Quenya 

nésa

sister

nésa (Þ) noun "sister" (VT47:14); this form from a late source possibly replaces earlier seler and onórë, q.v.

nésa

noun. sister

A word for “sister” coined by Tolkien in notes on Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals from the late 1960s, based on the root √NETH of similar meaning (VT47/12, 14). It had a diminutive/affectionate variant nettë used as a play name for the fourth finger in several places in these notes (VT47/12; VT48/6), but I prefer to mainly use nettë for “(little) girl” in Neo-Quenya (VT47/10, 15, 33).

Conceptual Development: The Etymologies of the 1930s had ᴹQ. seler “sister” from the root ᴹ√THEL or THELES (Ety/THEL), and the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had ᴱQ. heresse “sister” from the early root ᴱ√HESE (QL/40). See those entries for discussion.

Cognates

  • S. nîth “sister” ✧ VT47/14
  • T. néþa “sister” ✧ VT47/14

Derivations

  • ✶nēthā “sister” ✧ VT47/14
    • √NETH “(young) woman, female person; sister; fresh, lively, merry, (young) woman, female person; sister; fresh, lively, merry; [ᴹ√] young” ✧ VT47/12

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
✶nēthā > néþa > nésa[nētʰā] > [nēθā] > [nēθa] > [nēsa]✧ VT47/14

onórë

sister

onórë noun "sister" (of blood-kin) (THEL/THELES, NŌ; both of these entries in the Etymologies as reproduced in LR have the reading "onóne", but the "Old Noldorin" cognate wanúre listed in the entry THEL/THELES seems to indicate that the Quenya word should be onórë; the letters n and r are easily confused in Tolkien's handwriting. There is no clear evidence for a feminine ending -në in Quenya, but -rë is relatively well attested; cf. for instance ontarë.) A later source gives the word for "sister" as nésa instead.

seler

sister

seler (þ) (sell-, as in pl. selli) noun "sister" (THEL/THELES). In a later source, the word nésa (q.v.) appears instead, leaving the conceptual status of seler uncertain.

osellë

sister, [female] associate

osellë (þ) noun "sister, [female] associate" (THEL/THELES, WŌ). Cf. otorno.

Sindarin 

nethig

noun. "litte sister"

First given in the manuscript as netheg in VT/47:14-15, but see especially VT/48:17 n. 13 for discussion

Sindarin [VT/47:14, VT/47:38-39, VT/48:6,17] Group: SINDICT. Published by

nethig

noun. ring finger (Elvish play-name used by and taught to children)

First given in the manuscript as netheg in VT/47:14-15, but see especially VT/48:17 n. 13 for discussion

Sindarin [VT/47:14, VT/47:38-39, VT/48:6,17] Group: SINDICT. Published by

nethig

noun. sister, girl (diminutive)

Changes

  • netheg → nethig ✧ VT47/14
  • netheg → nethig ✧ VT47/32

Cognates

  • T. netticë “sister (diminutive)” ✧ VT47/14; VT47/15; VT47/32; VT47/32
  • Q. nettë “(little) girl, sister (diminutive), daughter, pretty little thing, (little) girl, sister (diminutive), ️daughter, pretty little thing” ✧ VT48/06

Elements

WordGloss
neth“(little) girl; sister (diminutive)”
-eg“diminutive/singular ending”

Variations

  • netheg ✧ VT47/14; VT47/15; VT47/32 (netheg)
Sindarin [VT47/14; VT47/15; VT47/32; VT47/33; VT48/06] Group: Eldamo. Published by

neth

noun. sister

Sindarin [VT/47:14-16,33, VT/48:6] Group: SINDICT. Published by

neth

noun. girl (in her teens, approaching the adult)

Sindarin [VT/47:14-16,33, VT/48:6] Group: SINDICT. Published by

nethel

noun. sister

A word for “sister” coined by Tolkien in notes on Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals from the late 1960s, based on the root √NETH of similar meaning and replacing the archaic form of the word †nîth (VT47/12, 14). The diminutive/affectionate form nethig “[little] sister” was used as a play name for the fourth finger (VT48/6); Tolkien considered an alternate diminutive netheg (VT47/14, 32) and also considered giving this diminutive an alternate meaning “little girl” (VT47/15, 33); see S. neth for discussion.

