röa

noun. dog

A word for “dog” appearing in 1968 notes on monosyllabic primitive Elvish nouns (VT47/35). Of the primitive forms, Tolkien first gave ✶wā(w) “dog” and ✶grā “bear”, but ✶wā(w) was struck through and the gloss of ✶grā was changed to “dog”, after which Tolkien wrote Q. roa “dog” (VT47/36). He seems to have been disatisfied with this derivation, however, going on to write a number of primitive animal roots in the upper margin, including ✶yarr- “dog”.

Conceptual Development: ᴱQ. roa “a wild beast” appeared in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, derived from primitive ᴱ✶raw̯a under the early root ᴱ√RAVA or ᴱ√RAẆA (QL/79).

Neo-Quenya: Giving Tolkien’s vacillations on these 1968 forms, I’d stick to the better known ᴹQ. huo as the common word for “dog” in (Neo) Quenya, which is the word used in Helge Fauskanger’s NQNT (NQNT).

rac-

break

rac- ("k")vb. "break", past participle rácina ("k") "broken" in Markirya

raica

crooked, bent, wrong

raica ("k") adj. "crooked, bent, wrong" (RÁYAK, VT39:7), pl. raicar in LR:47 (read perhaps *raicë in LotR-style Quenya)

ran

noise

ran (ram-) noun "noise" (LT1:259, QL:79)

rasta

cardinal. twelve

#rasta cardinal "twelve" (isolated from yurasta_ "24", two times 12; cf. the stem RÁSAT "twelve" listed in the Etymologies). See yunquë. (PE14:17)_

raica

adjective. crooked, crooked, [ᴹQ.] bent, wrong

roa

dog

roa noun "dog" (VT47:35). Also huo.

Ilweran

rainbow

Ilweran, Ilweranta noun "rainbow" (GL:74) (The Etymologies gives helyanwë.)

léra

free

léra adj. noun "free", of persons (VT41:5)

hravan

noun. wild beast

A word for a “wild beast” in notes from the mid-1960s, derived from the root √S-RAB “wild, in senses not tamed, domesticated” (PE17/78), hence meaning “wild animal” vs. a “tamed animal”, which would probably be Q. laman.

aranya

free

aranya, also ranya, adj. "free". Another gloss was not certainly legible, but the editors suggest "uncontrolling" (VT46:10)

arauca

swift, rushing

arauca ("k")adj. "swift, rushing" (LT2:347). Compare arauco.

hravan

wild beast

hravan noun "wild beast"; pl.Hravani "the Wild", used as a name of non-Edain Men (PE17:78, WJ:219). PE17:18 has Hrávani with a long á, glossed "Wild-men, Savages".

yurasta

cardinal. twelve

yurasta cardinal "24" (two times #rasta "twelve") (PE14:17)

raitando

noun. gospel

racco

noun. curse

larma

noun. raiment

A word from the late 1960s for “raiment” appearing only its plural form in the phrase Valar ar Maiar fantaner nassentar fanainen ve quenderinwe coar al larmar “Valar and Maiar cloaked their true-being in veils, like to Elvish bodies and raiment” (PE17/175). It’s derivation is unclear, but it might be tied to ᴹ√LAD “lie flat” from the 1940s (PE22/126).

alcar

noun. radiance

radiance, splendour

alta

radiance

alta (2) noun "radiance" (VT42:32, PE17:50). Cf. variant ñalta.

fairë

radiance

fairë (3) noun "radiance" (PHAY)

helyanwë

rainbow

helyanwë noun "rainbow", lit. "sky-bridge" (3EL)

iluquinga

rainbow

iluquinga ("q") noun "rainbow" (LT2:348)

larma

raiment

#larma (1) noun "raiment", attested in pl. form larmar (PE17:175)

nalta

radiance, glittering reflection

nalta ("ñ")noun "radiance, glittering reflection" (from jewels, glass or polished metals, or water) (PM:347)

yáwë

ravine, cleft, gulf

yáwë noun "ravine, cleft, gulf" (YAG; according to VT46:22, the last gloss should perhaps be read as "gully" instead)

alta

noun. radiance

hrá

hrá

hrá, see rá

-ina

general 'passive' participle

-ina ending for what Tolkien called "general 'passive' participle" (VT43:15); compare nótina "counted", rácina "broken", hastaina "marred" (q.v.). The stem-vowel is usually lengthened when the ending is added to the stem of a primary verb (as in the two first examples above), though the lengthening fails to occur (or is not denoted) in carina as the passive participle of car- "make, do" (VT43:15).

alarca

swift, rapid

alarca ("k")adj. "swift, rapid" (LAK2)

ciris

cleft, crack

ciris _("k")_noun "cleft, crack" (LT2:337 - obsoleted by cirissë?)

falqua

cleft, mountain pass, ravine

falqua ("q") noun "cleft, mountain pass, ravine" (LT2:341)

larca

swift, rapid

larca ("k")adj. "swift, rapid" (LAK2)

latta

strap

latta (2) noun "strap" (LATH)

missë

wet, damp, rain

[missë] adj.ornoun "wet, damp, rain" (VT45:35)

aiano

noun. stranger

car-

make, do, build, form

car- (1) vb. "make, do, build, form" (1st pers. aorist carin "I make, build"; the aorist is listed with all pronominal endings in VT49:16, also in pl. and dual forms carir, carit). Regarding the form carize- (PE17:128), see -s #1. Pa.t. carnë (KAR, PE17:74, 144). The infinitival aorist stem carë ("k") (by Patrick Wynne called a "general aorist infinitive" in VT49:34) occurs in ecë nin carë sa "I can do it" (VT49:34), also in áva carë "don't do it" (WJ:371) and uin carë (PE17:68); in the last example Tolkien calls carë an example of the "simplest aorist infinitive", the same source referring to carië as the "general infinitive" of the same verb. Pl. aorist carir "form" in the phrase i carir quettar ("k") "those who form words" (WJ:391, cf. VT49:16), continuative cára, future caruva (PE17:144), carita ("k"), infinitive/gerund "to do" or "doing" (VT42:33), with suffixes caritas "to do it" or "doing it", caritalya(s) "your doing (it)" in VT41:13,17, VT42:33. Past participle #carna, q.v.; VT43:15 also gives the long form carina ("k"), read perhaps *cárina. (Carima as a passive participle may be a mistake, VT43:15.) PE17:68 refers to a "simple past passive participle" of the form carinwa ("kari-nwa"). "Rare" past participle active (?) cárienwa* ("k") "having done" (PE17:68), unless this is also a kind of passive participle (the wording of the source is unclear). Some alternative forms in Fíriel's Song: past tense cárë ("káre") "made"; this may still be an alternative to the better-attested form carnë (LR:362) even in LotR-style Quenya. Cf. ohtacárë "war-made", made war (see #ohtacar-). Also cárië with various suffixes: cárier ("kárier") is translated "they made"; in LotR-style Quenya this could be seen as an augmentless perfect, hence "they have made", "they" being simply the plural ending -r. The literal meaning of cárielto* ("k") must also be "they made" (cf. -lto). Derived adjectives urcárima and urcarnë "hard to make / do", urucarin "made with difficulty" (PE17:154), saucarya "evil-doing" (PE17:68).

fairë

free

fairë (4) adj. "free" (LT1:250) (rather léra, lerina or mirima in LotR-style Quenya)

mirima

free

mirima adj. "free" (MIS). ("Free" is rather expressed as léra in Tolkiens later Quenya; mirima would be prone to confusion with mírima above.)

mistana

adjective. stray

A neologism created by Boris Shapiro in PPQ (PPQ) from the early 2000s, an adjective form of [ᴹQ.] mista- “to stray about”.

cala

noun. light, light; [ᴱQ.] daytime (sunlight), 12 hours

This is the most common Quenya word for “light”, derived from the root √KAL of similar meaning (RGEO/62; PE17/84). It appears in numerous compounds, either in its full form or in a reduced form cal-.

Conceptual Development: ᴱQ. kala appeared all the way back in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s glossed “daytime (sunlight), 12 hours” and derived from the early root ᴱ√KALA “shine golden” (QL/44), but it had the sense “light” in the phrase ᴱQ. i·kal’antúlien “Light hath returned” (LT1/184), and it was given as the cognate of G. gala “light, daylight” in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon (GL/37).

ᴹQ. kala “light” appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a derivative of the root ᴹ√KAL “shine” (Ety/KAL). Somewhat curiously in that document its primitive form was given as ᴹ✶k’lā́ (EtyAC/KAL), a form that also appeared in the first version of Tengwesta Qenderinwa (TQ1) from the 1930s (PE18/38). Tolkien may have used this variant form to explain N. glaw “radiance” (< ᴹ✶g’lā́), but in later writings S. glaw “sunshine” was derived from √LAW.

men

noun. way, way, *direction; [ᴹQ.] place, spot [only in compounds]

A noun or word element, most notably appearing in the four cardinal directions formen, hyarmen, númen, and rómen, which Christopher Tolkien translated as “way” in The Silmarillion appendix (SA/men). This is consistent with the later meaning of its root: √MEN “go, move, proceed”, and in Definitive Linguistic Notes (DLN) from 1959 Tolkien had a primitive form ✶mēn- “a way, a going, a mov[ement]” (PE17/165) which might be the source of Christopher Tolkien’s translation of Q. men.

