lië

people

lië noun "people" (LI, Narqelion, VT39:6), in Eldalië, losselië, Ornelië (q.v.); possessive #liéva in Mindon Eldaliéva (q.v.); maybe also compounded in #rohtalië, #ruhtalië (q.v.)

lie

noun. people

nornalië

proper name. People of the Dwarves

A name for the Dwarvish people (WJ/388). This name is a compound of norna “stiff, tough”, from which the word Norno “Dwarf” is derived (WJ/413), and lië “people”.

rohtalië

noun. *debtors, trespassers, (lit.) debt/trespass people, *debtors, (lit.) debt people, trespassers, (lit.) trespass people

Just as Tolkien experimented with various words for “debt, trespass” (e.g. luhta or rohta), he also experimented with various words for “debtor, trespasser” in drafts of the Átaremma prayer from the 1950s. In the earliest drafts Tolkien had lucando or lucindo (VT43/8-10), but in the third version he had (plural) rocindi (VT43/11), which in the fourth version was revised to (plural) rucindi >> ruhtalie >> rohtalië (VT43/11-12). In the final two versions Tolkien reformulated the phrase, saying “those who trespass against us” rather than “trespassers” (VT43/12).

The forms rocindi/rucindi appear only in the plural, but their singular is probably rocinde/rucinde. The form rohtalie is clearly rohta “✱debt, trespass” + lië “people”.

Neo-Quenya: Since I retain rohta “✱debt” for purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would retain rocinde “✱debtor” as well. However, Helge Fauskanger mostly used ✱rohtando for “debtor” in his NQNT (NQNT). In some places Fauskanger used rohtalie as an alternate plural formation for “debtors”, and I would as well.

Númen(n)órë

people of the west

Númen(n)órë noun "people of the west", confused with Númendor "land of the west" (SA:dôr); hence Númenor as the name of the great isle given to the Edain by the Valar (FS, LR:56); full form Númenórë (LR:47, SD:247, NDŪ); allative númenórenna "to Númenor" (LR:56)

Quendelië

the people of the elves

Quendelië ("q")noun *"the People of the Elves" (KWEN(ED) )

Valinor

the land (or people) of the valar

Valinor place-name "the land (or people) of the Valar", *"Vali-land" (Vali = Valar), land of the Gods in the West (BAL, NDOR); cf. Valandor. Full form Valinórë (BAL; Vali-nórëunder NDOR).Said to be "the true Eldarin name of Aman", the latter name being explained as a borrowing from Valarin in some versions of the linguistic scenario (VT49:26). In the early "Qenya Lexicon", Valinor, Valinórë is glossed "Asgard", the name of the city of the gods in Norse mythology (LT1:272). It seems that in such more restricted use, Valinor is not the entire Blessed Realm but rather the specific region beyond the Pelóri where (most of) the Valar dwelt, with Val(i)mar as the chief city. Thus it is said of Eärendil that he "went into Valinor and to the halls of Valimar" only after he had already left his ship and ventured as far as Tirion (Silmarillion, chapter 24). Possessive Valinóreva in Nurtalë Valinóreva, the "Hiding of Valinor", the possessive case here assuming the function of object genitive (Silm); genitive Valinórëo in Yénië Valinórëo "Annals of Valinor" (MR:200; the last word was changed from Valinóren, Tolkien revising the genitive ending from -n to -o)

losselië

white people

losselië noun"white people" (MC:216, PE16:96)

naucalië

collective name. People of the Dwarves

A term for the Dwarvish people (WJ/388), a compound of the adjective nauca “stunted” (PE17/45) and lië “people”.

noldo

one of the people of the noldor

noldo (ñ) noun "one of the people of the Noldor", "one of the wise folk, Gnome". Cf. the gloss "Gnome" in early "Qenya" (LT1:262). Also name of tengwa #19, that is used for the initial n of noldo in Tengwar spelling. Originally pronounced ngoldo (also spelt ñoldo by Tolkien, ÑGOLOD); initial ng had become n in Third Age pronunciation (Appendix E). Pl. Noldor ("Ñoldor"), "the Wise", name of the second clan of the Eldar (WJ:380, 381); gen. pl. Noldoron "of the Noldor" is attested (VT39:16)

lië

noun. people, folk

nos(së)

noun. kindred, family, kindred, family, [ᴹQ.] clan, ‘house’, [ᴱQ.] folk, kin, people

nórë

noun. land, country; †people, race, tribe, land, country, [ᴹQ.] region where certain people live, [ᴱQ.] nation; [Q.] †people, race, tribe, [ᴹQ.] folk, [ᴱQ.] family

losselië telerinwa

*the white people of the shores of Elfland

aiya eldalië ar atanatári, utúlie’n aurë

Behold, people of the Eldar and Fathers of Men, the day has come!

atan

noun. Man, (lit.) the Second (People)

This is the most common Quenya word for “Man” as a species, most frequently appearing in its plural form Atani (LotR/1034). In notes on Words, Phrases and Passages from the Lord of the Rings (WPP) from the late 1950s or early 1960s, Tolkien wrote:

> The name Atan, pl. atani was already given in Quenya in Valinor to the “Second Kindred” whom the Eldar learned were to appear (or had appeared) in Endor. It meant “the Second”. The Sindar had no name for Men, until they arrived in Beleriand and were first found by Finrod. They borrowed the Q atan and gave it Sindarin form adan. For a long time this word therefore referred only to the three “houses” or kindreds of the “Elf-friends” or Elendili; and always tended to refer primarily to them. But when the Eldar became aware of other kinds of Men (more or less parallel to their own division into Eldar and Avari) they distinguished the Elendili as Núnatani, Dúnedain (pl. of Dún·adan) “western men” ... Other men were called Hrónatani, Rhúnedain [Easterlings] (PE17/18).

Thus while Atan applied to all humans, there was a bias towards considering the Elf-friends as the “true Men”, and Atan was sometimes used only to refer to them. Tolkien typically translated this word as “Man”, but the Elvish word has no particular association with the male gender, and actually means “the Second” (S/103; WJ/403; PE17/18) being related to the word atta “two”, referring to the fact that Men were the second-born race of the children of Eru.

Conceptual Development: ᴹQ. Atan seems to have been coined in the 1940s, for example appearing in the phrase ᴹQ. atani koitar endoresse “men live in Middle-earth” in the Quenya Verbal System document from this period (PE22/125).

The last description of this word’s origin appeared in notes from the late 1960s, where Tolkien said it was instead borrowed from the language of Men: “The name is said to have been derived from atan ‘man, human being as distinct from creatures’, a word used by that kindred which the Eldar first encountered in Beleriand” (PM/324 note #38).

However, as pointed out by Christopher Tolkien: “The statement here that Atani was derived from a word in the Bëorian language, atan ‘man’, contradicts what was said in the chapter Of the Coming of Men into the West that was added to the Quenta Silmarillion”, referring to the footnote on WJ/219 in Silmarillion drafts from the 1950s. This footnote was the same scenario as described above where Atan meant “the Second”, which is also how the origin of the word was described in the Quendi and Eldar essay of 1959-60 (WJ/386). It is this scenario that Christopher Tolkien used in the published version of the Silmarillion (S/103, 143; SI/Atani).

omentië

noun. meeting (of pathways), (lit.) coming together of journey-path, meeting or junction of the directions of two people

ólië

noun. society, (lit.) together-people

ólëo

noun. society, (lit.) together-people

Nauco

dwarf

Nauco ("k")noun "Dwarf" (capitalized in WJ:388, but not in Etym, stem NAUK). Naucalië (not *Naucolië) the "Dwarf-people" as a whole. Nauco is a personalized form of the adjective nauca "stunted" (itself sometimes used as a noun "dwarf"); pl. naucor (PE17:45). See also Picinaucor.

Númendor

land of the west

Númendor noun "land of the west", confused with and replaced by Númen(n)órë "people of the west" (SA:dôr)

Valandor

the land of the valar

Valandor place-name "the land of the Valar", confused with and replaced by Valinórë "the people of the Valar", short form Valinor (SA:dôr, Silm)

lambë

tongue, language

lambë noun "tongue, language" (the usual word for 'language' in non-technical use) (WJ:368, 394, ÑGAL/ÑGALAM), "the language or dialect of a particular country or people...never used for 'language' in general, but only for particular forms of speech" (VT39:15); also name of tengwa #27 (Appendix E). (In early "Qenya", lambë was defined as "tongue" of body, but also of land, or even = "speech" [LT2:339]. In LotR-style Quenya lambë only means "tongue = speech", whereas the word for a physical tongue is lamba.) Lambë Valarinwa "Valarin tongue" (WJ:397), lambë Quendion "the language of the Elves" (PM:395), Lambengolmor pl. noun "Loremasters of Tongues", a school founded by Fëanor (WJ:396); sg. #Lambengolmo. Spelt Lambeñgolmor in VT48:6.

