si

here

si adv. "here" (VT49:33; this may be a root or "element" rather than a Quenya word; see sissë, sinomë)

si

this

si

adverb. here

siril

place name. Siril

The chief river of Númenor (UT/168). This name probably contains sír(ë) “river”, but the exact meaning of the name is unclear. It is identical in form to earlier ᴹQ. siril “rivulet” (Ety/SIR), but given the size of the river, it seems unlikely this is the later meaning.

Silmerossë

silmerossë

Silmerossë, a name of Silpion (Telperion) (ROS1, SIL)

Silpion

silpion

Silpion, a name of the Elder of the Two Trees of Valinor (Telperion, the White Tree). (Silm, SIL, SÍLIP, BAL, ROS1, LR:385) In the pre-classical Tengwar system presupposed in the Etymologies, the name Silpion is also applied to tengwa #29, which letter Tolkien would later call silmë instead.

Sindo

sindo

Sindo (þ) masc. name, Elwe's brother (THIN)

Singollo

singollo

Singollo (þ) contraction of Sindicollo, q.v. (Silm)

Siriondil

sirion-friend

Siriondil masc .name, *"Sirion-friend" (Appendix A)

Sistar

sistar

Sistar ??? (VT45:12; the word is not clearly defined)

sildai

sildai

sildai ??? (Narqelion)

silima

silima

silima noun the substance the Silmarils were made of, invented by Fëanor (SA:sil)

silma

silver, shining white

silma adj. "silver, shining white" (SIL), "crystal (white)" (PE17:23)

simpetalla

simpetalla

simpetalla ??? (Narqelion)

sinqui

sinqui

sinqui ("q") ??? (Narqelion)

sinquitálar

sinquitálar

sinquitálar ("q") ??? (Narqelion)

siqu-

sigh

siqu- ("q")vb. "sigh" (cited in form "siqi"), pa.t. síque (QL:84)

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).

sindë

adjective. grey, pale or silvery grey, grey, pale or silvery grey, [ᴹQ.] pale

An earlier form of the Quenya adjective for “grey”, first appearing in The Etymologies (Ety/THIN). It appears in some later writings as well (WJ/384; PE17/141), and possibly remains a valid variant of the better-known sinda. In Notes on Names (NN) from 1957, Tolkien said sinde was the proper adjectival form, since Sinda referred only to Grey Elves (PE17/141), but this isn’t reflected elsewhere in his writings where sinda was used as an ordinary adjective meaning “grey”.

Silmeráno

of silver moon

Silmeráno noun in genitive, "of silver moon" (MC:220; this is "Qenya")

sindë

grey, pale or silvery grey

sindë (þ) adj. "grey, pale or silvery grey" (the Vanyarin dialect preserves the older form þindë) (WJ:384, THIN; in SA:thin(d) the form given is sinda, cf. also sindanóriello "from a grey country" in Namárië. Sindë and sinda_ are apparently variants of the same word.) _Stem sindi-, given the primitive form ¤thindi; cf. Sindicollo (q.v.)

sisilcala-

to shine continuously (silver and gold)

sisilcala- ("k")vb. "to shine continuously (silver and gold)" ("Qenya" inflected form sisilkalan) (VT27:20, 26, 27)

silma

noun/adjective. crystal (white), crystal (white); [ᴹQ.] silver, shining white

sin

now

sin (2) adv., a form of sí "now" (q.v.) often occurring before vowels; also sín (SI). However, sí itself (q.v.) may also appear before a vowel.

sin

thus

sin (1) a word either meaning "thus" (adverb) or "this" (as an independent word in the sentence, not modifying another word like sina does). Attested in the sentence sin quentë Quendingoldo Elendilenna, either *"this Pengolodh said to Elendil" or "thus spoke Pengolodh to Elendil" (PM:401). Patrick Wynne argues that sin is an adverb "thus" derived from the stem si- "this (by me)" (VT49:18)

sinya

new

sinya adj. "new" (SI)

sië

thus

sië adv. "thus" (VT43:24, VT49:18)

sí

now

sí adv. "now" (Nam, RGEO:67, LR:47, SD:310, VT43:34, VT49:18, PE17:94), sin (SI, LR:47) or sín _(SD:247, 310) _before vowels. Compare the distribution of a/an in English, though in his Quenya version of Hail Mary, Tolkien used sí also before a vowel (sí ar "now and", VT43:28). Si, a short (or incompletely annotated) form of sí (VT43:26, 34). In Fíriel's Song, sí is translated "here".

sinca

noun/adjective. flint, flint; *flinty

An element in the Entish word Q. sincahonda “flint-hearted” (LotR/979), and thus apparently a noun and/or adjective “flint” or “✱flinty”. In a note from the 1968 Tolkien said “Sincahonda referred to their [Orcs] immense staying power in exertion, marching, running, or climbing, which gave rise to the jesting assertion that their hearts must have been made of some exceedingly hard substance; it did not mean pitiless (NM/176)”, so possibly sinca simply referred to any hard or stone-like substance.

Conceptual Development: In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s Tolkien had an adjective ᴱQ. siliq(in)a “flinty” and a noun ᴱQ. silik (siliq-) “flint” under the root ᴱ√SILI, though marked with a “?” indicating Tolkien was uncertain of its derivation (QL/83). silik “flint” also appeared in the contemporaneous Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/83). In Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, “flint-hearted” was first given as ᴹQ. tingahondo (SD/68), with ᴹQ. tinga “flint” probably a variant of ᴹQ. tinko “metal” (Ety/TINKŌ). I think Q. sinca is probably a later variant of the early word ᴱQ. sink (sinq-) “mineral, metal, gem” from the 1910s (QL/83); see that entry for discussion.

sincahonda

adjective. flint-hearted

A word for “flint-hearted” in Treebeard’s description of orcs, a combination of Q. sinca “flint” and Q. honda “hearted” (LotR/979; PE17/111).

Conceptual Development: In 1940s Lord of the Rings drafts, this word first appeared as ᴹQ. tingahondo (SD/68).

sinda

adjective. grey

The best known Quenya word for “grey” and an element in a number of names. It is also used as a noun Sinda “Grey Elf”. Tolkien sometimes used a variant form sindë for “grey” (WJ/384; PE17/141; Ety/THIN); see that entry for details.

Silmarien

-riën

Silmarien (sometimes "-riën") fem. name, apparently incorporates sil(i)ma (Appendix A) and the feminine ending -ien, or -rien as a variant of -riel (garlanded maiden) as in Altariel (Galadriel).

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".

Sindel

grey-elf

Sindel (þ) (Sindeld-, as in pl. Sindeldi) noun "Grey-elf" = Sinda pl. Sindar, but less common (WJ:384)

Sindicollo

grey-cloak

Sindicollo (þ) noun "Grey-cloak", title of Elwë (Elu). Sindarin Thingol. (WJ:410, MR:217).(Sindi- in this name is a compound form of sindë, q.v.) Original form Thindicollo (WJ:333). The Silmarillion appendix (SA:thin(d) ) gives Sindacollo.

siar

this day

siar, siarë adv. "this day", a form Tolkien apparently abandoned in favour of síra, q.v. (VT43:18)

sicil

dagger, knife

sicil ("k")noun "dagger, knife" (SIK)

sil-

shine

sil- vb. "shine" (white), present tense síla "shines, is shining" (FG); aorist silë, pl. silir (RS:324), frequentative sisíla- (Markirya comments), future tense siluva (VT49:38), dual future siluvat (VT49:44, 45)

sil-

to shine

#sil-cal- ("k") vb. "to shine" (silver and gold) < "Qenya" sílankálan *"they shine (silver and gold)" (VT27:20, 27); cf. sil-, cal-, q.v.

silda-ránar

in gleaming-moon

silda-ránar noun in locative "in gleaming-moon" (locative -r) (MC:213; this is "Qenya"; cf. sildë)

sildë

gleaming

sildë adj.? "gleaming" (?) (MC:214; this is "Qenya"; cf. silda-ránar)

sillumë

this hour

#sillumë noun "this hour", ablative sillumello "from this hour" (VT44:35). Compare silumë.

