rond

noun. (vaulted or arched) roof; vaulted chamber or cavern; heavens [as a roof of the world]

A noun for a vaulted or arched roof, as well as chambers with such a roof, both constructed and natural. Tolkien’s most complete description of this word appeared in the Quendi and Eldar essay:

> S rond, Q rondo are from ✱rono “arch over, roof in”. This could be applied both to natural and to artificial structures, but its view was always from below and from the inside ... CE ✱rondo meant “a vaulted or arched roof, as seen from below (and usually not visible from outside)”, or “a (large) hall or chamber so roofed”. It was still often applied pictorially to the heavens after the Elves had obtained much greater knowledge of star-lore. Cf. the name Elrond “Star-dome“ (WJ/414).

Thus this word was sometimes also applied (metaphorically) to describe the dome of heaven. This definition of rond as both a roof and a cavern appeared elsewhere in Tolkien’s writings as well (RC/421; EtyAC/ROD).

Conceptual Development: Perhaps the earliest precursor to this word was G. grûd(a) “cavern” (archaic †rûda) from the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, derived from the early root ᴱ√roto “hollow” (GL/42, 45, 66; QL/80). This was followed by a word ᴱN. gorod “cave” in the Early Noldorin Grammar of the 1920s (PE13/123), and ᴱN. gronn (archaic †grond) in contemporaneous Early Noldorin Word-lists with glosses like “cave” (PE13/145) or “cavern” (PE13/162).

In The Etymologies of the 1930s it was N. rhonn (archaic †rhond) “roof, cave” from the root ᴹ√ROD of the same meaning (Ety/ROD). In The Etymologies as published in The Lost Road Christopher Tolkien gave the gloss “cave” (LR/384), but in their Addenda and Corrigenda to the Etymologies, Carl Hostetter and Patrick Wynne corrected this to “roof, cave” (EtyAC/ROD). In this document it was already the basis of N. Elrond = “Starry-dome” (Ety/EL). In the Quendi and Eldar essay from 1959-60, Tolkien seems to have kept the basic definition from The Etymologies of the 1930s but updated its form and etymology, deriving it from a new root √RON “arch over”.

Neo-Eldarin: For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I prefer the earlier root form ᴹ√ROD as this lets us retain more of the 1930s forms.

rond

noun. cave roof

rond

noun. vaulted or arched roof, as seen from below (and usually not visible from outside), or a (large) hall of chamber so roofed

rend

adjective. circular

rond

hall with vaulted roof

rond (construct ron) (cave, cavern, vault, vaulted ceiling), pl. rynd (idh rynd), coll. pl. ronnath

rond

vault, vaulted ceiling

rond (construct ron) (cave, cavern, hall with vaulted roof), pl. rynd (idh rynd), coll. pl. ronnath

rond

cave

(construct ron) (cavern, vault, vaulted ceiling, hall with vaulted roof), pl. rynd (idh rynd), coll. pl. ronnath

rond

hall with vaulted roof

(construct ron) (cave, cavern, vault, vaulted ceiling), pl. rynd (idh rynd), coll. pl. ronnath

rond

cavern

(construct ron) (cave, vault, vaulted ceiling, hall with vaulted roof), pl. rynd (idh rynd), coll. pl. ronnath

rond

vault, vaulted ceiling

(construct ron) (cave, cavern, hall with vaulted roof), pl. rynd (idh rynd), coll. pl. ronnath

rend

adjective. circular

rend

circular

(pl. rind) (VT46:11)

roth

noun. cave

n. cave. Q. rondo.

gath

cavern

1) gath (i **ath), pl. gaith (i ngaith = i ñaith), 2) rond (construct ron) (cave, vault, vaulted ceiling, hall with vaulted roof), pl. rynd (idh rynd), coll. pl. ronnath**

grôd

cave

1) grôd (i **rôd, construct grod) (delving, excavation, underground dwelling), pl. grŷd (in grŷd) (WJ:414), 2) groth (i **roth) (delving, large excavation), pl. gryth (in gryth) (VT46:12), 3) rond (construct ron) (cavern, vault, vaulted ceiling, hall with vaulted roof), pl. rynd (idh rynd), coll. pl. ronnath, 4) roth (delving, large excavation), pl. ryth, 4) gathrod (i **athrod), pl. gethryd (i ngethryd = i ñethryd), 5) fela (pl. fili). In the Etymologies (LR:381 s.v. PHÉLEG) the name Felagund is said to include this word, but since Tolkien later re-explained this name as a borrowing from Dwarvish, some would consider fela** as a word for ”cave” conceptually obsolete.