Conceptual Development: The Etymologies of the 1930s had N. thêl “sister” from the root ᴹ√THEL or THELES (Ety/THEL), and the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had G. hethir “sister” from the early root ᴱ√HESE [HEÞE] (GL/48; QL/40). See those entries for discussion.

nîth

noun. sister

Sindarin [VT/47:14] Group: SINDICT. Published by

nîth

noun. sister

Cognates

  • Q. nésa “sister” ✧ VT47/14

Derivations

  • ✶nēthā “sister” ✧ VT47/14
    • √NETH “(young) woman, female person; sister; fresh, lively, merry, (young) woman, female person; sister; fresh, lively, merry; [ᴹ√] young” ✧ VT47/12

Element in

  • S. nethel “sister” ✧ VT47/14

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
✶nēthā > nîth[nētʰā] > [nētʰa] > [nēθa] > [nīθa] > [nīθ]✧ VT47/14

nethig

little sister

nethig (no distinct pl. form except with article, in nethig). Also used (in childrens play) as a term for the ring finger. (VT47:14, 38-39, VT48:6, 17)

neth

sister

1) neth (also used = ”girl”). (VT47:14-16, 33; VT48:6), pl. nith. Notice the homophone neth ”young”. Also nîth (no distinct pl. form though the plural article with show pluarlity when the noun is definite: in nîth) (VT47:14). 2) gwathel (i **wathel), pl. gwethil (in gwethil). 3) muinthel (i vuinthel), pl. muinthil (i muinthil), more usual than the shorter form thêl (stem thele-), pl. theli. In “Noldorin”, the pl. was thelei** (LR:392 s.v. THEL).

lebent

ring finger

lebent (pl. lebint) (VT48:5), also called nethig. The word means ”little sister”, but was used in childrens play for the ring finger. (VT47:14, 38-39, VT48:48:6, 17)

lebent

ring finger

(pl. lebint) (VT48:5), also called nethig. The word means ”little sister”, but was used in children’s play for the ring finger. (VT47:14, 38-39, VT48:48:6, 17)

Telerin 

néþa

noun. sister

Cognates

  • Q. nésa “sister” ✧ VT47/14

Derivations

  • ✶nēthā “sister” ✧ VT47/14
    • √NETH “(young) woman, female person; sister; fresh, lively, merry, (young) woman, female person; sister; fresh, lively, merry; [ᴹ√] young” ✧ VT47/12

Variations

  • nēþa ✧ VT47/14

Primitive elvish

nēthā

noun. sister

Derivations

  • √NETH “(young) woman, female person; sister; fresh, lively, merry, (young) woman, female person; sister; fresh, lively, merry; [ᴹ√] young” ✧ VT47/12

Derivatives

  • Q. nésa “sister” ✧ VT47/14
  • Q. nettë “(little) girl, sister (diminutive), daughter, pretty little thing, (little) girl, sister (diminutive), ️daughter, pretty little thing” ✧ VT47/14
  • S. nîth “sister” ✧ VT47/14
  • T. néþa “sister” ✧ VT47/14

Element in

  • ✶netthi “girl approaching the adult, sister (diminutive)” ✧ VT47/14

Variations

  • nēthā ✧ VT47/14
Primitive elvish [VT47/14] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Noldorin 

muinthel

noun. sister

Noldorin [Ety/392] muin+thêl. Group: SINDICT. Published by

muinthel

noun. sister

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

thêl

noun. sister

Noldorin [Ety/392] Group: SINDICT. Published by

thêl

noun. sister

A word for “sister” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from the root ᴹ√THEL or THELES of the same meaning, with an irregular plural thelei (Ety/THEL). It had a more elaborate form muinthel, the equivalent of muindor “(dear) brother”, with an initial element muin “dear”.

Neo-Quenya: In notes from the late 1960s, Tolkien introduced a new word nethel for “sister” from the root √NETH (VT47/14). However, I think thêl and related words might be retained to mean a “metaphorical sister”, a close female associate who may or may not be related by blood, as with such words as gwathel “[sworn] sister, associate”. In this paradigm, I would assume muinthel still refers to a sister by blood, with an added connotation of strong affection. I think it’s best to assume the irregular Noldorin plural pattern was reformed to the normal Sindarin plural thîl.

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. seler “sister” ✧ Ety/THEL

Derivations

  • On. thele “sister” ✧ Ety/THEL
    • ᴹ√THEL(ES) “sister” ✧ Ety/THEL
    • ᴹ✶thelese “*sister” ✧ Ety/THEL
    • ᴹ√THEL(ES) “sister” ✧ Ety/THEL

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
On. thele > thêl[θele] > [θel] > [θēl]✧ Ety/THEL
Noldorin [Ety/THEL] Group: Eldamo. Published by

gwathel

noun. sister, associate

Noldorin [Ety/392] 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 

seler

noun. sister

A noun for “sister” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from the root ᴹ√THEL or THELES of the same meaning, with an irregular plural selli (Ety/THEL), where the stem form sell- is because the Quenya syncope caused the second e to be lost and then the ancient ls became ll.