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".

silo

hence

silo adv. "hence" (from here), also sio (VT49:18). The words seem to incorporate -lo, a shorter version of the ablative ending -llo, and -o, the genitive ending that may also be used in an ablativic sense. Compare talo, tó "thence".

silquelosseën

blossom-white hair

silquelosseën ("q") noun "blossom-white hair" (MC:216; this is "Qenya", but compare lossë)

silumë

at this time

silumë adv. "at this time" (VT49:11, 18). Compare talumë, #sillumë.

simen

hither

simen adv. "hither" (VT49:33), símen "here" (FS; cf. sinomë in EO). Compare tamen.

simpa

pipe, flute

simpa noun "pipe, flute" (LT1:266)

simpetar

piper

simpetar noun "piper" (LT1:266)

simpina

pipe, flute

simpina noun "pipe, flute" (LT1:266)

simpisë

piping

simpisë noun? "piping" (LT1:266)

sina

this

sina demonstrative "this" (following its noun in our sole example: vanda sina "this oath"). (CO, VT49:18; in the latter source, sina _is called an adjective). _This word would, like Sindarin hen, be derived from primitive ¤sĭnā (VT49:34). Cf. sin #1.

sincahonda

flint-hearted

sincahonda adj. "flint-hearted" (LotR3:VI ch. 6). Hence noun #sinca "flint-[stone]"?

sinda

grey

sinda (þ) adj. "grey" (PE17:72); nominal pl. Sindar used = "Grey-elves", lit. *"Grey ones"; see WJ:375. Gen. pl. Sindaron in WJ:369. With general meaning "grey" also in Sindacollo > Singollo "Grey-cloak, Thingol" (SA:thin(d), PE17:72; see also sindë, Sindicollo);†sindanórië "grey land", ablative sindanóriello "from/out of a grey country" (Nam); the reference is to a "mythical region of shadows lying at outer feet of the Mountains of Valinor" (PE17:72). However, other sources give sindë (q.v.) as the Quenya word for "grey"; perhaps sinda came to mean primarily "Grey-elf" as a noun. Derived adjective Sindarin "Grey-elven", normally used as a noun to refer to the Grey-elven language. (Appendix F)

sindarinwa

grey-elven

sindarinwa (þ) adj. "Grey-elven" in the phrase hwesta sindarinwa "Grey-elven hw" (Appendix E); it may really be "Sindarin" (as a noun) with the possessive ending -va, -wa appended, hence literally "hw of [the] Sindarin [language]"

sindi

river

sindi noun "river" (LT1:265; rather sírë in LotR-style Quenya)

sindië

greyness

sindië (þ) noun "greyness", sindië-nórë *"land of greyness", also (more literally corresponding to the English translation) nórë sindiëo (PE17:72), other names of sindanórië, see sinda.

sinen

in this way; so

sinen adv. "in this way; so" (VT49:18)

singwa

salt

singwa adj. "salt" (salty) (QL:83)

singë

salt

singë noun "salt" (QL:83)

sinomë

this place

sinomë compound noun "this place" (EO), used as adverb (or uninflected locative) = "in this place" = "here" (VT49:18). Variant sínomë (VT44:36). Cf. sanomë, tanomë.

sinta

short

sinta (þ) (1) adj. "short" (STINTĀ). Cf. senna #2.

sinta-

fade

sinta- (þ) (2) vb. "fade", pa.t. sintanë (THIN)

sintamo

smith

sintamo noun "smith" (PE17:107-108), cf. more usual variant tamo, q.v.

sinwa

known, certain, ascertained

sinwa passive participle "known, certain, ascertained" (PE17:68), connecting with ista- and sintë. Also sína.

sinyë

evening

sinyë (þ) noun "evening" (THIN)

sio

hence

sio adv. "hence" (from here), also silo (VT49:18)

sir

hither

sir (2), also sira, adv. "hither" (primitive ¤sida, ¤sidā) (VT49:18)

sir-

flow

sir- (1) vb. "flow" (SIR)

siril

rivulet

siril noun "rivulet" (SIR)

sirilla

flowing

sirilla participle *"flowing", "Qenya" participle of siri- "flow" (Narqelion, cf. QL:xiv)

sirpë

stem, stalk

sirpë noun "stem, stalk" (QL:84)

sirya

river

#sirya noun "river", attested in the dual form siryat (VT47:11). Compare sírë.

sissë

here

sissë adv. "here" (VT49:18), also sís

sistë

ulcer

*sistë* (sisti-) may be a possible phonological updating of the "Qenya" noun sist (sisty-) "ulcer". Adj. sistina** "ulcerated" (QL:86)

sisíla-

frequentative

sisíla- is said to be the "frequentative" form of sil- (MC:223); the participle sisílala in Markirya is simply translated "shining".

sitë

of this sort

sitë adj. "of this sort" (VT49:18)

siulë

incitement

siulë noun "incitement" (SIW)

sintamo

noun. smith

sir(a)

adverb. hither

sië

adverb. thus

sí

adverb. now

sil-

verb. to shine (white)

sillë

adverb. like this

silmë nuquerna

noun. s-reversed

silo

adverb. hence

silumë

adverb. now, (lit.) at this time, now, at this time, *present

@@@ gloss “present” suggested in ABNW

sina

adjective. this

sinar

noun. today, today, [ᴹQ.] this morning

sindië

noun. greyness

sinen

adverb. by this means, so

sinwa

adjective. known, certain, ascertained

sirya-

verb. to flow, to flow [smoothly]

Sindar

noun. Grey-elves

Grey-elves

sil-

verb. shine (white)

simen

adverb. hither

sindar eldar

Grey Elves

sintar

noun. short vowels

short vowels

sio

adverb. hence

sir-

verb. flow

sirea

adjective. flowing, liquid

sirya

verb. flow

sissë

adverb. here

sí

adverb. now

misil

silver (jewel-like) brilliance

misil (changed by Tolkien from misilya) noun *"silver (jewel-like) brilliance" (VT27:20, 27; this is "Qenya", but cf. mísë.)

isilmë

noun. moonlight

A word loosely translated as “moon” in the Markirya poem of the 1960s (MC/222), but more accurately “moonlight” according to the glossary following the poem (MC/223), perhaps an elaboration of Q. silmë “starlight” under the influence of Q. Isil “moon”.

Conceptual Development: A similar word ᴱQ. silma “a ray of moonlight” appeared in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, derived from the early root ᴱ√SILI which was also the basis for ᴱQ. Sil “moon” (QL/83).

isilmë ilcalassë

in the moon gleaming

The seventeenth line of the Markirya poem (MC/222). The first word is isilmë “moonlight” followed by the active-participle (“-ing”) of the verb ilca- “to gleam” with the locative suffix -ssë (“in”), which modifies the entire phrase, as suggested by Helge Fauskanger (AL/Markirya).

Decomposition: Broken into its constituent elements, this phrase would be:

> isilmë ilca-la-ssë = “✱moonlight gleam-ing-in”

Ipsin

fine thread

Ipsin noun "fine thread" (PE17:17)

celusindi

river

celusindi _("k")_noun "river" (LT1:257; hardly a valid word in Tolkien's later Quenya, where the terms sírë and sirya appear instead)

isilmë

moonlight

isilmë (þ) noun "moonlight", occurring in Markirya; free translation "the moon" in MC:215 (isilmë ilcalassë, literally "moonlight gleaming-in" = "in the moon gleaming"). Isilmë also appears as the name of a Númenorean woman (UT:210).

isima

imagination

isima (þ?) noun "imagination" (if a variant of síma, q.v.; the form isima as such is not clearly glossed) (VT49:16)

isintë

knew

isintë pa.t. vb. "knew", irregular pa.t. of ista- (besides sintë) (VT48:25; in VT48:32 this is analyzed as being the same formation as oantë)

risil

ring

*risil (þ) noun "ring" (on the ground) in Rithil-Anamo, q.v.

ipsin

noun. fine thread

A word for “fine thread” derived from the root √SPIN- in notes from the mid-1960s (PE17/17).

eldar sindar

Grey Elves

insil

noun. flower

TQ. flower, lily

isima

noun. imagination, mind

Sindarin

Sindarin

The word Sindarin itself is actually a Quenya word given by the Noldorin Exiles. It is pronounced [ˈsindarin].

silta

noun. sieve

siquilë

noun. sighing, lament

singë

noun. salt

siltina

adjective. winnowed

sintë

noun. esteem; estimate, computation

sinyar

noun. news

sinyarna

noun. novel

siquilissë

noun. weeping willow; lamentation

sisin

adjective. parched, scorched

sistina

adjective. ulcerated, sore

sistë

noun. ulcer, sore, boil

sitina

adjective. habitual, customary, accustomed, usual, ordinary, common

sito

noun. custom, habit

simpisë

noun. piping, whistling

linda

proper name. Singer

The name that the Teleri used to refer to themselves, usually appearing in the plural form Lindar and glossed “The Singers” (SI/Teleri, UT/286). They were so called because in legend, they sang before they could speak with words (WJ/382). The name was derived from the root √LIN “sing” (SA/lin, WJ/382).

Conceptual Development: In Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, this name was used for the first tribe, with the gloss “The Fair” (LR/168). It usually appeared as a collective noun, but sometimes appeared in the singular (PE22/51). In The Etymologies, it is given as ᴹQ. linda “fair, beautiful (of sound)” used as a name (Ety/LIND). In later writings, the name of the first tribe became the Vanyar, and Tolkien repurposed this name as another name of the third tribe with a slightly different derivation and meaning.

circa

noun. sickle

A word for “sickle” in the name Q. Valacirca “Sickle of the Valar”, which is the Quenya name for the constellation of the Great Bear (S/48; MR/166). In The Etymologies of the 1930s, ᴹQ. kirka “sickle” was derived from the root ᴹ√KIRIK (Ety/KIRIK).