Conceptual Development: The situation in Tolkien’s earlier writings was different. In The Etymologies of the 1930s ᴹQ. men was translated “place, spot” under the root ᴹ√MEN (Ety/MEN). In this document, it seems the literally meaning of direction words were “✱north-place”, “✱south-place”, etc., as opposed to later “✱north-direction, ✱south-direction”. This can be seen in other words Tolkien used in this period, such as ᴹQ. Ilmen “Place of Light” (SM/241).

This ambiguity continued into Tolkien’s later writings, as can be seen in a 1965 letter to Dick Plotz, where Tolkien translated númen “the direction or region of the sunset” (Let/361). Another example is menel “firmament, high heaven, the region of the stars”, which Tolkien said was “a Q. invention from men (direction, region) + el (the basis of many stars)” in The Road Goes Ever On as published in 1967 (RGEO/65). There are other Quenya words where men refers to a location rather than a direction: ruimen “fireplace, hearth” (PE17/183) and turmen “realm” = “✱mastered-region” (PE17/28), both from the mid-1960s.

However, some words are hard to explain as locations, such as alamen “a good omen on departure”, also from DLN of 1959 (PE17/162). Tolkien used men as an element in the terms coimen “life-year” and olmen “growth-year” in notes from around 1959, which are probably best explained as a “way” or “process” of life or growth (NM/84-85). However the stems of these words ended in mend-, so their element men may be different from what is seen in formen, etc. As another wrinkle, Tolkien regularly used nómë to mean “place” in his later writings, as in sinomë “in this place [= here]” (LotR/967) and tanomë “in that place [= there]” (VT49/11).

It is hard to determine how much of this variation is due to conceptual vacillation on Tolkien’s part. My best guess of the timelime is that:

• In the 1930s men meant “place, spot”, and the root ᴹ√MEN was not verbal (Ety/MEN).

• In the 1940s Tolkien decided that √MEN was verbal, meaning {“intend” >>} “go” (PE22/103).

• By the 1950s Tolkien reformulated men to mean “way, a going” in keeping with the new meaning of the root (PE17/165). In this period Tolkien also introduced nómë “place”.

• By the 1960s Tolkien partially reversed himself, deciding men could mean either “way, direction” and “place, region”, but without abandoning nómë.

Neo-Quenya: The word men is somewhat contentious in Neo-Quenya. The word men is a very popular element for “place” in many neologisms (especially older ones), such as ᴺQ. natsemen “website = ✱web-spot”, ᴺQ. tirmen “theater = ✱watch-place” and ᴺQ. mótamen “office = ✱work-place”. However, others feel that this sense has been entirely replaced by nómë, so that men in such compounds should be replaced by a suffix ᴺQ. -non (-nom-).

Given this ambiguity, I would use men only for “way, ✱direction” as a standalone word, and would instead use nómë = “place”. However, given Tolkien’s vacillations as described above, I would allow the use of men as “place, spot, region” in compounds [perhaps originally conceived of as a destination], though I think ᴺQ. -non “-place” is also fine.

rácina

adjective. broken

An adjective glossed “broken” appearing in the Markirya poem of the 1960s (MC/223), apparently a passive participle of rac- “break”. A very similar plural adjective racine appeared in notes associated with Quendi and Eldar (Q&E) essay from 1959-60, an element in the term rakine tengwi for consonants without an associated vowel which Tolkien translated as “stripped or deprived signs”.

Conceptual Development: In versions of ᴱQ. Oilima Markirya poem around 1930, Tolkien used ᴱQ. rusta for “broken”, though in the same poem he translated its plural form ruste as “crumbling” (MC/214). In drafts of the 1930 poem he had ᴱQ. ranka for “broken” (PE16/77), perhaps an early manifestion of rácina. Compare also G. rag- “break asunder, burst” from the 1910s (GL/64).

rávëa

adjective. roaring

A word for a “roaring” in the 1960s version of Q. Markirya poem (MC/222), an adjectival form of Q. rávë “roaring noise” (MC/223).

-inqua

glorious

-inqua adjectival ending, seen in alcarinqua "glorious" (WJ:412) from alcar "glory". Etymologically, -inqua means "-full", like "glory-full" in this case. A variant *-unqua is implied in WJ:415 (only referred to in archaic form -unkwā). "The forms using u were mainly applied to things heavy, clumsy, ugly or bad", whereas -inqua (in the same source derived from -inkwā) is neutral.

-llo

ablative adverbial suffix

-llo (1) "ablative adverbial suffix" (PE17:72) implying "from" or "out of", as in sindanóriello "out of a grey land", Rómello "from the East" (Nam), Mardello "from Earth" (FS), ulcullo "from evil" (VT43:12), sillumello "from this hour" (VT44:35), yello "from whom" (VT47:21), Manwello *"from Manwë" (VT49:24), Melcorello / Melkorello "from Melkor" (VT49:7, 24). Pl. -llon (so in Plotz) or -llor (in illon, elenillor, raxellor, elendellor, q.v.); dual -lto (Plotz). A shorter form of the ablative ending, -lo, apparently occurs in the words silo "hence" and talo "from there", q.v. In the Etymologies, Tolkien cited the Quenya ablative ending as -ello, evidently including the connecting vowel -e- that may be inserted when the ending is added to a word ending in a consonant (VT45:28), compare Melcorello. See also ló, lo #2.

-lmë

we

-lmë 1st person pl. pronominal ending: "we" (VT49:38; 51 carilmë *"we do", VT49:16). It was originally intended to be inclusive "we" (VT49:48), including the person(s) spoken to, but by 1965 Tolkien made this the ending for exclusive "we" instead (cf. the changed definition of the corresponding possessive ending -lma, see above). _(VT49:38) Exemplified in laituvalmet "we shall bless them" (lait-uva-lme-t "bless-shall-we-them") (the meaning apparently changed from inclusive to exclusive "we", VT49:55), see also nalmë under ná# 1. (LotR3:VI ch. 4, translated in Letters:308_)

-mmë

we

-mmë "we", 1st person dual exclusive pronominal ending: "I and one other" (compare the inclusive dual form -ngwë or -nquë). First written -immë in one source (VT49:57). Carimmë, "the two of us do" (VT49:16, cf. VT43:6). At an earlier conceptual stage, the ending was already exclusive, but plural rather than dual: vammë "we won't" (WJ:371), firuvammë "we will die" (VT43:34), etemmë ?"out of us" (VT43:36); see also VT49:48, 49, 55. Also compare the corresponding emphatic pronoun emmë (q.v.). The ending -lmë replaced -mmë in its former (plural exclusive) sense. In some early material, -mmë was apparently used as an ending for plural inclusive "we" (VT49:55).

-ngwë

we

-ngwë "we", 1st person dual inclusive pronominal ending: "thou and I" (compare the exclusive dual form -mmë). Caringwë, "the two of us do" (VT49:16). One source lists the ending as "-inke > -inque" instead (VT49:51, 53, 57; "inke" was apparently Old Quenya). In an earlier pronoun table reproduced in VT49:48, the ending -ngwë is listed as an alternative to -lmë, which Tolkien at the time used as the plural inclusive ending (a later revision made it plural exclusive).

aiqualin

tall

aiqualin ("q")adj. "tall", plural form (???) (MC:216; this is "Qenya" - but cf. aiqua above.)

calina

light

calina ("k")adj. "light" (KAL), "bright" (VT42:32) "(literally illumined) sunny, light" (PE17:153) but apparently a noun "light" in coacalina, q.v.

cálë

noun. light

A noun for “light” appearing in the versions of the Markirya poem from the 1960s (MC/222-223).

Conceptual Development: In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, ᴱQ. kále “morning” was a derivative of the early root ᴱ√KALA “shine golden” (QL/44), and kāle was mentioned again Gnomish Lexicon Slips as a cognate of G. gaul “a light” (PE13/114). The form ᴱQ. kale “day” appeared in the Early Qenya Grammar of the 1920s, but was deleted (PE14/43). It might also be an element in ᴹQ. yúkale “twilight” (= “both lights”) from The Etymologies of the 1930s (Ety/KAL).

