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)

alta

noun. radiance

Silmaril

radiance of pure light

Silmaril (Silmarill-, as in pl. Silmarilli), noun, name of the shining jewels made by Fëanor; full sg. form Silmarillë (SA:sil, SIL, RIL, MIR).Translated "radiance of pure light" in Letters:148. Gen. pl. Silmarillion, as in (Quenta) Silmarillion "(the Story) of the Silmarils".

nalta

radiance, glittering reflection

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

caltáriel

feminine name. woman crowned with glory, radiance

A rejected Quenya name for Galadriel (PE17/50). See ✶Ñ(g)alatā-rigelle for further discussion.

nalta

noun. radiance, glittering reflection

Ancalë

radiant one

Ancalë noun("k") "radiant one" or "radiance" = Sun (KAL, VT45:5, 18). In the pre-classical Tengwar system presupposed in the Etymologies, Ancalë was the name of letter #7 (VT45:18), which tengwa Tolkien would later call anga instead changing its Quenya value from nc to ng. - Another source (VT45:36) cites the word for "radiance, Sun" as incalë ("k"), but the form Ancalë is probably to be preferred.

naltariel

feminine name. Galadriel

What the Quenya name of Altáriel (S. Galadriel) would have been if it had been coined in Quenya instead of adapted from Telerin (PM/347). This name is a compound of nalta “radiance, glittering reflection” and riel(lë) “garlanded maiden”. See S. Galadriel and ✶Ñ(g)alatā-rigelle for further discussion.

foralcar

noun. aurora, (lit.) northern radiance

hyaralcar

noun. aurora, (lit.) southern radiance

runyaril

noun. garnet, (lit.) fiery red radiance

A neologism for “garnet” coined by Valerie on 2022-05-12 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), a combination of runya “fiery red” and [ᴹQ.] rille “brilliance”.

alcar

alkar

alcar (so spelt in CO, VT43:37-38, and VT44:32/34; otherwise "alkar")noun "glory, radiance, brilliance, splendour" (WJ:369, CO, VT43:37-38, VT47:13, AKLA-R; the latter source also lists an alternative longer form alcarë, also occurring in VT44:7/10) Compare Alcarin, Atanalcar.

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.

altáriel

feminine name. Galadriel

The Quenya name of Galadriel, an adaptation of the Telerin name Alatáriel (UT/266, PM/347). See the entry on Galadriel for further discussion of this name’s history, and ✶Ñ(g)alatā-rigelle for a discussion of the conceptual development of its etymology.

laurë

noun. gold (light or colour)

A very well-attested noun for “gold (light or colour)”, an element in many names, derived from √(G)LAWAR of the same meaning. This word only refers to “those things which we often call ‘golden’ though they do not much resemble metallic gold: golden light, especially sunlight” (RGEO/62), as opposed to gold as a metal which is malta (PE17/51, 159).

Conceptual Development: This word dates all the way back to the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, where ᴱQ. laure was the “(magic name of) gold”, derived from the early root ᴱ√LOURI (LT1/100; QL/42, 51), as opposed to ᴱQ. kulu which was ordinary gold (QL/49). The shift towards laure being only light or color seems to have begun in The Etymologies of the 1930s, where ᴹQ. malda was “gold (as metal)” (Ety/SMAL), later Q. malta (as noted above). This use of laurë only for color and light was reaffirmed frequently in Tolkien’s later writings (RGEO/62; Let/308; PE17/159).

Altariel

galadriel

Altariel fem. name "Galadriel", "maiden crowned with a radiant garland" (SA:kal; the form Alatáriel is Telerin; see PM:347) Stem Altariell- seen in the genitive Altariello, occurring in the superscript of the Tengwar transcription of Namárië in RGEO.

