núro

servant

núro noun "servant" (NDŪ; in Etym as published in LR, the gloss is misread as "sunset"; see VT45:38)

aulendur

proper name. Servant of Aulë

A title for the Noldor who entered the service of Aulë (PM/365-6). This name is a compound of Aulë and the suffix -(n)dur “-servant”.

Conceptual Development: This name was initially written Aulendil before changing to Aulendur.

cemendur

masculine name. *Servant of the Earth

Name of the 4th king of Gondor (LotR/1038). It was also the name of the third child of Axantur and grandfather of Hallacar (UT/210). The name seems to be a compound of cemen “Earth” and -(n)dur “-servant”.

elendur

masculine name. *Star-servant

Eldest son of Isildur (S/295, UT/271) and also the 9th king of Arnor (LotR/1038). This name is probably a compound elen “star” and the suffix -(n)dur “-servant”.

isildur

masculine name. *Servant of the Moon

The eldest son of Elendil from whom Aragorn was descended (LotR/1038). His name is a compound of Isil “Moon” and the suffix -(n)dur “servant” (SA/sil, Ety/NDŪ).

Conceptual Development: The earliest mention of this character named him ᴹQ. Árundil (SD/401). In Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, this name first appeared as (Noldorin?) Ithildor >> Isildor (RS/271), soon revised to ᴹQ. Isildur (RS/320). The name Isildur also appeared in a marginal note in The Etymologies from the 1930s (Ety/NDŪ).

meneldur

masculine name. *Servant of the Heavens

The Quenya name of the fifth king of Númenor, a compound of menel “the heavens” and -(n)dur “-servant”, that is: “✱Servant of the Heavens”. He adopted this name because of his love of star-lore (UT/219).

pelendur

masculine name. ?Servant of the Border

A steward of Gondor in the middle of the Third Age (LotR/1039). His name seem to be a compound of some derivative of the root √PEL “border” and the suffix -(n)dur “-servant”, so it perhaps means: “✱Servant of the Border”.

valandur

masculine name. *Servant of the Vala

Eighth king of Gondor (LotR/1038). His name is a compound of Vala and the suffix -(n)dur “-servant”.

Conceptual Development: In Lord of the Rings drafts, the name ᴹQ. Valandur was used for a possible third son of Isildur, but this character was rejected (TI/120).

Aulendur

servant of aulë

Aulendur masc. name "Servant of Aulë", applied especially to those persons, or families, among the Noldor who actually entered Aulë's service and in return received instruction from him (PM:366)

Cemendur

earth-servant

Cemendur masc. name *"Earth-servant" (i.e. farmer?) (Appendix A, UT:210)

Elendur

star-servant

Elendur masc. name, "Star-servant", probably intended to mean "Elf-servant"; in effect a variant of Elendil(Appendix A). The name was also used in Númenor (UT:210).

Pelendur

fence-servant

Pelendur masc.name, *"Fence-servant"??? (Appendix A)

Valandur

vala-servant

Valandur masc. name, *"Vala-servant" (Appendix A)

Vëandur

vigorous servant

Vëandur, masc. name (PM:191), either "Vigorous servant" or "Sea-servant" (= mariner; compare ëarendur, etymologically very similar if the Qenya form vëa "sea" was maintained in later Quenya). See vëa #1 and 2 and compare Vëantur.

aulendil

masculine name. Servant of Aulë

Third child of Vardamir, known only from a genealogy chart on UT/210. His name is a compound of Aulë and the suffix -(n)dil (usually “-friend”). In an isolated note, J.R.R. Tolkien said this name was also used by Sauron while he deceived the Elves of Eregion into crafting the rings of power, and that the name meant “one devoted to the service of Aulë” (UT/254). Christopher Tolkien glossed the name as “Servant of Aulë” in The Unfinished Tales index. Ordinarily, with the suffix -ndil, we might expect the meaning to be “Friend of Aulë”.

Conceptual Development: At one point Aulendil was used for Noldorin servants of Aulë, but that name was changed to Aulendur (PM/365-6).

-(n)dur

suffix. servant; to serve

eärnur

masculine name. *Servant of the Sea

The 33rd and final king of Gondor in the Third Age (LotR/1038). This name is essentially a shorter form of Eärendur, with the same elements.

Conceptual Development: In Lord of the Rings drafts, Tolkien first considered using ᴹQ. Elessar for the name of the last king of Gondor before changing his name to Eärnur (WR/153).

