†vëo noun "man" (WEG; etymologically connected to vëa "manly, vigorous"; the more neutral word for "man" is nér. According to VT46:21, Tolkien indicated that vëo is an archaic or poetic word.) Tolkien at a later point defined the word as "living creature" (PE17:189). Cf. variant wëo, q.v.
Quenya
vëa
adult, manly, vigorous
vëo
man
lér
man
**lér noun "man" (NI1; hypothetical Q form of PQ dēr; the form actually used in Quenya was nér)
nér
man
nér (1) (ner-, as in pl. neri) noun "man" (adult male elf, mortal, or of other speaking race) (MR:213, VT49:17, DER, NDER, NI1, VT45:9; see also WJ:393)
nér
noun. man
hanúva
adjective. doughty, *manly
Element in
- ᴺQ. hanúvië “manhood, doughtyness”
Elements
Word Gloss hanu “male, man (of Men or Elves), male animal”
vëa (2) adj. "adult, manly, vigorous" (WEG)