Ilma

starlight

Ilma noun "starlight" (GIL)

Ilmarë

starlight

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

aurë

sunlight, day

aurë noun "sunlight, day" (SA:ur), "day (of light), a day of special meaning or festival" (VT49:45). locative auressë "in (the) morning" in Markirya, allative aurenna *"on the day" (VT49:43-45). Also compare amaurëa.

cala

light

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

light

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

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”.

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".

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).

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.

aglar

noun. radiance

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

galad

radiance

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

galad

noun. radiance, glittering reflection; light, fire, brightness, shining; bliss, radiance, glittering reflection; light, fire, brightness, shining; bliss; [ᴱN.] dawn

A word for “radiance, glittering reflection” derived from primitive ✶ñ(g)alatā and the root √Ñ(G)AL “shine by reflection” (PM/347). Most notably it was an element in the names Galadriel and Gil-galad. In the latter name, since the ancient form began with ñg-, its mutated form was -galad rather than the more usual ’alad.

Conceptual Development: This word had a long and intricate history, and was intertwined with the shifting conceptions of various roots and names. It’s earliest iteration was G. {gâl(a) >>} gala “light, daylight” (GL/37), cognate to ᴱQ. kala of similar meaning, derived from the early root ᴱ√KALA “shine golden” (QL/44). Since ancient initial g- became k- in Early Qenya, is very likely the early root was actually ✱ᴱ√GALA. In early notes, Tolkien experimented with various alternate forms for this word such as gâl or gaul (GL/37; PE13/114), and in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s Tolkien had the word ᴱN. galad with the gloss “dawn” (PE13/144).

By the 1930s, Tolkien had revised the phonology of Quenya so that primitive initial g became ʒ and then vanished, but he wished to retain the kal-/gal- variation in “light” words, and so introduced a Noldorin-only variant ᴹ√GAL of the root ᴹ√KAL “shine” (Ety/GAL). In The Etymologies, Tolkien had both N. calad (Ety/KAL) and N. galad (EtyAC/GAL) for “light”, the former appearing in its mutated form as an element in the name N. Gil-galad “Starlight” (Ety/GIL).

S. calad continued to be the basis for the second element of S. Gil-galad in some later writings (PE17/50), but Tolkien began to have problems with another name from The Lord of the Rings, that is Galadriel. When Tolkien first introduced her name, it basically meant “Tree-lady” (TI/249), but this was no longer suitable for her more elevated role in the legendarium, and in any case the proper Sindarin word for “tree” was galadh. In 1955 notes Tolkien considered making the initial element of her name mean “blessed” or “bliss” instead (NM/346).

In notes from the late 1950s or early 1960s Tolkien connected the names Gil-galad and Galadriel as sharing a common element meaning “light” and experimented with various derivatives of the roots √KAL and √GAL (PE17/50), but couldn’t contrive a satisfactory solution since the shared word would be mutated in Gil-Galad but unmutated in Galadriel. Eventually Tolkien resolved this quandary by introducing a new root √Ñ(G)AL in various notes from the late 1960s (PE17/59-60; NM/353) whose primitive form in Sindarin was strengthened ✶ñgalatā that would produce the correct result for both names. Tolkien discussed this new word at length in The Shibboleth of Fëanor from 1968:

> The name [Galadriel] was derived from the Common Eldarin stem ÑAL “shine by reflection”; ✱ñalatā “radiance, glittering reflection” (from jewels, glass or polished metals, or water) > Quenya ñalta, Telerin alata, Sindarin galad ... The whole = “maiden crowned with a garland of bright radiance” was given in reference to Galadriel’s hair. Galad occurs also in the epesse of Ereinion (“scion of kings”) by which he was chiefly remembered in legend, Gil-galad “star of radiance” (PM/347).