-dur

suffix. -servant

-nur

suffix. -servant

selmandur

noun. fanatic, (lit.) servant of a fixed idea

A neologism coined by Delle posted on 2024-05-27 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), a combination of selma “fixed idea” with the suffix -(n)dur “servant”.

ëarendur

noun. (professional) mariner

A word for a “(professional) mariner” as a compound of ëar “sea” and -(n)dur “servant” in a draft letter from 1967 (Let/386). The suffix -(n)dur is often used for those who work on something in a professional capacity; compare ornendur “tree-keep, forester, woodsman” (NM/20). Thus ëarendur refers to people who work on the sea as their job. This word may be contrasted with Eärendil “Lover of the Sea”.

Conceptual Development: The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had ᴱQ. yarendila “like a sailor” and ᴱQ. yarendilyon “sailor” based on ᴱQ. Yarendl, a dialectical variant of ᴱQ. Earendel often used to mean “mariner” (QL/105). In the 1910s, ᴱQ. Earendel was not yet derived from the word for “sea”, so this association must have come from the fame of Earendel as a sailor, not from the meaning of the name itself.

núromolië

noun. ministry, (lit.) servant-labour

núrë

noun. maid servant, servant-woman

-ndur

friend

-ndur (also -dur), ending in some names, like Eärendur; as noted by Christopher Tolkien in the Silmarillion Appendix it has much the same meaning as -ndil "friend"; yet -ndur properly means "servant of" (SA:(noun)dil), "as one serves a legitimate master: cf. Q. arandil king's friend, royalist, beside arandur 'king's servant, minister'. But these often coincide: e.g. Sam's relation to Frodo can be viewed either as in status -ndur, in spirit -ndil." (Letters:286)

Isil

moon

Isil (þ) place-name "Moon" (FS; SA:sil, Appendix E, SD:302, SIL; also defined as "the Sheen" under THIL); Isildur masc. name., *"Moon-servant" (SA:sil, Appendix A, NDŪ)

Menel

heavens

Menel noun "heavens" (Markirya, SA), "the heavens, the firmament" (SD:401), "the apparent dome in the sky" (MR:387). Menel Cemenyë ("k") "Heaven and Earth" (VT47:30). Found in names like Meneldil "Heaven-friend" = astronomer (Appendix A; Letters:386), Meneldur masc. name, "Heaven-servant" (Appendix A, Tar-Menelduras a Númenórean King, UT:210); menelluin "sky-blue", used as noun = "cornflower" (J.R.R. Tolkien: Artist & Illustrator p. 193). Menelmacar "Swordsman of the Sky", the Orion constellation (also called Telumehtar, Appendix E, first footnote); the older name was Menelmacil "Heaven-sword" (WJ:411); Meneltarma "Pillar of Heaven", name of the great central mountain of Númenor (SA:tar, VT42:21).Menelya fifth day of the Eldarin six-day week, dedicated to the heavens (Appendix D) Locative meneldë "in heaven"; abandoned forms menellë, menelzë (VT43:12, 16). Adj. meneldëa "(being) in heaven", evidently based on a locative form meneldë "in heaven"; abandoned forms menelzëa, menellëa, menelessëa (VT43:13, VT44:16; the last of these forms would suggest the locative form #menelessë).

mól

noun. slave, slave, [ᴹQ.] thrall

A noun meaning “slave” or “thrall”, from primitive ✶mōl derived from the root √MŌ having to do with “labour” (VT43/31; Ety/MŌ).

Conceptual Development: In the Qenya Lexicon from the 1910s the word for “slave” or “servant” was ᴱQ. virt or vartyo, derived from the root ᴱ√VṚTYṚ “serve” (QL/102). In the two variants, either the [[eq|short syllabic [ṛ] became [ir] before palatalized [tʲ]]], or [[eq|long syllabic [ṝ] became [ar]]]. This word appeared as an element in the name ᴱQ. Virtinoldor “Thrall-Noldoli” for those Noldor enslaved by Melko(r) in the early tales (PE14/9).

In the Gnomish Lexicon from the same period, another Qenya word for “slave” or “servant” was given as ᴱQ. norka derived from primitive ᴱ✶norokā́ (GL/31), though its relationship to other roots is unclear.

The form ᴹQ. mól first appeared in The Etymologies from the 1930s, already having the derivation given above (Ety/MŌ). This word also appeared in Tolkien’s later writings from the 1950s (VT43/31). A later term for "Slave Noldorin” was ᴹQ. Mólanoldorin (Ety/MŌ; LR/177), a strong indication that mól replaced Early Qenya virt.