lossë

snow

lossë (1) noun "snow" or adj. "snow-white" (SA:los, MC:213, VT42:18); losselië noun"white people" (MC:216, PE16:96)

norno

dwarf

Norno (2) noun "dwarf"; a personalized form of the adjective norna(WJ:413); Nornalië (not *Nornolië) the "Dwarf-people" as a whole (WJ:388)

nossë

clan, family, 'house'

nossë noun "clan, family, 'house' " (NŌ), "kindred, family" (PM:320), "kin, people" (LT1:250, LT1:272, LT2:338)

nórë

land

nórë noun "land" (associated with a particular people) (WJ:413), "country, land, dwelling-place, region where certain people live, race, clan" (NŌ, NDOR, BAL), also used = "race, tribe, people" (SA:dôr, PE17:169; however, the normal word for "people" is lië). Early "Qenya" hasnórë "native land, nation, family, country" (in compounds -nor) (LT1:272)

ornë

tree

ornë noun "tree" _(Letters:308, SD:302: "when smaller and more slender like a birch or rowan", Etym stem ÓR-NI: "tree, high isolated tree"). For the etymology, see Letters:426; for (original) difference in meaning between ornë and alda, see alda. In ornemalin "tree-yellow"; see laurelindórenan lindelorendor... (LotR2:III ch. 4; cf. Letters:308), also as final element in malinornë "yellow-tree, mallorn" (q.v.) Masc. name Ornendil *"Tree-friend" (Appendix A)_, compound Ornelië "tree-folk" (Quenya name of the Galadhrim, the tree-people of Lórien) (TI:239).

quén

one, (some)body, person, individual, man or woman

quén (quen-, as in pl. queni; as final element in compounds -quen) noun "one, (some)body, person, individual, man or woman", pl. queni = "persons", "(some) people", "they" with the most general meaning (as in "they [= people in general] say that..."). The element is combined with noun and adjective stems in old compounds to denote habitual occupations or functions, or to describe those having some notable (permanent) quality; examples include roquen, ciryaquen, arquen, q.v. Also in aiquen "whoever", ilquen "everybody" (WJ:361 cf. 360, 372).

rohta

debt, trespass

#rohta noun "debt, trespass" (attested in the pl.: rohtar, and with a pronominal suffix: rohtammar "our trespasses") (VT43:19) Variant #ruhta. #Rohtalië, #ruhtalië *"trespass-people" = those who trespass (attested in the ablative: rohtaliello, ruhtaliello "from [our] debtors" (VT43:21)

vehtë

life - not life in general or as a principle, but (a period of) individual activity

vehtë noun "life - not Life in general or as a principle, but (a period of) individual activity", thus also "the place where a person, people &c. lived and had their business, i.e. habitat, haunt" (PE17:189)

valinórë

place name. Land of the Valar

Land of the Valar within Aman (S/37), a compound of Vali, an archaic plural of Vala, and nórë “land” (SA/val, dôr). It usually appeared in the shorter form Valinor. In older Quenya, this name would have meant “Valian folk”, but it was blended with archaic Valandor to get its current meaning (PE17/20, SA/dôr).

Conceptual Development: The name ᴱQ. Valinor appears in the earliest Lost Tales with essentially the same form and meaning (LT1/70), and its long form Valinōre appeared in the Qenya Lexicon (QL/66). The name ᴹQ. Valinor appeared in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (SM/12, 80; LR/110, 205), and in The Etymologies it already had the same derivation as given above (Ety/BAL, NDOR).

In the earlier stages, the name Aman had not yet been invented, so Valinor referred to the entire land of the West, not just the land of the Valar within it.

See ✶Bali(a)nōrē for a discussion of its complex etymology.

a

cardinal. one

alda

noun. tree

-ndor

land

-ndor, final element in compounds: "land" (Letters:308, UT:253)

-o

person, somebody

-o (2), also -ó, "a person, somebody", pronominal suffix (PM:340)

-wë

person

-wë a suffix occurring in many personal names, generally but not exclusively masculine (Elenwë is the sole certain example of a fem. name with this ending); it is derived from a stem simply meaning "person" (PM:340, WJ:399). In Etym, -wë is simply defined as an element that is frequent in masculine names, and it is there derived from a stem (WEG) having to do with "(manly) vigour".

-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)

Casar

dwarf

Casar ("k")noun "Dwarf", pl. Casari or Casári, partitive plural Casalli. Adapted from Dwarvish Khazâd. Casarrondo place-name "Khazad-dûm", Moria (WJ:388, 389; pl. Casári also in WJ:402)

Naucon

dwarf

Naucon (Naucond-, as in the pl. Naucondi) noun "dwarf", variant of Nauco (PE17:45; not capitalized in the source)

Námo

person, somebody

námo (2) noun "a person, somebody" (PM:340 writers may prefer the synonym quén to avoid confusion with # 1)

Quende#

noun. Elf

Elf

alda

tree

alda noun "tree" (GALAD, GÁLAD, SA, Nam, RGEO:66, LR:41, SD:302, LT1:249, LT2:340, VT39:7), also name of tengwa #28 (Appendix E). Pl. aldar in Narqelion; gen. pl. aldaron "of trees" in Namárië. Etymology of alda, see Letters:426 and UT:266-7. The latter source states that primitive ¤galadā, whence Quenya alda, originally applied to stouter and more spreading trees such as oaks or beeches, while straighter and more slender trees such as birches were called ¤ornē, Quenya ornë - but this distinction was not always observed in Quenya, and it seems that alda became the general word. According to PE17:25, primitive galada (sic) referred to "a plant (large) and was a general term". Place-name Aldalómë ""tree-night" or "tree-shade-night" (LotR2:III ch. 4, translated in PE17:82); Aldarion masc. name, *"Son of (the) Trees" (Appendix A), Tar-Aldarion a Númenorean King (UT:210). Aldaron a name of Oromë (Silm); aldinga "tree-top" (VT47:28), aldarembina (pl. aldarembinë attested) adj. "tree-tangled", the cognate of Sindarin galadhremmin**(PM:17:26).Aldúya fourth day of the Eldarin six-day week, dedicated to the Trees (Appendix D). The word seems to include Aldu, a dual form referring to the Two Trees. The Númenóreans altered the name to Aldëa (presumably < aldajā), referring to one tree (the White) only. The dual Aldu seems to occur also in Aldudénië** "Lament for the Two Trees" (a strange word, since Quenya does not permit intervocalic d as in this word perhaps the Vanyarin dialect of Quenya did) (Silm)

alda

noun. tree, tree, [ᴱQ.] branch

The basic Quenya word for “tree” (LotR/1113), derived from primitive ✶galadā and very well attested. This word dates all the way back to the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s where ᴱQ. alda “tree” appeared under the early root ᴱ√ALA “spread” (QL/29). Tolkien seems to have switched its derivation to ✱galadā in The Etymologies of the 1930s, where ᴹQ. alda “tree” appeared under the root ᴹ√GALAD of the same meaning (Ety/GALAD). See also ornë “(tall) tree” for a discussion of another similar word.

Conceptual Development: There were a few instances where the word alda had a different meaning. In Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s, alda was glossed “branch” (PE16/139). In notes from 1959 Tolkien said “✱galadā, originally only large flourishing plant, as tree, and especially one that flowered, Q alda, S galað; the general word for ‘tree’ was Q orne ‘upstanding plant’ (PE17/153)”. But in its numerous appearance elsewhere, alda was simply a general word for “tree”.

er

one, alone

er cardinal "one, alone" (ERE, VT48:6, VT49:54), in an early source also adv. "only, but, still" (LT1:269); Eru er "one God" (VT44:17; er was here emended by Tolkien from erëa, which seems to be an adjectival form *"one, single".)

erëa

cardinal. one

erëa adj.? "one" or *"single", apparently an adjectival form (see er) (VT44:17)

fáwë

snow

fáwë vb. "snow" (GL:35; rather lossë in Tolkien's later Quenya)

hos

folk

hos noun "folk" (LT2:340)

hróva

dark, dark brown

hróva adj. "dark, dark brown", used to refer to hair (PE17:154)

lamba

tongue

lamba (1) noun "tongue" (physical tongue, while lambë = "language") (WJ:394, LAB; according to VT45:25, Tolkien first wrote lambe, but as noted, this alternative form is rather used for "tongue" in the sense of "language")

lambe

noun. tongue

lauca

warm

lauca ("k")adj. "warm" (LAW)

li(n)-

prefix. many

A Quenya prefix for “many” appearing regularly in Tolkien’s writings throughout his life, dating all the way back to the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s. It was derived from the root √LI that was also the basis for the partitive plural suffix Q. -li. In Demonstrative, Relative, and Correlative Stems (DRC) from 1948, Tolkien specified that li(n)- referred to an indefinite quantity bigger than a few: “a number, a good many, not a few” (PE23/101 note #36).

> Indefinite, expressing “mere plurality” (more than two at least); “some” with the plural, “(not) a few,” “several.” This is expressed by the stems lī̆-, and lĭn(i). In C. Eldarin the stem meant “many,” often a great number, but in Quenya except in a few older derivatives, especially the prefix lin-, lilin-, it is used always as expressing a lesser or vaguer number than the next (PE23/100).

