Quenya 

woman, female

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

beneath, not touching, under

(3) prep. "beneath, not touching, under" (PE17:95)

preposition. beneath, not touching, under

Cognates

  • S. di “beneath, under, beneath, under; [N.] in” ✧ PE17/095

Derivations

  • ndī “beneath, not touching, under” ✧ PE17/095

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ndī > [ndī] > [nī]✧ PE17/095

Variations

  • ✧ PE17/095

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/NĪ¹). 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.

Derivations

  • nīs “woman, female person”
    • NIS “woman”
    • NĪ/INI “*female, [ᴹ√] female” ✧ PE21/71
  • NIS “woman” ✧ VT47/18; VT47/33

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
nis- > nisse[nisse]✧ VT47/18
nis > nisse[nisse]✧ VT47/33

Variations

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

ni

me

ni (1) 1st person sg. pron. "I" (according to PE17:68 also "me" as object), with long vowel () when stressed (VT49:51), cf. ní nauva next to nauvan for "I will be" (VT49:19), the former wording emphasizing the pronoun. The pronoun ni represents the original stem-form (VT49:50). Dative nin "for me, to me" (Arct, Nam, RGEO:67, VT41:11/15). Compare the reflexive pronoun imni, imnë "myself" and the emphatic pronoun inyë, q.v. The ancient element ni is said to have implied, originally, "this by me, of my [?concern]" (VT49:37)

ni

pronoun. me, I

Cognates

  • ᴺS. ni “I”
  • T. ni “me, *I” ✧ VT41/11

Derivations

  • ni “I, me” ✧ PE17/068; VT49/50

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
NI > ni[ni]✧ PE17/068
ni > [ni]✧ VT49/50

Variations

  • ✧ VT49/19
  • ✧ VT49/51
Quenya [LotR/0377; PE17/014; PE17/068; PE17/147; PE22/151; PE22/156; PE22/158; PE22/161; PE22/168; RGEO/58; RGEO/59; VT41/11; VT41/13; VT41/15; VT49/19; VT49/20; VT49/30; VT49/34; VT49/51] Group: Eldamo. Published by

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.])

-n

suffix. I

-n(yë)

suffix. I

Derivations

  • ni “I, me” ✧ VT49/50

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ni > -n[-ne] > [-n]✧ VT49/50

Variations

  • -n(ye) ✧ PE17/057; PE17/190
  • -nye ✧ PE17/075; PE17/075; PE22/161; VT49/16; VT49/48; VT49/51
  • -n ✧ PE17/075; PE17/075; VT49/16; VT49/48; VT49/51
Quenya [PE17/057; PE17/075; PE17/190; PE22/161; VT49/16; VT49/48; VT49/51] 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

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)

Lindissë

woman

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

inyë

i, too

inyë emphatic independent 1st person sg. pronoun, "I" with emphasis, translated "I, too" in LR:61 (and, according to one reading of Tolkiens manuscript, in VT49:49).

nessa

young

nessa adj. "young" (NETH), alsoNessa as name of a Valië, the spouse of Tulkas (adopted and adapted from Valarin, or an archaic Elvish formation: WJ:404 vs. 416). Also called Indis, "bride" (NETH, NI1). The fem. name Nessanië (UT:210) would seem to incorporate Nessa's name; the second element could mean "tear" (nië), but since Nessa is not normally associated with sorrow, this #nië is perhaps rather a variant of "female" (compare Tintanië as a variant of Tintallë).

vinya

young

vinya (1) adj. "young" (VT46:22, VT47:26, PE17:191) or "new" (cf. compounds Vinyamar, Vinyarië below; cf. also winya "new, fresh, young" in a deleted entry in the Etymologies, VT45:16; there the word was first written as vinya.) Vinya "the Young", original name of the isle of Númenor among its own people (SD:332).

Sindarin 

nin

pronoun. me

Sindarin [LotR/IV:X, RGEO/72] Group: SINDICT. Published by

nin

pronoun. me

_ pron. _me.

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:95] -. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

nin

pronoun. me

Derivations

  • ni “I, me”

Element in

Variations

  • niu ✧ Let/279
Sindarin [Let/279; LotR/0729; PE17/095; RGEO/64] Group: Eldamo. Published by

enni

pronoun. to me

Sindarin [VT/41:11] an+ni. Group: SINDICT. Published by

im

pronoun. I

In late writings (see esp. VT/47:37-38), Tolkien reinterpreted this form as a reflexive pronoun (= "self").