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I’d stick to the better attested Q. cala “light”.

emmë

we

emmë (2) pron. "we", emphatic pronoun; dative emmen (VT43:12, 20). In the source this pronoun is intended as the 1st person plural exclusive; later Tolkien changed the corresponding pronominal ending from -mmë to -lmë, and the plural emphatic pronoun would likewise change from emmë to *elmë. Since the ending -mmë was redefined as a dualexclusive pronoun, the form emmë may still be valid as such, as a dual emphatic pronoun "we" = "(s)he and I".

ettelëa

foreign

ettelëa adj. "foreign", perhaps also noun ?"stranger"; the reading of the second gloss is uncertain. In the Etymologies as printed in LR, even the former gloss is presented as an uncertain reading and the Quenya word is given as ettelen. According to VT45:13, the gloss "foreign" is certain and the Quenya word may also be read as ettelëa, which normal Quenya morphology would also suggest to be the correct reading of Tolkien's manuscript.

fana

veils

fana noun term denoting the "veils" or "raiment" in which the Valar presented themselves to physical eyes, the bodies in which they were self-incarnated, usually in the shape of the bodies of Elves (and Men) (RGEO:74, PE17:173-180). According to PE17:26, fana may be said to mean "shape" with "added notion" of light and whiteness, "it is thus often used where we might use a vision of something beautiful or sublime", yet with no connotation of "uncertainty or unreality".

firin

dead

firin adj. "dead" (by natural cause) (PHIR).This may obsolete the earlier "Qenya" word firin "ray of the sun" (LT2:341)

harma

wolf

[harma (2) noun "wolf" (3ARAM). The gloss "hound" was inserted, but then deleted (VT45:17)]

hat-

break asunder

hat- (2) vb. "break asunder", pa.t. hantë (SKAT). Compare ascat-, terhat-. It may be that Tolkien eventually restored the verb hat- "fling" occurring in early material (see above), leaving the conceptual status of hat- "break asunder" uncertain (for "break", late material has rac-).

hriz-

to snow

#hriz- vb. "to snow", impersonal, given in the form hríza "it is snowing". Normally z would turn to r in Exilic Quenya, but since two r's close to one another were disliked, it may be that hriz- became *hris- instead (compare razë "sticks out" becoming rasë instead of **rarë, PE19:73) Past tense hrinsë (with s from the original root SRIS) and another form which the editor tentatively reads as hrissë (the development ns > ss is regular). (PE17:168)

imbë

dell, deep vale

imbë (2) noun "dell, deep vale" (VT45:18), "wide ravine (between high mountain sides)" (PE17:92)

lehta

free, released

lehta (2) adj. "free, released" (VT39:17); #lehta tengwë "free element, released element", a term for "vowel" (only pl. lehta tengwi [ñ] is attested; we would rather expect *lehtë tengwi with the pl. form of the adjective) (VT39:17)

luhta-

to bow

luhta- (2) vb. "to bow" (VT47:35); this intransitive verb can be distinguished from luhta- "enchant" above, since #1 is transitive and will always have a direct object, something #2 never has.

lár

league

lár (1) noun "league", a linear measure, 5000 rangar (q.v.). A ranga was approximately 38 inches, so a lár was "5277 yards, two feet and four inches [ca. 4826 m], supposing the equivalence to be exact" - close enough to our league of 5280 yards to justify this translation. The basic meaning of lár is "pause"; in marches a brief halt was made for each league. (UT:285)

lé

way

lé (1) noun "way" = "method, manner" ("as in that is not As way"). Not to be confused with lé as a stressed form of le = plural "you"; Tolkien was himself dissatisfied with this clash (PE17:74).

me

we, us

me (1) 1st person pl. exclusive pronoun "we, us" (VT49:51; VT43:23, VT44:9). This pronoun preserves the original stem-form (VT49:50). Stressed mé (VT49:51). Cf. also mel-lumna "us-is-heavy", sc. *"is heavy for us" (LR:47, mel- is evidently an assimilated form of men "for us", dative of me; the form men is attested by itself, VT43:21). For me as object, cf. álamë** "do not [do something to] us", negative imperative particle with object pronoun suffixed (VT43:19: álamë tulya, "do not lead us"), ámen** "do [something for] us", imperative particle with dative pronoun suffixed (ámen apsenë "forgive us", VT43:12, 18). Dual exclusive met "we/us (two)" (Nam, VT49:51), "you and me" (VT47:11; the latter translation would make met an inclusive pronoun, though it is elsewhere suggested that it is rather exclusive: "him/her and me", corresponding to wet [q.v.] as the true inclusive dual form). Rá men or rámen "for us/on our behalf", see rá. Locative messë "on us", VT44:12 (also with prefix o, ó- ?"with" in the same source). See also ménë, ómë.

ninquë

white, chill, cold, palid

ninquë adj. "white, chill, cold, palid" (WJ:417, SA:nim, PE17:168, NIK-W - spelt "ninqe" in Etym and in LT1:266, MC:213, MC:220, GL:60), pl. ninqui in Markirya. Compounded in Ninquelótë noun "White-Flower" (SA:nim), = Sindarin Nimloth, the White Tree of Númenor; ninqueruvissë ("q") "white-horse-on" _(MC:216; this is "Qenya", read _ninqueroccossë or *ninquiroccossë in LotR-style Quenya). Normally ninquë would be expected to have the stem-form ninqui-, given the primitive form ¤ninkwi; Ninquelótë rather than *Ninquilótë must be seen as an analogical form.

ráva

free, unfettered, uncontrolled, lawless

ráva (1) adj. "free, unfettered, uncontrolled, lawless" (PE17:78), "wild, untamed"_ (RAB). _In PE17:78, the gloss "wild" is given to the variant hráva instead.

silmë

noun. starlight, starlight; [ᴹQ.] silver [light], moonlight, light of Silpion

A word for “starlight” and also the name of tengwa #29 [i] (LotR/1123), clearly derived from the root √SIL.

Conceptual Development: The earliest hint of this word was in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s where ᴱQ. silmea seems to be an adjective meaning “✱lunar” (QL/56). ᴱQ. silme also seems to be an adjectival element “gleaming, silver” in ᴱQ. silmerána “gleaming moon, silver moon” from the Oilima Markirya poem and its drafts from around 1930 (MC/220; PE16/75). In The Etymologies of the 1930s ᴹQ. silme was derived from primitive ᴹ✶silimē “light of Silpion, †silver” under the root ᴹ√SIL “shine silver” (Ety/SIL) and thus seems to mean “moonlight”. Indeed, silme had the gloss “moonlight” in notes on The Feanorian Alphabet from the 1930s and 40s (PE22/22, 51), where it was already the name of tengwa #29. It became “starlight” in Appendix E of The Lord of the Rings, however (LotR/1123), and elsewhere “moonlight” was isilmë (MC/223).

tier

path

tier is, besides the pl. form of tië "path" above, an ephemeral word for "so", abandoned by Tolkien in favour of tambë (VT43:17)

yunquë

cardinal. twelve

yunquë ("q") cardinal "twelve" (VT47:41, VT48:4, 6, 9; VT49:57; also compare the stem yunuk(w)-_ cited in VT42:24, 31). This word appears already in an early source (PE14:82)_. Some sources point to #rasta, q.v., as another word for "twelve". However, available post-LotR sources indicate that Tolkien intended yunquë as the regular Quenya word for "twelve".

hlóna

noise

hlóna (1) noun "a noise" (VT48:29, PE17:138). Also hlón.

hráva

wild

hráva adj. "wild" (PE17:78); see ráva #1.

narmo

wolf

narmo ("ñ")noun "wolf" (ÑGAR(A)M; both the old form ñarmo = *ngarmo and the Third Age form narmo are given). Another word for "wolf" is ráca.

ráca

wolf

ráca ("k") noun "wolf" (DARÁK). Another word for "wolf" is narmo.

ráta-

excel, surpass

ráta- vb. "excel, surpass" (PE17:147)

rávëa

roaring

rávëa adj. "roaring" (Markirya)

ilma Reconstructed

proper name. Starlight

An (archaic?) name for “Starlight”, it is not directly attested in Tolkien’s later writing, but appears as an element in several names (SA/ilm). It is a derivative of the root √(Ñ)GIL “shine (white)”. Elsewhere, the usual Quenya word for “starlight” is given as silmë (LotR/1123).

Conceptual Development: ᴱQ. ilma “air” appeared in Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s (PE16/142). The name ᴹQ. Ilma “Starlight” is directly attested in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (LR/205), where it first appeared as Silma (SM/240). Ilma also appeared in The Etymologies as a derivative of ᴹ√GIL (Ety/GIL), which is the source of the etymology noted above.

ñúr

noun. wolf

A neologism for “wolf” coined by Elaran posted on 2025-03-07 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), derived from primitive ✶ñgūr in notes from the early 1950s (PE21/82). This derivation is perfectly viable, but I personally think we already have enough “wolf” words from Tolkien, and would stick with existing words like [ᴹQ.] nauro.

alcarin

proper name. Glorious

Tar-Alcarin was the 17th ruler of Númenor (LotR/1035, UT/222). His name is simply the shortened form of alcarin(qua) “glorious”. Alcarin “Glorious” was also a sobriquet for Atanatar II, the 16th king of Gondor (LotR/1038, 1045).

alcarinquë

proper name. Glorious

A star (S/45) or possibly the planet Jupiter (MR/435). Its name is simply the noun form of the adjective alcarin(qua) “glorious”, or possibly a feminine form as suggested by Vyacheslav Stepanov (many star names on MR/435 seem to be gendered).

halla

adjective. tall

linta

adjective. swift

-lwë

we

-lwë, later -lvë, pronominal ending "we" (VT49:51), 1st person pl. inclusive ending, occurring in the verbs carilwë "we do" (VT49:16) and navilwë (see #nav-). The ending became -lvë in later, Exilic Quenya (VT49:51). See -lv-.