This was then contrasted with ᴹQ. sem(p)- “few” and ᴹQ. hrim- “a great number, very many” [>> *rim-***].

lie#

noun. race

race

limbë

many

limbë (2) adj. "many", probably obsoleted by #1 above (LT2:342)

lin-

many

lin- (1) (prefix) "many" (LI), seen in lindornëa, lintyulussëa; assimilated lil- in lillassëa.

liyúmë

host

liyúmë noun "host" (VT48:32)

liyúmë

noun. host

lucassë

debt, trespass

#lucassë noun "debt, trespass" (VT43:19, attested in the pl. with a pronominal suffix: lucassemmar "our trespasses")

lucië

debt, trespass

#lucië noun "debt, trespass" (VT43:19, attested in the pl. with a pronominal suffix: luciemmar "our trespasses")

luhta

debt, trespass

[#luhta (3) noun "debt, trespass" (VT43:19, attested in the pl. form luhtar, but deleted by Tolkien)]

lér

man

**lér noun "man" (NI1; hypothetical Q form of PQ dēr; the form actually used in Quenya was nér)

lóna

dark

?lóna (4) adj. "dark" (DO3/DŌ). If this is to be the cognate of "Noldorin"/Sindarin dûr, as the context seems to indicate, lóna is likely a misreading for *lóra in Tolkien's manuscript.

lúna

dark

lúna adj. *"dark" in Lúnaturco and Taras Lúna, Quenya names of Barad-dûr (Dark Tower). (PE17:22). In the Etymologies, lúnë "blue" was changed by Tolkien from lúna (VT45:29).

lúrëa

dark, overcast

lúrëa adj. "dark, overcast" (LT1:259)

min

cardinal. one

min numeral "one", also minë (VT45:34, VT48:6)

min

cardinal. one, one, [ᴱQ.] one (in a series), the first

minë

cardinal. one

minë numeral "one", also min (MINI, VT45:34)

mir

cardinal. one

mir (2) cardinal "one" (LT1:260; in LotR-style Quenya rather minë)

mo

one, someone, anyone

mo, indefinite pronoun "one, someone, anyone" (VT42:34, VT49:19, 20, 26)

mori-

dark, black

mori- "dark, black" in a number of compounds (independent form morë, q.v.):Morimando "Dark Mando" = Mandos (MBAD, VT45:33), morimaitë "black-handed" (LotR3:VI ch. 6, VT49:42). Moriquendi "Dark Elves" (SA:mor, WJ:361, 373), Moringotto "Black Foe", Sindarin Morgoth, later name of Melkor. The oldest form is said to have been Moriñgotho (MR:194). In late material, Tolkien is seen to consider both Moringotto and Moricotto _("k") _as the Quenya form of the name Morgoth (VT49:24-25; Moricotto also appears in the ablative, Moricottollo). Morion "the dark one", a title of Morgoth (FS). Morifinwë "dark Finwë", masc. name; he was called Caranthir in Sindarin (short Quenya name Moryo). (PM:353) In the name Morinehtar, translated "Darkness-slayer", the initial element is defined would thus seem to signify "darkness" rather than "dark" as an adjective (see mórë). (PM:384, 385)

morna

dark, black

morna adj. "dark, black" (Letters:282, LT1:261; also used of black hair, PE17:154), or "gloomy, sombre" (MOR). Used as noun in the phrase mi…morna of someone clad "in…black" (PE17:71). In tumbalemorna (Letters:282), q.v. Pl. mornë in Markirya**(the first version of this poem had "green rocks", MC:215, changed to ondolisse mornë** "upon dark rocks" in the final version; see MC:220, note 8).

morĭ

adjective. dark

PQ. dark

móri

dark

móri adj. "dark" (MC:221; this is "Qenya"; in Tolkien's later Quenya mórë, morë)

nassë

person, an individual

nassë (1) "a person, an individual" (VT49:30). Also translated "true-being" (pl. nasser is attested), the inner "true" being of a person. With a pronominal suffix in the form nassentar "their true-being" (PE17:175, cf. -nta #2), in the source referring to the "true" spiritual nature of the Valar, as hidden within their visible shapes. The word nassentar would seem to be plural, *"their true-beings". Not to be confused with the verb nassë/násë "he/she is"; see ná #1.

niquë

snow

niquë (2) ("q")noun "snow" (NIK-W)

norië

race, running

norië, also normë, noun "race, running" (PE17:169)

nulla

dark, dusky, obscure

nulla adj. "dark, dusky, obscure" (NDUL), "secret" (DUL). See also VT45:11.

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

nór

land

nór noun "land" (stem nor-, PE17:106) this is land as opposed to water and sea (nor in Letters:308). Cf. nórë.

nór

noun. land

A term for “land” as in “(dry) land as opposed to the sea”, mentioned in the Quendi and Eldar essay of 1959-60 (WJ/413) and again in notes from around 1968 (PE17/106-107).

Possible Etymology: In the Quendi and Eldar essay this term was derived from primitive ✶ndōro, but in the aforementioned 1968 notes Tolkien clarified that its stem form was nŏr-. This means it was probably derived from ancient ✱ndŏr-, where the long vowel in the uninflected form was inherited from the Common Eldarin subjective form ✱ndōr, a phenomenon also seen in words like nér (ner-) “man”. I prefer this second derivation, as it makes the independent word more distinct from the suffixal form -ndor or -nóre used in the names of countries.

nóre

noun. land

núla

dark, occult, mysterious

núla ("ñ")adj. "dark, occult, mysterious" (PE17:125)

olos

snow, fallen snow

†olos (2) noun "snow, fallen snow" (prob. oloss-, cf. the longer form olossë below; this form should be preferred since olos also = "dream, vision") (GOLOS)

olossë

snow, fallen snow

†olossë noun "snow, fallen snow" (GOLÓS, LOT[H])

quendya

noun. Elvish

quendë

elf

quendë noun "Elf", the little-used analogical sg. of Quendi, q.v. (KWEN(ED), WJ:361)

quentaro

noun. speaker

speaker, reciter, minstrel

quetil

tongue, language

quetil ("q")noun "tongue, language" (KWET)

rú

proper name. Wose

Given as the Quenya word for “Wose” (UT/385), most likely an adaptation of its Sindarin cognate S. Drû.

ulca

adjective. dark

dark, gloomy, sinister

valandor

place name. Land of the Valar

An archaic name for Valinórë (SA/dôr, PE17/26), a compound of Vala and the suffix -ndor “land”.

vië

manhood, vigour

vië noun "manhood, vigour" (WEG)

vëo

man

†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.

úcarë

debt, trespass

#úcarë noun "debt, trespass" (úcaremmar "our debts, our trespasses", VT43:19). The related words #úcar- "to sin" and #úcarindo "sinner" would suggest that #úcarë can also be translated "sin". One may question whether the simplex form is #úcarë or just #úcar (+ -e- as a mere connecting vowel before the pronominal ending in úcaremmar), but compare lacarë, hrúcarë.

lina

adjective. many

A neologism for “many” derived from the root √LI. I’ve deprecated this word in favor of attested ᴹQ. lia.

galadhrim

collective name. Tree-people

A name for the Elves of Lórien translated “Tree-people” (LotR/341). This name is a combination galadh “tree” and the class-plural suffix -rim often used in the names of peoples (Let/426, PE17/50).

Conceptual Development: In Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s and in the 1st edition of Lord of the Rings, this name appeared as N. Galadrim as part of Tolkien’s general trend to simplify dh [ð] to d (TI/239, RC/305). In the 2nd edition he restored the proper Sindarin form Galadhrim, deciding that Galadrim was the Nandorin form (PE17/50).

gwaith-i-mírdain

proper name. People of the Jewel Smiths

The Elves in Eregion led by Celebrimbor in the Second Age, translated “People of the Jewel Smiths” (S/286). This name is a combination of gwaith “people”, the elided plural definite article of i “the” and the plural of otherwise unattested mírdan “jewel smith” (SA/gwaith, mîr).

tawarwaith

place name. Forest People

A term for the Silvan Elves (UT/256), a combination of tawar “forest” and the lenited form of gwaith “people”.

Gwaith-i-Mírdain

noun. people of jewel-smiths

gwaith (“people, folk”) + in (pl. genitive article) + mîr (“jewel”) + tain (pl. of tan “maker, smith”)

north

noun. riding, race (of people running), charge or gallop

A noun for “a riding, a race (of people running), a charge or gallop” in notes from the late 1950s or early 1960s based on the root √NOR “run” (PE17/168-9). As such it seems to describe any sustained run of people or animals.

Conceptual Development: The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had G. {drond >>} dronn “race, course, track” (GL/31), likely also based on the early root ᴱ√NORO “run, ride, spin” as suggested by Christopher Tolkien (LT1A/Nornorë).

tawarwaith

noun. forest people

tawar (“great wood, forest”) + gwaith (“people, folk”)

-bar

suffix. a region inhabited by a people

_ suff. _a region inhabited by a people. Only used in old names. Sindarin usually used -dor instead. Q. -mar. >> -dor

-dor

suffix. a region inhabited by a people

_ suff. _a region inhabited by a people. Usually used instead of -_bar _in Sindarin. >> -bar

galadhrim

noun. 'Tree-people'

pl2. n. 'Tree-people'. True S. form of Galadrim. >> Galadrim

galadrim

noun. 'Tree-people'

pl2. n. 'Tree-people'. Sylvan word, true S. Galadhrim. >> Galadhrim

gondolindrim

collective name. People of Gondolin

A term of the people Gondolin (S/138), a combination that city’s name with the class-plural suffix -rim.

