Sindarin 

heruin

noun. lady

n. lady. >> heryn, Rocheruin

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:97] < _kherū _Lord, Master. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

heryn

noun. lady

n. lady. >> heruin, Rocheryn

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:97] < _kherū _Lord, Master. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

rodel

lady

1a _n._lady, high lady. >> Nimrodel

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:49] -. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

heruin

noun. lady

heryn

noun. lady

Sindarin [PE17/097] Group: Eldamo. Published by

híril

noun. lady, lady; [G.] princess, †queen

heryn

noun. lady

Sindarin [Roheryn S/436] hîr+dî. Group: SINDICT. Published by

Galadriel

noun. 'lady with the gleaming crown'

1b prop. n. 'lady with the gleaming crown', sc. golden head of hair. This form was a suggestion made by Tolkien in the course of his thought, see PE17:59-60. Q. Naldariel(le).

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:59] < *_ñaldā _or _ñaladā_ gleaming sheen + ? < ÑGAL gleam, sheen + RIG wreath, garland, crown. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

Hírilorn

noun. lady-tree

híril (“lady”) + orn (“tree”)

Sindarin [Tolkiendil] Group: Tolkiendil Compound Sindarin Names. Published by

nimrodel

feminine name. Lady of the White Cave

An Elf-maiden, the beloved of Amroth, as well as the name of the stream by which she dwelled (LotR/339). According to Tolkien, this name was of Silvan (Nandorin) origin adapted to Sindarin (LotR/1127). It is translated “Lady of the White Cave” (RC/302) and is a combination of nim “white”, the suffixal form -rod of grod “cave” and the feminine suffix -iel (SA/groth, PE17/49).

Conceptual Development: In Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, this river was first named N. Linglor and the maiden N. Linglorel (TI/222-3), both revised to N. Nimladel >> Nimlorel >> Nimlothel (TI/223, 238-9 note #17, the last of these used only for the maiden). Later still both were changed to their final form Nimrodel (TI/223, 239). In later notes from the 1950s, Tolkien considered interpreting the final element as either “lofty star” or “high lady” (S. rodel) from raud “lofty, noble” (PE17/49).

Sindarin [LotR/1127; LotRI/Nimrodel; PE17/049; PM/036; PMI/Nimrodel; RC/302; SA/groth; UT/257; UTI/Nimrodel] Group: Eldamo. Published by

rodel

noun. lady, high lady

Sindarin [PE17/049] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Galadriel

noun. lady, crowned with a radiant garland

galad (“light, radiance”) + rî (“crown”) + iell (“daughter” [Etym. SEL-D] traditional ending for women’s names) Sindarin equivalent of Tel. Alatâriel(lë))

Sindarin [Tolkiendil] Group: Tolkiendil Compound Sindarin Names. Published by

roch heryn

Lady(’s) horse

Sindarin [PE17/097] Group: Eldamo. Published by

rían

noun. queen, queen, *(lit.) crowned-lady

rîn

noun/adjective. crowned lady, queen

Sindarin [Ety/393, Ety/389, X/RH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

haudh-en-arwen

place name. Ladybarrow

Grave of Lady Haleth translated “Ladybarrow” (S/147), a combination of haudh “mound”, en “of the” and Arwen “Noble Maiden”, the last used as a title rather than a name.

Sindarin [S/147; SA/haudh; SI/Haudh-en-Arwen; WJI/Haudh-en-Arwen] Group: Eldamo. Published by

bassoneth

lady

(bread-giver) (i massoneth, o mbassoneth), pl. bassonith (i mbassonith). Archaic ✱bassauneth.

brennil

lady

(i vrennil), pl. same as sg. except with article: i mrennil. Coll. pl. brenillath.

lady

(i nî, o ndi) (bride), no distinct pl. form except with article (i ndî).

heryn

lady

1) heryn (i cheryn, o cheryn), no distinct pl. form, not even with article (i cheryn), 2) hiril (i chiril, o chiril), no distinct pl. form even with article (i chiril), coll. pl. hirillath. 3) brennil (i vrennil), pl. same as sg. except with article: i mrennil. Coll. pl. brenillath. 4) bassoneth (bread-giver) (i massoneth, o mbassoneth), pl. bassonith (i mbassonith). Archaic *bassauneth. 5) (i nî, o ndi) (bride), no distinct pl. form except with article (i ndî).

heryn

lady

(i cheryn, o cheryn), no distinct pl. form, not even with article (i cheryn)

hiril

lady

(i chiril, o chiril), no distinct pl. form even with article (i chiril), coll. pl. hirillath.

noun. woman, lady, bride

ríen

crowned lady

(queen), pl. ?rîn (idh rîn)

galadriel

feminine name. Glittering-garland

A Noldorin lady and only daughter of Finarfin, Galadriel was the ruler of Lórien at the end of the Third Age (LotR/353). Her name is a compound of galad “radiance, glittering reflection” and -riel “crowned maiden”. Its full meaning is “maiden crowned with a garland of bright radiance” (PM/347), but for the sake of brevity this entry uses the less literal translation “Glittering-garland” (Let/423).

