mat

root. eat

This was the root for eating words for all of Tolkien’s life, appearing very regularly. It was ᴱ√MATA “eat” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s (QL/59), ᴹ√MAT “eat” in The Etymologies of the 1930s (Ety/MAT), and √MAT “eat” in etymological notes from the late 1960s (VT48/26), among its many other appearances. This puts it among the most conceptually stable of Elvish roots.

matwā

?. matwā

mat-

verb. to eat

matnā

adjective. eaten, eaten, [ᴹ✶] food

matulā

adjective. edacious

matyā-

verb. to feed

matˢtimā

adjective. edible

matjā-

verb. feed

matulā

adjective. edacious

mā

noun. hand

sron

root. flesh, substance, matter, substance, matter, flesh

maita-

verb. to feed

magtā-

verb. to handle, wield, manage, deal with

srawā

noun. body

bani

adjective. fair

morokō

noun. bear

năta

noun. thing

poli

noun. meal

srā

noun. flesh

us(u)kwē

noun. dusk

wanyā

adjective. fair

yuyuñal

noun. twilight

mat

meal, meal time

mat (matt-) noun "meal, meal time" (QL:59)

matil

matil

*matil, see matl

mat-

eat

mat- (1) vb. "eat" (MAT, VT45:32), also given as mata- (VT39:5), pa.t. mantë "ate" (VT39:7). The form matumnë is said to be future-past: "was going to eat", with the "OQ" (Old Quenya?) future-past element umnë (VT48:32; possibly this could function independently as a form of the verb "to be", hence "was to be"). It is not clear if the form matumnë is itself "Old Quenya" as if this is an archaic future-past formation, or it is just umnë (as an independent word) that is archaic. (Note: Tolkien's translation of matumnë is actually "I was going to eat", but the pronoun "I" does not seem to be expressed in the Quenya form.) Adj. or pseudo-participle #matya "eating" in melumatya "honey-eating" (PE17:68)

mat-

verb. eat

mantë

mantë

mantë pa.t. of mat-, mata-, q.v.

mat-

verb. to eat

The verb for “to eat” derived from the root √MAT of the same meaning (VT39/7).

Conceptual Development: This verb and root are quite well established, dating all the way back to ᴱQ. mat- and ᴱ√MATA of the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s (QL/59) and appearing as ᴹQ. mat- and ᴹ√MAT in The Etymologies of the 1930s (Ety/MAT), as well as numerous other places albeit with occasional variants like mata- (PE12/26). This verb was one Tolkien often used in examples of verb conjugations and as such its inflected forms changed considerably over time, but that is more a topic of the evolution of the Quenya verb system itself.

matta

noun. food

A noun for “food” from the Common Eldarin: Verb Structure (EVS2) of the early 1950s, derived from primitive ✶matnā, originally an ancient adjective meaning “eaten” (PE22/136).

Conceptual Development: In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s the word for “food” was ᴱQ. matl under the early root ᴱ√MATA (QL/59). This became ᴱQ. {masta} >> matso in Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s (PE16/141). In EVS2 the word was originally manna “food”, but this was struck through and replaced by matta (PE22/136 note #36), which likely reflects Tolkien’s shift in the phonetic developments of primitive tn, so that tn became tt rather than nn as it did in Tolkien’s earlier writings (PE19/85 and note #79).

Neo-Quenya: I find the phonetic developments associated with the above sound change to be problematic for various reasons. Therefore, I prefer to assume the primitive form of this word was an ancient noun: ✱mattā.

matl

food

matl noun "food"; read *matil in LotR-style Quenya (in which language final syllabic -l becomes -il) (QL:59); however, the word matso from a later source may be preferred.

matso

food

matso noun "food" (PE16:141)

matina

participle. eaten

matta

noun. food

mattima

verb. edible

matimar

noun. restaurant, (lit.) eating hall

A neologism for “restaurant” coined by Tamas Ferencz, a combination of Q. mat- “eat” and Q. mar(da) “house”.

matya-

verb. to feed

A neologism for “to feed” coin by Damien Bador as a straightforward derivative of the attested primitive verb ✶matyā- of the same meaning (PE22/135). I would distinguish it from ᴺQ. nesta- “to graze, pasture, (give to) feed” used for feeding farm animals, whereas matya- can be used for feeding anyone.

matina

adjective. eaten

vesta

matrimony

vesta noun "matrimony" (BES, VT49:46)

masematica

noun. mathematics

hrón

noun. matter, substance, flesh; body

quantolië

noun. maturity

erma

noun. (physical) matter

A word for “matter” in notes from around 1959 (MR/338, 349). In context Tolkien said the Elves “held that all things or ‘makings’, that is constructed (however simply and incipiently) from basic ‘matter’, which they called erma, were impermanent, within Ea.” In the book The Nature of Middle Earth, Carl Hostetter argued that this Elvish notion of matter was similar to Aristotelian undifferentiated “prime matter”, the raw substance from which all things that exist were formed (NM/171-172, 407). This word seems to be a combination of √ER “one, single, alone” + ✶-mā “thing”, which also fits the notion of an Elvish concept that matter is the prime substance from which all things are constructed.

Conceptual Development: In Quenya Notes (QN) from 1957, Tolkien gave Q. hrón “flesh/substance of Arda, matter” which was derived from srōn < √SRON, a root variation of √RON “solid, tangible, firm”. In the 1959 notes mentioned above, the word hrón “matter” was revised to orma (MR/218, 231 note #26) and finally to erma (MR/338, 359 note #14), as described above.