Conceptual Development: In the earliest Lost Tales, this term appeared as G. Gondothlim (LT2/155). It appeared as N. Gondothrim in The Etymologies from the 1930s (Ety/GOND), reflecting the change of G. -lim to N. -rim.

gwaith

noun. a 'people' associated by place and occupation

_n. _a 'people' associated by place and occupation. >> lî, rim, -waith

halethrim

proper name. People of Haleth

Sindarin name for the People of Haleth (UT/140), a combination of the name of their founder and the Sindarin class-plural suffix -rim.

lî

noun. a people of one kind or origin

_n. _a people of one kind or origin. >> gwaith, rim

rim

a people of one kind or origin

_n. _a people of one kind or origin. >> gwaith, lî

Losshoth

noun. people living in far North

_ pl2. n. _people living in far North. >> los, loss

lî

noun. people (of one kind or origin), people (of one kind or origin), [G.] folk, many people, crowd of folk

gwaith

noun. people; region, people, [ᴱN.] men, folk; [N.] manhood; man-power, troop of able bodied men, host, regiment; [S.] region

nos(s)

noun. family, kindred, clan, house; race, tribe, people

gondolindrim

noun. people of Gondolin

Gondolin + d (part of the original -ind ending) + rim (collective plural suffix)

gwathuirim

noun. shadowy people (Dunlendings)

gwath (“shade, shadow, dim light”) + ui (adjectival suffix) + rim (collective plural)

haradrim

noun. South(ern) people

harad (“south”) + rim (collective plural suffix)

adan

noun. man, one of the Second People (elvish name for men)

denwaith

noun. the Nandor (a tribe of Elves), the people of Denwe

dor

noun. land, dwelling-place, region where certain people live

The form dor in the Etymologies is a misreading, see VT/45. In composition and in toponyms, the word is nevertheless reduced to Dor

drúath

noun. the people of the Drû, the Woses

dôr

noun. land, dwelling-place, region where certain people live

The form dor in the Etymologies is a misreading, see VT/45. In composition and in toponyms, the word is nevertheless reduced to Dor

dôr

noun. land, land, [N.] region where certain people live, [ᴱN.] country; [G.] people of the land

falathrim

noun. people of the Falas

gwaith

noun. man power, troop of able-bodied men, host, regiment, people

gwathuirim

noun. The Dunlendings or People of Dunland

iathrim

collective name. *People of the Fence

A name for the Elves of Doriath, a combination of iath “fence” and the class-plural suffix -rim (WJ/378).

laegeldrim

noun. the people of the Green Elves

laegrim

noun. the people of the Green Elves

rochirrim

noun. horse-lords, the people of Rohan

gwaith

people

gwaith (i **waith) (manhood, manpower, troop of able-bodied men, host, regiment, region; wilderness), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwaith**).

gwaith

people

(i ’waith) (manhood, manpower, troop of able-bodied men, host, regiment, region; wilderness), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwaith).

gwathuirim

people of dunland

(”shadowy people”) (PM:330);

gwathuirim

people of dunland

Gwathuirim (”shadowy people”) (PM:330);

gwathuirim

shadowy people

(= people of Dunland) Gwathuirim (PM:330)

iathrim

people of doriath

(”Fence-people”) (WJ:378);

iathrim

doriath, people of

Iathrim (”Fence-people”) (WJ:378)

iathrim

people of doriath

Iathrim (”Fence-people”) (WJ:378);

iathrim

doriath, people of

(”Fence-people”) (WJ:378)

Gondolindrim;

people of gondolin

Gondolindrim;

Graurim

dark people

Graurim (VT45:16);

Rohirrim

people of rohan

Rohirrim (Gondorian pronunciation of Rochirrim; see RIDER);

denwaith

people of denwe

(WJ:385);

denwaith

people of denwe

(= Nandor) Denwaith (WJ:385);

falathrim

people of the falas

(WJ:378, PM:386)

galadhrim

people of the trees

(Elves of Lórien)

galadhrim

people of the trees

(Elves of Lórien). Adj.

galadhrim

people of the trees

Galadhrim (Elves of Lórien)

galadhrim

people of the trees

Galadhrim (Elves of Lórien). Adj. OF OR RELATED TO TREES (?) galadhon (lenited aladhon, pl. galadhoen). Archaic *galadhaun. _The latter is based on David Salo_s analysis of the name Caras Galadhon; others have interpreted the last word as some kind of genitive plural, maybe influenced by Silvan Elvish.

gondolindrim

noun. the people of Gondolin

gondolindrim

gondolin, people of

: Gondolindrim. Adj. ”of or related to Gondolin”: Gondolindren (pl. Gondolindrin; lenited Ondolindren)

gondolindrim

gondolin, people of

. Adj. ”of or related to Gondolin”: Gondolindren (pl. Gondolindrin; lenited ’Ondolindren)

graurim

dark people

(VT45:16);

gwathuirim

shadowy people

(PM:330)

gwathuirim

dunland, people of

Gwathuirim (PM:330)

gwathuirim

dunland, people of

(PM:330)

haradrim

people of the south

(southerners, southrons);

haradrim

people of the south

Haradrim (southerners, southrons);

rohirrim

people of rohan

(Gondorian pronunciation of Rochirrim; see

tawarwaith

forest-people

(Silvan Elves) Tawarwaith (UT.256)

tawarwaith

forest-people

(Silvan Elves) Tawarwaith (UT.256);

tawarwaith

forest-people

(UT.256)

naugrim

collective name. Dwarves

A term for the Dwarves as a race, translated “Stunted People” (S/91) or “Stunted Folk” (WJ/388), a combination of naug “stunted” and the class-plural suffix -rim (SA/naug, rim; WJ/388).

Conceptual Development: In earliest Lost Tales, the common collective term for the Dwarves was G. Nauglath (LT1/236), replaced with N. Nauglar or Nauglir in the Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (SM/104, 311; LR/405). Later in the 1930s, the form Naug-rim emerged (LR/273), which Tolkien generally used thereafter.

north

noun. a riding

_n. _a riding, a race (of people running), a charge or gallop. Tolkien notes the "curious accidental approach of words for race with sense kindred". >> northa-

nos(s)

noun. race

_ n. _race, tribe, people. Q. nóre.

Gwaith-i-Mírdain

Gwaith-i-Mírdain

Gwaith-i-Mírdain means "Brotherhood of Jewel-smiths" in Sindarin (from gwaith = "host, people" and mírdain = "jewel-smiths").

falathrim

falas

: PEOPLE OF THE FALAS (the western seaboard of Beleriand) Falathrim (WJ:378, PM:386)

gwaith

host

(i ’waith) (manhood, manpower, troop of able-bodied men, regiment, people, region; wilderness), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwaith). –

gwaith

manhood

gwaith (i **waith) (manpower, troop of able-bodied men, host, regiment, people, region; wilderness), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwaith**)

gwaith

manhood

(i ’waith) (manpower, troop of able-bodied men, host, regiment, people, region; wilderness), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwaith)

haradrim

Haradrim

Haradrim is a Sindarin name, consisting of the elements harad ("south") + rim ("host") thus meaning "South-people". Other names were Southerns, Southrons.

hoth

host

(noun) 1) hoth (i choth, o choth) (crowd, horde), pl. hyth (i chyth). 2) rim (great number, crowd), no distinct pl. form except with article (idh rim), coll. pl. rimmath. Note: a homophone means ”cold pool or lake”. 3) gwaith (i **waith) (manhood, manpower, troop of able-bodied men, regiment, people, region; wilderness), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwaith). WOLF-HOST, see under WEREWOLF (concerning gaurhoth**).

nûr

race

(group of related people) nûr (construct nur, pl. nuir). Note: homophones mean ”sad” and ”deep”.

balannor

place name. Land of the Valar

Sindarin cognate of Q. Valinórë (PE17/26), a compound of BAL “power” (basis for S. Balan “Vala”) with S. dôr “land”.

Conceptual Development: The first cognates of ᴱQ. Valinor appeared in the Gnomish Lexicon from the 1910s: (rejected) G. Dor Banion and G. Gwalien (GL/21, LT2A/Valar). In The Etymologies of the 1930s, the cognate was N. Balannor (Ety/BAL), and this is the source of the derivation given above.

In a letter from 1972, Tolkien stated that Belain (plural of Balan) was not a word in Sindarin (Let/427). Furthermore, in Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s, he changed the Sindarin name for the “Annals of Valinor” from N. Inias Valannor to S. Ínias Dor-Rodyn (MR/200). It is possible that Tolkien decided that the normal Sindarin word for the Vala was S. Rodon, so that S. Dor-Rodyn was the equivalent of Valinor.

galadh

noun. tree

The basic Sindarin word for “tree” (LotR/1113), derived from primitive ✶galadā and very well attested. This word dates back at least to The Etymologies of the 1930s, where N. galadh “tree” appeared under the root ᴹ√GALAD (Ety/GALAD). See also orn “(tall) tree” of similar meaning.

Conceptual Development: Gnomish of the 1910s had some earlier version of this “tree” word: G. galdon >> alwen “tree” in the Name-list to the Fall of Gondolin (PE15/24) and archaic/poetic G. †alwen “tree” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/19), the latter probably from the early root ᴱ√ALA “spread” that was the basis for ᴱQ. alda “tree” (QL/29).

gondor

place name. Stone-land

Southern kingdom of the Dúnedain (LotR/242), a combination of gond “stone” and dôr “land” (SA/gond, dôr).

