heruin

noun. lady

n. lady. >> heryn, Rocheruin

heryn

noun. lady

n. lady. >> heruin, Rocheryn

rodel

lady

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

heruin

noun. lady

heryn

noun. lady

hiril

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

heryn

noun. lady

hírilorn

place name. Tree of the Lady

A great beech-tree in Doriath (S/172), translated by Christopher Tolkien as “Tree of the Lady” (SI/Hírilorn). This name is a combination of híril “lady” and orn “tree” (SA/heru, orn).

Conceptual Development: In the earliest Lost Tales, the tree was first named G. Golosbrindi “Queen of the Forest” (LT2/51), revised to G. Hirilorn “Queen of Trees” (LT2/18). In the Lays of Beleriand from the 1920s, the name was translated “Beechen Queen” (LB/202). In The Etymologies from the 1930s, Ilk. Hirilorn was given as a Doriathrin name, most likely with the same meaning as above (Ety/NEL).

roch-cheruin

proper name. Steed of the Lady

Archaic form of the name Roheryn, a combination of roch “horse” and the lenited form of archaic †heruin “lady” (PE17/97-8).

Conceptual Development: In Words, Phrases and Passages from the Lord of the Rings (WPP) from the late 1950s or early 1960s, Tolkien spent some time analyzing the origin of this name. At first, he considered having the suffix -uin be derived from an archaic genitive construction based on the primitive feminine form ✶kherī (> Q. heri “lady”) + ✶ān(a), but he abandoned this idea, deciding instead that heruin developed directly from a variant primitive form ✶kherūnī (PE17/97-8).

roheryn

proper name. Horse of the Lady

Aragorn’s horse (LotR/778), translated “Horse of the Lady” (SA/roch) or “Steed of the Lady” (PE17/97), a combination of roch “horse” and heryn “lady” (PE17/97), with the [[s|[x] (“ch”) softening to [h] in Gondorian pronunciation]].

Conceptual Development: In Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, this name was already N. Roheryn (WR/435). The name also appeared in The Etymologies from the 1930s beside an older form Rocheryn (EtyAC/KHER).

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).

Hírilorn

noun. lady-tree

híril (“lady”) + orn (“tree”)

Roch e Cheruin

noun. 'Steed of the Lady'

prop. n. 'Steed of the Lady', Aragorn's steed given him by Arwen. Pure S. form, also Rocheryn < Roch(ch)eruin, softened Gondor form Roheryn. >> Rocheruin, Rocheryn, Roheryn

Rocheruin

noun. 'Steed of the Lady'

prop. n. 'Steed of the Lady', Aragorn's steed given him by Arwen. Pure S. form, also Roch e Cheruin, softened Gondor form Roheryn. >> Roch e Cheruin, Rocheryn, Roheryn

Rocheryn

noun. 'Steed of the Lady'

prop. n. 'Steed of the Lady', Aragorn's steed given him by Arwen. Pure S. form, softened Gondor form Roheryn. >> Roch e Cheruin, Rocheruin, Roheryn

Roheryn

noun. 'Steed of the Lady'

prop. n. 'Steed of the Lady', Aragorn's steed given him by Arwen. Softened Gondor form of pure S. Roch(ch)eruin > Rocheryn for Roch e Cheruin. >> Roch e Cheruin, Rocheruin, Rocheryn

a hîr annûn gilthoniel

*oh Lady of the West, Star-kindler

The fourth phrase of Lúthien’s Song (LB/354). Three translations of this phrase are:

• Patrick Wynne: “✱O Lord of the West, star-kindling” (NTTLS/11)

• David Salo: “✱O Lady of the West, star-kindler” (GS/211)

• Bertrand Bellet and Benjamin Babut: “✱O Lady of the West, Starkindler” (GTLC)

The first word is the vocative particle a “O”. The second word hîr is typically translated as masculine “lord”, but since in this case it is addressing Elbereth, I think (like Salo, Bellet and Babut) it is better to translate it as “lady”, even though elsewhere the Sindarin word for “lady” is given as hiril or heryn. The third word is annûn “west” and the last word is Gilthoniel “Star-kindler”, one of the names of Elbereth (Varda).

Patrick Wynne instead suggested (NTTLS/10) that the fact that the word gilthoniel is lower case might mean it is an adjectival form “star-kindling” applied to the Moon rather than Varda, and he is addressed as “Lord” (the Elves considered the Moon to be male). This does explain the masculine form Hîr, but I find it difficult to believe that Lúthien would address the Moon by one of Varda’s name, and follow Salo, Bellet and Babut in assuming the words are spoken to Elbereth.

ar-feiniel

feminine name. White Lady

A sobriquet of Aredhel translated “White Lady” (S/60). This name is probably a combination of ar(a)- “noble”, fain “white and shining [thing]” and the feminine suffix -iel (as suggested by David Salo, GS/342).

See the entry for Aredhel for discussion of her other names.

dineth

noun. young lady, bride (Indis)

dî (“bride, lady”) + neth (“young”)

heryna

suffix. of the lady

n. & poss. suff. of the lady. >> -a

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).

roch na-heryna

noun. 'the horse of lady'

prop. n. 'the horse of (the) lady', Aragorn's steed given him by Arwen. >> heryna, na, Rocheruin, Rocheryn, Roheryn

besain

noun. the Lady, breadgiver

In notes from the 1950s Tolkien said the word besain was a title for noble Elf ladies as the provider of lembas, the equivalent of (and probably adapted from) Q. massánië, literally “bread giver [giving]” (PM/404). It was likely coined based on the historical developments of this name: ✱mbassānye > (m)bessenı̯ > bessein > besain. Christopher Tolkien noted that his father wrote oneth above -ain, indicating an alternate form, which Christopher Tolkien wrote as ✱besoneth (PM/405). However, I think it is likelier the alternate would be ✱basoneth = S. bas “bread” + oneth “✱giver [f.]”, because in this alternate form there would be no reason for the initial element bas- to undergo i-affection.

rodel

noun. lady, high lady

Elbereth

noun. star queen/lady

êl (“star”) + bereth (“queen, spouse of a king”) No lenition: original name Elenbarathi yielding Elmbereth, where triconsonantal lmb > lb.