Neo-Quenya: In notes from the late 1960s, Tolkien introduced a new word nésa for “sister” (VT47/14). However, I think seler might be retained to mean a “metaphorical” sister, a close female associate who may or may not be related by blood, as with such words as meletheldi “love-sister, ✱close female friend” or ᴹQ. oselle “sworn sister”. In this sense, nésa would be limited to biological relationships, but seler would refer to sisterly (or sister-like) affection.

Cognates

  • On. thele “sister” ✧ Ety/THEL
  • N. thêl “sister” ✧ Ety/THEL

Derivations

  • ᴹ√THEL(ES) “sister” ✧ Ety/THEL

Element in

  • ᴹQ. oselle “[sworn] sister, associate [f.]” ✧ Ety/THEL

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√THELES > seler[tʰeles] > [θeles] > [θeler] > [seler]✧ Ety/THEL

Old Noldorin 

thele

noun. sister

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. seler “sister” ✧ Ety/THEL

Derivations

  • ᴹ√THEL(ES) “sister” ✧ Ety/THEL
  • ᴹ✶thelese “*sister” ✧ Ety/THEL
    • ᴹ√THEL(ES) “sister” ✧ Ety/THEL

Derivatives

  • N. thêl “sister” ✧ Ety/THEL

Element in

  • On. wathel “[sworn] sister, associate [f.]” ✧ Ety/THEL

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√THELES > thele[tʰeles] > [θeles] > [θele]✧ Ety/THEL
ᴹ✶thelesi > thelehi[tʰelesi] > [θelesi] > [θelehi]✧ Ety/THEL
Old Noldorin [Ety/THEL] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Middle Primitive Elvish

thel(es)

root. sister

Tolkien gave this root in The Etymologies of the 1930s as ᴹ√THEL and extended form ᴹ√THELES with the gloss “sister” and derivatives like ᴹQ. seler and N. thêl of the same meaning, both derived from the extended root as made clear by the Noldorin plural thelei < ON. thelehi (Ety/THEL). Hints of the roots continued use appear in the 1959 term Q. meletheldi “love-sisters” for close female friends (NM/20). In notes from the late 1960s, Tolkien gave Q. nésa and S. nethel as the words for “sister”, both from the root √NETH. Nevertheless, I think it is worth retaining ᴹ√THEL(ES) to represent more abstract notions of “sisterhood” for the purposes of Neo-Eldarin, for “metaphorical sister”s as opposed to Q. nésa/S. nethel for sisters by blood.

Derivatives

  • ᴹ✶thelese “*sister” ✧ Ety/THEL
    • On. thele “sister” ✧ Ety/THEL
    • N. thêl “sister” ✧ Ety/THEL
  • ᴹQ. seler “sister” ✧ Ety/THEL
  • On. thele “sister” ✧ Ety/THEL
    • N. thêl “sister” ✧ Ety/THEL

Element in

  • Q. meletheldë “love-sister”
  • ᴹQ. oselle “[sworn] sister, associate [f.]” ✧ Ety/WŌ

Variations

  • THEL ✧ Ety/THEL; Ety/TOR; Ety/WŌ
  • THELES ✧ Ety/THEL
Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/THEL; Ety/TOR; Ety/WŌ] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Gnomish

hethir

noun. sister

A word for “sister” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, a feminized form of G. heth “brother or sister, ✱sibling”, along with several (archaic) variant forms hethwin, hestril, and hethril (GL/48). It was ultimately derived from the early root ᴱ√HESE [HEÞE?] (QL/40).

Cognates

Variations

  • hethwin ✧ GL/48 (hethwin)
  • hestril ✧ GL/48 (hestril)
  • hethril ✧ GL/48 (hethril)

Early Quenya

hestani

noun. sister

Variations

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

hestaqin

noun. sister

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

hestanoini

noun. sister

heresse

noun. sister

A word for “sister” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with numerous variants: heresse, hesta(noi)ni, and hestaqin, all based on the early root ᴱ√HESE that was the basis for “brother” and “sister” words (QL/40). Of these Tolkien said heresse was the “ordinary word”, and it also appeared in the Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/40).

Cognates

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