In the essay Laws and Customs of the Eldar from 1958, the forms hrón and rhón were instead given the sense “body”, but that sense was reassigned to hrondo, later revised to hröa “body” (MR/229 note #16, 231 note #25).

nassë

noun. nature, true-being; material; person, individual, nature, true-being, *essence; person, individual; material

This word had various uses in Tolkien’s later writings. In notes from around 1959 it was glossed “material” = the substance of which all things are composed (NM/249-250), but later Tolkien used the term erma for “matter” (MR/338, 349). In notes probably from the 1960s, Tolkien use nasse to mean “nature” or “true-being” (PE17/174-175), and in notes from the late 1960s he used it to mean “a person, an individual” (VT49/30).

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would use nasse for “nature, true-being, ✱essence”.

alanwa

fully grown, adult, mature

orma

noun. (physical) matter

mátima

adjective. edible

An adjective “edible” = “able to be eaten”, a combination of Q. mat- “eat” with the suffix -ima “able” which induces lengthening of the base vowel: á (PE17/68; PE22/155).

Conceptual Development: The suffix -ima “able” dates all the way back to the Early Qenya of the 1910s, but the way it interacted with the verb evolved over time. In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s the form was ᴱQ. matsima (QL/59) with the usual Early Qenya sound change of ti to tsi (PE12/23). In the Quenya Verbal System of 1948 it was ᴹQ. mattima with consonant-doubling instead of vowel lengthening (PE22/111). In Common Eldarin: Verb Structure of the early 1950s it was Q. mastima with a variant suffix -tima and the usual sound change whereby t+t became st (PE22/137). The form mátima appeared in various notes from the 1960s (PE17/68; PE22/155).

-ima

fair

-ima adjectival suffix. Sometimes it is used to derive simple adjectives, like vanima "fair" or calima "bright"; it can also take on the meaning "-able" (PE17:68), as in mátima "edible" (mat- "eat"), nótima "countable" (not- "count") and (with a negative prefix) úquétima "unspeakable" (from quet- "speak"). Note that the stem-vowel is normally lengthened in the derivatives where -ima means "-able", though this fails to occur in cenima "visible" (q.v., but contrast hraicénima, q.v.) and also before a consonant cluster as in úfantima "not concealable" (PE17:176). "X-ima" may mean "apt to X" (when the ending is added to an intransitive verbal stem), as in Fírimar "mortals", literally "those apt to die" (WJ:387). The adj. úfantima "not concealable" (PE17:176) also appears as úfantuma (PE17:180), indicating the existence of a variant ending -uma (possibly used to derive adjectives with a "bad" meaning; compare the ending *-unqua next to -inqua, q.v.)

-ya

elvish

-ya (5) adjectival ending, as in the word Quenya "Elvish" itself; when added to a verbal stem it may derive a kind of short active participle, as in melumatya "honey-eating" (mat- "eat"), saucarya "evil-doing" (car- "do"). (PE17:68)

mulë

noun. meal, meal, *grist, ground grains

A word in a list of “large & small” roots from around 1968 replacing polë “meal” (PE17/115). It was likely derived from ✱√MUL, which in the 1910s meant “grind” (QL/63). This words means “meal” in the sense “ground grains” such as “cornmeal”, not “meal” as a time for eating which is [ᴹQ.] mat.

mátima

edible

mátima adj. "edible" (PE17:68), cf. mat-.

umnë

umnë

umnë, see matumnë under mat-

mustalan

noun. mattress, (lit.) soft flat space

A neologism for “mattress” coined by Luinyelle and posted on 2024-08-10 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), a combination of Q. mussë “soft” and Q. talan “flat space”.

nótengolmë

noun. mathematics

A neologism coined by Paul Strack on 2021-12-19 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), a combination of [ᴹQ.] nóte “number” and ñ(g)olmë “lore”. The NQW instead suggested masematica [þ] as a loan word from Latin “mathematica”, but I prefer a native Quenya word for this.

tusturin

noun. match

ermaitë

adjective. concrete, material

A neologism coined by Arael posted on 2023-12-15 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), an adjectival form of erma “(physical) matter”.

valda-

verb. to matter; to be of significance, worth, moment

natto

noun. affair, matter, thing

olanwa

adjective. fully grown, adult, mature

nat

noun. thing, thing, [ᴹQ.] object

The usual Quenya noun for “thing” derived from the root √NĀ “be, exist” (VT49/30, Ety/NĀ²), so perhaps prehistorically simply “a thing that is”. Its plural form nati is indirectly attested in the plural únati of its (strong) negation únat “a thing impossible to be or to be done” (VT39/26).

Conceptual Development: This word is well established in Tolkien’s writings, appearing all the way back in the Qenya Lexicon from the 1910s (QL/64). In its earliest iteration, its stem form was natt- and its plural was natsi, where [[eq|[ti] became [tsi]]] as was the usual pattern in Early Qenya. The word reappear in texts and notes from the 1920s (PE14/43, 72; PE15/32, 68, 78). In one early dictionary entry it was glossed more generally as “affair, matter, thing”, but this entry was deleted (PE15/68); in other early writings the word for “affair” was given as ᴱQ. natto (QL/64). The word reappeared in The Etymologies from the 1930s with a simplified stem form nat- given its Noldorin equivalent N. nad (Ety/NĀ²). The word appeared again in the late 1960s in notes associated with Q. ná- “to be”, where it was given the primitive form ✶năta (VT49/30).

hrón

flesh/substance of arda

hrón noun "flesh/substance of Arda", "matter" (PE17:183), also at one point used = hroa "body", q.v. Compare erma.

má

noun. hand

The most common Quenya word for “hand”, which Tolkien usually derived from a root √MAH or √MAƷ “hand; handle, wield”. The weak consonant h or ʒ in the root was lost very early, so that primitive ✶mā was one of a rare set of ancient monosyllabic nouns ending in a vowel. Tolkien said that of the various hand words, má was “the oldest (probably) and the one that retained a general and unspecialized sense - referring to the entire hand (including wrist) in any attitude or function” (VT47/6).