Etymology: The history of Galadriel’s name is quite complex. Her birth names were Q. Nerwen and Q. Artanis, but her mother Eärwen was Telerin. Later in life Galadriel adopted the Telerin name T. Alatáriel, which in Quenya was Q. Altáriel (PM/346). This new name may have been due to the Telerin influence of her mother, or it may have been given to Galadriel by her husband, who may or may not have been a Telerin elf (see Celeborn for discussion). She was given this name because of her long golden hair (Let/428). Like her older brothers, Galadriel journeyed to Beleriand to aid in the war against Morgoth, where her name Altáriel was adapted into Sindarin as Galadriel (PM/347, PE17/60).

Many years later, when Galadriel became ruler of Lórien, her Silvan-elf subjects associated her name with Nan. galad “tree”. Sometimes her Sindarin name was altered to Galadhriel (S. galadh “tree”) to reflect this association (UT/267), but properly speaking her name had nothing to do with trees.

Conceptual Development: See the entry for the primitive form of her name, ✶Ñ(g)alatā-rigelle, for a discussion of the conceptual developments in this name’s etymology, and N. Galadhrien for a discussion of earlier forms of this name.

Sindarin [Let/423; Let/425; Let/428; LotRI/Galadriel; LRI/Galadriel; LT1I/Galadriel; MR/182; MR/470; MRI/Galadriel; NM/186; NM/346; NM/349; NM/350; NM/352; PE17/050; PE17/059; PE17/060; PE17/084; PE17/169; PM/346; PM/347; PMI/Galadriel; SA/kal; SI/Galadriel; SMI/Galadriel; UT/267; UTI/Galadriel; WJ/035; WJI/Galadriel] Group: Eldamo. Published by

bride

1) (i nî, o ndi) (lady), no distinct pl. form except with article (i ndî), 2) díneth (i níneth, o ndineth), pl. dínith (i ndínith)

bride

(i nî, o ndi) (lady), no distinct pl. form except with article (i ndî)

ríen

queen

(crowned lady), pl. ?rîn (idh rîn). The adjective rîn ”crowned” may also be used as a noun ”crowned woman” =  ”queen”, but with no distinct pl. form except when article precedes (idh rîn again); coll. pl. ríniath. Note: a homophone means ”remembrance”.

rîs

queen

1) rîs, no distinct pl. except with article preceding (idh rîs); coll. pl. ?rissath; 2) rían (”crown-gift”), pl. ríain (idh ríain); 3) bereth (i vereth) (spouse), pl. berith (i mberith), 4) ríen (crowned lady), pl. ?rîn (idh rîn). The adjective rîn ”crowned” may also be used as a noun ”crowned woman” = ”queen”, but with no distinct pl. form except when article precedes (idh rîn again); coll. pl. ríniath. Note: a homophone means ”remembrance”.

Galadriel

Galadriel

Galadriel is a Sindarin name translated by Tolkien as "glittering garland", "Maiden crowned with gleaming hair", and "maiden crowned with a radiant garland". It has been suggested that Galadriel consists of galad ("light, radiance") + ("crown") + iell ("daughter"). Tolkien notes that the element galad had no relation to Sindarin galadh ("tree", or Silvan galad "tree"), but that such a connexion often was made and her name then became Galadhriel.

Sindarin [Tolkien Gateway] Published by

adaneth

noun. (mortal) woman

Sindarin [MR/349] adan+-eth. Group: SINDICT. Published by

arwen

noun. noble woman

Sindarin [Arwen (name) LotR] ar-+gwend. Group: SINDICT. Published by

bas(t)

noun. bread

This was the word for “bread” in Sindarin and its conceptual precursors for much of Tolkien’s life, derived from the equally long-lived root √MBAS “bake”. The word dates all the way back to the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s where G. bast “bread” was derived from the early root ᴱ√M(B)ASA “cook, bake” (GL/22). ᴱN. bast “bread” reappeared in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s (PE13/138) and appeared again as N. bast “bread” in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√MBAS “knead” (Ety/MBAS).

It appeared without a final t in the Sindarin version of the Lord’s Prayer from the 1950s: anno ammen sír i mbas ilaurui vín “give us this day our daily bread” (VT44/21). However the t was restored in the phrase penim vast “we have no bread” from around 1959 (PE17/144). The late vacillations on the presence and absence of t are likely connected to Tolkien challenges with the derivation of lembas; see that entry for discussion. Likewise, the mutated forms mbas vs. vast indicate some late uncertainty on whether the primitive form began with mb- or b-.

Neo-Sindarin: For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I would assume the normal form was bast “bread” from ancient mbasta, so that lenited forms show mb-.