ëar

sea

ëar noun "sea" (AYAR/AIR [gives also dat. sg. ëaren],WJ:413; see Letters:386 for etymology). Not to be confused with the pl. form of the verb ëa "be, exist". Pl. ëari "seas" (FS, LR:47); Eär "the Great Sea" (cf. ëaron "ocean"), ablative Eärello "from the Great Sea", et Eärello "out of the Great Sea" (EO). Eärë noun "the open sea" (SD:305). Compound ëaruilë noun "seaweed" (UY). Found in proper names like Eärendil "Sea-friend", Eärendur masc. name, *"Sea-servant"; in effect a variant of Eärendil(Appendix A). Eärendur was also used ="(professional) mariner" (Letters:386).Fem. name Eärwen "Sea-maiden" (Silm); Eärrámë "Sea-wing", "Wings of the Sea", name of Tuor's ship (RAM, AYAR/AIR, SA)

-ndil

friend

-ndil (also -dil) ending occurring in many names, like Amandil, Eärendil; it implies devotion or disinterested love and may be translated "friend" (SA:(noun)dil); this ending is "describing the attitude of one to a person, thing, course or occupation to which one is devoted for its own sake" (Letters:386). Compare -ndur. It is unclear whether the names derived with the ending -ndil are necessarily masculine, though we have no certain example of a woman's name in -ndil; the name Vardilmë (q.v.) may suggest that the corresponding feminine ending is -(n)dilmë.

-ser

friend

-ser noun "friend" (SER)

Isil

noun. moon

moon

airen

noun. sea

airë

sea

airë (2) noun "sea" (the form airen is given, intended as a genitive singular when Tolkien wrote this; in LotR-style Quenya it would rather be a dative sg.) (AYAR/AIR; cf. airon)

airë

noun. sea

An archaic word for “sea” which fell out of use to due conflict with “holy” words like aira or airë; it was a noun form of primitive ✶gaı̯ră (PE17/27). The more common modern word for “sea” is ëar.

Conceptual Development: ᴹQ. aire “sea” appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a derivative of ᴹ√AYAR (Ety/AY); it appeared beside a form ᴹQ. airen that might be a genitive form, or might be a longer form; see the entry on ᴹQ. airon for discussion.

ciryamo

mariner

ciryamo noun "mariner", nominative and genitive are identical since the noun already ends in -o, cf. Indis i-Ciryamo "the Mariner's Wife" (UT:8)

ciryamo

noun. mariner

A word for a “mariner” in the title Indis i·Ciryamo “The Mariner’s Wife” (UT/8), a combination of cirya “ship” with the agental suffix -mo.

Conceptual Development: The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had ᴱQ. veniel “mariner” as an elaboration of ᴱQ. vene “small boat” (QL/100).

fairë

phantom, disembodied spirit, when seen as a pale shape

fairë(1) noun "phantom, disembodied spirit, when seen as a pale shape" (pl. fairi in Markirya); compare ausa. The noun fairë was also used = "spirit (in general)", as a kind of being (MR:349, PE17:124). In VT43:37 and VT44:17, fairë refers to the Holy Spirit (fairë aista or Aina Fairë)

heldo

friend

[heldo, also helmo, fem. heldë, noun "friend" (VT46:3)]

meldo

friend, lover

meldo noun "friend, lover". _(VT45:34, quoting a deleted entry in the Etymologies, but cf. the pl. #_meldor in Eldameldor "Elf-lovers", WJ:412) **Meldonya *"my friend" (VT49:38, 40). It may be that meldo is the distinctly masculine form, corresponding to feminine #meldë** (q.v.)

meldë

friend

#meldë noun "friend", feminine (meldenya "my friend" in the Elaine inscription [VT49:40], Tolkien referring to Elaine Griffiths). Compare meldo.