Conceptual Development: In the Qenya Lexicon and Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa of the 1910s Tolkien had ᴱQ. kalka “sickle” derived from the early root ᴱ√KḶKḶ “gather, collect, reap” (QL/47; PME/47). This corresponds to the earliest Qenya name of the constellation of the Great Bear: ᴱQ. Telpea Kalka “✱Silvern Sickle” (QL/47; PME/47).

engwa

adjective. sickly

An adjective for “sickly” in The Etymologies of the 1930s from the root ᴹ√GENG-WA “sick” (Ety/GENG-WĀ), used in its noun plural form ᴹQ. Engwar “The Sickly” as a name for Men (LR/245). Christopher Tolkien kept Engwar in the published version of The Silmarillion (S/103).

nillë

noun. silver glint; Valinorian imagines [images of real stars]

A rather obscure term given as {ille >>} ñille for the “Valinorian imagines”, false stars made in imitation of the real ones created by Varda along with the dome over Valinor (Nur-menel) which protected that land from the spies of Melkor (PE17/22; MR/388). Whether this idea survived as part of the Legendarium is unclear, but this word also happens to be the closest equivalent to S. gil or gail, the usual Sindarin word for “star”, both derived from the root √(Ñ)GIL.

nésa

noun. sister

A word for “sister” coined by Tolkien in notes on Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals from the late 1960s, based on the root √NETH of similar meaning (VT47/12, 14). It had a diminutive/affectionate variant nettë used as a play name for the fourth finger in several places in these notes (VT47/12; VT48/6), but I prefer to mainly use nettë for “(little) girl” in Neo-Quenya (VT47/10, 15, 33).

Conceptual Development: The Etymologies of the 1930s had ᴹQ. seler “sister” from the root ᴹ√THEL or THELES (Ety/THEL), and the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had ᴱQ. heresse “sister” from the early root ᴱ√HESE (QL/40). See those entries for discussion.

-ndon

similative

-ndon, case-ending for "similative": wilwarindon "like a butterfly" (see wilwarin), laurendon "like gold" _(PE17:58) In the post-LotR period Tolkien decided to abandon this ending, apparently because it was to similar to the agental suffix -ndo (PE17:58)_, and it does not appear in the Plotz decension.

Lindar

singers

Lindar noun "Singers" (sg. Linda), what the Teleri called themselves (WJ:380, MR:349, UT:253, 286). It seems that Lindar is also interpreted "the Beautiful" (cf. the common adj. linda "fair, beautiful"), but this interpretation apparently belongs primarily to Tolkien's earlier conception, when Lindar was the name of the First Clan, the name of which he revised to Vanyar (similarly meaning "the Fair"). Adj. Lindarin = Telerin (but Tolkien of course held it to be = Vanyarin when the First Clan, the later Vanyar, were still called Lindar before he decided to apply this name to the third clan, the Teleri) (TĀ/TA3)

Niellúnë

sirius

Niellúnë noun "Sirius" (a star), also Nierninwa (LT1:262)

Nierninwa

sirius

Nierninwa noun "Sirius" (a star), also Niellúnë (LT1:262)

Tancol

signifer

Tancol ("k")noun "Signifer", "the significant star" = Venus (MR:385). The literal meaning is apparently *"sign-bearer", cf. tanna #1 and #col-.

Telemmaitë

silver-handed

Telemmaitë masc. name, *"Silver-handed" (Appendix A)

Telemnar

silver-flame

Telemnar masc.name, "Silver-flame" (Appendix A; for *Telep-nar)

Tyelperinquar

silver-fist, celebrimbor

Tyelperinquar masc. name, "Silver-fist, Celebrimbor" (PM:318; also Telperinqar, q.v.)

Valacirca

sickle of the gods

Valacirca noun "Sickle of the Gods", a name of the Great Bear (Big Dipper) constellation (SA:val-, MR:388, KIRIK, OT/OTOS/OTOK)

am-

signifying addition, increase

am- (2) prefix used in comparison, "signifying addition, increase" (PE17:90), or with genitive superlative: elenion ancalima "brightest of stars" (PE17:91). Originally identical with #1 above. The form am- as such is in late Quenya only used before p and (presumably) before vowels; the longer form ama- came to be preferred before r and l; before other consonants, the prefix assumes the form an- (pronounced, but not in Romanized Quenya orthography written, añ- before c) (PE17:90-92). Phonologically we would expect am- before y- (since my is an acceptable Quenya combination); however, Tolkien used an- in the word anyára (q.v.) See an- #2 and compare ar- #2.

circa

sickle

circa ("k")noun "sickle" (KIRIK)

enenquë

cardinal. sixteen

enenquë cardinal "sixteen" (VT48:21)

engwa

sickly

engwa adj. "sickly"; nominal pl. Engwar "the Sickly", Elvish name of Mortal Men (Silm, GENG-WĀ)

enquë

cardinal. six

enquë ("q") cardinal "six" (ÉNEK, VT48:4, 6, 9, VT49:57); enquëa ordinal "sixth" (VT42:25); see also enquië. According to VT48:8, the word for "six" may have been encë ("k") in very early Quenya (the form is asterisked by Tolkien), but this was altered to enquë under the influence of yunquë "twelve" (perceived as meaning "2 times 6", *yú-enquë, with the prefix yú- "twi-").

erdë

singularity

erdë (2) noun "singularity", the person as a whole (MR:216)

erinqua

single, alone

erinqua adj. "single, alone" (VT42:10)

erya

single, sole

erya adj. "single, sole" (ERE)

ham-

sit

ham- (1) vb. "sit" (KHAM)

har-

sit, stay

har- vb. "sit, stay", pl. present hárar in CO (i hárar "those who sit, those who are sitting"). Imperative hara in the phrase (hara) máriessë "(stay) in happiness" (PE17:162). According to VT45:20, har- "sit" is derived from a stem KHAD which Tolkien abandoned in the Etymologies, but since CO is later than Etym, he may seem to have restored KHAD. If so, the past tense of har- would be *handë.

laiwa

sick, sickly, ill

laiwa adj. "sick, sickly, ill" (SLIW, VT45:28). Since Tolkien eventually decided that roots in sl- yield Quenya words in hl- (though this was pronounced l- in late Exilic Quenya), it may be that the spelling *hlaiwa is to be preferred.

lin-

sing

[lin- (2) vb. "sing" (GLIN, struck out)]

lindo

singer, singing bird

lindo noun "singer, singing bird" (LIN2)

lindë-

sing

lindë- vb. ?"sing" (LT1:258; in LotR-style Quenya lir- or #linda-)

lívë

sickness

lívë noun "sickness" (SLIW). Since Tolkien eventually decided that roots in sl- yield Quenya words in hl- (though this was pronounced l- in late Exilic Quenya), it may be that the spelling *hlívë is to be preferred.

naicando

sinner

#naicando (and #naico, both attested as plural forms in -or) noun "sinner" (VT43:33; Tolkien may have abandoned these forms i favour of #úcarindo)

naico

sinner

naico (1) noun "sinner"; see naicando

narwë

sign, token

[narwë (and short nar, unless this is an incomplete form) noun "sign, token"] (VT45:37)

nillë

silver glint

nillë ("ñ") a star-imagine on Nur-menel (q.v.), from a stem ngil- noun "silver glint" (MR:388)

nyello

singer

nyello noun "singer" (NYEL). Compare the final element of Falanyel, #Solonyel, q.v

nésa

sister

nésa (Þ) noun "sister" (VT47:14); this form from a late source possibly replaces earlier seler and onórë, q.v.

onórë

sister

onórë noun "sister" (of blood-kin) (THEL/THELES, NŌ; both of these entries in the Etymologies as reproduced in LR have the reading "onóne", but the "Old Noldorin" cognate wanúre listed in the entry THEL/THELES seems to indicate that the Quenya word should be onórë; the letters n and r are easily confused in Tolkien's handwriting. There is no clear evidence for a feminine ending -në in Quenya, but -rë is relatively well attested; cf. for instance ontarë.) A later source gives the word for "sister" as nésa instead.

osellë

sister, [female] associate

osellë (þ) noun "sister, [female] associate" (THEL/THELES, WŌ). Cf. otorno.

pan

since

pan adv. "since" (in the sense of because) (VT49:17, 18). The word comes from a text that was later struck out; we cannot know whether Tolkien rejected the word as such.

phin-

single hair, filament

phin- noun "a single hair, filament" (PE17:17); this is may be seen as an "element" rather than a regular word; the spelling ph rather than f is unusual for Quenya. See fine.

quainquë

cardinal. sixteen

quainquë, cardinal "sixteen" (but enenquë may be preferred) (VT48:21)

quámë

sickness

quámë ("q")noun "sickness" (KWAM), "sickness, nausea" (QL:76). Earlier material also gives quámë as the past tense of the related verb quama- "vomit, be sick".

quámëa

sick

quámëa ("q")adj. "sick" (evidently = nauseous, cf. quámë and the verb quama-) (QL:76)

samin

silk

samin (samind-) noun "silk" (QL:81)

saminda

silken

saminda, saminwa adj. "silken" (QL:81)

seler

sister

seler (þ) (sell-, as in pl. selli) noun "sister" (THEL/THELES). In a later source, the word nésa (q.v.) appears instead, leaving the conceptual status of seler uncertain.

taina

sign

#taina (2) noun "sign", isolated from Tainacolli *"Sign-bearer" MR:385

tanna

sign, token

tanna (1) noun "sign, token" (MR:385, PE17:186), also tanwa (PE17:186)

tanwa

sign, token

tanwa noun "sign, token" (Tolkien marked this word with a query, but it is not clearly rejected). Also tanna (#1). (PE17:186)

telempë

silver

telempë noun "silver" (LT1:268; in Tolkien's later Quenya telpë, which is actually also found in early "Qenya")

telepta

silver

telepta adj. "silver" (as adj.: silvery) (LT2:347), used as noun in the phrase mi telepta of someone clad "in silver", where the context (involving other colour-words) shows that this adj. describes something of silver colour(PE17:71). Compare telemna, telepsa, telpina.