As a part of the body, má “hand” was usually referred to in the singular (má) or dual (mát). This was true when referring to the hands of groups of people as well. For example, to say that “the Elves raised their hands”, you would say either i Eldar ortaner mánta (singular, one hand each) or i Eldar ortaner mántat (dual, both hands each), with the possessive suffix -nta “their”.

The plural form már “hands” (or archaic †mai) was almost never used, in part because it conflicted with Q. már “dwelling”. The singular form was also used in general statements and proverbs: “hand is cleverer than foot” má anfinya epe tál (ná). A collection of otherwise unrelated hands would likely use the partitive-plural form: máli “some hands”, which in this case could also serve as the general plural (VT47/12 Note 2). See the discussions on PE17/161 and VT47/6 for more information.

This word is also unusual in that it retains its long vowel before consonant clusters in inflected forms such as mánta “their hand” (PE17/161) or márya “his/her hand” (PE17/69). As Tolkien described it:

> Lá is usually shortened to la before 2 consonants, according to the usual Q. procedure, but the long vowel can be retained, especially for additional emphasis, as in other cases where pronominal affixes follow a long vowel, as in márya “his hand” (PE22/160).

Conceptual Development: This word dates all the way back to ᴱQ. mā “hand” from Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, derived from the early root ᴱ√MAHA “grasp” (QL/57). ᴹQ. má “hand” also appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√MAƷ “hand” (Ety/MAƷ). Tolkien mentioned this word with great frequency, usually derived from √MAH or √MAƷ (as noted above) though he sometimes considered deriving it from √MAG instead.

mastima

adjective. edible

alima

fair, good

alima adj. "fair, good" (also alya) (PE17:146)

alya

fair, good

alya (1) adj. "fair, good" (PE17:146), "prosperous, rich, abundant, blessed" (GALA). In a deleted entry in Etym, the glosses provided were "rich, blessed"; another deleted entry defined alya as "rich, prosperous, blessed". (GALA, [ÁLAM], VT42:32, 45:5, 14)

cambë

noun. hand, (hollow of) hand

col-

bear, carry

#col- vb. "bear, carry", not attested by itself by suggested by colindo and colla, q.v.; also compare Tancol.

costa-

quarrel

costa- ("k")vb. "quarrel" (KOT > KOTH)

engwë

thing

engwë noun "thing" (VT39:7, VT49:28). Extrapolation may also point to *engwë as an emphatic dual inclusive pronoun "we" (thou and I), corresponding to the ending -ngwë.

histë

dusk

histë noun "dusk" (LT1:255)

hrávë

flesh

hrávë noun "flesh" (MR:349)

hrávë

noun. flesh

A word for “flesh” appearing in documents from 1959, derived from primitive ✶srāwe based on the root √SRAW (MR/349-350).

Conceptual Development: In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, Tolkien had ᴱQ. hara or haranda “flesh-meat” (QL/39), also mentioned as hara(nda) “fleshmeat” in the Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/39). These early forms might have been a precursor to later hrávë. Another potential precursor is ᴱQ. sarko (sarku-) “flesh, living flesh, body” from the early root ᴱ√SṚKṚ “fat” (QL/86).

hísë

dusk

hísë (2) noun "dusk" (LT1:255). A "Qenya" form possibly obsoleted by #1 above.

linda

fair, beautiful

linda adj. "fair, beautiful" (of sound) (SLIN, LIND; VT45:27), "soft, gentle, light" (PE16:96), "beautiful, sweet, melodious of sound" (PE17:150); for Linda as a noun, see Lindar.

lómë

dusk, twilight

lómë noun "dusk, twilight", also "night"; according to SD:415, the stem is lómi- (contrast the "Qenya" genitive lómen rather than **lómin in VT45:28). According to PE17:152, lómë refers to night "when viewed favourably, as a rule, but it became the general rule" (cf. SD:414-415 regarding lōmi as an Adûnaic loan-word based on lómë, meaning "fair night, a night of stars" with "no connotations of gloom or fear"). In the battle-cry auta i lómë "the night is passing" (Silm. ch. 20), the "night" would however seem to refer metaphorically to the reign of Morgoth. As for the gloss, cf. Lómion masc. name "Child of Twilight [dusk]", the Quenya name Aredhel secretly gave to Maeglin _(SA). Otherwise lómë is usually defined as "night" (Letters:308, LR:41, SD:302 cf.414-15, SA:dú)_; the _Etymologies defines lómë as "Night [as phenomenon], night-time, shades of night, Dark" (DO3/DŌ, LUM, DOMO, VT45:28), or "night-light" (VT45:28, reading of _lómë uncertain). In early "Qenya" the gloss was "dusk, gloom, darkness" (LT1:255). Cf. lómelindëpl. lómelindi "nightingale" _(SA:dú, LR:41; SD:302, MR:172, DO3/DŌ, LIN2, TIN). _Derived adjective #lómëa "gloomy" in Lómëanor "Gloomyland"; see Taurelilómëa-tumbalemorna...