Ilma

starlight

Ilma noun "starlight" (GIL)

Ilmarë

starlight

Ilmarë noun "starlight", also fem. name, referring to a Maia (GIL, SA:ilm-)

alcarin

glorious, brilliant

alcarin adj. "glorious, brilliant" (shorter form of alcarinqua, q.v.) (PE17:24), hence Alcarin masc. name (or title) "the Glorious", title taken by Atanatar II of Gondor, also name of one of the Kings of Númenor (Appendix A).

ascat-

break asunder

#ascat- vb. "break asunder", only attested in the past tense: ascantë (SD:310)

cala

light

cala ("k")noun "light" (KAL). Concerning the "Qenya" verb cala-, see #cal- above.

cauca

crooked

cauca _("k")_adj. "crooked" (LT1:257; cf. #caw-)

cálë

light

cálë ("k")noun "light" (Markirya; in early "Qenya", cálë meant "morning", LT1:254)

evandilyon

gospel

evandilyon noun "gospel" (QL:36)

falasta-

to foam

falasta- vb. "to foam", participle falastala "foaming, surging" in Markirya

fauta-

to snow

fauta- vb. *"to snow" (actually glossed fauta = "it snows") (GL:35)

fána

white

fána, fánë (1) adj. "white" (Markirya - fánë as a sg. form in may be a misreading). Compare fanya.

fána

adjective. white, white; [ᴹQ.] cloud

@@@ as suggested by Helge Fauskanger, the form fánë “white” in the Markirya poem may be a slip or misreading

fána

cloud

fána (2) noun "cloud" _(SPAN, VT46:15). _Cf. fana.

fánë

adjective. white

hahta

pile, mound

hahta noun "pile, mound" (KHAG)

halda

adjective. tall, tall; [ᴱQ.] wide, broad

halla

tall

halla (1) adj. "tall" (Appendix E, footnote)

hessa

dead, withered

hessa adj. "dead, withered" (LT1:255)

huo

dog

huo noun "dog" (KHUG, see KHUGAN; cf. hú, huan). Also roa.

hwarin

crooked

hwarin adj. "crooked" (SKWAR)

hyatsë

cleft, gash

hyatsë noun "cleft, gash" (SYAD), apparently changed by Tolkien from hyassë (VT46:16)

húta-

curse

húta- vb. "curse", pa.t. huntë or huntanë. It is unclear whether the word húna "cursed, accursed" should be regarded as the passive participle of this verb, or only as an independent (though obviously related) adjective. (PE17:149)

laustanë

roaring

laustanë adj.? participle? "roaring" (MC:213; this is "Qenya")

lenta

adjective. free

lerina

free

lerina adj. "free" of things: not guarded, reserved, made fast, or "owned" (VT41:5)

linqui

wet

linqui ("q")adj. "wet" (MC:216; Tolkien's later Quenya has linquë.)

linquë

wet

linquë ("q") (1) adj. "wet" _(LINKWI). In early "Qenya", this word was glossed "water" (LT1:262)_, and "wet" was linqui or liquin, q.v.

linta

swift

linta adj. "swift"; pl. lintë attested (PE17:63. Nam, RGEO:66) Cf. lintië.

liquin

wet

liquin ("q")adj. "wet" (LT1:262; Tolkien's later Quenya has linquë.)

londa

path

[londa noun "path"], changed by Tolkien to londë noun "road (in sea)" (VT45:28)

lumbo

cloud

lumbo noun "cloud" (pl. lumbor in Markirya), also glossed "gloom; dark, shade" (PE17:72, 168). In early "Qenya", lumbo was glossed "dark lowering cloud" (LT1:259)

men

way

men (2) noun "way" (SA) or "place, spot" (MEN)

merca

wild, untamed

[merca ("k")adj. "wild, untamed" (MERÉK, VT45:34)] Compare verca.

mixa

wet

mixa ("ks")adj. "wet" (MISK); later sources have néna, nenya

nauro

noun. wolf

wolf, werewolf of Morgoth

nenda

adjective. wet

nenya

wet

nenya adj. "wet" (PE17:52), also néna, q.v. Nenya as the name of a Ring of Power seems to imply *"(thing) related to water", since this Ring was associated with that element (SA:nen).

nenya

adjective. wet

ninda

adjective. wet

néna

wet

néna adj. "wet" (PE17:167). Cf. nenya, mixa.

néna

adjective. wet

orna

tall, high, lofty

orna adj. (2) "tall, high, lofty" (PE17:112, 186), also orwa

orwa

tall, high, lofty

orwa adj. (2) "tall, high, lofty" (PE17:112, 186), also orna

qualin

dead

qualin ("q")adj. "dead" (KWAL, LT1:264)

rempa

crooked, hooked

rempa adj. "crooked, hooked" (REP)

rimpa

rushing, flying

rimpa adj.? noun? "rushing, flying" (RIP; the word is more likely an adjective)

rindë

adjective. swift

rusta

broken

rusta adj.? "broken" (MC:214; this is "Qenya")

sanca

cleft, split

sanca (þ) ("k") noun? (or adj, or both?) "cleft, split" (STAK)

silmë

starlight

silmë noun "starlight", also name of tengwa #29 (Appendix E), though in the pre-classical Tengwar system presupposed in the Etymologies, the name silmë instead applied to tengwa #3 (VT46:13). Silmë nuquerna "_s reversed", name of tengwa #30, similar to normal silmë but turned upside down (Appendix E)_. In the Etymologies, stem SIL, silmë is defined as the "light of Silpion" (Telperion), and also a poetic word for "silver".

tië

path, course, line, direction, way

tië noun "path, course, line, direction, way" (TE3, VT47:11); pl. tier in Namárië(Nam, RGEO:67); tielyanna "upon your path" (UT:22 cf. 51; tie-lya-nna "path-your-upon")

tunda

tall

tunda adj. "tall" (TUN)

tyelca

swift, agile

tyelca ("k")adj. "swift, agile" (KYELEK), "hasty" (PM:353)

ungo

cloud, dark shadow

ungo noun "cloud, dark shadow" (UÑG)

vand-

way, path

vand- noun "way, path" (LT1:264; a final vowel would seem to be required, but in Tolkien's later Quenya, the words tië or mallë are to be preferred)

ve

we

ve (2) pron. "we", 1st person pl. inclusive (corresponding to exclusive me), derived from an original stem-form we (VT49:50, PE17:130). Variant vi, q.v. Stressed wé, later vé (VT49:51). Dative (*wéna >) véna, VT49:14. Dual wet*, later vet "the two of us" (inclusive; cf. exclusive met) (VT49:51). Also compare the dative form ngwin or ngwen (q.v.), but this would apparently be wen > ven** according to Tolkiens later ideas.

verca

wild

verca ("k")adj. "wild" (BERÉK)

vi

we

vi pron. "we", 1st person inclusive (PE17:130), variant of ve #2.

we

we

we, wé, see ve #2

wet

wet

wet, see we #2

yuncë

cardinal. twelve

yuncë ("k") cardinal "twelve", before it was altered to yunquë under the influence of minquë "eleven" (according to VT48:7, 8). The form yuncë is asterisked by Tolkien. Compare encë under enquë.

yunquë

cardinal. twelve

evandilyon

noun. gospel

raba

noun. dog

A noun translated “dog” and fully declined as an example of a Strong II noun (SD/437). It is also used as an example of a common-noun that can be altered to masculine and feminine forms rabô “male dog” and rabê “bitch” (SD/434).

aglar Speculative

noun. glory

An element of the name Aglarrâma that might be a noun meaning “glory”; see the entry for that name for further discussion.

raud

tall

adj. tall, high, lofty, eminent, noble. Q. arta (< áratā). >> Nimrodel, rodel

raeg

adjective. crooked, bent, wrong

raen

adjective. crooked

rammas

noun. (great) wall

draug

noun. wolf

A noun for “wolf”, most notably appearing as an element in the name of the great werewolf S. Draugluin. In The Etymologies of the 1930s, N. draug “wolf” was derived from the root ᴹ√DARAK (Ety/DARÁK).

dagorath

noun. all the battles

draug

noun. wolf

raph

strap

#raph (rope), pl. raiph (idh raiph), coll. pl. rafath. Isolated from udalraph ”stirrupless”, literally perhaps ”without foot-strap” (u + tal/dal + raph)

raph

strap

(rope), pl. raiph (idh raiph), coll. pl. rafath. Isolated from udalraph ”stirrupless”, literally perhaps ”without foot-strap” (u + tal/dal + raph)

raun

straying

(wandering), pl. roen; also used as noun ”moon” (”the wanderer”). Noun

raen

crooked

raen (no distinct pl. form). Note: a homophone means ”netted, enlaced”.

rain

free

rain (wandering, erratic). No distinct pl. form. Note: a homophone means ”border” (VT46:10; suggested Sindarin form of ” Noldorin” rhain)

raen

adjective. crooked

raen

crooked

(no distinct pl. form). Note: a homophone means ”netted, enlaced”.

rangen

7x{#5$ adjective. broken

raw

roaring noise

(rush), pl. roe (idh roe);

ninniach

noun. rainbow

A noun for “rainbow” in the name Cirith Ninniach “Rainbow Cleft” (S/238). Ninniach “rainbow” is perhaps a combination of the S. nîn “watery” and S. iach “ford”, perhaps a metaphorical ford of water across the sky. The long nn in the initial element ninn- is tricky to explain, but might be an example of an exchange of a long vowel īn with a long consonant inn; hat-tip to Elaran for this suggestion.