málo

noun. friend

friend, comrade

málo

friend

málo noun "friend" (MEL, VT49:22)

mól

slave, thrall

mól noun "slave, thrall" (MŌ, VT43:31)

nildo

friend

nildo noun "friend" (apparently masc.; contrast nildë) (NIL/NDIL)

nildë

friend

nildë noun "friend" (fem.) (NIL/NDIL)

nilmo

friend

nilmo noun "friend" (apparently masc.) (NIL/NDIL)

sermo

friend

sermo noun "friend" (evidently masc., since sermë is stated to be fem.) (SER)

sermë

friend

sermë noun "friend" (fem.) (SER)

seron

friend

seron noun "friend" (SER)

sondo

friend

[sondo noun "friend" (VT46:15)]

váya

sea

váya noun "sea" (considered as "waters, motion"). The wording of the source indicates that Tolkien only tentatively considered such a word (PE17:33)

vëa

sea

vëa (3) noun "sea" (MC:213, 214, 216; possibly obsoleted by #1 and #2 above, though some argue that the initial element of the late names Vëantur and Vëandur [q.v.] could be vëa #3 rather than #2 (it can hardly be #1) . In any case, the normal word for "sea" in LotR-style Quenya seems to be ëar.) Inflected vëan "sea" (MC:220), vëar "in sea" (a "Qenya" locative in -r, MC:213), vëassë "on sea" (MC:220). Cf. also vëaciryo.

bên Reconstructed

noun. servant, ?person

A noun attested only in its plural form bênî “servants” as an element in the term Êru-bênî “Servants of God” (SD/341, 357). This noun resembles the Sindarin word pen “person”, especially in the Sindarin lenited form -ben. The Adûnaic noun may be related, having undergone phonetic development similar to that discussed for Ad. bêth “word”, so that bên is ultimately derived from Primitive Elvish ✶kwēn “person”, which could be its archaic meaning. Andreas Moehn instead suggested (EotAL/BIN) that it is derived from a root ✱BIN, possibly related to Ed. Bëor “Vassal, Servant”.

azra

noun. sea

The Adûnaic word for “sea” (SD/429), appearing as azar in some early texts (SD/305). It is fully declined on SD/431.

pharaz

noun. sea

A draft word for “sea”, deleted and replaced with azar (SD/305), which later become azra. This word reappeared later with a different meaning: pharaz “gold”.

mûl

noun. slave

A word for “slave” appearing in notes on the Common Eldarin Article (CEA) from 1969 (PE23/139). N. mûl “slave, thrall” also appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s, derived from primitive ᴹ✶mōl under the root ᴹ√MŌ having to do with “labour” (Ety/MŌ). In Sindarin and Noldorin, a [[os|primitive long [ō] became [ū]]] (PE18/96; PE19/91).

Conceptual Development: In the Gnomish Lexicon from the 1910s, one word for “slave” was G. guinir, apparently an agental form of the adjective guin “possessed”. The suffix -(n)ir was usually limited to feminine words, so perhaps this word was exclusively female.

Another word for “slave, thrall, servant” was G. drog (GL/31), and the word ᴱN. drog “slave” reappeared in the Early Noldorin word lists of the 1920s (PE13/142, 155). This word was derived from primitive ᴱ✶norokā́ > ✱nrokā after which the [[g|initial [nr] becoming [dr]]] (GL/31), though at this stage its relationship to other roots is unclear.

aear

sea

aear (ocean); pl. aeair. The shorter form aer (for N oer) is maybe best avoided since it can be confused with aer "holy", unless the latter is actually a lenited form of gaer. Forms with g-, representing an alternative concept of the word for ”sea”: gaear (i **aear) (ocean), pl. gaeair (i ngaeair = i ñaeair) (PM:363), also gaer (i **aer, no distinct pl. form except with article: i ngaer = i ñaer), but homophones of the latter mean "reddish, copper-coloured, ruddy" and also "dreadful, awful, fearful; holy".

bŷr

vassal

*bŷr (follower) (i vŷr, construct byr). No distinct pl. form except with article (i mŷr), coll. pl. býrath. Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” bior, beor.

ithil

moon

1. Ithil (= ”the sheen”); 2) (apparently also used = ”month”) raun (pl. roen, idh roen), coll. pl. ronath. Cf. the ending -ron at the end of month-names. Raun is basically the adj. ”straying, wandering” used as a noun, hence identifying the Moon as ”the Wanderer”. The ”Noldorin” form rhân presupposes a different primitive form and may not correspond to S *rân as would normally be supposed.

mellon

friend

1. (masc.) mellon (i vellon) (lover), pl. mellyn (i mellyn), coll. pl. mellonnath. Also meldir (i veldir), no distinct pl. form except with article (i meldir). Also seron (i heron, o seron), pl. seryn (i seryn), coll. pl. seronnath. 2) (fem.) meldis (i veldis), no distinct pl. form except with article (i meldis), coll. pl. meldissath.