Sindarin [PE17/144; VT44/27] Group: Eldamo. Published by

bass

noun. bread

In the Etymologies, the word for "bread" is given as bast , Quenya masta, but it seems that Tolkien later changed his mind and updated the word to bass, as shown in Quenya massánie, Sindarin besain, besoneth "bread-giver", and in the mutated form (i)mbas (apparently prefixed with the article). These latter Sindarin forms are however dubious, as we would rather have expected bessain (as a regular cognate of Quenya massánie) and bassoneth (without i-affection), and possibly a different mutation pattern after the article

Sindarin [besain, besoneth, imbas PM/404-405, VT/44:21] Group: SINDICT. Published by

bassoneth

noun. bread-giver

See bass for a discussion regarding this word

Sindarin [PM/404-405, X/Z] bass+oneth. Group: SINDICT. Published by

bereth

noun. queen, spouse

Sindarin [Ety/351, RGEO/74] Group: SINDICT. Published by

besain

noun. bread-giver

See bass for a discussion regarding this word

Sindarin [PM/404-405, X/Z] Group: SINDICT. Published by

besoneth

noun. bread-giver

See bass for a discussion regarding this word

Sindarin [PM/404-405, X/Z] bass+oneth. Group: SINDICT. Published by

bess

noun. (young) woman

Sindarin [Ety/352, SD/129-31] Group: SINDICT. Published by

bess

noun. wife

Sindarin [Ety/352, SD/129-31] Group: SINDICT. Published by

bessain

noun. bread-giver

See bass for a discussion regarding this word

Sindarin [PM/404-405, X/Z] Group: SINDICT. Published by

brethil

noun. silver birch

_n. Bot. _silver birch, an emblem of Elbereth. Because of its association with Elbereth, Elves associated this tree with stars, and the word was often interpreted as 'daughter of the Queen', 'princess'. >> fimbrethil, nimbrethil

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:19:23:82] -. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

brethil

noun. silver birch, silver-birch; [N.] beech

A word for a “silver-birch”, an element in the names Nimbrethil and Fimbrethil (SA/brethil). According to Tolkien it was associated with bereth “queen”:

> ... since this tree was an emblem of Elbereth, was associated by Elves with the stars, and the word by them often interpreted as “daughter of the Queen, princess”. Fuller forms nimbrethil “white princess” and fimbrethil “slender princess” were also used (PE17/23).

Tolkien went on to add that “the ordinary non-mythological word for birch was ... S chwind, whinn”, so it seems brethil was only for the specific species of birch associated with Elbereth, and the ordinary word for “birch” was hwinn. In this note, Tolkien also derived brethil from √BARATH, but he may have changed his mind later; see the entry to bereth “queen” for discussion.

Conceptual Development: In The Etymologies of the 1930s, N. brethil was “beech (tree)” and it was derived from the root ᴹ√BERETH of the same meaning (Ety/BERETH, NEL). In later writings, “beech” was S. neldor; see that entry for discussion.

Sindarin [PE17/019; PE17/023; PE17/082; SA/brethil] Group: Eldamo. Published by

lembas

noun. journey bread made by the Elves

Sindarin [PM/404, LotR/II:VIII] lend+bass. Group: SINDICT. Published by

rîn

noun/adjective. crowned

Sindarin [Ety/393, Ety/389, X/RH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

rîs

noun. queen

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

adaneth

mortal woman

(pl. edenith), also firieth (pl. firith).

bass

bread

bass (i mass, o mbass, construct bas), pl. bais (i mbais). The sg. form with article "imbas" in VT44:23 may be seen as archaic Sindarin, for later *i mas(s) as suggested here. In ”Noldorin”, the word for "bread" was bast (LR:372 s.v. MBAS), but otherwise it would have the same mutations.

bass

bread

(i mass, o mbass, construct bas), pl. bais (i mbais). The sg. form with article "imbas" in VT44:23 may be seen as archaic Sindarin, for later ✱i mas(s) as suggested here. – In ”Noldorin”, the word for "bread" was bast (LR:372 s.v. MBAS), but otherwise it would have the same mutations.

bereth

queen

(i vereth) (spouse), pl. berith (i mberith)

bess

woman

bess (i vess, construct bes) (wife), pl. biss (i miss). The word etymologically means ”wife”, but the meaning was generalized.

bess

woman

(i vess, construct bes) (wife), pl. biss (i miss). The word etymologically means ”wife”, but the meaning was generalized.

dess

young woman

(i ness, o ndess, constuct des), pl. diss (i ndiss).

díneth

bride

(i níneth, o ndineth), pl. dínith (i ndínith)

gwanur

kinsman

(i ’wanur) (brother), pl. gwenyr (in gwenyr). Note: a homophone of the sg. means ”pair of twins”.

lembas

way-bread, journey-bread

pl. lembais.

rían

queen

(”crown-gift”), pl. ríain (idh ríain)

rîn

crowned

rîn (no distinct pl. form). Also used as noun CROWNED WOMAN (= queen): rîn, construct rin, no distinct pl. form except with article (idh rîn). Note: a homphone means ”remembrance”.

rîn

adjective. crowned

Sindarin Group: Eldamo - neologism/adaptations. Published by

rîn

crowned

(no distinct pl. form). Also used as noun

rîn

crowned woman

construct rin, no distinct pl. form except with article (idh rîn). Note: a homphone means ”remembrance”.

rîs

noun. queen

Sindarin Group: Eldamo - neologism/adaptations. Published by

rîs

queen

no distinct pl. except with article preceding (idh rîs); coll. pl. ?rissath

uinen

uinen

in Sindarin as well

Quenya 

heri

lady

heri noun "lady" (KHER, LT1:272)

quimellë

lady

quimellë noun "lady" (GL:45)

heri

noun. lady

massánië

noun. Lady, breadgiver

A title for noble Elvish women as the keeper of the recipe for lembas (PM/404), a compound of Q. massa “bread” and an abstract form of anta- “give”. Christopher Tolkien suggested this term was probably inspired by the etymology of the English word “Lady”, derived from Old English “hlæfdige” meaning “kneader of bread” (PM/405 note #1).

nienna

feminine name. Lady of Pity and Mourning

One of the most powerful of the Valier, sister of Mandos and Lórien, whose name is glossed “Lady of Pity and Mourning” (S/28). The exact meaning of her name is unclear, but its initial element is probably be related to [ᴹQ.] nie “tear” (Ety/NEI).