Neo-Sindarin: For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I would assume (ñ)galad refers to radiant, glittering and reflected light, as opposed to S. calad (lit. = “shining”) which refers to direct light and the sources of such light, such as lamps and flames.

gil-galad

masculine name. Starlight, (lit.) Star of Radiance

Last high-king of the Noldor and leader of the elves in the Last Alliance against Sauron at the end of the Second Age (LotR/52). His name is a compound of S. gil “star” and S. galad “radiance, glittering reflection”, the latter also an element in the name S. Galadriel “Glittering-garland” (RGEO/65, Let/425). In The Lord of the Rings his name was translated “Starlight” (LotR/191) but elsewhere Tolkien translated this name in various ways all roughly with the meaning: “Star of Radiance” (PM/347), which was the translation used by Christopher Tolkien in The Silmarillion index (SI/Gil-galad).

Conceptual Development: This name appeared in The Etymologies from the 1930s as N. Gil-galad “Starlight” (Ety/GIL). At this stage, the final element was probably the lenited form of N. calad “light” (PE17/50), though N. galad also appeared in The Etymologies with the gloss “light” (EtyAC/GAL).

malgalad

masculine name. ?yellow radiance

The first named king of Lórien (UT/258), perhaps a combination of the root-form √MAL “yellow” and galad “radiance”. Elsewhere he is named Nan. Amdír (UT/240).

Gil-galad

noun. star of radiance

gîl (“star, bright spark”) + galad (“light, radiance”) Reinterpreted from gil + calad “star light” [Etym. KAL-]

belthil

proper name. Divine Radiance

Name of the White Tree of Gondolin, translated “Divine Radiance” (S/126, SI/Belthil). Its name is derived from a combination of the primitive roots √BAL “(divine) power” and √THIL “shine (silver)”.

Conceptual Development: In the earliest Lost Tales, this name was G. Bansil “Fairgleam” (LT2/214), revised in one place to Banthil (LT2/203). The name was changed to Belthil towards the end of the Lays of Beleriand from the 1920s (LB/81, 195). The name N. Belthil was translated “Divine Radiance” in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, and also appeared in The Etymologies with the derivation given above (Ety/BAL, SIL, THIL). @@@ Silvant

glaw

noun. sunshine, sunshine; [N.] radiance

A word (or word element) appearing in linguistic notes from the late 1950s as glaw- “sunshine”, a derivative of the root √LAW (PE17/159). A similar word N. glaw “radiance” appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s, but this word was derived from primitive ᴹ✶g’lā based on the root ᴹ√GAL, a Noldorin-only variant of the root ᴹ√KAL “shine” (Ety/KAL).

Conceptual Development: Possible earlier precursors to this word include ᴱN. glarw “ray, radiance” from Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s (PE13/144) and G. glaros “glare, blaze, splendour” from the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/39), the latter probably related to the early root ᴱ√KALA “shine golden” (QL/44); see that entry for discussion.

aglar

noun. glory, brilliance, splendour, radiance

galad

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

glawar

noun. gold (light or colour), gold (light or colour); [N.] sunlight, radiance (of Laurelin)

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)

thîl

radiance

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

fae

radiance of laurelin

(soul, spirit). No distinct pl. form, 4) faer (spirit). No distinct pl. form. (MR:349). RADIANCE OF LAURELIN glawar (i ’lawar) (sunlight, gold), pl. glewair (in glewair) (VT41:10)

faer

radiance of laurelin

rit). No distinct pl. form, 4) faer (spirit). No distinct pl. form. (MR:349). RADIANCE OF LAURELIN glawar (i **lawar) (sunlight, gold), pl. glewair (in glewair**) (VT41:10)

galadriel

feminine name. Glittering-garland

A Noldorin lady and only daughter of Finarfin, Galadriel was the ruler of Lórien at the end of the Third Age (LotR/353). Her name is a compound of galad “radiance, glittering reflection” and -riel “crowned maiden”. Its full meaning is “maiden crowned with a garland of bright radiance” (PM/347), but for the sake of brevity this entry uses the less literal translation “Glittering-garland” (Let/423).