Sindarin [LotR/II:IV, LB/354, VT/47:14,37-38] Group: SINDICT. Published by

di-

prefix. beneath, under

The only known usage of this word is as prefix, but VT/45:37 lists it as a unitary word di

Sindarin [di-nguruthos LotR/IV:X, RGEO/72, Letters/278, VT] Group: SINDICT. Published by

bess

noun. wife

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

arwen

noun. noble woman

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

gwein

adjective. young

adj. young. Q. vinya. >> gwîn

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:191] < WIN young. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

gwein

adjective. young

adaneth

noun. (mortal) woman

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

bess

noun. (young) woman

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

ni

pronoun. I

Cognates

  • Q. ni “me, I”

Derivations

  • ni “I, me”

nin

i

”me”, genitive nín ”my”, dative anim or enni ”to me, for me”.

nin

me

(object form of ”I”) nin; as indirect object anim or enni ”for myself, (to) me”.

beneath

, unstressed di (in, under) (VT45:37). Note: a homophone means ”bride, lady”.

beneath

unstressed di (in, under) (VT45:37). Note: a homophone means ”bride, lady”.

im

i

but as subject usually simply the ending -n, as in ónen

neth

young

neth (pl. nith). A homophone is the noun ”sister, girl”.

neth

young

(pl. nith). A homophone is the noun ”sister, girl”.

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.

gwanur

kinsman

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

adaneth

mortal woman

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

dess

young woman

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

dess

young woman

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

Adûnaic

kali

noun. woman

A noun translated “woman” (SD/434).

pronoun. me

This element appears to be the object pronoun “me” in the phrase bâ kitabdahê “don’t touch me” (SD/250). It is not clear whether it could also serve as a subject pronoun “I”. Thorsten Renk instead suggested (NBA/18) that -hê may be a marker for the imperative, and proposed the invented word Ad. !ni for “I, me”, a hypothetical cognate of Q. ni.

Element in

Variations

  • -hē ✧ SD/250

Primitive elvish

ndī

preposition. beneath, not touching, under

Derivatives

  • Q. “beneath, not touching, under” ✧ PE17/095
  • S. di “beneath, under, beneath, under; [N.] in” ✧ PE17/095
Primitive elvish [PE17/095] 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).

Derivatives

  • ndī̆s “*bride, [ᴹ✶] bride”
    • Q. indis “wife, [ᴹQ.] bride; [Q.] wife”
  • nīs “woman, female person”
  • Q. nillë “small [woman]” ✧ VT47/33
  • Q. nís “woman” ✧ VT47/18; VT47/33
  • Q. nisto “large woman” ✧ VT47/33

Variations

  • nis- ✧ VT47/18
  • nis ✧ VT47/33
Primitive elvish [VT47/18; VT47/33] Group: Eldamo. Published by

win

root. young, young, [ᴹ√] new, fresh

Tolkien used a similar set of Elvish roots for “youth” and “freshness” for many years. The earliest of these was primitive guı̯u̯ or gu̯iu̯ [ᴱ√GWIWI] in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like G. gui “just, just now, only just, already”, G. guin “recent, fresh”, and G. gwioth “youth” (GL/42). This root reappeared as ᴹ√WIR “new, fresh, young” in The Etymologies of the 1930s with variants ᴹ√ and ᴹ√WIN and derivatives ᴹQ. vírie “youth” and ᴹQ. virya “fresh” (EtyAC/WIR). The ᴹ√WIN variant had derivatives ᴹQ. vinya/N. gwîn “young”. Tolkien considered, but rejected, deriving these from strengthened ᴹ√GWIN instead, producing (also rejected) ᴹQ. winya/N. bîn (EtyAC/GWIN).

Q. vinya appeared in quite a few later names with the gloss “young” or “new”, but the Sindarin form became S. gwain as in S. Narwain “January, ✱(lit.) New Fire” (LotR/1110) and S. Iarwain “Old-young” (LotR/1114; RC/128). In Definitive Linguistic Notes (DLN) from 1959, both were given as derivatives of √WIN “young” along with Q. víne/S. gwîn “youth”, though the Sindarin word for “young” was given as (archaic?) gwein (PE17/191). Also related are various words for “baby” from 1968 notes such Q. †wine/S. gwinig “little-one, baby” (VT48/6). In these notes primitive wini was glossed “little” but this was deleted (VT47/26), making it likely that the earlier senses “young, new” were restored for √WIN.