Conceptual Development: In the earliest Lost Tales, her true name is ᴱQ. Fui and the name ᴱQ. Nienna is given as a sobriquet (LT1/66). Starting with Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, her name is given only as ᴹQ. Nienna (SM/79, LR/206). This name also appears in The Etymologies as a derivative of the root ᴹ√NEY (NEI̯) “tear” (Ety/NEI).

Quenya [MRI/Niënna; S/028; SI/Nienna; UTI/Nienna] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tári

noun. queen, queen, [ᴱQ.] mistress, lady

Quenya [LotR/0377; PE17/067; PE17/076; PM/363; PM/364; RGEO/58; RGEO/59; SA/tar; UT/179; VT49/40] Group: Eldamo. Published by

massa

bread

#massa noun "bread" (massamma "our bread", VT43:18); massánië "breadgiver", used as a title of the highest woman among any Elvish people, since she had the keeping and gift of the coimas (lembas). Also simply translated "Lady" (PM:404)

uinen

feminine name. Uinen

A Maia, Lady of the Seas (S/30). The meaning of this name is unclear, and it is probably adapted from her Valarin title like the name of her spouse Ossë (WJ/404).

Conceptual Development: The earliest form of her name was ᴱQ. Ówen, from the “Poetical and Mythological Words of Eldarissa” (PME/70). A similar word ᴱQ. ówen “mermaid” appeared in the Qenya Lexicon as a derivative of the root ᴱ√’O’O “Sea” (QL/70). This name also appeared the earliest Lost Tales, but was quickly replaced ᴱQ. Ónen (LT1/58, 61). At this early stage, G. Uinen was the Gnomish equivalent of her name (GL/74), but Uinen gradually supplanted Ónen in the writing of the Lost Tales (LT1/121, 130 note #6).

In Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, her name in Quenya was also ᴹQ. Uinen, and this name appeared in The Etymologies alongside N. Uinen as a combination of the roots ᴹ√UY “seaweed” and ᴹ√NEN “water” (Ety/UY, NEN). At this stage, the genitive form of her name was given as ᴹQ. Uinenden (Ety/UY) implying a stem form of Uinend-, but Tolkien may have abandoned this form, as evidenced by the later name Q. Uinéniel “Daughter of Uinen” (Uinen + -iel). The idea that her name was derived from Valarin did not emerge until the Quendi and Eldar essay from 1959-60 (WJ/404).

Quenya [LT1/063; LT1/079; MRI/Uinen; SA/nen; SI/Uinen; UTI/Uinen; WJ/404; WJI/Uinen] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tixipi

noun. ladybug, (lit.) insect of [many] dots

A neologism for a “ladybug” coined by Luinyelle on 2023-05-29 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS) as a combination of [ᴹQ.] tixe (tixi-) “dot” and “small insect”, hence literally “insect of [many] dots”.

Quenya Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

massa

noun. bread

A word for “bread” appearing as massa (VT43/12) or massë (PE17/52) in Tolkien’s later writings, most notably as an element in Q. massánië “breadgiver” (PM/404). It was in competition with, and possibly replaced, the word masta “bread”. The distinction between the two was discussed in notes from 1960s (PE17/52):

> Assume a Primitive Eldarin derivation ✱mbassē “(baked) bread”. The other derivatives were ✱mbasta with short final, an infinitive or verbal noun formation denoting a single action of the stem .. and ✱mbazdā denoting the passive result of the action, and when used substantivally a single product of this: mbazda would thus mean baked or a baked thing ... In Quenya we have masse “bread” as a material, and masta “a cake or loaf” (zd > st).

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya I prefer to use massa as the typical word for “bread” rather than massë, to avoid conflict with other words like [ᴹQ.] masse “where”. I would also use masta as a more general word for baked goods, including bread but also other baked things like cakes and loafs.

Quenya [PE17/052; VT43/18] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Uinen

Uinen

Two explanations exist for the name Uinen. In The Etymologies, the first element came from a root UY-. Several other words under this lemma mean "seaweed", though the name Uinen itself is not explained. A later note pertaining to the name instead suggests it is a name of non-Elvish (Valarin) origin of unknown meaning. Christopher Tolkien has noted that Uinen contains the element nen ("water"). It is unknown if he had access to unpublished manuscripts by his father to corroborate this suggestion or if he speculated on the matter.