telpë

silver

telpë noun "silver" (in one example with generalized meaning "money", PE14:54), telep- in some compounds like Teleporno; assimilated telem- in Telemnar and the adj. telemna (KYELEP/TELEP, SA:celeb, LT1:255, 268; also tyelpë, telep-, UT:266). The true Quenya descendant of primitive ¤kyelepē is tyelpë, but the Telerin form telpë was more common, "for the Teleri prized silver above gold, and their skill as silversmiths was esteemed even by the Noldor" (UT:266). In various names: Telperion the White Tree of Valinor; Telperien ("Telperiën"), fem. name including telp- "silver" (Appendix A); Telperinquar "Silver-fist, Celebrimbor" (SA:celeb - also Tyelperinquar); Telporno, Teleporno "Silver-high" = Sindarin _Celeborn(Letters:347, UT:266). _It seems that Teleporno is properly Telerin, Quenyarized as Telporno. Compare adjectives telemna, telpina, telepsa, telepta (q.v.)

tengwa

noun. sign

sign, indicator, letter

tyelpë

silver

tyelpë noun "silver" (KYELEP/TELEP), etymology also in Letters:426 and UT:266. Tyelpë is the true Quenya descendant of primitive ¤kyelepē, but the Telerin form telpë was more common, "for the Teleri prized silver above gold, and their skill as silversmiths was esteemed even by the Noldor" (UT:266). In the Etymologies, tyelpë is also the name of Tengwa #1 with overposed dots, this symbol having the value ty (VT45:25). Cf. tyelpetéma as the name of the entire palatal series of the Tengwar system.

úcarindo

sinner

#úcarindo (pl. úcarindor, VT43:27) noun "sinner"; cf. úcar-. The form úlcarindor occurring in an older variant of the text in question seems abnormal, since Quenya rarely has a long vowel in front of a consonant cluster (VT43:33)

-i

suffix. simplest aorist infinitive

cen

noun. sight, sight, *sense of sight

enenquë

cardinal. sixteen

enquë

cardinal. six

enquëa

ordinal. sixth

erdë

noun. singularity

erinqua

adjective. single, alone

holmo

adverb. sincerely, heartily, sincerely, heartily; *(lit.) from the heart

námië

noun. single judgment or desire

rëa

adjective. single

tanna

noun. sign, token

telepta

adjective. silver, silver, [ᴱQ.] of silver

telpë

noun. silver, silver; [ᴱQ.] money

tyelpë

noun. silver

hamu-

verb. sit down, take a seat

rea

adjective. single

caila

lying in bed, bedridden, sickness

caila ("k")adj.(and noun???) "lying in bed, bedridden, sickness" (KAY, VT45:19). It may be that the gloss "sickness" applies only to the "Noldorin"/Sindarin form cael listed before Quenya caila, since cael could be both an adjective and a noun (the ancient adjective kailā "bedridden" merging with the noun kailē "sickness"). In Quenya the form caila < *_kailā _would probably be an adjective only.

caimassë

lying in bed, sickness

caimassë ("k")noun "lying in bed, sickness" (KAY)

caimassëa

bedridden, sick

caimassëa ("k")adj. "bedridden, sick" (KAY)

ilsa

(the mystic name of) silver

ilsa noun "(the mystic name of) silver" (LT1:255,LT1:268)

lindalë

music

lindalë noun "music". Cf. Ainulindalë "Music of the Ainur". (The word is cited as lindelë in the printed Etymologies, entry LIN2, but according to VT45:27, this is a misreading for lindalë in Tolkien's manuscript.) The word lindalë may argue the existence of a verbal stem #linda- "sing, make music".

lindelë

music

lindelë noun "music" (LIN2, LT1:258 lindalë in Ainulindalë). According to VT45:27, lindelë in the printed Etymologies (entry LIN2) is a misreading for lindalë in Tolkien's manuscript.

lindë

air, tune, singing, song

lindë noun "air, tune, singing, song" (SA:gond, (LIN2, [GLIN]); lindelorendor "music-dream-land"; see laurelindórenan lindelorendor... _(LotR2:III ch. 4, cf. Letters:308). _Also compare lindi- in lindimaitar, q.v. (but the other compounds here cited do not give a lindë a stem-form lindi-).

lú

time, occasion

lú noun "a time, occasion" (LU)

núta-

set, sink

núta- vb. "set, sink" (of Sun or Moon) (NDŪ). In early "Qenya", the word was glossed "stoop, sink" (LT1:263)

salpa-

lick up, sup, sip

salpa- (1) vb. "lick up, sup, sip" (SÁLAP), "take a sup of" (LT1:266)

tehta

mark, sign

tehta noun "mark, sign" (TEK, VT39:17, Appendix E), especially diacritics denoting vowels in Fëanorian writing (pl. tehtar is attested); these diacritics are explicitly called ómatehtar "vowel-marks", q.v.

tengwë

indication, sign, token

tengwë (pl. tengwi attested) noun "indication, sign, token", in linguistics used for phonemes(VT39:7, WJ:394); hloníti tengwi "phonetic signs" (WJ:395). The term tengwë was particularly associated with consonants (VT39:16). In the Etymologies, stem TEK, tengwë is glossed "writing"; this gloss would seem to be obsolete (for this meaning the word sarmë occurs in Tolkien's later material).

tinda

glinting, silver

tinda (1) adj. "glinting, silver" (TIN)

tuo

muscle, sinew, vigour, physical strength

tuo noun "muscle, sinew, vigour, physical strength" (TUG)

úcar-

to sin, trespass; to do wrong

#úcar- vb. "to sin, trespass; to do wrong" (pl. aorist úcarer in VT43:12, we would rather expect úcarir, a form seemingly indicated by an emendation in one variant of the text in question, VT43:21). The verb is car- "do" with the prefix ú-, here suggesting something morally bad ("do wrong") rather than simple negation.

-n(yë)

suffix. I

-n

suffix. I

har-

verb. to sit, stay, to sit, stay, [ᴱQ.] remain; [ᴹQ.] to dwell, abide, reside

lindalë

noun. music

telperin

adjective. like silver (in hue or worth)

úmara

adjective. bad, ill-used, evil, sinister

eressë

noun. solitude, [ᴹQ.] solitude; [ᴱQ.] alone, by oneself, singly, only; once

sír(ë)

noun. river, river, [ᴱQ.] stream

The most common Quenya word for “river”, derived from the root √SIR “flow”.

Conceptual Development: This word first appeared as ᴱQ. sīre “stream” as a derivative of ᴱ√SIŘI [SIÐI] (QL/84), and this form and gloss also appeared in the contemporaneous Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/84). The form ᴹQ. siri- “river” appeared in the Declension of Nouns (DN) from the early 1930s, along with uninflected sire with short i and various inflected forms with siry- (PE21/10). The form sīre “river” with long ī appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a derivative of ᴹ√SIR “flow” (Ety/SIR; EtyAC/SIR). In several notes from the mid-1960s, it appeared in monosyllabic form sír (PE17/65) or sīr (VT49/17), but it had dual form siryat from the late 1960s implying a stem form of sirĭ- and a development similar to that of DN from the early 1930s (VT47/11).

Neo-Eldarin: Its form síre is probably better known and more commonly used in Neo-Quenya. For example this is the typical form in Helge Fauskanger’s NQNT (NQNT).

eritë

adjective. singular

An adjective for “singular”, a combination of er “alone” and the suffix -itë. Also used as a grammatical term.

cénë

noun. sight

italo

conjunction. since

salpë

noun. sip, taste

samin

noun. silk

saminda

adjective. silken

telpingwë

noun. silverfish

verressë

noun. sister in law, kinswoman by marriage

A neologism coined by Paul Strack in 2022 specifically for Eldamo, a combination of ᴺ√BES “wed” and ᴺQ. ressë “female relative”, inspired by G. bedhres.

vélamë

noun. similarity

tanwa

noun. sign, token

ingwë

masculine name. Chief

Lord of the first tribe of the Elves and the high king of Elvenkind (S/52, 62). His name is ancient and its original meaning is unclear, but it is sometimes translated as “Chief”, and is interpreted as a combination of the root √ING “first, foremost” and the suffix -wë common in ancient names (PM/340).

Conceptual Development: In the earliest Lost Tales, this character was first named ᴱQ. Ing, but this was soon changed to ᴱQ. Inwe (LT1/22). The form become ᴹQ. Ingwe in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (SM/13, LR/214), and the derivation for Ingwë discussed above had already emerged in The Etymologies (Ety/ING, WEG).

alma

noun. flower

A word for “flower” derived from primitive ✶galmā in notes on flowers in the same bundle containing Definitive Linguistic Notes (DLN) from 1959 (PE17/153). Initially Tolkien said alma meant both “a blessed thing and a flower”, then said that Q. almë was “a blessed thing” and alba was “flower” (< √GAL-AB), before saying that alma was “flower”. Tolkien implied that alma was a usual or general word for “flower” in Quenya. These same notes also said the word alda < ✶galadā was used mainly of flowering trees. It seems in this instance Tolkien connected the root √GAL (normally just “grow, flourish”) specifically to flowers, giving it the gloss “bloom” along with other glosses like “grow, flourish, be vigorous”.