As for the 1930s root ᴹ√WIR, it might have survived as an element in the month names Q. Víressë/S. Gwirith “April” (LotR/1110), perhaps meaning “✱freshness”.

Derivatives

  • wini “child not yet full grown” ✧ VT47/26
    • Q. winë “baby, little-one, child not yet full grown” ✧ VT47/26
  • ᴺQ. vin “just, just now, only just, already”
  • Q. vínë “youth, youth, *childhood” ✧ PE17/191; VT47/26
  • Q. vinya “young, new” ✧ PE17/191; VT47/26
  • Q. Víressë “April, *Freshness”
  • S. gwain “young, *new” ✧ PE17/191
  • ᴺS. gwí “just, just now, only just, already”
  • S. gwîn “youth” ✧ PE17/191

Element in

Variations

  • wini ✧ VT47/26 (wini)
  • win ✧ VT47/26
Primitive elvish [PE17/191; VT47/26] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Noldorin 

noun. woman, lady

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

im

pronoun. I

Element in

gwîn

adjective. young

Changes

  • gwînbîn ✧ EtyAC/GWIN

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. vinya “young, new” ✧ EtyAC/GWIN; EtyAC/GWIN; EtyAC/WIR

Derivations

  • ᴹ√WIN “new, fresh, young” ✧ EtyAC/GWIN; EtyAC/WIR

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√GWIN > bîn[gwinje] > [binje] > [binie] > [bini] > [bin] > [bīn]✧ EtyAC/GWIN
ᴹ√WINI > gwîn[winje] > [gwinje] > [gwinie] > [gwini] > [gwin] > [gwīn]✧ EtyAC/WIR

Variations

  • bîn ✧ EtyAC/GWIN (bîn)
  • gwîn ✧ EtyAC/GWIN (gwîn); EtyAC/WIR
Noldorin [EtyAC/GWIN; EtyAC/WIR] Group: Eldamo. Published by

bess

noun. wife

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

neth

adjective. young

Noldorin [Ety/377] Group: SINDICT. Published by

neth

adjective. young

irregular, compare: tathor @@@

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. nessa “young” ✧ Ety/NETH

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶nethrā “young” ✧ Ety/NETH
    • ᴹ√NETH “young” ✧ Ety/NETH
  • ᴹ√NETH “young” ✧ Ety/NĪ¹; EtyAC/NIS

Element in

  • N. dineth “bride” ✧ Ety/NĪ¹; EtyAC/NIS
  • N. Neth “Nessa” ✧ Ety/NETH
  • N. Nethwelein “Younger Gods”

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶nethra > neth[netʰra] > [neθra] > [neθr] > [neθ]✧ Ety/NETH
Noldorin [Ety/NETH; Ety/NĪ¹; EtyAC/NIS] Group: Eldamo. Published by

dess

noun. young woman

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

bess

noun. (young) woman

Noldorin [Ety/352, SD/129-31] Group: SINDICT. 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 

noun. woman, female

An archaic noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “woman” or “female” directly derived from the root ᴹ√, in ordinary speech usually replaced by ᴹQ. nis (Ety/INI, NĪ¹).

Conceptual Development: ᴱQ. “woman” appeared in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s as a cognate to G. †nîr of the same meaning (GL/60).

Derivations

  • ᴹ√NĪ/INI “female” ✧ Ety/INI; Ety/NĪ¹

Element in

  • ᴺQ. curuni “witch, *sorceress, female magician (not necessarily evil)”
  • ᴺQ. inimë “femininity, womanliness”

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√ > [nī]✧ Ety/INI
ᴹ√NĪ¹ > [nī]✧ Ety/NĪ¹

Variations

  • ✧ EtyAC/NĪ¹
Qenya [Ety/INI; Ety/NĪ¹; EtyAC/NĪ¹] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ni

pronoun. I

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶ni “I”

Element in

Variations

  • ✧ PE22/120
Qenya [LR/072; PE21/61; PE22/092; PE22/097; PE22/104; PE22/115; PE22/118; PE22/119; PE22/120; PE22/121; PE22/122; PE22/123; PE22/125; PE22/127; SD/056] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nis

noun. woman

Cognates

  • On. ndissa “young woman” ✧ Ety/NDIS; EtyAC/NIS
  • N. dess “young woman” ✧ Ety/NDIS

Derivations

  • ᴹ√NDIS “*bride” ✧ Ety/NDIS
    • ᴹ√NĪ/INI “female” ✧ Ety/BES
    • ᴹ√NIS “woman” ✧ Ety/NIS
  • ᴹ√NIS “woman” ✧ Ety/NDIS; Ety/NĪ¹; Ety/NIS