Conceptual Development: This land was first mentioned as ᴹQ. Ondor in the 1930s in drafts of the tale of the Fall of Númenor (LR/33). While this name could be Noldorin, linguistic notes from the 1940s indicate it was Quenya (PE22/125). In Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, it first appeared as ᴹQ. Ond (R/381), revised to Ondor (TI/146) and finally Gondor (TI/423).

dîr

noun. man, man, [N.] adult male; agental suffix

A word for “man” as a male person, attested only as an element in compounds or as (archaic?) ndir (PE17/60). This word likely refers to male individuals of all races including Elves, Men, Dwarves and so forth, much like its Quenya cognate Q. nér. This word must have been derived from the primitive subjective form ✶ndēr of the root √N(D)ER “male person”, where the ancient long ē became ī, and the initial cluster nd- became d-, though the ancient cluster would still be reflected in mutated forms, such as in i nîr “the man” rather than ✱✱i dhîr.

Conceptual Development: Perhaps the earliest precursor to this word is (archaic) G. †drio “hero, warrior” with variants driw, driodweg and driothweg, a cognate of ᴱQ. nēr (GL/22). This Gnomish word was derived from primitive ᴱ✶n’reu̯, where the initial nr- became dr-. At this early stage, the root was unstrengthened ᴱ√NERE (QL/65), as reflected in (archaic) ᴱN. nîr “hero, prince, warrior-elf” in the Early Noldorin Dictionary of the 1920s (PE13/164).

In The Etymologies of the 1930s the root became ᴹ√DER “adult male, man” of any speaking race and the derived form was N. dîr (Ety/DER). However, in this document Tolkien said:

> EN †dîr surviving chiefly in proper names (as Diriel older Dirghel [GYEL], Haldir, Brandir) and as agental ending (as ceredir “doer, maker”) ... In ordinary use EN has benn [for “man”] (properly = “husband”).

Thus in the scenario described in The Etymologies, dîr “man” was archaic and used only as an element in names or as a suffix. In ordinary speech it was replaced by N. benn, which used to mean “husband” but now meant “man”, while the word for “husband” became N. hervenn (Ety/BES). It is unlikely Tolkien imagined this exact scenario in later Sindarin, however, since the 1930s root for benn was ᴹ√BES “wed”, but by the 1960s the root for husband/wife/marry words had become √BER.

Neo-Sindarin: Since the status of N. benn is questionable given ᴹ√BES >> √BER, many Neo-Sindarin writers prefer to use S. ✱dîr as the Sindarin word for man. I am of the opinion that both dîr and benn are acceptable for “man, male person”. This is because I prefer to retain ᴹ√BES as the root for “marry, wed”, since it is the best basis for attested husband/wife words in (Neo) Sindarin.

ilphen

 noun. everyone

il- (every/all) + pen (someone/somebody).

Druadan

noun. wose

n. wose, wild man.

Dúnadan

noun. Man of the west, Númenórean

Lossoth

noun. the Snowmen

Teler

noun. an Elf, one of the Teleri

adanadar

noun. man, one of the Fathers of Men

adanath

noun. men

alae

interjection. (?) behold!

Uncertain meaning, but compare with Quenya ela! "imperative exclamation directing sight to an actually visible object" (WJ/362)

anfangrim

noun. the Longbeards (a tribe of Dwarves)

anglennatha

verb. (he) will approach

avo

verb. don't!

Used as a negative adverb before an imperative: avo garo "don't do it!". Sometimes used as prefix: avgaro

avon

verb. I won't

calben

noun. Elf of the Great Journey (lit. "light person")

calben

noun. all Elves but the Avari

cuio

verb. live!

dagorath

noun. all the battles

danwaith

noun. the Nandor (a tribe of Elves)

dern

Dwarf

pl2. dernlir n. Dwarf. >> gorn

dornhoth

noun. the Dwarves, lit. "the Thrawn Folk"

drúadan

noun. wild man, one of the Woses

drúwaith

noun. the wilderness of the Drû-men (q.v.)

drû

noun. wild man, Wose, Púkel-Man

In PE/11:31, an older Gnomish word drû, drui meant "wood, forest", and in PE/13:142, the early Noldorin word drú was assigned the meaning "dark". Drû pl. Drúin later came to be used for the name of the Woses, with other derivatives (Drúadan, etc.). "Wose" is actually the modernization of an Anglo-Saxon word wasa only found in the compound wudu-wasa "wild man of the woods", cf. UT/385 sq. In the drafts of the "Ride of the Rohirrim" in WR/343-346, the Woses first appeared as "the dark men of Eilenach". Though internally said to derive from drughu in their own tongue, Tolkien's choice for the Sindarin name of the Woses was apparently influenced by earlier meanings assigned to this word

drû

proper name. Wose

A Sindarin word for “Wose”, a loan word from the Wose’s name for themselves: Drughu (UT/385).

Conceptual Development: In his Words, Phrases and Passages from the Lord of the Rings (WPP) from the late 1950s or early 1960s, Tolkien considered making this word a native Sindarin adjective “savage, wild” derived from the root √DROB, a variant of √SROB from which rhaw “wild” was derived (PE17/99). These roots would produce the Q. cognate (h)róva instead of better established Q. (h)ráva “wild”, so I personally prefer the later derivation of Drû as a loan word from Wos. Drughu.

dúath

adjective. dark

_ adj. _dark, black shadow.

dúnedhel

noun. Elf of the West, Elf of Beleriand (including Noldor and Sindar)

dûr

adjective. dark, sombre

dûr

dark

_ adj. _dark, gloomy, 'hellish'.

edhel

noun. Elf

edhel

noun. Elf

_ n. _Elf, a general name for all the Elves (since the name Quendi had gone out of use in Sindarin). Probably related to or connected with Q. Elda. >> edhellen

edhel

Elf

pl1. edhil, pl2. edhellim {ð} _n. _Elf. A name used by the Sindar for themselves, characterizing other varieties by an adjective or prefix. >> Aredhel, Thinnedhel

edhel

Elf

{ð} _n. _Elf.

edhel

Elf

d _ n. _Elf. Q. elda.

edhelharn

noun. elf-stone

edhellen

adjective. elvish, of the Elves

edhellen

adjective. Elvish

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

edhellen

adjective. elvish

egladhrim

noun. "The Forsaken", Elves of the Falathrim

eglath

noun. "The Forsaken", Elves of the Falathrim

ell

noun. elf

n. elf, esp. [?in ?the ?South]. Noldorin form.

elleth

noun. elf-maid

ellon

noun. elf

elvellon

noun. elf-friend

galadh

noun. tree

galadh

tree

_n. Bot._tree, like oak (nordh) and beech. A galadh was more thick, dense and branching than a orn. In Sindarin, there was no much distinction in size between galað and orn. A galað was more thick, dense and branching than a orn. Birch, ash and oak are of the orn kind. Q. alda. >> orn

galadh

tree

{ð} n. tree. In Sindarin, there was no much distinction in size between galað and orn. A galað was more thick, dense and branching than a orn. Birch, ash and oak are of the orn kind. Q. alda. >> orn

galadhad

noun. the Two Trees of Valinor

galadhrim

noun. Elves of Lothlórien

glinnel

noun. Elf, one of the Teleri

gloss

adjective. snow-white, dazzling-white

golodh

noun. "Deep Elf" or "Gnome", one of the Wise Folk

golodhrim

noun. Deep Elves, Gnomes

gorn

Dwarf

pl2. gornhoth** ** n. Dwarf (hostile implication). >> dern

gwaith

noun. manhood

gwaith

noun. region, wilderness

gwathren

adjective. shadowy, dim

gwathui

adjective. shadowy

gódhel

noun. "Deep Elf" or "Gnome", one of the Wise Folk

gódhellim

noun. "Deep Elves" or "Gnomes", the Wise Folk

hadhod

noun. Dwarf

hadhodrim

noun. the Dwarves (as a race)

hoth

noun. host, crowd, horde (nearly always in a bad sense)

iathrim

noun. Elves of Doriath

lachend

noun. Deep Elf (Sindarin name for the Ñoldor)

lachenn

noun. Deep Elf (Sindarin name for the Ñoldor)

laegel

noun. a Green Elf

lam

noun. physical tongue

lam

tongue

_ n. _tongue. Q. lambe. >> lammen

lammas

noun. account of tongues

laug

adjective. warm

lebethron

noun. a tree - its black wood was used by the woodwrights of Gondor

In the original manuscript, one of the earlier (rejected) form of this name was lebendron. Didier Willis proposed the etymology lebed+doron "finger-oak", actually a real tree name (Finger Oak or Quercus digitata)

los

snow

{ŏ}_ n. _snow. Q. losse. >> glos, glosui, loss, Loss(h)oth

loss

noun. snow (especially fallen or long-lying snow)

loss

noun. snow

_ n. _snow. Q. losse. >> glos, glosui, los, Loss(h)oth

lâf

verb. (he) licks

lôd

verb. (he) floats

malhorn

noun. golden tree of Lothlórien

mallorn

noun. golden tree of Lothlórien

malthorn

noun. golden tree of Lothlórien

min

fraction. one (first of a series)

min

cardinal. one, one, [G.] single

miniel

noun. an Elf, one of the Vanyar

mornedhel

noun. Dark-Elf

mîn

fraction. one (first of a series)

naug

noun. dwarf

_ n. _dwarf. [PE17:46] >> cadhad, nogon, nogoth

naugrim

noun. Dwarves

nogon

dwarf

pl1. nogoth, pl2. nogothrim, naugrim** _ n. _dwarf. _fennas nogothrim lasto beth lammen _'doorway of the Dwarf-folk listen to the words of my tongue'. Tolkien first glosed nogoth as 'a dwarf'. [**PE17:45-6] >> noegin, nogoth

nogoth

noun. Dwarf, lit. "the Stunted Folk"

nogotheg

noun. lit. "dwarflet", a name of the Petty-Dwarves

nogothrim

noun. Dwarf-folk

nornwaith

noun. the Dwarves

noro

verb. run! ride!