Neo-Quenya: Elsewhere alda was the general word for a “tree” and √GAL had no special connection to flowers. I think alma as a “flower” word was a transient idea. I would use lótë “flower” instead for purposes of Neo-Quenya, since it is much better established.

andúnë

place name. The West

A name for the Uttermost West as a region, appearing in the Namárië poem (LotR/377). It is simply andúnë “sunset, west” used as a proper name.

corma

noun. ring

A word for “ring” appearing as an element in Q. Cormacolindor “Ring-bearers” (LotR/953), clearly derived from the root √KOR “round”. It also appeared in a translation of the title of The Lord of the Rings that Tolkien included in a 1973 letter to Phillip Brown: i Túrin i Cormaron.

Conceptual Development: Another translation of “Lord of the Rings” is known from an exhibit of Tolkien manuscripts: Heru imillion, where presumably the element millë means “ring” (DTS/54). In a deleted entry from The Etymologies of the 1930s, Tolkien had ᴹQ. kolma “ring ([?on] finger)” [or possibly “or finger”] derived from a deleted root ᴹ√KOL (EtyAC/KOL).

elen

noun. star

The most common Quenya word for “star”, mentioned very frequently, derived from an extended form ✶elen of the root √EL “behold” (PE17/67; WJ/360, 362). Its usual plural form is eleni, but it has an archaic plural †eldi sometimes used in verse, the result of the Ancient Quenya sound whereby [[aq|[ln] became [ld]]] after the ancient plural underwent the Quenya syncope, ✶elenī > AQ. elni; its normal modern plural form eleni was actually a reformation from the singular (PE17/57, 151; WJ/362).

Conceptual Development: This word first appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s, though in the original entry for the root ᴹ√EL Tolkien said it was poetical and gave variants ellen and elena (Ety/EL).

felehta-

verb. [unglossed], *to excavate, tunnel, mine

An untranslated form appearing in Notes on Names (NN) from 1957 derived from the root √PHELEG/PHELEK (PE17/118), possibly a verb derived from ✱phelektā- or ✱phelegtā-. The derivatives of this root had to do with mines and tunnels, so perhaps this verb meant “✱to excavate, tunnel, mine”.

háno

noun. brother

A word for “brother” coined by Tolkien in notes on Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals from the late 1960s, based on the root √KHAN of the same meaning (VT47/14). It had a diminutive/affectionate variant hanno used as a play name for the middle finger in several places in these notes (VT47/12; VT48/6).

Conceptual Development: The Etymologies of the 1930s had ᴹQ. toron “brother” from the root ᴹ√TOR (Ety/TOR), and the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had ᴱQ. herendo “brother” from the early root ᴱ√HESE (QL/40). See those entries for discussion.

lav-

verb. to lick

A verb for “to lick” based on the root √LAB of similar meaning (PE17/72; PE22/151-152; RGEO/59).

Conceptual Development: This verb dates all the way back to ᴱQ. lava- “lick” from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s where it was derived from the early root ᴱ√LAVA (QL/52). It retained this form in Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s (PE16/134), and in The Etymologies of the 1930s it appeared as ᴹQ. lavin “I lick” under the root ᴹ√LAB “lick” (Ety/LAB). The verb and root continued to appear regularly in Tolkien’s later writings.

él

noun. star

An archaic or poetic word for star (WJ/362), somewhat common in compounds but in ordinary speech typically appearing as elen. It was derived directly from the primitive root √EL “behold”, the basis for other star words (PM/340; WJ/360).

Conceptual Development: This word first appeared as poetical ᴹQ. él “star” in The Etymologies of the 1930s, already with the derivation given above, though in this document the root ᴹ√EL meant “star” (Ety/EL), a common gloss for the root in later writings as well.

-ien

daughter

-ien fem. ending in certain names like Yávien, Silmarien (q.v.) At one point -ien implied "daughter", see -iel above.

-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.

-ntë

they

-ntë "they", pronomimal ending, inflexion of 3rd person plural when no subject is previously mentioned (CO; see also VT49:49). This ending competes with -ltë (q.v.) in Tolkiens conception (VT49:57; for "they do", both carintë and cariltë are attested, VT49:16 vs. 17). The corresponding pronominal possessive suffix appears as -ntya or -nta in various sources.

-o

of goodness

-o (1) genitive ending, as in Altariello, Oromëo, Elenna-nórëo, Rithil-Anamo, Rúmilo, Lestanórëo, neldëo, omentielvo, sindiëo, Valinórëo, veryanwesto, q.v. In words ending in -a, the genitive ending replaces this final vowel, hence atto, Ráno, Vardo, vorondo as the genitive forms of atta, Rána, Varda, voronda (q.v.) Following a noun in -ië, the ending can have the longer form -no, e.g. *máriéno "of goodness" (PE17:59, but contrast sindiëo "of greyness" in PE17:72). Where the word ends in -o already, the genitive is not distinct in form, e.g. ciryamo (q.v.) = "mariner" or "mariners". Pl. -ion and -ron, q.v.; dual -to (but possibly -uo in the case of nouns that have nominative dual forms in -u rather than -t). The Quenya genitive describes source, origin or former ownership rather than current ownership (which is rather covered by the possessive-adjectival case in -va). The ending -o may also take on an ablativic sense, "from", as in Oiolossëo "from (Mount) Oiolossë" (Nam), sio "hence" (VT49:18). In some of Tolkiens earlier material, the genitive ending was -n rather than -o, cf. such a revision as Yénië Valinóren "Annals of Valinor" becoming Yénië Valinórëo (MR:200).

-on

name

-on gen.pl. ending (3O), in aldaron, aranion, elenion, Eldaron, #esseron, Ingweron, Istarion, Númevalion, Quendion, Silmarillion, Sindaron, tasarion (see Nan-Tasarion), Valion, wenderon, yénion. Normally the ending -on is added to the nominative plural, whether it ends in -i or -r, but some nouns in -ë that would have nominative plurals in -i seem to prefer the ending -ron in the genitive (hence #esseron as the gen. pl. of essë "name", though the nominative pl. is attested as essi and we might have expected the gen. pl. *ession; similarly wenderon, Ingweron).

-ssë

at

-ssë (1) locative ending (compare the preposition se, sé "at", q.v.); in Lóriendessë, lúmessë, máriessë, yalúmessë (q.v. for reference); pl. -ssen in yassen, lúmissen, mahalmassen, símaryassen, tarmenissen, q.v. Pronouns take the simple ending -ssë, even if the pronoun is plural by its meaning (messë "on us", VT44:12). The part. pl. (-lissë or -lissen) and dual (-tsë) locative endings are known from the Plotz letter only.

-ttë

they

-ttë (1) "they", dual 3rd person pronominal ending ("the two of them") (VT49:51), replacing (also within the legendarium) the older ending -stë (which was later used for the second person only). This older ending -stë corresponds to a possessive ending -sta "their" (VT49:16), but this was presumably likewise altered to *-tta as the new ending for dual "their" = "of the two of them".

-vë

as, like

-vë, (3) apparently an ending used to derive adverbs from adjectives (see andavë under anda and oiavë under oia). May be related to the preposition ve "as, like".

Elessar

elf-stone

Elessar masc. name "Elf-stone" (Elen + sar, actually "Star-stone", cf. Elendil concerning elen "star" being used to mean "Elf") (LotR3:V ch. 8). Genitive Elesarno _(VT49:28, read _Elessarno?) indicates that the stem is -sarn-. As a common noun, elessar or "elf-stone" may signify "beryl" (in the chapter Flight to the Ford in the LotR, Aragorn finds "a single pale-green jewel" and declares: "It is a beryl, an elf-stone"). Elessar as a name may also be seen as a pun or variant of Elesser "Elf-friend".

Laurelin

g.sg. laurelinden

Laurelin ("g.sg. Laurelinden" or Laurelingen; in LotR-style Quenya this is dat.sg.) Name of the Golden Tree of Valinor, interpreted both *"singing-gold" (stem Laurelind-) and "hanging-gold" (stem Laureling-) (LIN2, VT45:27, LÁWAR/GLÁWAR, [GLAW(-R)], SA, Letters:308)

Nárië

june

Nárië noun sixth month of the year, "June" (Appendix D); derived from the stem (a)nar- having to do with fire or sun.