maita-

verb. feed

feed

mastima

adjective. edible

morco

bear

morco ("k")noun "bear" (MORÓK)

mulë

meal, grist

mulë noun "meal, grist" (PE17:115, 181), replacing polë, q.v.

má

noun. hand

hand

má

hand

má noun "hand" (MA3, LT2:339, Narqelion, VT39:10, [VT45:30], VT47:6, 18, 19); the dual "a pair of hands" is attested both by itself as mát (VT47:6) and with a pronominal suffix as máryat "his/her (pair of) hands" (see -rya, -t) (Nam, RGEO:67). The nominative plural form was only máli, not **már (VT47:6), though plurals in -r may occur in some of the cases, as indicated by the pl. allative mannar "into hands" (FS). Mánta "their hand", dual mántat "their hands" (two hands each) (PE17:161). Cf. also the compounds mátengwië "language of the hands" (VT47:9) and Lungumá "Heavyhand" (VT47:19); also compare the adj. -maitë "-handed". See also málimë.

má

noun. hand

nat

thing

nat noun "thing" (NĀ2); compare únat. VT49:30 lists "năta, nat", but it is unclear whether năta is here a Quenya word or an etymological form underlying Quenya nat.

nonda

hand, especially in [?clutching]

nonda noun "hand, especially in [?clutching]" (VT47:23; Tolkien's gloss was not certainly legible)

náma

noun. thing

A word for a “thing” in notes from 1969, likely a combination of ná- “be” and the instrumental suffix -ma, appearing in the phrase eleni námaron anírime “stars are the most beautiful of (created) things”. In the translation of the phrase Tolkien put a parenthetical “created” before the gloss “things”, but I don’t think he intended to imply that this was part of the meaning of the word, but rather a sense omitted from the Quenya phrase.

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would stick to the better attested nat “thing”.

olinwa

fully grown, adult

polë

meal, grist

[polë (stem poli-) noun "meal, grist" (PE17:115, 181), a word Tolkien decided to replace by mulë; perhaps polë was a variant of porë.]

sarco

flesh

sarco ("k") noun "flesh" (LT2:347; Tolkien's later Quenya has hrávë)

sinyë

evening

sinyë (þ) noun "evening" (THIN)

tecco

noun. stroke, accent

tur-

wield, control, govern

tur- vb. "wield, control, govern" (1st pers. aorist turin "I wield" etc.), pa.t. turnë (TUR). The verb is elsewhere defined "master, conquer, win" (PE17:115), virtually the same meanings are elsewhere assigned to turu- #1, q.v.

undómë

twilight

undómë noun "twilight", usually of the time near evening, not near dawn (that is tindómë)

usque

noun. dusk

dusk

usque

noun. dusk, twilight

vanya

fair

vanya (1) adj. "fair" (FS), "beautiful" (BAN), a word referring to beauty that is "due to lack of fault, or blemish" (PE17:150), hence Arda Vanya as an alternative to Arda Alahasta for "Arda Unmarred" (ibid., compare MR:254). Nominal pl. Vanyar "the Fair", the first clan of the Eldar; the original meaning of this stem was "pale, light-coloured, not brown or dark" (WJ:382, 383, stem given as WAN), "properly = white complexion and blonde hair" (PE17:154, stem given as GWAN); stems BAN vs. WAN discussed, see PE17:150.

vanë

fair

vanë adj. "fair" (LT1:272; in Tolkien's later Quenya rather vanya)

vanë

adjective. fair, fair, [ᴱQ.] lovely

veryanwë

wedding

veryanwë "wedding"; veryanwesto "of your (dual) wedding" (VT49:44, 45)

veryanwë

noun. wedding

A word for “wedding” in notes from 1968, a combination of the root √BER “man/wife” and Q. yanwë “joining” (VT49/44-45).

Conceptual Development: The earliest precursor of this word was ᴱQ. vestale “wedding” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, a noun form of vesta- “to wed” under the early root ᴱ√VEŘE [VEÐE] (QL/101). ᴹQ. vestale “wedding” reappeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s, also related to vesta- “to wed”, but under the 1930s root ᴹ√BES (Ety/BES).

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I prefer to retain the 1930s form of the root ᴹ√BES in order to keep attested Sindarin/Noldorin forms. However, veryanwe could still be derived form this root, from ✱bes+yanwē, since s &gt; z &gt; r before y. Thus veryanwë “wedding” is compatible with my preferred “marriage” root and I recommend its use. ᴹQ. vestale “wedding” might also remain valid as a variant.

vestalë

wedding

vestalë noun "wedding" (BES, VT49:46) (under WED the word was defined as "oath", but this was struck out)

vinyë

evening

[vinyë noun "evening" (VT46:21)]

yualë

twilight

yualë noun "twilight" (KAL). Also yúcalë. Cf. yúyal.

yúcalë

twilight

yúcalë ("k")noun "twilight" (KAL, VT45:13). Also yualë.

yúyal

twilight

yúyal noun "twilight" (PE17:169); cf. yualë, yúcalë, q.v.

yúyal

noun. twilight

úyalë

noun. twilight

math-fuin-delos

place name. Deadly Nightshade

Earliest name for S. Deldúwath appearing in Silmarillion drafts from the early 1930s, glossed “Deadly Nightshade” (SM/299). It is a combination of G. math “dusk”, N. fuin “night” and a variant form delos of deloth “abhorrence”.

matha-

verb. to stroke, feel, handle

matha-

verb. to stroke, feel, handle

mann

noun. food

The earliest word for “food” in precursors to the Sindarin language was G. môs “food (of men)” (GL/56, 58), probably based on the early root ᴱ√M(B)ASA “cook, bake” (QL/59). This became ᴱN. math “food” in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s, appearing only in its lenited form vath as an element in ᴱN. orvath “foodless” (PE13/155). In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien had N. mann “food” as a derivative of primitive ᴹ✶matna under the root ᴹ√MAT “eat”, but the version of the entry where this form appeared was struck out (EtyAC/MAT). The primitive form ✶matnā “food” did reappear in the early 1950s, however (PE22/136).