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√NDIS-SĒ/SĀ > nisse[ndisse] > [nisse]✧ Ety/NDIS
ᴹ√NIS/NĪ > nis[niss] > [nis]✧ Ety/NDIS
ᴹ√NIS > nis[niss] > [nis]✧ Ety/NĪ¹
ᴹ√NIS > nisse[nisse]✧ Ety/NĪ¹
ᴹ√NIS > nis[niss] > [nis]✧ Ety/NIS

Variations

  • nisse ✧ Ety/NDIS; Ety/NĪ¹; EtyAC/NIS (nisse)
Qenya [Ety/NDIS; Ety/NĪ¹; Ety/NIS; EtyAC/NDIS; EtyAC/NĪ¹; EtyAC/NIS; PE21/08] Group: Eldamo. Published by

-nye

suffix. I

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶ni “I” ✧ Ety/NI²

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶NĪ² > nyē-[nje]✧ Ety/NI²

Variations

  • nyē- ✧ EtyAC/NI²

nisse

noun. woman

nye

pronoun. me, I

Element in

Variations

  • nyé ✧ PE22/119; PE22/122
Qenya [PE22/119; PE22/120; PE22/122] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nessa

adjective. young

Cognates

  • N. neth “young” ✧ Ety/NETH

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶nethrā “young” ✧ Ety/NETH
    • ᴹ√NETH “young” ✧ Ety/NETH

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶neth-rā > nessa[netʰrā] > [netsā] > [netsa] > [nessa]✧ Ety/NETH

Old Noldorin 

ni

pronoun. I

Element in

  • On. ni tūlaiyeta “I should have done it (if ...)” ✧ PE22/098; PE22/121
Old Noldorin [PE22/098; PE22/121] Group: Eldamo. Published by

noun. woman

Derivations

  • ᴹ√NĪ/INI “female” ✧ Ety/NĪ¹
  • ᴹ✶ “woman” ✧ EtyAC/NDIS
    • ᴹ√NĪ/INI “female” ✧ PE21/55
  • ᴹ√NIS “woman” ✧ EtyAC/NDIS; Ety/NIS

Derivatives

  • N. “woman, bride, lady” ✧ Ety/NĪ¹; EtyAC/NDIS; EtyAC/NIS

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶ > [nī] > [dī]✧ EtyAC/NDIS

Variations

  • ✧ EtyAC/NDIS
  • ✧ EtyAC/NDIS ()
  • nīs ✧ EtyAC/NDIS (nīs); EtyAC/NIS (nīs)
  • ✧ EtyAC/NĪ¹
  • nî/dī ✧ EtyAC/NIS
Old Noldorin [Ety/NĪ¹; EtyAC/NDIS; EtyAC/NĪ¹; EtyAC/NIS] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Middle Primitive Elvish

ni

pronoun. I

Derivatives

  • ᴹQ. ni “I”
  • ᴹQ. -nye “I” ✧ Ety/NI²

Element in

Variations

  • NĪ² ✧ Ety/NI²
  • NI² ✧ EtyAC/NI²
Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/NI²; EtyAC/NI²; PE21/61; PE21/65; PE22/092; PE22/094; PE22/095] Group: Eldamo. Published by

noun. woman

Derivations

  • ᴹ√NĪ/INI “female” ✧ PE21/55

Derivatives

  • On. “woman” ✧ EtyAC/NDIS
    • N. “woman, bride, lady” ✧ Ety/NĪ¹; EtyAC/NDIS; EtyAC/NIS
Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/NĒR; EtyAC/NDIS; PE21/55] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nis