Untranslated in LotR, but written nora-lim and rendered as "ride on" in RS/196 (not a literal translation) and later translated as "run swift" in RC/195. A verb nor- is attested in the old Gnomish lexicon, PE/11:61, with the meaning "to run, roll"

noss

noun. kindred, family, clan

nost

noun. kindred, family, house

nothrim

noun. kindred, family, house

The word was rejected in favor of nost , but it may be interpreted as a valid class plural "those of the house"

orn

noun. (any large) tree

oron

noun. tree

n. Bot. tree. Also in compound -(o)rŏnō. >> orn

pen

pronoun. one, somebody, anybody

Usually enclitic and mutated as ben.2

pêd

verb. (he) says

rammas

noun. (great) wall

tawarwaith

noun. Silvan elves

telerrim

noun. the Teleri, a tribe of Elves

tôl

verb. (he) comes

According to WJ/301, the expression tôl acharn "vengeance comes" was later changed to tûl acharn by Tolkien

ódhel

noun. Deep Elf or Gnome, one of the Wise Folk

ódhellim

noun. Deep Elves or Gnomes, the Wise Folk

ónen

noun. I gave

Written onen in some editions of LotR. In the Qenyaqetsa, Qenya anta- is marked as having an irregular past tense áne. Assuming the same sound-shifts as observed in other words, this would indeed lead to onen in Sindarin, see PE/12:31 and TT/14:48-49

adan

man

(pl. Edain; the coll. pl. Adanath is attested). The word Adan came to be used primarily of a member of the Three Houses of the Edain, not of the mortal race of Men in general.

bâr

land

(dwelling, house, home, family; earth) (i mâr, o mbâr, construct bar), pl. bair (i mbair). Also -bar, -mar at the end of compounds.

bôr

trusty man

(boron-) (i vôr, construct bor) (steadfast man, faithful vassal), pl. *b**ŷr* for older beryn, i meryn (archaic böryn, i möryn). In ”Noldorin”, the older pl. forms were berein, beren.

curunír

man of craft

(i gurunír, o churunír) (wizard), no distinct pl. form except with article (i churunír), coll. pl. ?curuníriath.

doll

dark

doll (dusky, misty, obscure), lenited noll, pl. dyll. Note: In ”Noldorin”, this word appeared as dolt as well as doll, but the latter seems the best form in S.

doll

dark

(dusky, misty, obscure), lenited noll, pl. dyll. Note: In ”Noldorin”, this word appeared as dolt as well as doll, but the latter seems the best form in S.

donn

shadowy

1) donn (black, swart, swarty, shady) (lenited dhonn, pl. dynn). (VT45:11). Also dunn- in compounds. 2) gwathren (dim), lenited wathren; pl. gwethrin. (A lenited pl. is attested in the name Ered Wethrin, Shadowy Mountains.) 3) gwathui (lenited wathui; no distinct pl. form)

donn

shadowy

(black, swart, swarty, shady) (lenited dhonn, pl. dynn). (VT45:11). Also dunn- in compounds.

dornhoth

thrawn folk

(WJ:388, 408)

drúnos

folk

Drúnos (i Dhrúnos), pl. Drúnys (in Drúnys), coll. pl. Drúnossath. See WILD MAN.

drúnos

folk

Drúnos (i Dhrúnos), pl. Drúnys (in Drúnys), coll. pl. Drúnossath

drúnos

folk

Drúnos (i Dhrúnos), pl. Drúnys (in Drúnys), coll. pl. Drúnossath.

dîr

man

1) (adult male of any speaking race) dîr (dír-, also agentive ending -dir or -nir; with article, i nîr, hard mutation as in o ndîr), no distinct pl. form except with article (i ndîr); coll. pl. díriath. Also benn (i venn, construct ben), pl. binn (i minn). The latter is in archaic language used = "husband" (the etymological meaning). The ending -we in names may also express ”being, man, person”. 2) (mortal human as opposed to Elf) Adan (pl. Edain; the coll. pl. Adanath is attested). The word Adan came to be used primarily of a member of the Three Houses of the Edain, not of the mortal race of Men in general.

dîr

man

(dír-, also agentive ending -dir or -nir; with article, i nîr, hard mutation as in o ndîr), no distinct pl. form except with article (i ndîr); coll. pl. díriath. Also benn (i venn, construct ben), pl. binn (i minn). The latter is in archaic language used = "husband" (the etymological meaning). The ending -we in names may also express ”being, man, person”.

dôr

land

1) dôr (i nôr, construct dor) (dwelling place, region), pl. dŷr (i ndŷr), coll. pl. dorath (WJ:413), 2) bâr (dwelling, house, home, family; earth) (i mâr, o mbâr, construct bar), pl. bair (i mbair). Also -bar, -mar at the end of compounds.

dôr

land

(i nôr, construct dor) (dwelling place, region), pl. dŷr (i ndŷr), coll. pl. dorath (WJ:413)

dúath

dark shadow

(i dhúath) (nightshade), pl. dúaith (i núaith);

dúnadan

man of the west

(i Núnadan), pl. Dúnedain (i Ndúnedain) (WJ:378, 386).

dûr

dark

dûr (sombre), lenited dhûr, pl. duir

dûr

dark

(sombre), lenited dhûr, pl. duir

edhel

elf

edhel (pl. edhil). Coll. pl. Edhelrim (or Edhellim) (UT:318). Also †eledh, pl. elidh, coll. pl. eledhrim (Letters:281), also elen, pl. elin, also with coll. pl. eledhrim (elen + rim with the regular change nr > dhr). _(WJ:363, 377-78; _the shorter coll. pl. Eldrim > Elrim_ _may also occur). But since elin also means "stars", other terms for "Elf" may be preferred.

edhellen

elvish

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

edhellen

elvish

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

eru

the one

isolated from

falas

Falas

The word falas means "surfline, sea-shore" in Sindarin, deriving from the root PHAL ("foam").

firion

mortal man

(pl. firyn).

galadh

tree

1) galadh (i **aladh), pl. gelaid (i ngelaidh = i ñelaidh) (Letters:426, SD:302). 2) orn (pl. yrn**). Note: a homophone means ”tall”.

galadh

tree

(i ’aladh), pl. gelaid (i ngelaidh = i ñelaidh) (Letters:426, SD:302).

galadhon

of or related to trees

(lenited ‘aladhon, pl. galadhoen). Archaic ✱galadhaun. The latter is based on David Salo’s analysis of the name Caras Galadhon; others have interpreted the last word as some kind of genitive plural, maybe influenced by Silvan Elvish.

gaurhoth

werewolf

).

graw

dark

graw (swart), lenited raw, pl. groe. (VT45:16)

graw

dark

(swart), lenited ’raw, pl. groe. (VT45:16)

guldur

dark sorcery

(i nguldur = i ñuldur), pl. gyldyr (in gyldyr = i ñgyldyr)

gwathren

shadowy

(dim), lenited ’wathren; pl. gwethrin. (A lenited pl. is attested in the name Ered Wethrin, Shadowy Mountains.)

gwathui

shadowy

(lenited ’wathui; no distinct pl. form)

hadhod

dwarf

1) hadhod (i chadhod, o chadhod), pl. hedhyd (i chedhyd), coll. pl. hadhodrim (WJ:388). This was a word borrowed from Dwarvish Khazâd. 2) naug (in compounds -nog), pl. #noeg, coll. pl. naugrim, nogrim. (WJ:388, 408, 413; VT45:13). In ”Noldorin” the pl. was nuig, but the Sindarin pl. form noeg is attested in Nibin-noeg ”Petty-dwarves” (WJ:187, 420). Note: naug is also used as an adj. ”dwarfed, stunted”. This word for ”dwarf” also appears in a diminutive form: naugol (in compounds naugla-), coll. pl. nauglath. 2)

hoth

host

(i choth, o choth) (crowd, horde), pl. hyth (i chyth).

huorn

walking tree of fangorn

(i chuorn, o chuorn), pl. huyrn (i chuyrn).

laew

many

laew (frequent); no distinct pl. form.

laew

many

(frequent); no distinct pl. form.

lam

tongue

(both body-part and = ”dialect, language”) lam (pl. laim, coll. pl. lammath). (WJ:394, 416) Not: lam is also used = ”echo, voice, echoing voice”.