othronn

fortress in a cave/caves

(pl. ethrynn for archaic öthrynn) (underground stronghold). Cited in archaic form othrond in the source (WJ:414).

feleg

noun. cave

n. cave, mine, underground dwelling. Q. felco. Q.

groth

noun. cave, tunnel, large excavation

groth

noun. delving, underground dwelling

cerin

circular raised mound

(i gerin, o cherin) (circular enclosure), no distinct pl. form except with article (i cherin).

corn

circular

1) corn (round, globed), lenited gorn, pl. cyrn. The word is also used as a noun "circle", 2) rend (pl. rind) (VT46:11),

corn

circular

(round, globed), lenited gorn, pl. cyrn. The word is also used as a noun "circle"

fela

cave

(pl. fili). In the Etymologies (LR:381 s.v. PHÉLEG) the name Felagund is said to include this word, but since Tolkien later re-explained this name as a borrowing from Dwarvish, some would consider fela as a word for ”cave” conceptually obsolete.

gath

cavern

(i ’ath), pl. gaith (i ngaith =  i ñaith)

groth

cave

(i ’roth) (delving, large excavation), pl. gryth (in gryth) (VT46:12)

grôd

cave

(i ’rôd, construct grod) (delving, excavation, underground dwelling), pl. grŷd (in grŷd) (WJ:414)

orthel

roof

(verb.) orthel- (i orthel, in erthelir for archaic in örthelir) (screen above);

orthel

roof

(i orthel, in erthelir for archaic in örthelir) (screen above); 

raudh

cavernous

raudh (hollow), pl. roedh

raudh

cavernous

(hollow), pl. roedh

rhûd

artificial cave

(construct rhud, with article ?i thrûd or ?i rûd – *the lenition product of rh- is uncertain) (dwelling underground, rockhewn hall, mine), pl. rhuid (?idh ruid). (PM:365)*

rhûd

rockhewn hall

(construct rhud, with article ?i thrûd or ?i rûd – the lenition product of rh- is uncertain) (dwelling underground, artificial cave, mine), pl. rhuid (?idh ruid). (PM:365);

roth

cave

(delving, large excavation), pl. ryth, 4) gathrod (i ’athrod), pl. gethryd (i ngethryd = i ñethryd)

telu

roof

(noun, high roof) telu (i delu, o thelu) (dome), pl. tely (i thely);

telu

roof

(i delu, o thelu) (dome), pl. tely (i thely);

tham

hall

tham, pl. thaim, coll. pl. thammath;

tham

hall

pl. thaim, coll. pl. thammath;

thamas

great hall

pl. themais, coll. pl. thamassath;

toba

roof over

(i** doba, i** thobar) (cover). Cited as a ”Noldorin” infinitive in -o (tobo).**

tobas

roof, roofing

(i** dobas, o thobas), pl. tebais (i** thebais) for archaic pl. töbais (VT46:19)

rond

noun. cave

rhond

noun. cave roof

rhond

noun. vaulted or arched roof, as seen from below (and usually not visible from outside), or a (large) hall of chamber so roofed

rhonn

noun. roof, cave

fela

noun. cave

fela

noun. cave

gath

noun. cavern

gath

noun. cavern

A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “cavern” derived from the root ᴹ√GAT(H), an element in the name N. Doriath “Land of the Cave” (Ety/GAT(H)). In later writings S. Doriath was redefined as “Land of the Fence” with final element S. iath “fence” (WJ/370), so N. gath “cavern” was probably abandoned.

gathrod

noun. cave

gathrod

noun. cave

A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “cave”, apparently a combination of N. gath “cavern” and ᴹ√ROT “tunnel” (Ety/GAT(H)). Its initial element also appeared in the name N. Doriath “Land of the Cave”, but in later writings S. Doriath was redefined as “Land of the Fence” with final element S. iath “fence” (WJ/370), so N. gathrod “cave” was probably abandoned.

orthel-

verb. to roof, screen above

rhenn

adjective. circular

rhenn

adjective. circular

rhonn

noun. cave roof

rhonn

noun. vaulted or arched roof, as seen from below (and usually not visible from outside), or a (large) hall of chamber so roofed

tham

noun. hall

tham

noun. hall

thamas

noun. great hall

thamb

noun. hall

thambas

noun. great hall

rondo

noun. vaulted or arched roof, vaulted hall, vaulted or arched roof, vaulted hall; [ᴹQ.] cavern, cave