Quenya [Tolkien Gateway] Published by

Acairis

bride

Acairis ("k") fem. name, "bride" (LT1:252; in Tolkien's later Quenya, "bride" is rather indis)

Altariel

galadriel

Altariel fem. name "Galadriel", "maiden crowned with a radiant garland" (SA:kal; the form Alatáriel is Telerin; see PM:347) Stem Altariell- seen in the genitive Altariello, occurring in the superscript of the Tengwar transcription of Namárië in RGEO.

Lindissë

woman

Lindissë fem.name, perhaps lin- (root of words having to do with song/music) + (n)dissë "woman" (see nís). (UT:210)

Nienna

nienna

Nienna noun (name of a Valië, related to nië = tear) (NEI)

altáriel

feminine name. Galadriel

The Quenya name of Galadriel, an adaptation of the Telerin name Alatáriel (UT/266, PM/347). See the entry on Galadriel for further discussion of this name’s history, and ✶Ñ(g)alatā-rigelle for a discussion of the conceptual development of its etymology.

Quenya [MR/182; MRI/Altariellë; NM/346; NM/353; PE17/050; PE17/084; PE17/169; PM/347; PMI/Galadriel; RGEO/58; SA/kal; UT/266; UTI/Al(a)táriel] Group: Eldamo. Published by

massë

bread

massë noun "bread" (as a material), variant of massa, q.v. (PE17:52). Notice that *massë has also been extrapolated as a question-word "where?"

massë

noun. bread

masta

noun. bread

Quenya [PE 22:119; PE 22:162] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

naltariel

feminine name. Galadriel

What the Quenya name of Altáriel (S. Galadriel) would have been if it had been coined in Quenya instead of adapted from Telerin (PM/347). This name is a compound of nalta “radiance, glittering reflection” and riel(lë) “garlanded maiden”. See S. Galadriel and ✶Ñ(g)alatā-rigelle for further discussion.

Quenya [PE17/059; PE17/060; PM/347] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nissë

woman

nissë noun "woman" (NDIS-SĒ/SĀ, NI1, NIS, VT47:33); see nís. Note: nissë could apparently also mean "in me", the locative form of the 1st person pronoun ni, q.v.

nissë

noun. woman

woman, female

(2) noun "woman, female" (NI1, INI (NĒR ) ). Not to be confused with as a stressed form of the pronoun ni "I".

nína

woman

#nína (gen.pl. nínaron attested) noun "woman" (VT43:31; this word, as well as some other experimental forms listed in the same source, seem ephemeral: several sources agree that the Quenya word for "woman" is nís, nis [q.v.])

nís

woman

nís (niss-, as in pl. nissi) noun "woman" _(MR:213. The Etymologies gives _nis (or nissë), pl. nissi: see the stems NDIS-SĒ/SĀ, NI1, NIS (NĒR), VT46:4; compare VT47:33. In Tolkien's Quenya rendering of Hail Mary, the plural nísi occurs instead of nissi; this form is curious, since nísi would be expected to turn into *nízi, *_níri** (VT43:31). VT47:33 suggests that Tolkien at one point considered _niþ- as the older form of the stem, which etymology would solve this problem (since s from older þ does not become z > r). Even so, the MR forms, nís with stem niss-, may be preferred. - Compare †, #nína, nisto, Lindissë.

nís

noun. woman

The usual Quenya word for “woman” or more exactly a “female person” of any race, in later writings appearing as both nís (MR/213, 226, 229) and nisse (VT47/18, 33). Even in the cases where its singular was nís, its plural form was given as nissi, indicating a stem form of niss-. In rough notes from 1968 Tolkien said “The monosyllabic nouns (especially those with only one stem-consonant) were a small dwindling class often replaced by strengthened forms (as nis- was [by] nisse)” (VT47/18).

Thus it seems the ancient form was ✱nis- from the root √NIS, which like its male counterpart Q. nér “man” inherited a long vowel from the ancient subjective form ✱nīs. But the voiceless s was felt to be intrinsic to word, and it was thus strengthened to niss- in inflected forms to avoid the sound changes associated with an isolated s. From this a longer form nisse was generalized. In practice I think either form can be used, with singular nís being preserved by analogy with nér. However, I think inflected forms are probably all based on nisse, such as genitive nisseo “of a woman” rather than ✱✱nisso.

Conceptual Development: In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien had both ᴹQ. nis and nisse “woman” derived the root ᴹ√NIS, with plural nissi in both cases (Ety/NIS, NDIS). He explained this variation as follows: “nis was a blend of old nīs (nisen) and the elab[orated] form ✱nis-sē” (EtyAC/Nι). Hence it is was essentially the same as the scenario described above, but in the 1930s the long vowel in ancient nīs did not survive in the later short form nis.

In Quenya prayers of the 1950s, Tolkien experimented with some alternate plural forms nínaron [genitive plural] >> nísi [ordinary plural] (VT43/26-29, 31), the former apparently representing a variant singular form ✱nína, but in later writings plural nissi was restored.