Etymology: The history of Galadriel’s name is quite complex. Her birth names were Q. Nerwen and Q. Artanis, but her mother Eärwen was Telerin. Later in life Galadriel adopted the Telerin name T. Alatáriel, which in Quenya was Q. Altáriel (PM/346). This new name may have been due to the Telerin influence of her mother, or it may have been given to Galadriel by her husband, who may or may not have been a Telerin elf (see Celeborn for discussion). She was given this name because of her long golden hair (Let/428). Like her older brothers, Galadriel journeyed to Beleriand to aid in the war against Morgoth, where her name Altáriel was adapted into Sindarin as Galadriel (PM/347, PE17/60).

Many years later, when Galadriel became ruler of Lórien, her Silvan-elf subjects associated her name with Nan. galad “tree”. Sometimes her Sindarin name was altered to Galadhriel (S. galadh “tree”) to reflect this association (UT/267), but properly speaking her name had nothing to do with trees.

Conceptual Development: See the entry for the primitive form of her name, ✶Ñ(g)alatā-rigelle, for a discussion of the conceptual developments in this name’s etymology, and N. Galadhrien for a discussion of earlier forms of this name.

forchalad

noun. aurora, (lit.) northern radiance

glawar

laurelin, radiance of

glawar (i **lawar) (sunlight, gold), pl. glewair (in glewair**) (VT41:10)

glawar

laurelin, radiance of

(i ’lawar) (sunlight, gold), pl. glewair (in glewair) (VT41:10)

harchalad

noun. aurora, (lit.) southern radiance

Galadriel

noun. lady, crowned with a radiant garland

galad (“light, radiance”) + rî (“crown”) + iell (“daughter” [Etym. SEL-D] traditional ending for women’s names) Sindarin equivalent of Tel. Alatâriel(lë))

Belthil

Belthil

Belthil translates to Divine Radiance bel = powers, thil = shine with white or silver light.

Galadriel

Galadriel

Galadriel is a Sindarin name translated by Tolkien as "glittering garland", "Maiden crowned with gleaming hair", and "maiden crowned with a radiant garland". It has been suggested that Galadriel consists of galad ("light, radiance") + rî ("crown") + iell ("daughter"). Tolkien notes that the element galad had no relation to Sindarin galadh ("tree", or Silvan galad "tree"), but that such a connexion often was made and her name then became Galadhriel.

Gil-galad

Gil-galad

Gil-galad is a Sindarin name, meaning "Star of bright light". The name consists of the elements gil ("star") + galad ("radiance"). According to a note this name was given to him because of the brightness of his eyes .

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).

galad

sunlight

1. galad (i ngalad = i ñalad), (bright light, brilliance, radiance, glittering reflection), pl. gelaid (in gelaid = i ñgelaid). 2) glawar (i **lawar) (gold; radiance of the Golden Tree Laurelin), pl. glewair (in glewair**) (VT41:10)

galad

sunlight

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

glawar

sunlight

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

glawar

sunlight

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

Caltariel

noun. Caltariel

prop. n. >> calad

aglar

noun. glory, brilliance, splendour

calad

gerund noun. light

calad

noun. light

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

galad

light

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

glaw-

prefix. sunshine

_ pref. _sunshine.

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.

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)

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.

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).

glóren

shining with golden light

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

lim

light

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

glaw

noun. radiance

glaw

noun. radiance

belthil

proper name. Divine Radiance

glawar

noun. sunlight, radiance (of the golden tree Laurelin)

glawar

noun. sunlight, radiance of Laurelin

aglar

noun. glory, splendour

aglar

noun. glory, brilliance, splendour

calad

gerund noun. light

calad

noun. light

gail

noun. bright light

gal-

prefix. light

galad

noun. light

galadriel

feminine name. Galadriel

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)

ak(a)lar

noun. *radiance

aklar(a)

noun. radiance, brilliance, glory

gaili

noun. ray

kalat

noun. light

áse

noun. sunlight

alata

noun. radiance, glittering reflection

aclar

noun. glory, splendour

alatáriel

feminine name. Galadriel

cala

noun. light

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.