root. woman

Derivatives

  • ᴹ√NDIS “*bride” ✧ Ety/NIS
    • ᴹ✶ndīse “bride” ✧ Ety/DER; Ety/I²; Ety/NDIS
    • N. dîs “bride” ✧ EtyAC/NIS
    • On. ndīs “bride” ✧ Ety/NDIS
      • N. dîs “bride” ✧ Ety/NDIS
    • ᴹQ. indis “bride” ✧ Ety/NDIS
    • ᴹQ. nis “woman” ✧ Ety/NDIS
    • N. “woman, bride, lady” ✧ Ety/BES
    • N. dîs “bride” ✧ Ety/BES
    • On. ndīs “bride” ✧ EtyAC/NIS
    • N. dîs “bride” ✧ Ety/NDIS
    • On. ndissa “young woman” ✧ Ety/NDIS
    • N. dess “young woman” ✧ Ety/BES; Ety/NDIS; EtyAC/NDIS; EtyAC/NDIS; EtyAC/NIS
  • ᴹ✶ndīse “bride” ✧ Ety/NIS
    • N. dîs “bride” ✧ EtyAC/NIS
    • On. ndīs “bride” ✧ Ety/NDIS
    • N. dîs “bride” ✧ Ety/NDIS
  • ᴹ✶nī̆s “woman” ✧ PE21/55
  • ᴹQ. nis “woman” ✧ Ety/NDIS; Ety/NĪ¹; Ety/NIS
  • ᴹQ. nissa “lady”
  • On. “woman” ✧ EtyAC/NDIS; Ety/NIS
    • N. “woman, bride, lady” ✧ Ety/NĪ¹; EtyAC/NDIS; EtyAC/NIS

Variations

  • NĪ/NIS ✧ Ety/DER
  • NIS/NĪ ✧ Ety/NDIS
Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/DER; Ety/NDIS; Ety/NĪ¹; Ety/NIS; EtyAC/NDIS; PE21/55] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nī̆s

noun. woman

Derivations

  • ᴹ√NIS “woman” ✧ PE21/55

Variations

  • nis ✧ Ety/NĒR
  • nīs- ✧ PE21/55
  • nīs ✧ PE21/64
Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/NĒR; PE21/55; PE21/64] Group: Eldamo. Published by

neth

root. young

Derivatives

  • ᴹ✶nēthē “youth” ✧ Ety/NETH
    • ᴹQ. nése “youth” ✧ Ety/NETH
    • N. nîth “youth” ✧ Ety/NETH
  • ᴹ✶nethrā “young” ✧ Ety/NETH
    • ᴹQ. nessa “young” ✧ Ety/NETH
    • N. neth “young” ✧ Ety/NETH
  • ᴹQ. nése “youth” ✧ Ety/NETH
  • ᴹQ. Nessa “*Young” ✧ Ety/NETH
  • N. nesta- “to heal”
  • N. Neth “Nessa” ✧ Ety/NĪ¹
  • N. neth “young” ✧ Ety/NĪ¹; EtyAC/NIS

Element in

  • ᴹQ. Nessaron “*Day of the Younger Gods” ✧ Ety/LEP
  • N. Nethwelein “Younger Gods” ✧ Ety/LEP
Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/LEP; Ety/NETH; Ety/NĪ¹; EtyAC/NIS] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nethrā

adjective. young

Derivations

  • ᴹ√NETH “young” ✧ Ety/NETH

Derivatives

  • ᴹQ. nessa “young” ✧ Ety/NETH
  • N. neth “young” ✧ Ety/NETH

Variations

  • neth-rā ✧ Ety/NETH
  • nethra ✧ Ety/NETH
Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/NETH] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Gnomish

nîr

noun. woman

Cognates

  • Eq. “woman” ✧ GL/60

gwin

noun. woman, female

Changes

  • gwin (gwind)gwin “woman” ✧ GL/45

Cognates

  • Eq. venya “womanl[y]” ✧ PE13/118
  • Eq. qin “woman, female”

Derivations

  • ᴱ√GIWI “*germinate, impregnate” ✧ GL/45
  • ᴱ√GWENE “*maiden; woman” ✧ PE13/118
  • ᴱ✶u̯einā́ ✧ PE13/118
    • ᴱ√GWENE “*maiden; woman” ✧ PE13/118

Element in

  • G. gwindod “elder tree; elderberry” ✧ GL/45
  • G. gwiniel “lady” ✧ GL/45
  • G. gwinlaith “womanhood (time)” ✧ GL/45
  • G. gwinweth “female sex, womanhood (state)” ✧ GL/45
  • G. gwinwed “female” ✧ GL/45
  • G. gwinios “womanhood (time or state)” ✧ GL/45
  • G. gwiniol “feminine” ✧ GL/45
  • G. i·winin na gwandron “women are beautiful” ✧ GG/09
  • G. -win “*female suffix” ✧ PE13/118; PE13/118; PE13/118; PE13/118; PE13/118

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√giu̯i > gwin[giwini] > [gʷini] > [gʷin]✧ GL/45
ᴱ√u̯enĭ- > gwein[weni] > [gʷein]✧ PE13/118
ᴱ✶u̯einā́ > guin[weinā] > [guin]✧ PE13/118