Quenya [MR/213; MR/226; MR/229; MR/471; VT43/31; VT47/18; VT47/33] Group: Eldamo. Published by

rína

crowned

rína adj. "crowned" (RIG), also used as a suffix "garlanded, crowned" (PE17:182)

turinqui

queen

turinqui ("q") noun "queen" (LT1:260; apparently the fem. of tur. In Tolkien's later Quenya, "queen" is tári.)

tári

queen

tári noun "queen", used especially of Varda (TĀ/TA3, LT1:264), etymologically "she that is high" (SA:tar). Dative tárin in the Elaine inscription (VT49:40), genitive tário in Namárië. Elentári "Starqueen", a title of Varda. (Nam, RGEO:67). Tarinya "my queen" (UT:179; sic, not *tárinya). Táris or tárissë "queenship" (PE17:155)

varni

queen

varni noun "queen" (LT1:273; rather tári in Tolkien's later Quenya)

wenci

woman, maiden

wenci ("k") noun, apparently a diminutive form of the stem wēn- "woman, maiden". It is possible that this is meant to be Common Eldarin rather than Quenya; if so the Quenya form would be *wencë (compare nercë "little man") (VT48:18)

rianna

noun. queen

Quenya Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

Noldorin 

hiril

noun. lady

Noldorin [Ety/KHER; EtyAC/KHER] Group: Eldamo. Published by

brennil

noun. lady

Noldorin [Ety/351] Group: SINDICT. Published by

brennil

noun. lady

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

hiril

noun. lady

Noldorin [Ety/364] Group: SINDICT. Published by

noun. woman, bride, lady

A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s for “woman” derived from the root ᴹ√ of the same meaning (Ety/Nι). It began with d- due to the influence of N. dîr and as partial blending with derivatives of ᴹ✶ndisi “bride” (Ety/DER); its Old Noldorin form was ON. (Ety/Nι). In The Etymologies, this word was archaic: “ was only rare and poetical (‘bride, lady’): it was replaced in sense ‘woman’ by bess [see BES], and in sense ‘bride’ by cpd. di-neth” (Ety/Nι). The scenario in The Etymologies was that the word N. bess itself originally meant “†wife” but came to mean “woman”, much like its male counterpart N. benn meant “†husband” came to mean “man” (Ety/BES).

Conceptual Development: Earlier words of similar form include (archaic) G. †nîr “woman” from the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/60) and (rejected) ᴱN. {nain} “woman” from the Early Noldorin Grammar of the 1920s.

Neo-Sindarin: The word S. bess reappeared in later writings with the gloss “wife” (SD/129), indicating Tolkien probably abandoned the scenario in The Etymologies whereby became archaic and was replaced by bess for “woman”. As such some Neo-Sindarin writers restore ᴺS. as the word for “woman”; this was first suggested to me by Elaran and it is my current recommendation. However, N. bess remains popular for “woman” in Neo-Sindarin as well.

Noldorin [Ety/BES; Ety/DER; Ety/Nι; EtyAC/NDIS; EtyAC/Nι; EtyAC/NIS] Group: Eldamo. Published by

rhien

noun. (crowned) lady

Noldorin [Ety/TĀ; EtyAC/RIG; TI/249] Group: Eldamo. Published by

noun. woman, lady

Noldorin [Ety/352, Ety/354] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gilthoniel

feminine name. Star-maker, Lady of the Stars

Noldorin [Ety/GIL; Ety/TAN; RS/068; RS/364; RS/394; RSI/Gilthoniel; SDI1/Gilthoniel; TII/Gilthoniel; WRI/Gilthoniel] Group: Eldamo. Published by

rhien

noun/adjective. crowned lady, queen

Noldorin [Ety/393, Ety/389, X/RH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

rhîn

noun/adjective. crowned lady, queen

Noldorin [Ety/393, Ety/389, X/RH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

dineth

noun. bride

A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “bride”, a combination of N. † “woman, bride” and N. neth “young” (Ety/Nι; EtyAC/NDIS, NIS).

Noldorin [Ety/Nι; EtyAC/NDIS; EtyAC/NIS] Group: Eldamo. Published by

bast

noun. bread

Noldorin [Ety/372] Group: SINDICT. Published by

bast

noun. bread

Noldorin [Ety/KOR; Ety/MBAS] Group: Eldamo. Published by

bereth

noun. queen, spouse

Noldorin [Ety/351, RGEO/74] Group: SINDICT. Published by

bereth

noun. queen

Noldorin [Ety/BARATH; Ety/EL] Group: Eldamo. Published by

bess

noun. (young) woman

Noldorin [Ety/352, SD/129-31] Group: SINDICT. Published by

bess

noun. wife

Noldorin [Ety/352, SD/129-31] Group: SINDICT. Published by

dess

noun. young woman

Noldorin [Ety/375] Group: SINDICT. Published by

dineth

noun. bride

Noldorin [Ety/377-378] dî+neth. Group: SINDICT. Published by

dîs

noun. bride

Noldorin [Ety/352, Ety/375] Group: SINDICT. Published by

dîs

noun. bride

A word for “bride” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from primitive ᴹ✶ndīse under the root ᴹ√NDIS (Ety/NDIS). Ordinarily the s in this word would have been lost, but it was influenced by N. †dess “young woman” < ON. ndissa from the same root (EtyAC/NDIS). Dîs “bride” in turn influenced the form of N. † “woman”, originally ON. < ᴹ√ (Ety/DER, Nι; EtyAC/NDIS).