Neo-Sindarin: Of the above, I prefer ᴺS. math for “food”. I first saw math proposed as the Neo-Sindarin word for “food” in a list of neologisms by Elaran on the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS) from 2018. I prefer math because I tend to assume Q. matta is derived from ✱mattā rather than ✶matnā to avoid certain phonological difficulties; see that entry for discussion. If you are not concerned with those difficulties, ᴺS. mann “food” is also viable.

megli

noun. bear, (lit.) honey-eater

A noun appearing as N. {magli >>} megli “bear” in The Etymologies, a combination of N. mad- “eat” and N. glî “honey”, hence more literally “honey-eater” (Ety/LIS, MAT; EtyAC/LIS, MAT), where dl &gt; gl as was usual in Noldorin. This word also appeared in the phrase i vegli vorn “the black bear” in notes on The Feanorian Alphabet from the 1930s (PE22/33).

Conceptual Development: ᴱN. magli “a bear, honey-eater” appeared in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s.

Neo-Sindarin: The sound change dl > gl was not a feature of Sindarin, so most Neo-Sindarin writers adapt this word as ᴺS. medli “bear”, as suggested in HSD (HSD).

nad

noun. thing

A word in The Etymologies of the 1930s, cognate of ᴹQ. nat “thing” and derived from the root ᴹ√NĀ “to be” (Ety/NĀ²).

Conceptual Development: The word G. nad appeared in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s along side a variant nân, but neither form was translated (GL/59). Earlier in the lexicon there was G. nath “thing, affair, matter” (GL/58) clearly based on the early root ᴱ√NĀ “be, exist” and cognate to ᴱQ. nat (natt-) “thing” (QL/64). In Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s, ᴱN. nad was glossed “thing” (PE13/150).

mad-

verb. to eat

gwathfuin-daidelos

place name. Deadly Nightshade

An earlier name for S. Deldúwath appearing in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, glossed “Deadly Nightshade” (LR/133) or “Night of Dread’s Shadow” (LR/406). It is a combination of gwath “shade”, fuin “night” and Daedhelos “Shadow of Fear”.

aes

noun. cooked food, meat

brôg

noun. bear

brôg

noun. bear

A noun for “bear” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from primitive ᴹ✶morókō under the root ᴹ√MOROK (Ety/MORÓK), where the initial syllable reduced to m’rokō and then the initial mr became br.

Conceptual Development: A likely precursor to this word is ᴱN. gorch “bear” (also “fierce fighter”) from Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s (PE13/145, 149).

cam

noun. hand

cam

noun. hand

camb

noun. hand

camm

noun. hand

camm

noun. hand

cost

noun. quarrel

cost

noun. quarrel, quarrel, *dispute

deldúwath

place name. Deadly Nightshade

dramb

noun. heavy stroke, a blow (of axe, etc.)

dramm

noun. heavy stroke, a blow (of axe, etc.)

gala-

verb. to grow

gwîn

noun. evening

mad-

verb. to eat

megli

noun. bear

mō

noun. hand

ON. hand

nad

noun. thing

thîn

noun. evening

thîn

noun. evening

tindu

noun. dusk, twilight, early night (without Moon)

tindu

noun. starry twilight

tinnu

noun. dusk, twilight, early night (without Moon)

tinnu

noun. starry twilight

tortha-

verb. to wield, control

uial

noun. twilight

uial

noun. twilight

mat-

verb. to eat

matta-

verb. to handle, wield, manage, deal with

camba

noun. hand

mapa

noun. hand

má

noun. hand

matha

wield

1) matha- (i vatha, i mathar) (stroke, feel, handle), 2) maetha- (i vaetha, i maethar) (handle, manage, deal with). In Tolkiens earlier material, the verb maetha- meant ”fight”. 3) tortha- (i dortha, i thorthar) (control)

matha

stroke

(vb.) matha- (i vatha, i mathar) (feel, handle; wield)

matha

feel

(vb.) matha- (i vatha, i mathar) (stroke, handle; wield).

matha

handle

(i vatha, i mathar) (stroke, feel; wield)

matha

wield

(i** vatha, i** mathar) (stroke, feel, handle)

matha

stroke

(i vatha, i mathar) (feel, handle; wield)

matha

feel

(i vatha, i mathar) (stroke, handle; wield).

math

noun. food

mathad

noun. handling, feeling, stroking, caressing; appraising, assay

rhû

noun. matter

A Sindarin word appearing as {hrū >} rhû “matter” in Quenya Notes (QN) from 1957, cognate to Q. hrón “flesh/substance of Arda, matter” and derived from srōn < √SRON, a root variation of √RON “solid, tangible, firm”. In later writings Tolkien revised its Quenya cognate to {orma} > erma (MR/218, 231 note #26, 338, 359 note #14).