Thindicollo

thindicollo

†Thindicollo (þindicollo) masc. name, original form of Sindicollo, before the shift th > s (PM:337, there spelt with the special letter þ, not the digraph th)

Vala

power, god, angelic power

Vala (1) noun "Power, God, angelic power", pl. Valar or Vali (BAL, Appendix E, LT2:348), described as "angelic governors" or "angelic guardians" (Letters:354, 407). The Valar are a group of immensely powerful spirits guarding the world on behalf of its Creator; they are sometimes called Gods (as when Valacirca, q.v., is translated "Sickle of the Gods"), but this is strictly wrong according to Christian terminology: the Valar were created beings. The noun vala is also the name of tengwa #22 (Appendix E). Genitive plural Valion "of the Valar" (FS, MR:18); this form shows the pl. Vali, (irregular) alternative to Valar (the straightforward gen. pl. Valaron is also attested, PE17:175). Pl. allative valannar *"to/on the Valar" (LR:47, 56; SD:246). Feminine form Valië (Silm), in Tolkiens earlier material also Valdë; his early writings also list Valon or Valmo (q.v.) as specifically masc. forms. The gender-specific forms are not obligatory; thus in PE17:22 Varda is called a Vala (not a Valië), likewise Yavanna in PE17:93. Vala is properly or originally a verb "has power" (sc. over the matter of Eä, the universe), also used as a noun "a Power" _(WJ:403). The verb vala- "rule, order", exclusively used with reference to the Valar, is only attested in the sentences á vala Manwë! "may Manwë order it!" and Valar valuvar "the will of the Valar will be done" (WJ:404). However, Tolkien did not originally intend the word Valar to signify "powers"; in his early conception it apparently meant "the happy ones", cf. valto, vald- (LT2:348)_. For various compounds including the word Vala(r), see below.

an

for

an (1) _conj. and prep. _"for" (Nam, RGEO:66), an cé mo quernë… "for if one turned…" (VT49:8), also used adverbially in the formula an + a noun to express "one more" (of the thing concerned: an quetta "a word more", PE17:91). The an of the phrase es sorni heruion an! "the Eagles of the Lords are at hand" (SD:290) however seems to denote motion towards (the speaker): the Eagles are coming. Etym has an, ana "to, towards" (NĀ1). The phrase an i falmalī _(PE17:127) is not clearly translated but seems to be a paraphrase of the word falmalinnar "upon the foaming waves" (Nam)_, suggesting that an can be used as a paraphrase of the allative ending (and if falmalī is seen as a Book Quenya accusative form because of the long final vowel, this is evidence that an governs the accusative case). In the "Arctic" sentence, an is translated "until". Regarding an as used in Namárië, various sources indicate that it means an "moreover, further(more), to proceed" (VT49:18-19) or ("properly") "further, plus, in addition" (PE17:69, 90). According to one late source (ca. 1966 or later), an "is very frequently used after a full stop, when an account or description is confirmed after a pause. So in Galadriels Elvish lament […]: An sí Tintallë, etc. [= For now the Kindler, etc…] This is translated by me for, side an is (as here) often in fact used when the additional matter provides an explanation of or reason for what has already been said". Related is the use of an + noun to express "one more"; here an is presumably accented, something the word would not normally be when used as a conjunction or preposition.

anda

long

anda adj. "long" (ÁNAD/ANDA), "far" (PE17:90).In Andafangar noun "Longbeards", one of the tribes of the Dwarves (= Khuzdul Sigin-tarâg and Sindarin Anfangrim) (PM:320). Compare Andafalassë, #andamacil, andamunda, andanéya, andatehta, Anduinë. Apparently derived from the adj. anda is andavë "long" as adverb ("at great length", PE17:102), suggesting that the ending -vë can be used to derive adverbs from adjectives (LotR3:VI ch. 4, translated in Letters:308)

anel

daughter

anel noun "daughter" (PE17:170), possibly intended by Tolkien as a replacement for seldë (q.v.). Compare anon.

anel

noun. daughter

A transient word for “daughter” in Notes on Names (NN) from 1957, written of above the more common sel-de (PE17/170).

apa

on

apa (2) prep. denoting "on" with reference to contact of surfaces, especially vertical surface (in the sense in which a picture hangs on a wall). Apa is said to have this meaning in various Tolkien manuscripts (VT44:26), but apa is also used for "after" (see apa #1 above), and the two were probably never meant to coexist in a single variant of Quenya. The clash may be avoided by consistently using the variants pá, pa (q.v.) mentioned by Tolkien in the sense of apa #2. Another variant gives apa, pá "on (above but touching)" (VT49:18).

atta

cardinal. two

atta (1) cardinal "two" (AT(AT), Letters:427, VT42:26, 27, VT48:6, 19). Elen atta "two stars" (VT49:44); notice how a noun is indeclinable before this numeral, and any case endings are "singular" and added to the numeral rather than the noun, e.g. genitive elen atto "of two stars" (VT49:45). Attalyar "Bipeds" (sg. *Attalya) = Petty-dwarves (from Sindarin Tad-dail) (WJ:389). A word atta_ "again" was struck out; see the entry _TAT in Etym and cf. ata in this list.

attat

2 fathers or neighbours

-t (1) dual ending, on nouns denoting a _pair of something: attat "2 fathers or neighbours" (VT48:19; see _atto), máryat "her (pair of) hands" (Nam), siryat "two rivers" (VT47:11), ciriat "2 ships" (Letters:427 read ciryat as in the Plotz Letter?), maquat "group of ten" (from maqua, meaning among other things "group of five") (VT47:7), nápat "thumb and index as a pair" (VT48:5), also compare met "us two" as the dual form of me "us" (Nam, VT47:11). Other dual endings known from the Plotz letter: genitive -to, possessive -twa, dative -nt, locative -tsë, allative -nta, ablative -lto, instrumental -nten, plus -tes as a possible short locative. It may be that these endings only apply to nouns that would have nominative dual forms in -t, and that nouns preferring the alternative dual ending -u would simply add the otherwise "singular" case endings to this vowel, e.g. *Alduo rather than ?Alduto as the genitive form of "Two Trees" (Aldu). The ending -t is also used as a verbal inflection, corresponding to pl. -r (elen atta siluvat**, "two stars shall shine", VT49:45; the verb carit** "do" would also be used with a dual subject, VT49:16; cf. also the endings listed in VT49:48, 50).

caita-

lie

caita- vb. "lie" (= lie down, not "tell something untrue"), aorist tense "lies" in the sentences sindanóriello caita mornië "out of a grey land darkness lies" (Nam, RGEO:67), caitas lá/palla i sír "it is [lit. lies] (far) beyond the river" (PE17:65); the latter example demonstrates that caita can also be used of a geographical feature that "lies" in a certain place. According to PE17:72 and VT48:12-13, the pa.t. is cainë or cëantë rather than **caitanë. The "Qenya" form kakainen, translated "were lying", may seem to be related (VT27:7, 21)

cal-

shine

#cal- vb. "shine", future tense caluva ("k") "shall shine" _(UT:22 cf. 51). Compare also early "Qenya" cala- ("k")"shine" (LT1:254)_. It is possible that the verbal stem should have a final -a in later Quenya as well, since this vowel would not appear in the future tense caluva (compare valuvar as the pl. future tense of vala-, WJ:404).

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).

caw-

bow

#caw- vb. "bow" ("k")(1st pers aorist cawin "I bow") (LT1:257; cf. cauca, cauco). In Tolkien's later Quenya, a verbal stem with w in this position does not seem to fit the general phonology well; intervocalic w would become v. We should perhaps read *cav*- whereever the second consonant of the root follows a vowel, but the nasal-infixed past tense could be canwë with the original quality of the consonant preserved. (Compare such a past tense form as anwë, q.v.) However, Tolkiens later verb luhta**- may be preferred for intransitive "bow".

cen-

see, behold

cen- ("k")vb. "see, behold", future tense cenuva ("kenuva") "shall see" in Markirya. Imperative cena ("k"), VT47:31.Also #cen = noun "sight" as the final element of some nouns (*apacen, tercen, q.v.) Compare the root KHEN-, KEN-, KYEN- "look at, see, observe, direct gaze" (VT45:21)

colla

borne, worn

colla passive participle "borne, worn" (compare #col- "bear"); also used as a noun = "vestment, cloak" (MR:385). Variant form collo "cloak" _(SA:thin(d) ) _in the name Sindicollo (q.v.), sc. colla with a masculine ending.

elen

star

elen noun "star" (SA:êl, elen, EL, VT49:39); pl. eleni (occasionally in verse: eldi) (WJ:362, PE17:127); partitive pl. elelli for elenli (PE17:127), gen. pl. elenion in the phrase Elenion Ancalima "brightest of stars" (LotR2:IV ch. 9; see Letters:385 for translation); elen atta "two stars" (VT49:44), genitive elen atto "of two stars" (VT49:45), eleni neldë "three stars", archaic elenion neldë = "of stars three". Genitive "of 3 stars" = elenion neldë (for archaic elenion neldëo) (VT49:45). Allative elenna "starwards" used as name of Númenor _(Silm; see Elenna)_; ablative pl. elenillor "from stars" in Markirya. **Nai elen siluva ***"may a star shine", VT49:38.

eques

saying, dictum, a quotation from someone's uttered words, a current or proverbial dictum

eques (equess-, as in pl. equessi) noun "a saying, dictum, a quotation from someone's uttered words, a current or proverbial dictum" (WJ:392); I Equessi Rúmilo "the Sayings of Rúmil" (WJ:398)

er

one, alone

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

eressë

solitude

eressë noun "solitude" (ERE). In early "Qenya", eressë was an adjective or adverb: "singly, only, alone" (LT1:269).