Neo-Sindarin: While I think this word is perfectly serviceable, for purposes of Neo-Sindarin it may be better to use the longer and more distinctive word dineth for bride.

Noldorin [Ety/BES; Ety/NDIS; EtyAC/NDIS; EtyAC/Nι; EtyAC/NIS] Group: Eldamo. Published by

galadriel

feminine name. Galadriel

Noldorin [PE22/068; SDI1/Galadriel; TI/246; TII/Galadriel; WRI/Galadriel] Group: Eldamo. Published by

rhien

noun/adjective. crowned

Noldorin [Ety/393, Ety/389, X/RH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

rhîn

noun/adjective. crowned

Noldorin [Ety/393, Ety/389, X/RH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

rhîn

adjective. crowned

An adjective appearing as N. rhîn “crowned” in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√RIG (Ety/RIG). The long î is probably the result of the vocalization of g before nasal n, from primitive adjective ✱rignā.

Neo-Sindarin: Since initial r unvoiced to rh in Noldorin of the 1930s but not in Sindarin of the 1950s and 60s, most Neo-Sindarin writers adapt this word as ᴺS. rîn “crowned”, as suggested in HSD (HSD).

Noldorin [Ety/RIG; Ety/TĀ] Group: Eldamo. Published by

rhîs

noun. queen

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

rhîs

noun. queen

uinen

feminine name. Uinen

Noldorin name of ᴹQ. Uinen from The Etymologies from the 1930s (Ety/NEN, UY) derived from the same primitive form ✱✶Uinendă, as indicated by ON. Uinenda and the Quenya stem-form Uindend-.

Conceptual Development: In the Gnomish Lexicon from the 1910s, her Gnomish name was G. Uinen (GL/74), while her usual Qenya name from this period was ᴱQ. Ónen (LT1/61).

Noldorin [Ety/NEN; Ety/UY; EtyAC/NEN] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Primitive elvish

kherī

noun. lady

Primitive elvish [PE17/097] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kherūnī

noun. lady

Primitive elvish [PE17/097; PE17/098] Group: Eldamo. Published by

barathī

noun. queen

Primitive elvish [MR/387; PE17/023; PE17/066] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nis

root. woman

This root first appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s as ᴹ√NIS “woman”, an extension of ᴹ√ “female” (Ety/NIS). It also had a strengthened form ᴹ√NDIS, unglossed but apparently meaning “bride” based on its derivatives ᴹQ. indis/N. dîs of that meaning (Ety/NDIS). Unstrengthened ᴹ√NIS seems to have survived only in Quenya as the basis for ᴹQ. nis (niss-) “woman”, but this word was also blended with ✱ndis-sē to produce a longer form nisse of the same meaning.

In Tolkien’s later writings, both short Q. nís and longer nissë appeared as words for “woman” (MR/213; VT47/33) and Q. indis reappeared as well, though glossed “wife” (UT/8). As primitive forms, both unstrengthened √nis (VT47/33) and strengthened ✶ndī̆s “woman” also appeared in later writings, the latter given as the feminine equivalent of ✶[[p|n[d]ēr]] “man” (PE19/102).

Primitive elvish [VT47/18; VT47/33] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Adûnaic

ûrî

feminine name. (Lady of the) Sun

The feminine personification of ûri “the sun” (SD/426), perhaps the Adûnaic name for Q. Arien.

Adûnaic [SD/426; SDI2/Ûrî] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kali

noun. woman

A noun translated “woman” (SD/434).

Telerin 

alatáriel

feminine name. Galadriel

Telerin [NM/349; NM/352; NM/353; PE17/060; PM/346; PM/347; PMI/Galadriel; UT/266] Group: Eldamo. 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!

Qenya 

heri

noun. lady

nissa

noun. lady

palúrien

feminine name. Lady of the Wide Earth, Bosom of the Earth

Qenya [Ety/PAL; LR/205; LRI/Palúrien; MR/145; MR/157; MR/202; MRI/Kementári; MRI/Palúrien; SM/078; SMI/Palúrien; WJI/Kementári; WJI/Palúrien] Group: Eldamo. Published by

indis

feminine name. Bride

A name for Nessa (Ety/Nι) meaning “Bride” (Ety/I², NDIS, NETH). See Q. Indis for the later use of this name for the wife of Finwë.

Qenya [Ety/I²; Ety/NDER; Ety/NDIS; Ety/NETH; Ety/Nι] Group: Eldamo. Published by

indis

noun. bride

masta

noun. bread

Qenya [Ety/MBAS; EtyAC/MBAS; PE22/119] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nienna

feminine name. Nienna

A powerful female Vala, at this stage the sister of Manwe and Melko (LR/206).

Qenya [Ety/NEI; LRI/Nienna; SMI/Nienna] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nis

noun. woman

Qenya [Ety/NDIS; Ety/Nι; Ety/NIS; EtyAC/NDIS; EtyAC/Nι; EtyAC/NIS; PE21/08] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nisse

noun. woman

rína

adjective. crowned

tári

noun. queen

Qenya [Ety/TĀ; PE21/14] Group: Eldamo. Published by

uinen

feminine name. Uinen

Qenya [Ety/NEN; Ety/UY; LRI/Uinen; SMI/Uinen] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Old Noldorin 

khíril

noun. lady

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

noun. woman

Old Noldorin [Ety/Nι; EtyAC/NDIS; EtyAC/Nι; EtyAC/NIS] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ndīs

noun. bride

Old Noldorin [Ety/NDIS; EtyAC/NDIS; EtyAC/Nι; EtyAC/NIS; PE22/027] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Edain

hareth

noun. lady

tûr haretha

place name. Ladybarrow

The grave of Haleth.