lam

tongue

(pl. laim, coll. pl. lammath). (WJ:394, 416) Not: lam is also used = ”echo, voice, echoing voice”.

lammas

account of tongues

lammen

my tongue

.

laug

warm

laug (pl. loeg)

laug

adjective. warm

laug

warm

(pl. loeg)

lebethron

oak tree

.

loss

snow

(fallen snow) loss (construct los; pl. lyss if there is a pl.) (RGEO:61-62, Letters:278, VT42:18) (Note: homophones mean ”flower” [more commonly loth] and ”wilderness”.).

min

cardinal. one

1) (number ”one” as the first in a series) min, mîn (VT48:6), Note: homophones include the noun ”peak” and the adjective ”isolated, first, towering”. 2) (number) êr, whence the adjectival prefix er- (alone, lone); 3)

min

one

mîn (VT48:6), Note: homophones include the noun ”peak” and the adjective ”isolated, first, towering”.

morn

dark

morn (black), pl. myrn, lenited vorn. Note: the latter word is also used as a noun ”darkness, night”. (Letters:386)

morn

dark

(black), pl. myrn, lenited vorn. Note: the latter word is also used as a noun ”darkness, night”. (Letters:386)

môr

dark

môr (black), lenited vôr, pl. mŷr (Letters:382), also

môr

dark

(black), lenited vôr, pl. m**ŷr* (Letters:382)*, also

nand

wide grassland

(construct nan) (valley), pl. naind, coll. pl. **nannath **(VT45:36);

nogoth

dwarf

nogoth (pl. negyth; coll. pl. nogothrim). Archaic pl. ”noegyth” = nögyth (WJ:388, 408) 3) norn (pl. nyrn, coll. pl. nornwaith). From the adj. norn ”twisted, knotted, crabbed, hard”. (MR:93, WJ:205) 4) #Gonhir (i **Onhir), literally ”Master of Stone”, no distinct pl. form except with article (i Ngonhir = i Ñonhir, maybe primarily used as a coll. pl. Gonhirrim _(WJ:205, there spelt ”Gonnhirrim”) _The coll. pl. Dornhoth** ("Thrawn folk") (WJ:388, 408) also refers to the Dwarves.

noss

clan

noss (construct nos, pl. nyss) (family, house)

noss

clan

(construct nos, pl. nyss) (family, house)

noss

family

noss (construct nos, pl. nyss) (clan, house), also nost (pl. nyst) (house) (PM:360) or nothrim (house) with no distinct pl. form (PM:360). Also bâr (dwelling, house, home; land, earth) (i mâr, o mbâr, construct bar), pl. bair (i mbair). The element appears in the forms -bar, -mar at the end of compounds.

noss

family

(construct nos, pl. nyss) (clan, house), also nost (pl. nyst) (house) (PM:360) or nothrim (house) with no distinct pl. form (PM:360). Also bâr (dwelling, house, home; land, earth) (i mâr, o mbâr, construct bar), pl. bair (i mbair). The element appears in the forms -bar, -mar at the end of compounds.

nothlir

family tree

(family line); no distinct pl. form; coll. pl. nothliriath.

nothlir

family line, family tree

(no distinct pl. form; coll. pl. nothliriath)

nûr

race

(construct nur, pl. nuir). Note: homophones mean ”sad” and ”deep”.**

orn

tree

(pl. yrn). Note: a homophone means ”tall”.

parth

enclosed grassland

(i barth, o pharth) (field, sward), pl. perth (i pherth);

pen

cardinal. one

(indefinite pronoun) (= somebody, anybody) pen (WJ:376); lenited ben. According to one interpretation of the phrase caro den i innas lín from the Sindarin Lords Prayer (VT44:23), this could mean *”let one do your will”, with den (perhaps a lenited form of *ten) as the indefinite pronoun ”one”. However, others interpret den as the accusative form of the pronoun ”it”: ”Do it [, that is:] your will”.

pen

one

(WJ:376); lenited ben. According to one interpretation of the phrase caro den i innas lín from the Sindarin Lord’s Prayer (VT44:23), this could mean ✱”let one do your will”, with den (perhaps a lenited form of ✱ten) as the indefinite pronoun ”one”. However, others interpret den as the accusative form of the pronoun ”it”: ”Do it [, that is:] your will”.

rhavan

wild man

(?i thravan or ?i ravan – the lenition product of rh is uncertain), pl. rhevain (?idh revain) (WJ:219). – The following terms apparently apply to ”men” of any speaking race:

rim

host

(great number, crowd), no distinct pl. form except with article (idh rim), coll. pl. rimmath. Note: a homophone means ”cold pool or lake”.

thalion

dauntless man

(hero), pl. thelyn. Also used as an adj. ”dauntless, steadfast, strong”. 

toss

low-growing tree

(i** doss, o thoss, construct tos), pl. tyss (i** thyss). Tolkien mentioned ”maple, hawthorn, blackthorn, holly, etc.” as examples of the low-growing trees covered by this word. Specific trees, see

êr

one

whence the adjectival prefix er- (alone, lone)

gondothrim

collective name. People of Gondolin

Name for the people of Gondolin, a combination the alternate name for that city, Gondost, with the class-plural suffix -rim “city” (Ety/GOND), where the [[n|medial [str] became [θr] (“thr”)]] as it did in words like othrond.

dôr

noun. land, dwelling-place, region where certain people live

dor

noun. land, dwelling-place, region where certain people live

The form dor in the Etymologies is a misreading, see VT/45. In composition and in toponyms, the word is nevertheless reduced to Dor

gwaith

noun. man power, troop of able-bodied men, host, regiment, people

gweith

noun. man power, troop of able-bodied men, host, regiment, people

haradhoth

collective name. People of Harad

gondost

place name. Gondolin

Another name for Gondolin appearing in The Etymologies from the 1930s, a combination of gonn “stone” and ost “city” (Ety/GOND).

nûr

noun. race

lhaug

adjective. warm

An adjective appearing as N. lhaug “warm” in The Etymologies of the 1930s from primitive ᴹ✶lauka under the root ᴹ√LAW of the same meaning (Ety/LAW).

Conceptual Development: G. laug appeared in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s glossed “(of plants) alive, having sap, green, vigorous” (GL/53), likely based on the early root ᴱ√LAWA having to do with the life of plants (QL/52).

Neo-Sindarin: This word is usually adapted as ᴺS. laug “warm” for purposes of Neo-Sindarin, as suggested in HSD (HSD), since the unvoicing of initial l is not a feature of later Sindarin.

benn

noun. man, male

blâb

verb. (he) flaps, beats

The Etymologies seem to list this word as a noun, but it is clearly the third person singular of the verb

doll

adjective. dark, dusky, obscure

dolt

adjective. dark, dusky, obscure

dîr

noun. man, referring to an adult male (elf, mortal, or of any other speaking race)

dûr

adjective. dark, sombre

dûr

adjective. dark

edhel

noun. Elf

forodrim

noun. Northmen

forodwaith

noun. Northmen

forodwaith

noun. the lands of the North

forodweith

noun. Northmen

forodweith

noun. the lands of the North

galadh

noun. tree

galadh

noun. tree

galadrim

collective name. Tree-folk

gloss

adjective. snow-white, dazzling-white

golodh

noun. "Deep Elf" or "Gnome", one of the Wise Folk

golodhrim

noun. Deep Elves, Gnomes

gwaith

noun. manhood

gwaith

noun. region, wilderness

gweith

noun. manhood

gweith

noun. region, wilderness

hoth

noun. host, crowd, horde (nearly always in a bad sense)

lamben

place name. Tongue

A transient name for the Naith in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, glossed “Tongue” (TI/280). It seems to be an elaboration or variant form of N. lham(b) “tongue”.

lham

noun. physical tongue

lham(b)

noun. tongue

lhamb

noun. physical tongue

lhammas

noun. account of tongues

lhaug

adjective. warm

lhâf

verb. (he) licks

lhôd

verb. (he) floats

min

fraction. one (first of a series)

min

cardinal. one

naugl

noun. dwarf

nauglar

collective name. Dwarves

naugol

noun. dwarf

nawag

noun. Dwarf

nos

noun. kindred, family, clan

noss

noun. kindred, family, clan

nothlir

noun. family line (esp. as family tree, genealogical tree)

nûr

noun. race

orn

noun. (any large) tree

orn

noun. tree

orthor

verb. (he) masters, conquers

osgar

verb. (he) cuts, amputates

síla

verb. (he) shines white

sôg

verb. (he) drinks

thia

verb. it appears

tôg

verb. (he) leads, brings

tôl

verb. (he) comes

According to WJ/301, the expression tôl acharn "vengeance comes" was later changed to tûl acharn by Tolkien

galadrim

collective name. Tree-people

galadrim

noun. Elves of Lothlórien

Note: "The Galadrim were 'Tree-people' (though the formation is Sindarin, + S [rim] = Q rimbë, great number) = true Sindarin galadhrim."