Neo-Sindarin: I would retain S. rhû for “matter”, and would assume it was of independent derivation from its Quenya equivalent.

rhû

matter

n. matter. rhû << rhū. >> rhond, rhonn

mad-

verb. to eat

The Sindarin verb for “to eat” derived from the root √MAT of the same meaning (PE17/131; Ety/MAT). In Tolkien’s later writing it appears only in inflected forms, but the verb itself is well established, dating back all the way to G. mad- in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/56). This verb was one Tolkien often used in examples of verb conjugations and as such its inflected forms changed considerably over time, but that is more a topic of the evolution of the Sindarin verb system.

best

wiF1 noun. marriage, matrimony, wedding

tudheg

noun. match

best

noun. marriage, matrimony, wedlock, wedding

A neologism coined by Fiona Jallings in the VQP (VQP), the equivalent of ᴹQ. vesta “matrimony”. Fiona proposed that this word could meaning either “marriage” or “wedding”, but I prefer ᴺS. bestad for “wedding” and would reserve ᴺS. best for “marriage, matrimony, wedlock” = “the state of marriage”.

mad

eat

mad- (i vâd, i medir). HONEY-EATER, see BEAR

mad

eat

(i vâd, i medir).

balla-

verb. to matter; to be of significance, worth, moment

A neologism coined by Elaran posted on 2018-08-03 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), inspired by ᴱQ. valda- of the same meaning.

sith

noun. affair, matter

mâb

noun. hand, hand, [N.] grasp

The typical Sindarin word for “hand” (VT47/7, 20), usable in almost any context. It is most notable as an element in the name Mablung “Heavy Hand” (VT47/8). See below for a discussion of its etymology.

Conceptual Development: This word dates all the way back to the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, where G. mab “hand” appeared as a derivative of the early root ᴱ√MAPA “seize” (GL/55). Tolkien then revised the gloss to “hands”, saying instead it was an irregular dual of G. mô “hand”. The word reverted to singular ᴱN. mab “hand” in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s (PE13/149). These early versions of the word were already an element of Mablung “Heavy Hand(ed)” (LT2/38; LB/311), but also of Ermabwed “One-handed” (LT2/34; LB/119).

In the 1930s it seems Tolkien decided Ilk. mâb “hand” was primarily an Ilkorin word, and the usual word for “hand” in Noldorin was N. cam. Compare Ilkorin Ermabuin “One-handed” and Mablosgen “Empty-handed” with Noldorin Erchamion and Camlost of the same meaning. In The Etymologies of the 1930s, Tolkien had N. mab “grasp” under the root ᴹ√MAPA “seize”, but the version of the entry with that word was overwritten (EtyAC/MAP), leaving only the Ilkorin form mâb. In this period, Mablung may also have been an Ilkorin name.

After Tolkien abandoned Ilkorin in the 1950s, he kept S. Erchamion and Camlost based on cam, but also kept Mablung “Heavy Hand” which must have become Sindarin. In his later writings Tolkien again revisited the etymology of S. mâb “hand”. In a note from Jan-Feb 1968, he wrote:

> It [Q. má = “hand”] did not survive in Telerin and Sindarin as an independent word, but was replaced by the similar-sounding but unconnected C.E. makwā, Q. maqua, T. mapa, S. mab, of uncertain origin, but probably originally an adjectival formation from MAK “strike” ... (VT47/19).

This sentence was struck through, however. In drafts of notes on Elvish Hands, Fingers and Numerals written in or after 1968, Tolkien again derived mâb from √MAP (VT47/20 note #13), but in the final version of these notes he made the remarkable decision to discard this root despite it being a stable part of Elvish for nearly 50 years, declaring it was used only in Telerin and not Quenya or Sindarin (VT47/7). He coined a new etymology for S. mâb “hand” based on ✶makwā “handful” = ✶mā + ✶kwā (VT47/6-7), a variation on the above etymology from √MAK.

Neo-Sindarin: For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I prefer to ignore Tolkien’s 1968 removal of √MAP “seize”, and so would continue to derive S. mâb “hand” from that root. However, its ancient meaning may have been “✱grasp”, and its eventual use as “hand” might have been influenced by ancient ✶makwā “handful”.

media-

verb. to feed

A neologism coined by Paul Strack in 2019 specifically for Eldamo, the Sindarin derivative of ✶matyā- “feed” (PE22/135).

cam

hand

1) cam (i gam, o cham), pl. caim (i chaim), coll. pl. cammath; 2) mâb (i vâb; construct mab), pl. maib (i maib). 3) Archaic †maw (i vaw), pl. moe (i moe). A homophone means ”soil, stain”. (VT47:6) 4) (fist) dond (i dhond; construct don), pl. dynd (i nynd), coll. pl. donnath (VT47:23).

cam

hand

(i gam, o cham), pl. caim (i chaim), coll. pl. cammath

crûm

left hand

(i grûm, o chrûm, construct crum), pl. cruim (i chruim), coll. pl. crummath. Also ✱hair (i chair), no distinct pl. form (not even with article). Note: hair is also used = ”left” as adjective. Cited in archaic form heir (LR:365 s.v. KHYAR).

maetha

handle

(i vaetha, i maethar) (wield, manage, deal with). In Tolkien’s earlier material, the verb maetha- meant ”fight”.

maetha

wield

(i** vaetha, i** maethar) (handle, manage, deal with). In Tolkien’s earlier material, the verb maetha- meant ”fight”.

rhond

noun. body

A Sindarin word for “body”, cognate of Q. hrondo, appearing as rhonn in Quenya Notes from 1957 (QN: PE17/183) and as rhond or rhonn in notes concerning spirit, also probably from 1957 (NM/237). In the former document, it was derived from the root √SRON, a variant of √RON “solid, tangible, firm” (PE17/183).

