adverb. in that case

loiparë

noun. mistake in writing

loiquetë

noun. mistake in speech

mína-

verb. to desire to go in some direction, wish to go to a place, make for it; to have some end in view

al(a)-

prefix. in-, un-, not; †-less, without

la-

prefix. not, in-, un-, not, in-, un-; [ᴹQ.] none, not any

se

preposition. at, in

voronda

adjective. faithful, steadfast (in allegiance, in keeping oath or promise)

ú-

prefix. no, not, un-, in-; hard, difficult, bad, uneasy; hardly, with difficulty, ‘badly’

en

particle. in that (future) case; then, soon

engë

adverb. ago, in the past, ago, in the past, [ᴹQ.] once (in past), †it was

itas

adverb. in that case

mitta-

verb. come in

ré

noun. day in calendar

telu-

verb. roof in

minomë

adverb. instead, in place of, in exchange of

A neologism coined by Tamas Ferencz, a combination of mi and nómë “place”. He also suggested ᴺQ. menessë as the locative of [ᴹQ.] men “place”, but in Tolkien’s later writings men usually means “way”.

hancardanen

adverb. in return, (lit.) by acting in response

A neologism for “in return” coined by Luinyelle posted on 2025-10-03 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), a combination of han- “back in return”, carda “deed, action”, and the instrumental suffix -nen, so more literally “by action in response”.

semellë

adverb. in few ways, in few respects

ripta-

verb. to cut in strips, tear up; to stripe, mark in parallel lines; to flay, flog