erëa

cardinal. one

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

essë

name

essë (1) noun "name", also later name of Tengwa #31, originally (MET) called árë (ázë). (Appendix E). With a pronominal ending esselya "thy name" (VT43:14). Pl. #essi in PM:339 and MR:470, gen.pl. #esseron "of names" in the compound Nómesseron (q.v.); we would rather have expected *ession, given the nom.pl. essi; perhaps #esser is a valid alternative plural form. Essecarmë noun "name-making" (MR:214, 470), Eldarin ceremony where the father announces the name of his child. Essecenta *("k") noun "Name-essay" (see centa) (MR:415); Essecilmë noun "name-choosing", an Eldarin ceremony where a child named him- or herself according to personal lámatyávë (q.v.) (MR:214, 471). The meaning Tolkien originally assigned to the word essë** in the Etymologies was "place" rather than "name" (VT45:12).

essë

he

essë (2) pron? "he" (and also "she, it"?), possible emphatic 3rd sg. emphatic pronoun, attested in the sentence essë úpa nas "he is dumb" (PE17:126)

esta

first

esta (2) adj. "first" (ESE/ESET); this entry was marked with a query. The word Yestarë (q.v.) "Beginning-day" in LotR suggests that Tolkien decided to change the stem in question to _YESE/YESET_. We could then read *yesta for esta (but later this became a noun "beginning" rather than an adj. "first", PE17:120) and also prefix a y to the other words derived from ESE/ESET (essë* > yessë, essëa > yessëa). Estanossë noun "the firstborn", read likewise Yestanossë** (*Yestanessi?) but in a later text, Tolkien used Minnónar (q.v.) for "the Firstborn" as a name of the Elves, and this form may be preferred. _(In the Etymologies as printed in LR, the word _Estanossë is cited as "Estanesse", but according to VT45:12, the second-to-last vowel is actually o in Tolkien's manuscript.)

fifíru-

slowly fade away

fifíru- vb.; this is evidently the frequentative (see sisíla-) form of fir-; according to MC:223 it means "slowly fade away"; participle fifírula in Markirya (translated "fading")

furu

lie

furu noun "a lie" _(LT2:340, GL:36) _Read perhaps *huru in a LotR-compatible form of Quenya, since Tolkien decided that fu- tended to become hu-.

handë

knowledge, understanding, intelligence

handë noun "knowledge, understanding, intelligence" (KHAN). Note: *handë is (probably) also the past tense of the verb har- "sit".

hen

eye

hen (hend-, as in pl. hendi) noun "eye" (KHEN-D-E); possibly dual #hendu in hendumaica, q.v. Noun henfanwa "eye-screen, veil upon eyes" (PE17:176), adj. henulca "evileyed" (SD:68; cf. ulca).

hen

noun. eye

The Quenya word for “eye”, derived from the root √KHEN for eye-words (PE17/187; Ety/KHEN-D-E) and with stem-form hend- given its dual hendu (WJ/337).

Conceptual Development: This word first appeared as ᴱQ. hen in The Qenya Phonology of the 1910s, derived from primitive ᴱ✶þχe-ndǝ and appearing beside ᴱQ. sé “eye, pupil” < ᴱ✶þeχē (PE12/21). Hen (hend-) “eye” appeared in the Qenya Lexicon though it was marked “†” for archaic (QL/40), and ᴱQ. hend- also appeared in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon as the cognate of G. hen “eye” (GL/48). ᴱQ. hen appeared regularly in documents from the 1920s (PE13/147; PE14/43, 76; PE16/136), although in the Early Noldorin Grammar of the 1920s ᴱQ. sinda was given as the cognate of ᴱN. hen(n) “eye” (PE13/122). The form ᴱQ. sinda seems to have been a transient idea.

A lengthy declension of ᴹQ. hen “eye” appeared in documents from the early 1930s (PE21/52) and in The Etymologies of the 1930s it was based on a new the root ᴹ√KHEN-D-E “eye” (Ety/KHEN-D-E). In both these documents, inflected forms indicate a stem form of hend-. Thus this word and its stem were quite stable in Tolkien’s mind, though he did alter its root from early ᴱ√SEHE [ÞEHE] to later √KHEN.

holmo

adverb. from the heart

from the heart, sincerely

hwindë

noun. birch

A word for “birch” in notes from the mid-1960s (PE17/23).

Conceptual Development: The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had ᴱQ. silwin (silwind-) “birch” under the early root ᴱ√SILI (QL/83).

hyarya

left

hyarya adj. "left" (opposite of right). (KHYAR). Compare hyarma.

ier

as

ier prep. "as" (VT43:16, probably rejected in favour of sívë, q.v.). In an abandoned version of the Quenya Lord's Prayer, Tolkien used ier...ter for "as...so" (VT43:17).

inyë

i, too

inyë emphatic independent 1st person sg. pronoun, "I" with emphasis, translated "I, too" in LR:61 (and, according to one reading of Tolkiens manuscript, in VT49:49).

ista-

know

ista- (2) vb. "know", pa.t. sintë (IS, LT2:339, VT48:25). This past tense Tolkien called "certainly irregular" (VT48:25, where an alternative pa.t. isintë is also mentioned, but sintë is said to be the older form; compare editorial notes in VT48:32. Ista- is also used for "can" in the sense of "know how to", as in istan quetë "I can speak (because I have learned (a) language)" (VT41:6) Passive participle sinwa "known, certain, ascertained" (VT49:68)

lóna

dark

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

lós

flower

lós (þ?) noun "flower" (PE17:26). If this is to be the cognate of Sindarin loth, as the source suggests, the older Quenya form would be *lóþ.

lótë

flower

lótë noun "flower", mostly applied to larger single flowers (LOT(H), LT1:259, VT42:18). (The shorter form -lot occurs in compounds, e.g. fúmellot, q.v.) In the names Ninquelóte *"White-flower" (= Nimloth), Vingilótë "Foam-flower", the name of Eärendil's ship (SA:loth), also in Lótessë fifth month of the year, "May" (Appendix D). See also olótë, lotsë.

lúmë

time

lúmë (1) noun "time" (LU, PE17:168) or "hour", locative lúmessë (VT43:34), pl. locative lúmissen "at the times" (VT49:47), allative lúmenna "upon the hour", elided lúmenn' in the greeting elen síla lúmenn' omentielvo "a star shines upon the hour of our meeting", because the next word begins with a similar vowel. The complete form lúmenna omentielvo is found in WJ:367 and Letters:425 (footnote). Cf. also the compounds lumenyárë and lúmequenta, q.v.; see also #sillumë.

lúva

bow, bight; bend, bow, curve

lúva noun "bow, bight; bend, bow, curve" (Appendix E, PE17:122, 168). The reference is to a "bow" as part of written characters and other uses, but "not for shooting" (a bow used to shoot arrows is called quinga, possibly also cú if the latter term is used as in Sindarin).

malda

yellow, of golden colour

malda adj. "yellow, of golden colour" (PE17:51), variant of malina. An earlier source (the Etymologies, entry SMAL) has malda as the noun "gold" but LotR gives malta, q.v., and according to VT46:14 the form malta originally appeared in the Etymologies as well. Since Quenya sometimes uses adjectives as nouns (see for instance fanya), malda could still be regarded as a valid side-form of the noun malta "gold".

malina

yellow

malina adj. "yellow" (SMAL, Letters:308), "yellow, of golden colour" (PE17:51). Malinalda *"Yellow-tree", a name of Laurelin (SA:mal-; evidently malina + alda), translated "Tree of Gold" in the Silmarillion index. Cf. also malinornë.

maril

glass, crystal

maril noun "glass, crystal" (VT46:13; if this is to be the same word as the second element of Silmaril, the stem-form would be marill-, cf. pl. Silmarilli)

mori-

dark, black

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

morna

dark, black

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

mísë

grey

mísë (þ, cf. Sindarin mith-) adj. "grey" (used as noun of grey clothes in the phrase mi mísë of someone clad "in grey"). The underlying stem refers a paler or whiter "grey" than sinda, making mísë "a luminous grey" (PE17:71-72)

nai

ill, grievously, abominably

nai (2) prefix "ill, grievously, abominably" (PE17:151), cf. naiquet-. Earlier material also lists an interjection nai "alas" _(NAY; this may be obsoleted by # 1 above; _Namárië uses ai! in a similar sense)

nandë

valley

nandë (1) noun "valley" in Laurenandë (UT:253), elided nand in the name Nand Ondoluncava (k") "Stonewain Valley" (PE17:28). Possibly the complete word is here meant to be the variant nando (PE17:80), as suggested by the alternative form Ondoluncanan(do) ("k") "Stonewain Valley". Also nan, nand- noun "valley" (Letters:308); Nan-Tasarion "Vale of Willows" (LotR2:III ch. 4) (Note that this and the next nandë would be spelt differently in Tengwar writing, and originally they were also pronounced differently, since nandë "harp" was ñandë in First Age Quenya.)

nessa

young

nessa adj. "young" (NETH), alsoNessa as name of a Valië, the spouse of Tulkas (adopted and adapted from Valarin, or an archaic Elvish formation: WJ:404 vs. 416). Also called Indis, "bride" (NETH, NI1). The fem. name Nessanië (UT:210) would seem to incorporate Nessa's name; the second element could mean "tear" (nië), but since Nessa is not normally associated with sorrow, this #nië is perhaps rather a variant of ní "female" (compare Tintanië as a variant of Tintallë).