Conceptual Development: The name Cirith Ninniach (and hence the word for “rainbow”) went through quite a few changes. The earliest iteration of the name was G. Cris a Teld Quing Ilon “Gully of the Rainbow Roof” (PE15/21) so that quing ilon “✱bow of heaven” was “rainbow”, but this was quickly revised to G. Cris Ilbranteloth which was the form used in the early narratives (LT2/150, 202). G. ilbrant “rainbow” appeared in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s with variant ilvrant (GL/50). By popular etymology, this was connected to G. brant “bow”, but that was not correct (GL/24). The second element was actually G. rantha “bridge” (GL/65), and the b came from its initial element G. ilbar “heaven[s]” (GL/50), so it literally meant “✱heaven-bridge”.

In Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, the name of the pass was changed to N. Cris-Ilfing >> Cirith Helvin “Rainbow Cleft” (SM/141, 146). Both ilfing and helvin have unclear etymologies, but they are probably early iterations of N. eilian(w) “rainbow, (lit.) sky-bridge” from The Etymologies of the 1930s, a combination of ᴹ√ƷEL “sky” with N. ianw “bridge” (Ety/ƷEL, YAT), with variant elianw (EtyAC/YAT). Cirith Ninniach “Rainbow Cleft” emerged in Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s (WJ/256, 299).

Neo-Sindarin: Noldorin eilian(w) “sky-bridge” might be adapted into Neo-Sindarin as ᴺS. eiliant using later S. iant for “bridge”, as suggested in HSD (HSD), but I see no reason not to just use attested S. ninniach for “rainbow”.

aglar

noun. radiance

_n. _radiance, glory. Q. alkar. >> aglareb

galad

radiance

1a _ n. _radiance. >> Galadriel, Gil-galad

eiliant

noun. rainbow

See ianu and iant for a discussion

ninniach

noun. rainbow

riss

noun. ravine

braig

wild

(fierce), lenited vraig. No distinct pl. form. (VT45:34)

draug

wolf

1) draug (i dhraug), pl. droeg (in droeg), coll. pl. drogath; 2) garaf (i ngaraf = i ñaraf, o n**garaf = o ñgaraf), pl. geraif (in geraif = i ñgeraif), coll. pl. garavath**, 3)

draug

wolf

(i dhraug), pl. droeg (in droeg), coll. pl. drogath

garaf

wolf

(i ngaraf = i ñaraf, o n’garaf = o ñgaraf), pl. geraif (in geraif = i ñgeraif), coll. pl. garavath

imrad

path

(between mountains, hills or through trackless forest) imrad (pass), pl. imraid.

imrad

path

(pass), pl. imraid.

criss

noun. cleft, cleft, [N.] cut, slash, [G.] gash; [N.] pass, [G.] gully, ravine

A word for a “cleft, cut, slash” (PE21/81; Ety/KIRIS) derived from √KIRIS, a blend of the roots √KIR and √RIS (PE17/87).

Conceptual Development: This word dates all the way back to G. criss “cleft, gash, gully” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s where it was probably already a derivative of the early root ᴱ√KIRISI as suggested by Christopher Tolkien (GL/27; LT2A/Cris Ilbranteloth). In the Name-list to The Fall of Gondolin Tolkien gave cris with the definition “a cleft, ravine, or narrow way of waters with high walls” (PE15/21), and in this period it typically appeared in this shorter form within names like G. Cris Ilbranteloth or G. Cris Thorn.

N. criss appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “cleft, cut, slash” under the root ᴹ√KIRIS “cut” (Ety/KIRIS). It also appeared under the root ᴹ√KIR with the gloss “cleft, pass”, but this instance was deleted (EtyAC/KIR). S. criss “cleft” was mentioned in passing in Common Eldarin: Noun Structure (EVS2) from the early 1950s as derived from primitive ✶kirissi (PE21/80-81), and it was mentioned as a blending of roots in notes on Words, Phrases and Passages from the Lord of the Rings (WPP) from the late 1950s or early 1960s as described above (PE17/87). Its use in names diminished over time, however, the only remnant in the final version of The Silmarillion being S. Crissaegrim (S/121).

Neo-Sindarin: In The Etymologies of the 1930s it seems this word was principally used as for a “cleft, cut, slash” independent of geography. I would assume the same is true for purposes of Neo-Sindarin, since criss is used only in a single geographic name in Tolkien’s later writings; S. cirith was use more broadly in geographic features. I would also assume it was a larger and more violent cut (a “gash” or “slash”) compared to S. rest for simple cuts.

lagor

adjective. swift, rapid

The form lhegin in the published Etymologies might be a misreading for lhegrin, see VT/45:25. As noted by Bertrand Bellet, the two forms are listed side by side, and they may simply be doublets, but it is also possible that we have here a singular followed by its plural.

cirith

noun. cleft, high climbing pass, narrow passage cut through earth or rock, ravine, defile

falch

noun. deep cleft, ravine

galad

noun. light, radiance, glittering, reflection (from jewels, glass or polished metal, or water)

lond

noun. narrow path or strait

lond

noun. entrance to harbour, land-locked haven

lonn

noun. narrow path or strait

lonn

noun. entrance to harbour, land-locked haven

renia-

verb. to stray

eilian

rainbow

eilian (pl. eiliain). Archaic elianw (so the coll. pl. may be eilianwath).

eilian

rainbow

1) eilian (pl. eiliain). Archaic elianw, hence maybe coll. pl. eilianwath. 2) ninniach (pl. ninniaich). The word appears to mean *”slender-crossing”.

falch

ravine

(deep cleft), pl. felch

galad

radiance

1) galad (i ngalad = i ñalad) (bright light, sunlight, brilliance, glittering reflection), pl. gelaid (in gelaid = i ñgelaid), 2) glaw (i **law), pl. gloe (in gloe), 3) thîl; no distinct pl. form, coll. pl. ?thiliath**.

galad

radiance

(i ngalad = i ñalad) (bright light, sunlight, brilliance, glittering reflection), pl. gelaid (in gelaid = i ñgelaid)

glaw

radiance

(i ’law), pl. gloe (in gloe)

iaw

ravine

1) iaw (cleft, gulf), pl. ioe. Note: a homophone means ”corn”. 2) ress (construct res), pl. riss (idh riss), 3) rest (cleft, cut), pl. rist (idh rist), 4) riss (construct ris), no distinct pl. except with article (idh riss)

iaw

ravine

(cleft, gulf), pl. ioe. Note: a homophone means ”corn”.

legrin

rapid

legrin (swift), no distinct pl. form.

legrin

rapid

(swift), no distinct pl. form.

ninniach

rainbow

(pl. ninniaich). The word appears to mean ✱”slender-crossing”.

ress

ravine

(construct res), pl. riss (idh riss)

rest

ravine

(cleft, cut), pl. rist (idh rist)

riss

ravine

(construct ris), no distinct pl. except with article (idh riss)****

thîl

radiance

; no distinct pl. form, coll. pl. ?thiliath.

mistad

straying

(i vistad) (error), pl. mistaid (i mistaid). The word appears as ”mistrad” in the source (LR:373 s.v. MIS), but this would seem to be an error.

mista

stray

(verb) 1) mista- (i vista, i mistar), 2) renia- (sail, wander, fly) (i renia, idh reniar). Adj.

mista

stray

(i vista, i mistar)

renia

stray

(sail, wander, fly) (i renia, idh reniar). Adj.

fern

noun/adjective. dead, dead person; [N.] dead (of mortals)

An adjective in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “dead (of mortals)” under the root ᴹ√PHIR “die of natural causes”, used as a plural noun in the name Dor Firn i Guinar “Land of the Dead that Live” (Ety/PHIR). Christopher Tolkien choose to include the name Dor Firn-i-Guinar in the published version of The Silmarillion (S/188), and most Sindarin writers accept its ongoing validity.

-m

suffix. we

1st du. pron. suff. #we (you and me). Q. -mmo.See paradigm PE17:132.

-nc

suffix. we

1st du. pron. suff. #we (you and me). Q. -lmo.See paradigm PE17:132. >> -ngid

arod

adjective. tall

_ adj. _tall, eminent. Q. aratā.

avo

verb. don't!

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

galad

light

_ n. _light, fire, brightness, shining. >> calad, Caras Galadon

loss

noun. snow

The usual Sindarin word for “snow” (Let/278; PE17/161; RGEO/62), especially fallen and long-lying snow (VT42/18), derived from primitive ✶lossē (PE17/161) based on the root √(G)LOS (PE17/26; RGEO/62). It sometimes appeared in a shorter form los (PE17/26, 161). See the entry on [s] for a discussion of these long vs. short variations; for purposes of Neo-Sindarin loss is probably preferable.