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))

Morwen

noun. dark lady

mor (stem“dark, black”) + gwend (“woman, maiden”); [Etym. WEN-] since it shows no -d even in the archaic spelling, it probably contains derivative of WEN-, not WENED- stem and the last element is Ilk. gwen (“girl”).

galadriel hiril

the Lady Galadriel

roch heryn

Lady(’s) horse

roch na-heryna

the horse of (the) Lady

rían

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

rîn

noun/adjective. crowned lady, queen

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.

dî

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) dî (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.

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.

dî

noun. woman, lady, bride

ríen

crowned lady

(queen), pl. ?rîn (idh rîn)

ríen

crowned lady

ríen (queen), pl. ?rîn (idh rîn)

dî

bride

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

dî

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”.

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 imbas 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 m(b)-. However, I would assume there is a variant bas(s) [< ✶mbassē] that appears occasionally in compounds like lembas.

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") + rî ("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.

Morwen

Morwen

Morwen means "Dark Maiden" in Sindarin (from môr = "darkness, dark, night" and gwenn = "maiden"). Her epithet, Eledhwen, means "Elf-maiden" (from edhel = "Elf" and gwenn = "maiden"); Tolkien also translates it as "Elfsheen", which is a rendeding of Old English ælf-scīene "bright as fairy, of elfin beauty". Both definitions are in reference to her noble bearing.

Elbereth

Elbereth

1b theon.

adaneth

noun. (mortal) woman

arwen

noun. noble woman

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

bassoneth

noun. bread-giver

See bass for a discussion regarding this word

bereth

noun. queen, spouse

besain

noun. bread-giver

See bass for a discussion regarding this word

besoneth

noun. bread-giver

See bass for a discussion regarding this word

bess

noun. (young) woman

bess

noun. wife

bessain

noun. bread-giver

See bass for a discussion regarding this word

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

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 whinn. 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.

lembas

noun. journey bread made by the Elves

rîn

noun/adjective. crowned

rîs

noun. queen

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

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

rîs

queen

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

uinen

uinen

in Sindarin as well

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).

hérincë

little lady

hérincë ("k") noun *"little lady" (UT:195). Concerning the diminutive ending, cf. Atarincë, cirinci.

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).

írissë

feminine name. *Desirable Lady

The Quenya name of S. Aredhel (PM/345). Its second element is the feminine suffix -issë (PM/345) and its initial element seems to be írë “desire”, so perhaps the name means “✱Desirable Lady”. See S. Íreth and Aredhel for further discussion.

hérincë

noun. *little lady

tári

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

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).

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

ní

woman, female

†ní (2) noun "woman, female" (NI1, INI (NĒR ) ). Not to be confused with ní 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 †ní, #nína, nisto, Lindissë.

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

hiril

noun. lady

brennil

noun. lady

brennil

noun. lady

hiril

noun. lady

dî

noun. woman, bride, lady

A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s for “woman” derived from the root ᴹ√NĪ of the same meaning (Ety/NĪ¹). 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. nī (Ety/NĪ¹). In The Etymologies, this word was archaic: “dî 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/NĪ¹). 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 dî became archaic and was replaced by bess for “woman”. As such some Neo-Sindarin writers restore ᴺS. dî 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.

galadhrien

feminine name. Tree-lady

An early name for S. Galadriel appearing in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s as a combination of galadh “tree” and the lenited form of rhien “lady” (TI/249). There were also (rejected) variants Rhien and Galdri(e)n.

Conceptual Development: Tolkien soon changed her name to Galadriel (TI/246), but it likely that at this early stage, her name still included galadh “tree”, since Tolkien often represented [ð] with “d” instead of “dh” in Lord of the Rings drafts: compare N. Caradras with S. Caradhras. The derivation of Galadriel’s name from S. galad “light” is probably a later innovation.

rhien

noun. (crowned) lady

dî

noun. woman, lady

gilthoniel

feminine name. Star-maker, Lady of the Stars

rhien

noun/adjective. crowned lady, queen

rhîn

noun/adjective. crowned lady, queen

dineth

noun. bride

A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “bride”, a combination of N. †dî “woman, bride” and N. neth “young” (Ety/NĪ¹; EtyAC/NDIS, NIS).

bast

noun. bread

bast

noun. bread

bereth

noun. queen, spouse

bereth

noun. queen

bess

noun. (young) woman

bess

noun. wife

dess

noun. young woman

dineth

noun. bride

dîs

noun. bride

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. †dî “woman”, originally ON. nī < ᴹ√NĪ (Ety/DER, NĪ¹; 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.

galadriel

feminine name. Galadriel

rhien

noun/adjective. crowned

rhîn

noun/adjective. crowned

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).

rhîs

noun. queen

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).

kherī

noun. lady

kherūnī

noun. lady

barathī

noun. queen

nis

root. woman

This root first appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s as ᴹ√NIS “woman”, an extension of ᴹ√NĪ “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).

ûrî

feminine name. (Lady of the) Sun

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

kali

noun. woman

A noun translated “woman” (SD/434).

alatáriel

feminine name. Galadriel