A noun for a vaulted or arched roof, as well as chambers with such a roof, both constructed and natural. Tolkien’s most complete description of this word appeared in the Quendi and Eldar essay:

> S rond, Q rondo are from ✱rono “arch over, roof in”. This could be applied both to natural and to artificial structures, but its view was always from below and from the inside ... CE ✱rondo meant “a vaulted or arched roof, as seen from below (and usually not visible from outside)”, or “a (large) hall or chamber so roofed”. It was still often applied pictorially to the heavens after the Elves had obtained much greater knowledge of star-lore. Cf. the name Elrond “Star-dome“ (WJ/414).

Thus this word was sometimes applied (metaphorically) to the dome of heaven, though that last use may be limited to Sindarin.

Conceptual Development: The earliest precursor to this name seems to be ᴱQ. ronda appearing in the Early Noldorin Dictionary of the 1920s as a cognate of ᴱN. gronn “cavern” (PE13/162). ᴹQ. rondo “cavern” appeared in the Declension of Nouns from the early 1930s (PE21/8). Tolkien gave ᴹQ. rondo “roof, cave” in The Etymologies of the 1930s from the root ᴹ√ROD of the same meaning (Ety/ROD); in The Etymologies as published in The Lost Road Christopher Tolkien gave the gloss “cave” (LR/384), but in their Addenda and Corrigenda to the Etymologies, Carl Hostetter and Patrick Wynne corrected this to “roof, cave” (EtyAC/ROD).

Tolkien mentioned rondo “cave” in passing within rough notes on Felagund and related names from Notes on Names (NN) from 1957, but this entire block of notes was marked through (PE17/117-118). In addition to the aforementioned paragraph from the 1959-60 Quendi and Eldar essay given above, Tolkien gave rondo the gloss “vaulted hall” in a discussion of the strengthening of primitive nasals and stops (VT39/9). In this essay, Tolkien seems to have kept the basic form and meaning from The Etymologies of the 1930s, but deriving it instead from a new root √RON “arch over”.

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I prefer the earlier root form ᴹ√ROD as this lets us retain more of the 1930s forms. For natural formations, I would use this word only for a large vaulted “cavern”, and for a more general “cave” or “tunnel” I would use rotto.

ronda

solid, firm

ronda adj. "solid, firm" (PE17:183)

rondo

vaulted or arched roof, as seen from below

rondo noun "a vaulted or arched roof, as seen from below" (and usually not visible from outside); "a (large) hall or chamber so roofed", "vaulted hall" _(WJ:414; VT39:9; in the Etymologies, stem ROD, the gloss is simply "cave" or "roof"; see VT46:12 for the latter gloss)_. Cf. *Elerondo.

ronda

adjective. solid, firm

rondo

noun. staff (of hardwood)

A deleted word glossed “staff, of the hardwood” related to ✶ornē “tree” appearing in notes probably from the late 1960s (PE17/89).

Elerondo

star-vault

*Elerondo masc_. _name "Star-vault", Sindarin Elrond. Extrapolated from Elerondiel "daughter of Elrond", patronym of Arwen (PE17:56); cf. Elerossë, rondo.

rondarya-

verb. to solidify, become solid

A neologism for “to solidify” coined by Αγωνιζῆς posted on 2025-01-30 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), an inceptive verb based on ronda “solid”, so actually “become solid”.

rondova

adjective. cavernous

A neologism coined by Paul Strack in 2018 specifically for Eldamo, an adjectival form of Q. rondo “✱cavern”.

felco

cave, mine, underground dwelling

felco noun "cave, mine, underground dwelling" (PE17:118); also felca, felehta

felya

cave

felya noun "cave" (PHÉLEG), "mine, boring, tunnel, underground dwel[ling]" (PE17:118)

rinda

circular

rinda adj. "circular" (RIN)

rotelë

cave

rotelë noun "cave" (LT2:347)

rotto

cave, tunnel

rotto noun "cave, tunnel" (VT46:12), "a small grot or tunnel" (PM:365)

tel

roof

tel noun "roof" (LT1:268). Rather tópa in Tolkiens later Quenya.

tópa

roof

tópa noun "roof" (TOP)

tópa-

roof

tópa- vb. "roof" (TOP)

rondō

noun. vaulted roof or chamber; cave; †heavens