Danas

noun. Green-elves, Nandor

In Etym derived from the stem DAN (LR:353), simply defined as an "element found in names of the Green-elves", and tentatively compared to NDAN "back" (since the Nandor "turned back" and did not complete the march to the Sea). Tolkien's later view on the derivation of the name of the Green-elves, as set down in WJ:412, is that the stem dan- and its strengthened form ndan- do indeed have a similar meaning: these forms have to do with "the reversal of an action, so as to undo or nullify its effect", and a primitive form ndandô, "one who goes back on his word or decision", is suggested. However, it seems unlikely that the Nandor would have called themselves by such a name, and indeed Tolkien in WJ:385 states that "this people still called themselves by the old clan-name Lindai [= Quenya Lindar], which had at that time taken the form Lindi in their tongue". It may be, then, that Tolkien had rejected the idea that the Nandor called themselves Danas. - As for the ending -as, it is probably to be compared to the Sindarin class plural ending -ath; indeed a Sindarin ("Noldorin") form Danath evidently closely corresponding to Danas is given in LR:353.

galad

noun. tree

galad

noun. tree

>> Galadrim

beorn

noun. man

The shift of e to eo is strange and has no direct parallels, but compare eo from i in meord "fine rain" (< primitive mizdê). Normally final -ô becomes -â in Nandorin (see golda), but here it is simply lost instead of producing *beorna. C.f. meord the other word where we might have expected to see a final -a (in that case from -ê); it may be that final vowels are lost in words that would otherwise come to have more than two syllables. - The shift of primitive s to r in besnô > beorn may be ascribed primarily to the blending with ber(n)ô, but r from z is seen in meord < mizdê; perhaps the s of besnô first became z and then r. Such developments are common in Quenya.

cwenda

noun. elf

A doubtful word according to Tolkien's later conception; in the branch of Eldarin that Nandorin belongs to, primitive KW became P far back in Elvish linguistic history [WJ:375 cf. 407 note 5]. This was not a problem in Tolkien's earlier conception, in which the Danians came from the host of the Noldor, not the Teleri [see PM:76; the idea of the Nandor being of Noldorin origin also occurs in VT47:29]. In his later version of Nandorin, the word cwenda is probably best ignored; simply emending it to *penda would produce a clash with primitive pendâ "sloping" [cf. WJ:375].

In the Etymologies, Tolkien derived cwenda from kwenedê "elf" (stem KWEN(ED) of similar meaning, LR:366; as for the shift of original final -ê to Nandorin -â, compare hrassa "precipice" from khrassê). But later the primitive word that yielded Quenya Quende was reconstructed as kwende (WJ:360).

No certain example shows how original short final -e comes out in Nandorin, so we cannot say whether kwende is also capable of yielding cwenda, ignoring the question of kw failing to become p.

dóri-

noun. land

Isolated from Lindórinan. The independent form of the word may differ; it is unclear where the i of the compound Lindórinan comes from. In the Etymologies, the Eldarin words for "land" are derived from a stem NDOR "dwell, stay, rest, abide" (LR:376).

No Nandorin word is there listed, but Sindarin dor is derived from primitive ndorê. Notice, however, that Tolkien many years later derived the Eldarin words for "land" from a stem DORO "dried up, hard, unyielding" (WJ:413). However, this later source does confirm that the Primitive Quendian form was ndorê, now thought to be formed by initial enrichment d > nd. This is defined as "the hard, dry land as opposed to water or bog", later developing the meaning "land in general as opposed to sea", and finally also "a land" as a particular region, "with more or less defined bounds".

Whether dóri- actually comes from ndorê is highly doubtful (this would rather yield *dora in Nandorin), but it must be derived from the same set of stems.

galad

noun. tree

Derived from galadâ "great growth", "tree", applied to stout and spreading trees such as oaks and beeches (UT:266, Letters:426; in the latter source, the root GAL is defined as "grow", intransitive). It is interesting to notice that this word, given in a source much later than the Etymologies that provides most of the Nandorin material, nonetheless agrees well with the older words cited by Tolkien: again we see the loss of original final -â, whereas original post-vocalic d is unchanged as in the word edel.

nōse

noun. race, tribe, people

kwendā

noun. assembly of (all the) people

li

root. many

This root was connected to words for “many” throughout Tolkien’s life. In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s it appeared as ᴱ√LĪ, with variant ᴱ√ILI “many” and extended form ᴱ√LIYA (LI + ya) “unite many as one” with derivatives like ᴱQ. lia- “entwine” and ᴱQ. liante “tendril” (QL/42, 53). In later writings there is no sign of the inversion √IL “many” (later √IL meant “all”), whereas ᴱ√LIYA seems to have shifted to unrelated ᴹ√SLIG with derivatives like ᴹQ. lia “fine thread, spider filament” and ᴹQ. liante “spider” (Ety/SLIG).

The base root ᴹ√LI “many” did reappear in The Etymologies of the 1930s, however (Ety/LI), and √LI “many” appeared again in etymological notes from the late 1960s (VT48/25). The long-standing connection between this root and the Quenya (partitive) plural suffixes indicates its stability in Tolkien’s mind.

ndorē

noun. land

-lī

suffix. many

gondo-ndor-

place name. Stone-land

ndē̆r

noun. man

dom

root. dark, dark, [ᴹ√] faint, dim

This root was the basis for the main Elvish words for “dusk, night”, which was established as Q. lómë in Quenya for most of Tolkien’s life. The earliest form of this root was ᴱ√LOMO in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, unglossed but with various derivatives having to do with “dusk” and “shadow” (QL/55). One notable derivative was ᴱQ. lóme “dusk, gloom, darkness”, which survived in Tolkien’s later writings as “night” and in the 1910s was the basis for ᴱQ. Hisilóme/G. Hithlum “Shadowy Twilights”. Another notable derivative was G. lómin “shady, shadowy, gloomy; gloom(iness)” (GL/45) used in the name G. Dor Lómin, which in the 1910s was translated as “Land of Shadow” (LT1/112).

The “shadow” meaning of this early root seems to have transferred to ᴹ√LUM from The Etymologies of the 1930s, which served as the new basis for N. Hithlum (Ety/LUM), as opposed contemporaneous N. Dor-lómen which was redefined as “Land of Echoes (< ᴹ√LAM via Ilkorin or in later writings, via North Sindarin). The “dusk” sense was transferred to a new root ᴹ√DOM “faint, dim”, which (along with ᴹ√DOƷ) was the basis for the pair words ᴹQ. lóme/N. dû “night” (Ety/DOMO).

These two words for “night” survived in Tolkien’s later writing in both Quenya and Sindarin (Let/308; SA/dú). In notes from the 1940s Tolkien clarified that it “has no evil connotations; it is a word of peace and beauty and has none of the associations of fear or groping that, say, ‘dark’ has for us” (SD/306). The Elves were quite comfortable being under the night sky, dating back to the time when the Elves lived under the stars before the rising of the Sun and the Moon. The root √DOM reappeared in etymologies for star-words from the late 1950s or early 1960s (PE17/152). It appeared again in some very late notes from 1969 where it was glossed “dark” and served as the basis for words meaning “blind” as well as “night”, though this paragraph was rejected (PE22/153, note #50).

imin

masculine name. One

kwenyā

adjective. Elvish

min

cardinal. one

mornā

adjective. dark

mō

noun. person

ndōro

noun. land

du Reconstructed

root. dark

lâi

collective noun. folk

A noun appearing only as an element in kadar-lâi “city folk” (SD/435). It may be related to Q. lië “people”, as suggested by various authors (AAD/18, AL/Adûnaic, EotAL/LAI). In at least one Avari dialect, this word was lai (WJ/410).

anadûnê

place name. Westernesse

The Adûnaic name for Númenor (Q. Númenórë), with the same meaning as its Quenya name: “Westernesse” (S/261). In The Silmarillion appendix, Christopher Tolkien stated that is it a loan word from Elvish (SA/andúnë). According to J.R.R. Tolkien’s own writing (SD/426), this is true, albeit not directly. Anadûnê is a feminized form of the adjective anadûni “western, of the west”, which is itself related to S. dûn “west”.

anâ

noun. human being

A noun translated “human being” (SD/426) given as an example of a noun ending in a long vowel that (archaically) uses the declension for a strong-noun (SD/437), an example of the extremely rare class of Strong-IIb nouns. By the time of Classical Adûnaic, it could be declined as an ordinary weak-noun instead. It also had masculine and feminine variants anû “(human) man” and anî “(human) woman” (SD/434) but in ordinary speech it seems likely that more specific words would be used: narû “man, male”, zinî “female”, kali “woman”.

thâni

noun. land

A noun translated “land” (SD/435) appearing in the Adûnaic names for the Blessed Realm: Amatthâni and thâni’nAmân. Its Primitive Adûnaic form was also ✶thāni, though its primitive was glossed “realm" (SD/420).

zâyan

noun. land

An Adûnaic word for “land” (SD/423). It has an irregular plural form zâin which is the result of the phonetic change (SD/423): [[pad|medial [w] and [j] vanished before [u] and [i]]]. Thus, the archaic plural changed from †zâyîn > zâîn > zâin.

Conceptual Development: In earlier names this word appeared as zen (SD/378, 385).

hai

suffix. folk, people

This word can be found in a combination with the word uruk making uruk-hai meaning orc-folk. >> -hai.

ash

cardinal. one

búrz

adjective. dark

-hai

suffix. folk

ash

cardinal. one

búrz

adjective. dark

er

cardinal. one

galada

noun. tree

galla

noun. tree

min

cardinal. one