Conceptual Development: Perhaps the earliest iteration of this word was G. glui “snow” from the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, likely related to nearby words like G. gloss “white” (GL/40). In The Etymologies of the 1930s, N. gloss from the root ᴹ√GOLOS was both noun “snow” and adjective “snow-white” (Ety/GOLÓS), but in later writing Tolkien split these into S loss “snow” (see above) and S. gloss “(dazzling) white” (RGEO/62; VT42/18).

nim

white

_adj. _white (usual word). >> nimp, nimras

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"

riss

adjective. cleft

_ adj. _cleft, cloven, separate. Q. rista, risse, rinse. >> Imladris

rhaw

adjective. wild

adj. wild. Q. hráva. Tolkien wrote this entry as "rhaw [f]" (PE17:78).

agar

glory

agar (brilliance, glitter), pl. eglair if there is a pl. Also claur (i glaur, o chlaur) (splendour), pl. cloer (i chloer), coll. pl. clorath.

agar

glory

(brilliance, glitter), pl. eglair if there is a pl. Also claur (i glaur, o chlaur) (splendour), pl. cloer (i chloer), coll. pl. clorath.

bâd

pathway

(i vâd, construct bad) (beaten track), pl. baid (i maid).

calad

light

_(noun) _1) calad (i galad, o chalad), pl. celaid (i chelaid), 2) gaul (i **aul), pl. goel (i ngoel = i ñoel), coll. pl. golath. Note: A homophone means "wolf-howl", but has different mutations. 3) (bright light) galad (i ngalad = i ñalad), (sunlight, brilliance, radiance, glittering reflection), pl. gelaid (in gelaid = i ñgelaid). 4) gâl (gal-, -al in compounds, with article i **âl), pl. gail (i ngail = i ñail).

calad

light

(i galad, o chalad), pl. celaid (i chelaid), 2) gaul (i ’aul), pl. goel (i ngoel = i ñoel), coll. pl. golath. Note: A homophone means "wolf-howl", but has different mutations. 3) (bright light) galad (i ngalad = i ñalad), (sunlight, brilliance, radiance, glittering reflection), pl. gelaid (in gelaid = i ñgelaid). 4) gâl (gal-, -al in compounds, with article i ’âl), pl. gail (i ngail = i ñail).

celeg

swift

1) celeg (agile), lenited geleg, pl. celig, 2) lagor, analogical pl. legyr, 3) legrin (rapid), no distinct pl. form, 4) lint (no distinct pl. form)

criss

cleft

(i griss, o chriss, construct cris) (cut, slash), no distinct pl. form except with article (i chriss), 4) iaw (gulf, ravine), pl. ioe. Note: a homophone means ”corn”

daur

league

(a distance of about 3 miles / 4.8 kilometers) daur (i dhaur) (pause, stop), pl. doer (i noer), coll. pl. dorath

daur

league

(i dhaur) (pause, stop), pl. doer (i noer), coll. pl. dorath

faen

white

(radiant). No distinct pl. form.

falch

cleft

(ravine[?]), pl. felch

fû Speculative

noun. path

A noun appearing only it is plural form fui “paths” in the name Fui ’Ngorthrim “Paths of the Dead” (RC/526). The most plausible singular form is ✱fû “path”.

gilgalad

starlight

1) gilgalad (i ngilgalad = i ñilgalad, o n**gilgalad, pl. gilgelaid (in gilgelaid = i ñgilgelaid) if there is a plural form. 2) gilith (also used = Quenya Ilmen, the region of stars) (i ngilith = i ñilith, o n**gilith) _These mutations presupposed that the root is Ñ, as in MR:388, rather than _ as in the Etymologies (LR:358).

gilgalad

starlight

(i ngilgalad = i ñilgalad, o n’gilgalad, pl. gilgelaid (in gilgelaid = i ñgilgelaid) if there is a plural form.

glawar

sunlight

(i ’lawar) (gold, radiance of the Golden Tree Laurelin), pl. glewair (in glewair) if there is a pl. (VT41:10)

glân

white

1) glân (clear), lenited lân, pl. glain. (UT:390, VT45:13). Note: a homophone means ”hem, border”. 2) nimp (nim-) (pale); no distinct pl. form. 3) faen (radiant). No distinct pl. form. 4) fain; no distinct pl. form.

gwing

foam

(i ’wing) (spindrift, spume, spray blown off wave-tops), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwing)

gûr

noun. wolf

A neologism for “wolf” coined by Elaran posted on 2025-03-07 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), derived from primitive ✶ñgūr in notes from the early 1950s (PE21/82). This derivation is perfectly viable, but I personally think we already have enough “wolf” words from Tolkien, and would stick with existing words like draug.

im

dell

im (deep vale), no distinct pl. form (though the pl. article in will mark the word as pl. when definite). The word typically occurs, not by itself, but in compounds like imlad, imloth, imrath, imrad (VT45:18, VT47:19)

im

dell

(deep vale), no distinct pl. form (though the pl. article in will mark the word as pl. when definite). The word typically occurs, not by itself, but in compounds like imlad, imloth, imrath, imrad (VT45:18, VT47:19)

legrin

swift

(rapid), no distinct pl. form

rest

cleft

(ravine, cut), pl. rist (idh rist)

rhach

curse

(noun) *rhach (?i thrach or ?i rach the lenition product of rh is uncertain), pl. rhaich (?idh raich). The word is only attested in mutated form e·**rach ”of the curse” in MR:373; David Salo theorizes that this is how a word in rh- appears after the genitival article en** ”of the”.

rhach

curse

(?i thrach or ?i rach – the lenition product of rh is uncertain), pl. rhaich (?idh raich). The word is only attested in mutated form e·’rach ”of the curse” in MR:373; David Salo theorizes that this is how a word in rh- appears after the genitival article en ”of the”.

rhaw

wild

1) rhaw (untamed). Lenited ?thraw or ?raw (the lenition product of rh is uncertain), pl. rhoe. (VT46:10) Note: a homophone means ”flesh, body”, 2) braig (fierce), lenited vraig. No distinct pl. form. (VT45:34), 3) lothren (waste), pl. lethrin for archaic löthrin (VT45:29)

rhaw

wild

(untamed). Lenited ?thraw or ?raw (the lenition product of rh is uncertain), pl. rhoe. (VT46:10) Note: a homophone means ”flesh, body”

rist

cleft

(noun) 1) rist (-ris), no distinct pl. except with article (idh rist). Note: a homophone means ”cleaver, cutter”, 2) cirith (i girith, o chirith) (cutting, pass), no distinct pl. form except with article (i chirith), 3) cîl (i gîl, o chîl) (pass between hills, gorge), no distinct pl. form except with article (i chîl), coll. pl. cíliath. A homophone means ”renewal”. 4) criss (i griss, o chriss, construct cris) (cut, slash), no distinct pl. form except with article (i chriss), 4) iaw (gulf, ravine), pl. ioe. Note: a homophone means ”corn”, 5) rest (ravine, cut), pl. rist (idh rist), 6) (deep cleft) falch (ravine[?]), pl. felch

ross

foam

(construct ros) (rain, dew, spray [of fall or fountain]), pl. ryss (idh ryss) (Letters:282). Note: homophones mean ”reddish, russet, copper-coloured, red-haired” and also ”polished metal, glitter”

râd

path

râd (track), construct rad, pl. raid (idh raidh).

râd

path

(track), construct rad, pl. raid (idh raidh).

lhôn

noun. noise, noise; *phone (in linguistics), speech sound

A word for “noise” appearing in a list of roots for sound words from 1959-60, derived from the root √(S)LON (PE17/138).