mûl

slave

mûl (i vûl, construct mul) (thrall), pl. muil (i muil)

aear

noun. sea

Tolkien changed this word several times, see gaear

aear

Sea

_n. _Sea, especially the Great (Western) Sea. Q. ear. nef aear, sí nef aearon lit. 'beyond the Sea, here beyond the Great Sea'. >> gaear, gaer

aear

noun. sea

aearon

noun. great sea, ocean

Tolkien changed this word several times, see gaearon

aer

noun. sea

Tolkien changed this word several times, see aear , gaear

cýrawn

noun. new moon

cýron

noun. new moon

gaear

noun. sea

gaear

Sea

_n. _Sea, especially the Great (Western) Sea. Shorter form gaer. Q. ear. >> aear, gaer

gaear

noun. sea

A word for “sea” variously attested as gaear (PE17/027; PM/363; WJ/400), gaer (PE17/27; PE17/149), and aear (Let/386; RGEO/65) in later writings. Of these, I prefer gaear for purposes of Neo-Sindarin, reduced to gaer in compounds.

Possible Etymology: The presence or absence of the initial g- depends on whether the word’s root is √AY(AR) (as it appears in The Etymologies and some later writings) or √GAY(AR) (as it appears in other later writings). See the entry of the root √GAY(AR) for a discussion of this vacillation. Similarly, the form gaer appears primarily as an element in compounds, and can be explained as a reduced form of gaear in that context. For these reasons, this entry uses gaear as the ordinary Sindarin word for “sea”. This has the additional advantage of disambiguating it from the adjective gaer “dreadful”.

Conceptual Development: This word appeared as N. oer or oear “sea” in The Etymologies of the 1930s, reflecting the Noldorin sound change of ai to oe (Ety/AY). However name for the “Great Sea” was N. {Belegar >>} Belegaer in the narratives of this period (LR/19), and the name N. Rhûnaer “Eastern Sea” appeared in draft Lord of the Rings maps from 1943 (TI/307). The element N. oer did appear in the day-of-the-week name N. Aroeren “✱Sea-day” in drafts of The Lord of the Rings appendices, but this was revised to S. Oraeron (PM/130, 138).

gaearon

noun. great sea, ocean

gaer

noun. sea

gaer

Sea

_n._Sea, especially the Great (Western) Sea. Shorter form of gaear.Q. aire (obsolete). >> aear, gaear

gaer

noun. sea

gaeron

noun. great sea, ocean

ithil

noun. the (full) Moon, lit. 'The Sheen'

ithil

noun. Moon

_n. Astron._Moon. Q. Isil. >> Anor, ithildin

mellon

noun. friend

mellon

noun. friend

_ n. _friend. Pedo mellon a minno! 'Say friend and enter'. 

mellon

noun. friend

aear

sea

(ocean); pl. aeair. The shorter form aer (for N oer) is maybe best avoided since it can be confused with aer "holy", unless the latter is actually a lenited form of gaer. Forms with g-, representing an alternative concept of the word for ”sea”: gaear (i ’aear) (ocean), pl. gaeair (i ngaeair = i ñaeair) (PM:363), also gaer (i ’aer, no distinct pl. form except with article: i ngaer = i ñaer), but homophones of the latter mean "reddish, copper-coloured, ruddy" and also "dreadful, awful, fearful; holy".

byr

vassal

). No distinct pl. form except with article (i mŷr), coll. pl. býrath. Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” bior, beor.

meldis

friend

(i veldis), no distinct pl. form except with article (i meldis), coll. pl. meldissath.

mellon

friend

(i vellon) (lover), pl. mellyn (i mellyn), coll. pl. mellonnath. Also meldir (i veldir), no distinct pl. form except with article (i meldir). Also seron (i heron, o seron), pl. seryn (i seryn), coll. pl. seronnath.

mûl

slave

(i vûl, construct mul) (thrall), pl. muil (i muil)

aer

noun. sea

bôr

noun. steadfast, trusty man, faithful vassal

elf

noun. friend

ithil

noun. the (full) Moon, lit. 'The Sheen'

meldir

noun. friend

meldis

noun. friend

mellon

noun. friend

mellon

noun. friend

mûl

noun. slave, thrall

oear

noun. sea

oear

noun. sea

oer

noun. sea

oer

noun. sea

thond

noun. friend

snaga

masculine name. slave

snaga

noun. slave

ay(ar)

root. sea

mōl

noun. slave, slave, [ᴹ✶] thrall