Neo-Sindarin: Its Quenya cognate hrondo was replaced by Q. hröa < ✶srawā in notes from 1958-59 (MR/209, 350). However, the Sindarin equivalent of hroa was rhaw, a word that also meant “flesh” along with many other (Neo) Sindarin meanings such as “wild” and “lion”. As such, I would retain rhond as “body” for purposes of Neo-Sindarin; the continued viability of the root √RON is indicated by other words like S. Grond.

mâd

noun. meal

mann

noun. food

moth

noun. dusk

bain

fair

bain (beautiful). Lenited vain. No distinct pl. form.

cost

quarrel

(noun) cost (i gost, o chost), pl. cyst (i chyst)

dram

stroke

(noun: heavy stroke) dram (i dhram) (blow), pl. draim (in draim).

edhellen

elvish

edhellen (of language apparently = ”Sindarin”), pl. edhellin

graw

bear

(noun) 1) graw (i **raw), pl. groe (in groe), coll. pl. ?grawath or ?groath (VT47:12). 2) brôg (i vrôg, construct brog), pl. brŷg (i mrŷg**), 3) *medli (i vedli), no distinct pl. form except with article (i medli). The word literally means ”honey-eater”. Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” megli.

mann

food

mann (i vann, construct man), pl. main (i main) (VT45:35).

moth

dusk

1) moth (i voth), pl. myth (i myth). David Salo would read *môth with a long vowel. 2) dû (i dhû) (night, nightfall, late evening, darkness), pl. dui (i nui) (SD:302).

nad

thing

1) nad (pl. naid), 2) bach (article for exchange, ware) (i mach, o mbach), pl. baich (i mbaich).

rhaw

flesh

rhaw (?i thraw or ?i raw the lenition product of rh is uncertain) (body), pl. rhoe (?idh roe). Note: a homophone means ”wild, untamed”. (MR:350)

rhaw

body

rhaw (?i thraw or ?i raw the lenition product of rh is uncertain) (flesh), pl. rhoe (?idh roe). Note: a homophone means ”wild, untamed”. (MR:350).

thîn

evening

†*thîn (no distinct pl. form; coll. pl. thíniath). The form cited in LR:392 s.v. __ is not marked as containing a long vowel (“thin”).

tinnu

dusk

tinnu (i dinnu, o thinnu) (twilight, starlit evening, early night without a moon, starry twilight), pl. tinny (i thynny) if there is a pl.

uial

twilight

1) uial (pl. uiail if there is a pl.). This can be specified as: 1) (morning twilight) minuial (i vinuial) (dawn, morrowdim), pl. minuiail (i minuiail). 2) (second twilight, before nightfall) aduial (evendim, the time of evening when the stars come out), pl. aduiail. Other terms for twilight: 1) tinnu (i dinnu, o thinnu) (dusk, starlit evening, early night without a moon, starry twilight), pl. tinny (i thynny) if there is a pl. 2) muil (i vuil) (dreariness, shadow, vagueness), no distinct pl. except with article (i muil)

aduial

noun. the evening, time of star-opening, "evendim"

bain

fair

_ adj. _fair, good, blessed, wholesome, favourable, without evil/bad element, not dangerous, evil or hostile. bân or bain << bân pl. bain. >> bân

bân

adjective. fair

_ adj. _fair, good, wholesome, favourable, not dangerous, evil or hostile. bân or bain << bân pl. bain. >> bain

cam

noun. hand

camm

noun. hand

dram

noun. heavy stroke, a blow (of axe, etc.)

edhellen

adjective. elvish, of the Elves

edhellen

adjective. Elvish

_ adj. _Elvish. annon edhellen edro hi ammen! 'Elvish gate open now for us'. >> edhel

fael

adjective. fair minded, just, generous

gala-

verb. to grow

graw

noun. bear

graw

noun. bear

A Sindarin word for “bear” in notes from the late 1960s, derived from primitive ✶grā (VT47/12).

Neo-Sindarin: Its Quenya cognate Q. roa had the revised meaning {“bear” >>} “dog”, so for purposes of Neo-Sindarin it is probably best to stick with [N.] brôg and ᴺS. medli [N. megli] as words for “bear”.

gwain

adjective. fair

adj. fair. . This gloss was rejected.

gwana

noun/adjective. fair

gwân

adjective. fair

_ adj. _fair, pale.

lind

adjective. fair

mab-

noun. a hand-full, complete hand (with all five fingers)

maetha-

verb. to handle

v. to handle. Q. mahta-.

maetha-

verb. to handle

_ v. _to handle, treat, manage, etc. Q. mahta-. >> maeth

maw

noun. hand

maw

noun. hand

The Sindarin equivalent of Q. má, likewise derived from the root √MAH or √MAƷ “hand; handle, wield” (PE17/162; VT47/6). However, in Sindarin this word was archaic, used only in poetry, having been replaced in ordinary speech by other words like S. mâb and (less often) cam. Other remnants of this word can be seen in compounds like molif “wrist, (orig.) hand link” and directional words like forvo and harvo for left and right hand side.