Neo-Sindarin: In a post on 2024-05-07 from the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), Luinyelle suggested this word could also mean “phone, speech sound”, based on Q. hlonitë “phonetic”. I personally recommend fuller paethlon in cases where a simple lhôn would be ambiguous.

nim

adjective. white

rhach

noun. curse

@@ form suggested by David Salo (GS/284)

edlonui

adjective. foreign

rhaen

adjective. crooked

gorth

noun. a dead person

gorthrim

noun. the dead

im

noun. dell, deep vale

This word only survived in compounds (due to the clash with im.1 )

pâd

noun. way

rhach

noun. curse

Lossoth

noun. the Snowmen

aglar

noun. glory, brilliance, splendour

aglareb

adjective. glorious

aglareb

adjective. glorious

adj. glorious, brilliant. Q. alcarin, alcarinqua. >> aglar

anfangrim

noun. the Longbeards (a tribe of Dwarves)

anglennatha

verb. (he) will approach

avon

verb. I won't

calad

gerund noun. light

calad

noun. light

_ n. _light, fire, brightness, shining. >> galad

celeg

adjective. swift, agile, hasty

cuio

verb. live!

drúwaith

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

fain

noun/adjective. white

fain

noun/adjective. cloud

falathrim

noun. people of the Falas

galadhad

noun. the Two Trees of Valinor

gaurwaith

noun. wolf-men

glân

adjective. white, [bright shining] white; [N.] clear; [G.] pure, †bright; [ᴱN.] clean

imp

cardinal. twelve

imp

cardinal. twelve

_ card. _twelve. Q. yunque. imp << iug. >> imp. This gloss was rejected.

inib

cardinal. twelve

lain

adjective. free, freed

lammas

noun. account of tongues

lim

adjective. swift

adj. swift. Noro lim, noro lim Asfaloth. 'Run swift, run swift Asfaloth'. Q. limbe,#linta.

limp

adjective. wet

loen

adjective. soaking wet, swamped

los

noun. snow

lâf

verb. (he) licks

lôd

verb. (he) floats

men

noun. way, road

nim

white

_adj. _white. >> Nimbrethil

nîn

adjective. wet, watery

nîn

wet

_ adj. _wet. Q. nenya. >> Nindalf

orchal

adjective. tall, tall; [N.] superior, eminent, lofty

othlonn

noun. paved way

pêd

verb. (he) says

rhavan

noun. wild man

rochirrim

noun. horse-lords, the people of Rohan

silivren

adjective. (white) glittering

thanc

adjective. cleft, split, forked

tharbad

noun. cross-way

tôl

verb. (he) comes

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

uilos

noun/adjective. always white, ever white as snow

uilos

noun/adjective. a small white everlasting flower also called simbelmynë or "evermind"

yneb

cardinal. twelve

yneg

cardinal. twelve

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

ýneg

cardinal. twelve

ýneg

cardinal. twelve

adleitha

free

(i adleitha, in adleithar), also †adleg- (i adleg, in edlegir), pa.t. adlenc, pp. adlengen, pl. edlengin).

aglareb

glorious

aglareb (pl. eglerib)

aglareb

glorious

(pl. eglerib)

alag

rushing

(impetuous), pl. elaig; also alagon (pl. elegyn)

ascar

rushing

(impetuous, violent), pl. escair. Also spelt asgar (pl. esgair).

car

make

1) car- (i gâr, i cherir), pa.t. agor (do, build) (WJ:415), 2) echad- (i echad, in echedir) (fashion, shape), pa.t. echant (VT45:19)

celeg

swift

(agile), lenited geleg, pl. celig

cirith

cleft

(i girith, o chirith) (cutting, pass), no distinct pl. form except with article (i chirith)

cîl

cleft

(i gîl, o chîl) (pass between hills, gorge), no distinct pl. form except with article (i chîl), coll. pl. cíliath. A homophone means ”renewal”.

fain

white

; no distinct pl. form.

falf

foam

(breaker), pl. felf, coll. pl. falvath

faltha

foam

(i faltha, i falthar)

faun

cloud

(pl. foen, coll. pl. fonath)

fân

cloud

1) fân (veil, also used of the manifested body of a Vala), construct fan, pl. fain, 2) faun (pl. foen, coll. pl. fonath)

fân

cloud

(veil, also used of the manifested body of a Vala), construct fan, pl. fain

gail

light

(adjective) 1) gail (bright), lenited ngail, no distinct pl. form (VT45:18), 2) lim (clear, sparkling), no distinct pl. form. Note: a homophone means ”fish”.

gail

light

(bright), lenited ngail, no distinct pl. form (VT45:18)

gaur

wolf

(i ngaur = i ñaur), pl. goer (in goer = i ñgoer), coll. pl. gaurhoth (attested in lenited form: i ngaurhoth = i ñaurhoth).

gilith

starlight

(also used = Quenya Ilmen, the region of stars) (i ngilith = i ñilith, o n’gilith) These mutations presupposed that the root is

glaur

golden light

(i ’laur), pl. gloer (in gloer).

gloss

white as snow, dazzling white

(in compounds -los), lenited ’loss; pl. glyss.

gloss

white as snow, dazzling white

(in compounds -los), lenited ’loss; pl. glyss.  

glân

white

(clear), lenited ’lân, pl. glain. (UT:390, VT45:13). Note: a homophone means ”hem, border”.

glóren

shining with golden light

(glórin-) (golden), lenited ’lóren; pl. glórin

gorth

dead

(adj.) 1) gorth (lenited ngorth; pl. gyrth), also fern, pl. firn. These adjectives may also be used as nouns ”dead person(s)”. According to LR:381 s.v. _

gwedh

bind

*gwedh- (i **wêdh, in gwedhir), pa.t. gwedhant, in older language also gwend**. In LR:397 s.v.

gwedh

bind

(i ’wêdh, in gwedhir), pa.t. gwedhant, in older language also gwend. In LR:397 s.v.

hû

dog

hû (i chû, o chu, construct hu), pl. hui (i chui)

hû

dog

(i chû, o chu, construct hu), pl. hui (i chui)

lagor

swift

analogical pl. legyr

leitha

set free

(i leitha, i leithar)

lend

way

(journey), pl. lind, coll. pl. lennath. Note: a homophone means ”tuneful, sweet”

lim

light

(clear, sparkling), no distinct pl. form. Note: a homophone means ”fish”.

limp

adjective. wet

limp

wet

(no distinct pl. form).

lint

swift

(no distinct pl. form)

loen

soaking wet

(swamped), no distinct pl. form.

loss

snow

(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”.).

lossen

snowy

(pl. lessin, for archaic lössin). Adj.

lossoth

snow-men

(a coll. pl.)

lothren

wild

(waste), pl. lethrin for archaic löthrin (VT45:29)

men

we

men (accusative mín ”us”, presumably usually lenited vín, which is also the genitive ”our”).

men

we

(accusative mín ”us”, presumably usually lenited vín, which is also the genitive ”our”).

mesc

wet

1) mesc (lenited vesc, pl. misc). Also spelt mesg. 2) limp (no distinct pl. form). 3)

mesc

wet

(lenited vesc, pl. misc). Also spelt mesg.

mên

way

1) mên (i vên, construct men, in compounds -ven) (road), pl. mîn (i mîn), 2) lend (journey), pl. lind, coll. pl. lennath. Note: a homophone means ”tuneful, sweet”, 3) #pâd (construct pad), i bâd, pl. paid (i phaid). Isolated from Tharbad ”Crossroad”. 4) tê (i dê, o thê) (line), pl. tî (i thî), coll. pl. ?teath.

mên

way

(i vên, construct men, in compounds -ven) (road), pl. mîn (i mîn)

nimp

white

(nim-) (pale); no distinct pl. form.

nod

bind

nod- (i nôd, i nedir) (tie), pa.t. likely *nunt since the root is __ (LR:378).

nod

bind

(i nôd, i nedir) (tie), pa.t. likely ✱nunt since the root is NUT (LR:378).

nínim

snowdrop

(”white tear”), no distinct pl. form; coll. pl. nínimmath. – The niphredil seems to be a flower similar to the snowdrop (no distinct pl. form; coll. pl. niphrediliath)

nîd

wet

nîd (damp, tearful); no distinct pl. form. 4) nîn (watery); no distinct pl. form. Note: nîn is also used as a noun ”tear”; there is also the possessive pronoun nín ”my”.

nîd

wet

(damp, tearful); no distinct pl. form. 4) nîn (watery); no distinct pl. form. Note: nîn is also used as a noun ”tear”; there is also the possessive pronoun nín ”my”.

orn

tall

(pl. yrn). Note: a homophone of the latter means ”tree”.

pada

walk

(i bada, i phadar)

pâd

way

(construct pad), i bâd, pl. paid (i phaid). Isolated from Tharbad ”Crossroad”.

rimp

rushing

(adj.) 1) rimp (flying), no distinct pl. form; 2) alag (impetuous), pl. elaig; also alagon (pl. elegyn); 3) ascar (impetuous, violent), pl. escair. Also spelt asgar (pl. esgair).

rimp

rushing

(flying), no distinct pl. form

rist

cleft

(-ris), no distinct pl. except with article (idh rist). Note: a homophone means ”cleaver, cutter”

silivren

glittering white

(lenited hilivren; pl. *silivrin**). *Verb

thanc

cleft

(adj.) thanc (forked, split), pl. thainc

thanc

cleft

(forked, split), pl. thainc

tond

tall

1) tond (lenited dond; pl. tynd), 2) †orn (pl. yrn). Note: a homophone of the latter means ”tree”.

tond

adjective. tall

tond

tall

(lenited dond; pl. tynd)

tê

way

(i dê, o thê) (line), pl. tî (i thî), coll. pl. ?teath.