Variations

  • gwin (gwind) ✧ GL/45 (gwin (gwind))
  • gwein ✧ PE13/118; PE13/118; PE13/118
  • guin ✧ PE13/118
  • gwyn ✧ PE13/118
Gnomish [GG/09; GL/39; GL/45; PE13/118] Group: Eldamo. Published by

gwiw

adjective. young

Derivations

  • ᴱ√GWIWI “*young” ✧ GL/42

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√gu̯iu̯ > gwiw[gwiw]✧ GL/42

Variations

  • gwion ✧ GL/42
  • gwiog ✧ GL/42

gwiog

adjective. young

gwion

adjective. young

gân

adjective. young

Cognates

  • Eq. kana “young” ✧ GL/37

Derivations

  • ᴱ√GANA “young”

Element in

  • G. gân ar gantha “*young and old, (lit.) young and adult” ✧ GL/37
  • G. ganos “youth” ✧ GL/37

Variations

  • Gân ✧ GL/37

Early Noldorin

nain

noun. woman

Changes

  • nainuin “woman” ✧ PE13/123

Cognates

  • Eq. “woman”
Early Noldorin [PE13/123] Group: Eldamo. Published by

uin

noun. woman

Changes

  • gwinduin “woman” ✧ PE13/146
  • gwinnuin “woman” ✧ PE13/155

Variations

  • gwind ✧ PE13/146 (gwind)
  • gwinn ✧ PE13/146 (gwinn); PE13/155 (gwinn)
Early Noldorin [PE13/123; PE13/146; PE13/155] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nuv-

verb. to sink, set

Derivations

  • ᴱ√NUHU “bow, bend down, stoop, sink”

Element in

  • En. dadnuv- “*to sink, go down”
  • En. nofn “down, set” ✧ PE13/151
  • En. úr ní “the sun set” ✧ PE13/151
Early Noldorin [PE13/151] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Primitive Elvish

gana Speculative

root. young

A hypothetical early root that would explain words appearing in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s such as ᴱQ. kana and G. gân “young” (GL/37). There are no signs of this root in Tolkien’s later writings.

Derivatives

Early Primitive Elvish Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Quenya

noun. woman

Cognates

  • G. nîr “woman” ✧ GL/60
  • En. nain “woman”

Element in

  • Eq. -ni “feminine suffix”
Early Quenya [GL/60] Group: Eldamo. Published by

anî

noun. woman

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).

Element in

  • Eq. anaina “womanly” ✧ QL/031

Variations

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

qin

noun. woman, female

A noun in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s glossed “woman, female” derived from the root ᴱ√QIMI (QL/77). In the Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa it appeared in its stem form qim- (PME/77). The word reappeared with the gloss “woman” in the English-Qenya Dictionary and Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s (PE15/79; PE16/135), but seems to have been abandoned after that point.

Changes

  • qime-qim- ✧ QL/077

Cognates

  • G. gwin “woman, female”

Derivations

  • ᴱ√QIMI “*woman” ✧ QL/077

Element in

  • Eq. hestaqin “sister” ✧ QL/040
  • Eq. qimenoite “feminine, female” ✧ PE16/135; QL/077
  • Eq. qinya “female” ✧ PE16/135
  • Eq. qimelle “little woman” ✧ QL/077
  • Eq. qim(en)ea “womanly, feminine” ✧ QL/077
  • Eq. turqin “queen” ✧ QL/095 (turqin)

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√QIMI > qin[giwim] > [gwin] > [gwin] > [kwin] > [kʷin]✧ QL/077

Variations

  • qin ✧ PE15/79; PE16/135; QL/040 (qin); QL/077; QL/095 (qin)
  • qime- ✧ QL/077 (qime-)
Early Quenya [PE15/79; PE16/135; PME/077; QL/040; QL/077; QL/095] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kana

adjective. young

Cognates

  • G. gân “young” ✧ GL/37

Derivations

  • ᴱ√GANA “young”
Early Quenya [GL/37] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nún

adverb. beneath

Derivations

  • ᴱ√NUHU “bow, bend down, stoop, sink”

Element in

Variations

  • nuun ✧ PE16/077
Early Quenya [PE16/077] 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.

Variations

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

ú

preposition. beneath

Cognates

  • G. uf “out of, forth, from” ✧ GL/74

Derivations

  • ᴱ√Ū “under” ✧ QL/096

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√Ū¹ > ū[ū]✧ QL/096

Variations

  • ū ✧ GL/74; QL/096
Early Quenya [GL/74; QL/096] Group: Eldamo. Published by