Conceptual Development: In the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, G. mô from the early root ᴱ√MAHA was the normal word for “hand”, replacing mab “hand” (< ᴱ√MAHA) which in this document Tolkien decided was instead an irregular dual form of mô (GL/55). It had also had an irregular plural mabin based on this dual, replacing an older plural †maith. In the Gnomish Grammar, its archaic form was †mâ, with the usual Gnomish sound change of ā to ō (GG/14), as opposed to later Sindarin/Noldorin ā to au, spelt -aw when final. Tolkien seems to have abandoned mô as a non-archaic word for “hand” early on, preferring ᴱN. mab “hand” by the 1920s and introducing N. cam “hand” in the 1930s.

medli

noun. bear

mâb

noun. a hand-full, complete hand (with all five fingers)

plada-

verb. to feel with the hand, to pass the sensitive palm over a surface

rhaw

noun. flesh, body

rhond

noun. body

n. body. >> rhonn, rhû

rhonn

noun. body

n. body. >> rhond, rhû

uial

noun. twilight

uial

noun. twilight

_ n. _twilight. Q. úyale, yúyal.

bach

thing

(article for exchange, ware) (i mach, o mbach), pl. baich (i mbaich).

bain

fair

(beautiful). Lenited vain. No distinct pl. form.

bellas

bodily strength

(i vellas), pl. bellais (i mellais) if there is a pl.

brôg

bear

(i vrôg, construct brog), pl. brŷg (i mrŷg)

camlann

of the hand

(i gamlann, o chamlann), pl. cemlain (i chemlain).

cost

quarrel

(i gost, o chost), pl. cyst (i chyst)

dond

hand

(i dhond; construct don), pl. dynd (i nynd), coll. pl. donnath (VT47:23).

dram

stroke

(i dhram) (blow), pl. draim (in draim).

dû

dusk

(i dhû) (night, nightfall, late evening, darkness), pl. dui (i nui) (SD:302).

dû

late evening

(i dhû) (night, nightfall, darkness), pl. dui (i nui) (SD:302).

forgam

right-handed

(pl. fergaim, for archaic förgeim)

fuir

right hand

pl. fŷr. Also used as adj. "right, north" (VT42:20). In ”Noldorin” the word appeared as (”foeir” =) föir, feir (LR:382 s.v. PHOR).

fân

manifested body of a vala

(veil, cloud), construct fan, pl. fain.

graw

bear

(i ’raw), pl. groe (in groe), coll. pl. ?grawath or ?groath (VT47:12).

groga

feel terror

(i ’roga, in grogar) (WJ:415).

madui

adjective. edible

mann

food

(i vann, construct man), pl. main (i main) (VT45:35).

maw

hand

(i vaw), pl. moe (i moe). A homophone means ”soil, stain”. (VT47:6) 

medli

bear

(i vedli), no distinct pl. form except with article (i medli). The word literally means ”honey-eater”. – Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” megli.

medli

noun. bear, (lit.) honey-eater

medlin

bearish, of bears

(adjective derived from medli ”bear”), lenited vedlin, no distinct pl. form. – Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” meglin.

minuial

twilight

(i vinuial) (dawn, morrowdim), pl. minuiail (i minuiail).

moth

dusk

(i voth), pl. myth (i myth). David Salo would read ✱môth with a long vowel.

mothren

adjective. dusk, dusky

muil

twilight

(i vuil) (dreariness, shadow, vagueness), no distinct pl. except with article (i muil)

mâb

hand

(i vâb; construct mab), pl. maib (i maib).

nad

thing

(pl. naid)

plada

feel with the hand

(i blada, i phladar)** **(VT47:9)

rhaw

flesh

(?i thraw or ?i raw – *the lenition product of rh is uncertain) (body), pl. rhoe (?idh roe). Note: a homophone means ”wild, untamed”. (MR:350)*

rhaw

body

(?i thraw or ?i raw – *the lenition product of rh is uncertain) (flesh), pl. rhoe (?idh roe). Note: a homophone means ”wild, untamed”. (MR:350)*.

salph

liquid food

(i halph, o salph) (soup, broth), pl. seilph (if the word goes like alph ”swan”), with article i seilph.

talphad

noun. footstep

A neologism coined by Echuidor posted on 2024-08-10 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), a combination of tâl “foot” and pâd “step”.

thinna

grow toward evening

(fade).

thîn

evening

(no distinct pl. form; coll. pl. thíniath). The form cited in LR:392 s.v. THIN is not marked as containing a long vowel (“thin”).

tinnu

dusk

(i dinnu, o thinnu) (twilight, starlit evening, early night without a moon, starry twilight), pl. tinny (i thynny) if there is a pl.

tinnu

starlit evening

(i** dinnu, o thinnu) (dusk, twilight, early night without a moon), pl. tinny (i** thynny) if there is a pl. Verb

tinnu

twilight

(i** dinnu, o thinnu) (dusk, starlit evening, early night without a moon, starry twilight), pl. tinny (i** thynny) if there is a pl.

tortha

wield

(i** dortha, i** thorthar) (control)

pâ

noun. hand

A noun translated “hand”, given as an example of an apparent Adûnaic uniconsonantal noun, which had a biconsonantal-root but lost one of its consonants from its ancient form ✶Ad. paʒa (SD/416, 426).

urug

noun. bear

A noun translated “bear” (SD/426), also given by Tolkien as an example of how common-nouns can be altered into masculine and feminine forms using the suffixes -û and -î: urgī “female bear, she-bear” (SD/435).