ýneg

cardinal. twelve

ýneg (VT47:41, VT48:6, 8, 12)

ýneg

twelve

(VT47:41, VT48:6, 8, 12)

raika

adjective. crooked

grawa

noun. dog

rak Reconstructed

root. break

This root appeared as ᴱ√RAKA “pile up” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, with derivatives like ᴱQ. rakta- “pile, hoard, amass, collect” and ᴱQ. rakte “pile, heap” (QL/78). In the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon, there are similar forms with different meanings: G. ractha “breach” and G. rag- “break asunder, burst” (GL/64). This conceptual shift from “pile up” to “✱break” is supported by the word ᴱQ. ranka “broken” in drafts of the ᴱQ. Oilima Markirya poem from the end of the 1920s (PE16/77). Q. rak- “break” reappeared in the revised version of that poem from the late 1960s (MC/222-223), implying the root remained valid or (more likely) was abandoned but later restored. Q. rakine “stripped” in phonetic notes from 1959-60 might be related.

ler

root. free

A root appearing twice in a list of roots from 1959-60, the first time described as “free (of moveable things or moving things), able to move as willed, unimpeded, unhampered, loose, not fixed fast or static” and the second time as “am free to do, sc., am under no restraint (physical or other)” (VT41/5-6). In the second instance it was compared to √POL which had the sense of being physically able to do something. It seems that √LER = “able to do something because there is nothing preventing it” vs. √POL = “able to something because of physical ability”. It might also be contrasted with √LEK which has the sense of freeing something that was once bound, whereas with √LER the thing that is free may have never been bound in the first place.

srāban

noun. wild beast

The primitive form of S. rhovan is attested in two different forms: ✶srāban < √SRAB (PE17/78) and ✶roban < √DROB or √SROB (PE17/99). Only the first of these could be the primitive of the attested Quenya cognate hravan.

yarr-

noun. dog, dog; *growl, snarl

In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, Tolkien gave the root ᴱ√YAPA “snarl, snap, bark ill-temperedly” (QL/105). It had no derivatives in QL, but in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon the words G. gab- “bark, bay (of dogs)” and G. gôbi “a large hound” were clearly related (GL/36). There were no similar forms for many years, but then primitive ✶yarr- “dog” appeared in notes from 1968 (VT47/36). This later primitive was likely related to Q. yarra- “growl, snarl” from the Q. Markirya poem of this same period (MC/223), perhaps from a root ✱√YAR.

alak

root. rushing, rushing, [ᴹ√] swift

A root whose most notable derivatives are Q. alqua, S. alph “swan”. The earliest iteration of this root was ᴱ√ḶKḶ from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s (QL/30); the other derivatives of this root from this period have to do with “appearance” such as ᴱQ. ilk- “to seem” (QL/42). By The Etymologies of the 1930s this root took on its later form, ᴹ√ALAK and had the gloss “rushing” with other derivatives like ᴹQ. alako “rush, rushing flight, wild wind”, N. alag “rushing, impetuous” and N. alagos “storm (of wind)” (Ety/ÁLAK). It was also an element in the name of S./N. Ancalagon “Biting Storm”. Given the continued appearance of this name of The Silmarillion (S/252), the 1930s meaning of this root may have survived, but it is hard to be certain since the name was only properly translated in the 1930s.

The 1930s root also had an unaugmented variant ᴹ√LAK with derivatives ᴹQ. (a)larka, N. lhagr “swift, rapid” (Ety/LAK²). Whether this unaugmented variant remained valid is unclear, but there is nothing in Tolkien’s later writing contradicting it either.

kirissi

noun. cleft

srābā

noun. wild beast

kalat

noun. light

khū

root. curse

lossē

noun. snow

nēnā

adjective. wet

rindi

adjective. swift

skū

root. curse

A root appearing Definitive Linguistic Notes (DLN) from 1959 with variants √SKŪ, √KHŪ, glossed “curse” and with derivatives Q. húna “cursed, accursed” and Q. húta- “to curse”; it was the opposite of √AYA “revere” (PE17/149).

sris

root. snow

An apparently verbal root as √SRIS “snow” appearing in etymological notes from around 1959 with derivatives like Q. hrisse “fall of snow” and Q. hríza “it is snowing”; it replaced a deleted root √SRITH “snow” (PE17/168).

srith

root. snow

wā(w)

noun. dog

ñgūr

noun. wolf

swar

root. crooked

rada-

verb. to make a way, find a way

garaf

noun. wolf

A noun for “wolf” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from the root ᴹ√ÑGARAM (Ety/ÑGAR(A)M).

Conceptual Development: This word seems to have replaced N. araf or aram derived from the rejected root ᴹ√ƷARAM with various glosses like “wolf” or (small or swift) “dog” (Ety/ƷARAM; EtyAC/ƷARAM). This in turn may be a later iteration of G. harog or harw “wolf” from the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s with feminine variant G. harach “a she-wolf” (GL/48).

draug

noun. wolf

braig

adjective. wild, fierce

The form brerg in the Etymologies is a misreading according to VT/45:34

brassen

adjective. white-hot

draug

noun. wolf

garaf

noun. wolf

glaw

noun. radiance

rhis

noun. ravine

eilian

noun. rainbow

See ianu and iant for a discussion

eilianw

noun. rainbow

See ianu and iant for a discussion

glaw

noun. radiance

iau

noun. ravine, cleft, gulf

rhess

noun. ravine

rhess

noun. ravine

rhis

noun. ravine

lhagr

adjective. swift, rapid

The form lhegin in the published Etymologies might be a misreading for lhegrin, see VT/45:25. As noted by Bertrand Bellet, the two forms are listed side by side, and they may simply be doublets, but it is also possible that we have here a singular followed by its plural.

lhonn

noun. narrow path or strait

lhonn

noun. entrance to harbour, land-locked haven

lond

noun. narrow path or strait

lond

noun. entrance to harbour, land-locked haven

lonn

noun. narrow path or strait

lonn

noun. entrance to harbour, land-locked haven

mista-

verb. to stray

rhenia-

verb. to stray

râd

noun. path, track

rhain

adjective. free

The Etymologies of the 1930s had N. {rhein >>} rhain “free” derived from ᴹ✶(a)ranı̯ā under the root ᴹ√RAN “wander, stray”; it also had a deleted variant erein, presumably from aranı̯ā (EtyAC/RAN). See also S. rain “erratic wandering” for a later appearance of a similarly derived word.

Neo-Sindarin: Many Neo-Sindarin writers adapt this adjective as ᴺS. rain “free” for purposes of Neo-Sindarin, as suggested in HSD (HSD), since the unvoicing of initial r to rh was a feature of Noldorin of the 1930s but not Sindarin of the 1950s and 60s. I would use it as “free” in the sense “✱unconstrained”.

rhaen

adjective. crooked

aglareb

adjective. glorious

im

noun. dell, deep vale

This word only survived in compounds (due to the clash with im.1 )

imb

noun. dell, deep vale

This word only survived in compounds (due to the clash with im.1 )

imm

noun. dell, deep vale

This word only survived in compounds (due to the clash with im.1 )

faun

noun. cloud

aglar

noun. glory, brilliance, splendour

aglareb

adjective. glorious

alag

adjective. rushing, impetuous

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

breig

adjective. wild, fierce

The form brerg in the Etymologies is a misreading according to VT/45:34

breitha-

verb. to break out suddenly

calad

gerund noun. light

calad

noun. light

celeg

adjective. swift, agile, hasty

criss

noun. cleft, cut, slash

cîl

noun. cleft, pass between hills, gorge

faun

noun. cloud

fein

noun/adjective. white

fein

noun/adjective. cloud

fern

noun/adjective. dead (of mortals)

fern

noun/adjective. dead person

gail

noun. bright light

gal-

prefix. light

galad

noun. light

gaul

noun. wolf-howl

gil-galad

masculine name. Starlight

gilgalad

noun. starlight

glaur

noun. golden light (of the golden tree Laurelin)

glor-

noun. golden light (of the golden tree Laurelin)

gwedh-

verb. to bind

hû

noun. dog

hû

noun. dog

lhain

adjective. free, freed

lhammas

noun. account of tongues

lhein

adjective. free, freed

lhimp

adjective. wet

lhimp

adjective. wet

lhâf

verb. (he) licks

lhôd

verb. (he) floats

lonn

noun. path

mesc

adjective. wet

mesc

adjective. wet

mesg

adjective. wet

mesg

adjective. wet

@@@ mesc may be alternate form

nenui

adjective. wet

orthor

verb. (he) masters, conquers

osgar

verb. (he) cuts, amputates

othlon

noun. paved way

othlond

noun. paved way

rhaen

adjective. crooked

rhaw

adjective. wild, untamed

Meaning rectified according to VT/46:10

rhoeg

adjective. crooked, bent, wrong

síla

verb. (he) shines white

sôg

verb. (he) drinks

thanc

adjective. cleft, split, forked

thia

verb. it appears

tond

adjective. tall

tonn

adjective. tall

tonn

adjective. tall

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

spenna

noun. cloud

Derived from a stem SPAN "white" (LR:387), but hardly a direct cognate of Quenya fanya and Telerin spania (both probably from spanjâ), nor a direct cognate of Sindarin faun, stated to be derived from spâna. Rather spenna must derive from spannâ, sc. the stem SPAN with the adjectival ending -nâ (or possibly the simpler adjectival ending -â combined with a medial strengthening n > nn). As for the change of a to e, cf. scella from skalnâ.

nimbi

adjective. white

About Nimrodel: "Nim is evidently the Telerin word nimbi 'white'." >> Nimrais >> Nimrodel

rhába

noun. wild beast

cala

noun. light

nimbi

adjective. white

yúnecë

cardinal. twelve