Edain [S/147; SI/Tûr Haretha; WJI/Tûr Haretha] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Gnomish

gwiniel

noun. lady

uinen

feminine name. Lady of the Sea

Gnomish [GL/74; LT1/130; LT1A/Ónen; LT1I/Ónen; LT1I/Uinen; LT2/051; LT2I/Oinen; LT2I/Ónen; LT2I/Uinen; PE15/08] Group: Eldamo. Published by

bast

noun. bread

Gnomish [GG/08; GL/22; GL/51] Group: Eldamo. Published by

dori

noun. queen

nîr

noun. woman

turwin

noun. queen

Gnomish [GL/72; LT1A/Meril-i-Turinqi; PE13/095; PE15/08] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Quenya

heri

noun. lady

Early Quenya [LT1A/Valahíru; PME/040; QL/040] Group: Eldamo. Published by

heruni

noun. lady

Early Quenya [QL/040] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tári

noun. queen, mistress, lady

Early Quenya [LT1A/Qalmë-Tári; LT1A/Tári-Laisi; LT1I/Tári; PE16/138; QL/087] Group: Eldamo. Published by

akairis

feminine name. Bride

Another name for Erinti appearing in the Qenya Lexicon from the 1910s (QL/36). It is simply akairis “bride” used as a name.

Early Quenya [LT1A/Erinti; QL/036] Group: Eldamo. Published by

anai

noun. woman

A noun in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s form “woman” with variants anai and anî, a feminine form ᴱQ. anu “a male” (QL/31).

Early Quenya [QL/031] Group: Eldamo. Published by

anî

noun. woman

masta

noun. bread

Early Quenya [PE16/141; PME/059; QL/059] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nienna

feminine name. Nienna

Sobriquet for the female Vala ᴱQ. Fui, at this stage the wife of Mandos (LT1/66). Her name appeared as Nyenna in the Qenya Lexicon, a derivative of either ᴱ√NYE(NE) “bleat” or ᴱ√NYEHE “weep” (QL/68).

Early Quenya [GL/18; GL/60; LT1A/Nienna; LT1I/Fui; PE14/014; QL/068] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nyél

noun. woman

A word for “woman” in Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s with stem form nyel-, as indicated by its accusative nyela (PE16/135). Its etymology is unclear; Patrick Wynne and Christopher Gilson suggested it might be connected to the early root ᴱ√NYEHE “weep” or later root ᴹ√NYEL “ring, sing”, but these both feel like stretches to me.

Early Quenya [PE16/135] Group: Eldamo. Published by

noun. woman

Early Quenya [GL/60] Group: Eldamo. Published by

turinqi

noun. queen

Early Quenya [LT1A/Meril-i-Turinqi; LT2I/Meril-i-Turinqi; PE15/08; PME/096; QL/095] Group: Eldamo. Published by

turqin

noun. queen

Early Quenya [PME/096; QL/095] Group: Eldamo. Published by

túrani

noun. queen

Early Quenya [QL/095] Group: Eldamo. Published by

varni

noun. queen

Early Quenya [LT1A/Varda; QL/087; QL/102] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Doriathrin

hiril Reconstructed

noun. lady

A Doriathrin noun for “lady” attested only as an element in the name Hirilorn (Ety/NEL). It probably had essentially the same derivation as its Noldorin cognate N. hiril (Ety/KHER).

tóril

noun. queen

A noun for “queen”, a combination of tôr “king” with the feminine suffix -il, though according to Tolkien it was used only as a title for Melian (Ety/TĀ).

Doriathrin [Ety/TĀ; EtyAC/TĀ] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Middle Primitive Elvish

nis

root. woman

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/DER; Ety/NDIS; Ety/Nι; Ety/NIS; EtyAC/NDIS; PE21/55] Group: Eldamo. Published by

noun. woman

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/NĒR; EtyAC/NDIS; PE21/55] Group: Eldamo. Published by

indise

feminine name. bride

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/I²; Ety/NDIS] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ndīse

noun. bride

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/DER; Ety/I²; Ety/NDIS; EtyAC/I²; EtyAC/NIS] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nī̆s

noun. woman

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/NĒR; PE21/55; PE21/64] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tārī

noun. queen

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/TĀ; PE21/58] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Noldorin

bast

noun. bread

Early Noldorin [PE13/138; PE13/155; PE13/156] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nain

noun. woman

Early Noldorin [PE13/123] Group: Eldamo. Published by

uin

noun. woman

Early Noldorin [PE13/123; PE13/146; PE13/155] Group: Eldamo. Published by

uinen

feminine name. Uinen

Early Noldorin [LBI/Uinen; SM/014; SMI/Óin] Group: Eldamo. Published by