nettë

girl, daughter

nettë (stem *netti-, given the primitive form listed in VT47:17) noun "girl, daughter" (but also "sister", see below), also used as a play-name of the "fourth finger" or "fourth toe" (VT47:10, VT48:6), in two-hand play also used for the numeral "nine" (nettë is conceived as being related to nertë, q.v.) Nettë is also defined as "sister" or "girl approaching the adult" (VT47:16, VT49:25), "girl/daughter" (VT47:15-16); it may be that "sister" was Tolkien's final decision on the meaning (VT48:4, 22) - The related word nésa seems like a less ambiguous translation of "sister".

ni

me

ni (1) 1st person sg. pron. "I" (according to PE17:68 also "me" as object), with long vowel (ní) when stressed (VT49:51), cf. ní nauva next to nauvan for "I will be" (VT49:19), the former wording emphasizing the pronoun. The pronoun ni represents the original stem-form (VT49:50). Dative nin "for me, to me" (Arct, Nam, RGEO:67, VT41:11/15). Compare the reflexive pronoun imni, imnë "myself" and the emphatic pronoun inyë, q.v. The ancient element ni is said to have implied, originally, "this by me, of my [?concern]" (VT49:37)

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.

nuquerna

reversed

nuquerna adj. "reversed", or perhaps rather *"turned upside down". Attested in the phrases silmë nuquerna and árë nuquerna, q.v.

nómë

place

#nómë noun "place", isolated from Nómesseron, q.v. Cf. also sinomë.

nórië

country

#nórië noun "country", in sindanórië (see sinda) (Nam, RGEO:67)

ondo

stone

ondo noun "stone" as a material, also "rock" (UT:459, GOND). Pl. ondor in an earlier variant of Markirya; partitive pl. locative ondolissë "on rocks" in the final version. Compounded in ondomaitar "sculptor in stone" (PE17:163), Ondoher masc.name, *"Stone-lord" (ondo alluding to Ondonórë = Sindarin Gondor, "stone-land") (Appendix A), #ondolunca ("k") "stonewain", possessive form in the place-name Nand Ondoluncava "Stonewain Valley" (PE17:28, also Ondoluncanan(do) as a compound). Ondolindë place-name "Gondolin" (SA:gond, J.R.R. Tolkien: Artist & Illustrator p. 193); see Ondo. Earlier "Qenya" has Ondolinda _(changed from Ondolin) "singing stone, Gondolin" (LT1:254)_

pá

on

pá, pa (1) prep. "on" with reference to contact of surfaces, especially vertical surface (in the sense in which a picture hangs on a wall); also used = "touching, as regards, concerning" (VT44:26). Another variant gives pá (and apa) with the meaning "on (above but touching)". (2) Variants of apa "after" (VT44:36), which preposition is in one source also ascribed the first meaning here discussed. For Neo-Quenya purposes, pá and pa may be used for "on" or "concerning", whereas apa is used for "after" (see entries for apa #1 and #2), or pa may also be seen as a shorter form of apa "after", as in the phrase yéni pa yéni *"years upon years" (VT44:36)

róma

loud sound, trumpet-sound

róma (2) noun "loud sound, trumpet-sound" (ROM). In the pre-classical Tengwar system presupposed in the Etymologies, róma was also the name of tengwa #30, which letter Tolkien would later call silmë nuquerna instead.

sarat

letter

sarat (pl. sarati given) noun "letter", any individual significant mark, used of the letters of Rúmil after the invention of Fëanor's tengwar (WJ:396). Cf. sarmë.

se

he, she, it

se (1) pron. "he, she, it" also object "him, her, it", 3rd person sg. Used "of living things including plants" (VT49:37; the corresponding inaimate pronoun is sa). The pronoun comes directly from se as the original stem-form (VT49:50). Stressed form sé, VT49:51, attested in object position in melin sé "I love him" (VT49:21). Ósë "with him/her", VT43:29; see ó-. Long dative/allative sena "[to/for] him" or "at him", VT49:14, allative senna "to him/her" (VT49:45, 46). Compare the reflexive pronoun insë *"himself, herself".

se

at, in

se (2), also long sé, preposition "at, in" (VT43:30; compare the "locative prefix" se- possibly occurring in an early "Qenya" text, VT27:25)

seldë

noun. daughter, daughter; [ᴹQ.] child [f.], *girl

This seems to be the word that Tolkien favored for “daughter” in his later writings (PE17/170; VT47/10; PE19/73), though it had competition from other forms like Q. yeldë.

Conceptual Development: The earliest word resembling this form was ᴱQ. sui “daughter” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√SUẈU (QL/87), a word also mentioned in the Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/87). This became ᴱQ. silde “daughter” in Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s (PE16/135).

In The Etymologies of the 1930s, Tolkien experimented with several different forms. He had ᴹQ. yelde “daughter” under the root ᴹ√YEL, but this entry was deleted (Ety/YEL). Tolkien also had a root ᴹ√SEL(D) “daughter” with a derivative ᴹQ. selde, but the meaning of this root was changed to “child”, and masculine and neuter forms ᴹQ. seldo and ᴹQ. selda were added to the entry (Ety/SEL-D). Finally, under the entry for ᴹ√YŌ or YON “son”, Tolkien added a primitive feminine variant ᴹ✶yēn or yend “daughter”, producing ᴹQ. yende and (suffixal?) yen (Ety/YŌ).

These vacillations continued in later writings, where at one point Tolkien wrote “Q[uenya] Wanted: Son, Daughter” (PE17/170). In Notes on Names (NN) from 1957 Tolkien wrote Q. sel-de for “daughter”, but above it he wrote a variant form anel. In rough notes from around 1959 Tolkien explored a large number of masculine and feminine suffixes, and on the page he had yeldë “daughter”, though at the end of the sentence he wrote “also yen” (PE17/190). In notes on Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals from the late 1960s, Tolkien wrote selyë as a diminutive/affectionate word for “daughter”, with seltil as a play name for the fourth finger representing a daughter (VT47/10, 27).

Also of note is Tolkien’s Quenya name for S. Tinúviel “Daughter of Twilight”, which he generally represented as something like Q. Tindómerel < ✶Tindōmiselde. Tolkien was fairly consistent in this Quenya form starting in the 1930s (Ety/SEL-D; PE19/33), with examples in the 1950s (PE19/73) and 1960s (VT47/37) as well. Indeed, in a couple cases he used this name to illustrate how medial s generally became z and eventually r in Quenya (PE19/33, 73), so it seems that for this name Tolkien consistently imagined the primitive form for “daughter” as ✶selde.

Neo-Quenya: I’d assume selde is the main word for “daughter” for purposes of Neo-Quenya, but I’d assume a variant form yeldë, especially since -iel was the most common suffix for “daughter of”. This variant probably arose very early under the influence of √YON “son”.

senna

short

senna (þ, cf. older form thenna) adj. "short" (PE17:185). This is a later (TLT) variant of sinta.

setta

first

[setta, setya adj. "first" (possibly also "primary", but Tolkien's gloss was not certainly legible) (VT46:13)]

sáma

mind

sáma noun "mind" (pl. sámar and dual samat [sic, read *sámat?] are given) (VT39:23, VT41:5, VT49:33, PE17:183)

síma

mind, imagination

síma noun "mind, imagination" (VT49:16); variant isima. Also attested with endings: símaryassen "in their imaginations" (with the ending -rya used = "their" rather than "his/her", according to colloquial useage) (VT49:16)

sína

known, certain, ascertained

sína passive participle "known, certain, ascertained" (PE17:68), connecting with ista- and sintë. Also sinwa.

sír

river

sír noun "river", shorter form of sirë (PE17:65, VT49:17)

sírë

river

sírë noun "river" (SIR, VT46:13), "stream" (LT1:265). Also short form sír, q.v.Compare #sirya.

sís

here

sís adv. "here" (VT49:18, 23), also sissë

sívë

as

sívë (1) prep. "as", apparently ve of similar meaning with the prefix sí- "this, here, now"; sívë therefore makes a comparison with something close, whereas tambë (q.v.) refers to something remote. Sívë...tambë "as...so" (VT43:17). Elided sív' in VT43:12, since the next word begins in the vowel e-.

ta

they, them

ta (3) pron. "they, them", an "impersonal" 3rd person pl. stem, referring "only to 'abstracts' or to things (such as inanimates) not by the Eldar regarded as persons" (VT43:20, cf. ta as an inanimate Common Eldarin plural pronoun, VT49:52). Compare te, q.v. The word ta occurring in some versions of Tolkien's Quenya Lord's Prayer may exemplify this use of ta as an "impersonal" plural pronoun: emmë avatyarir ta** "we forgive them" (VT43:8, 9; this refers to trespasses, not the trespassers). However, since Tolkien also wanted ta to mean "that" (see #1 above), he may seem to be somewhat dissatisfied with ta "they, them", introducing variant forms like tai (VT49:32) to free up ta as a sg. pronoun. In one document, tai was in turn altered to te (VT49:33), which could suggest that the distinction between animate and inanimate "they, them" was abandoned and the form te (q.v.) could be used for both. In some documents, Tolkien seems to use tar as the plural form (VT49:56 mentions this as an uncertain reading in a source where the word was struck out; compare ótar under ó**-).

talo

thence

talo adv. "thence". Also tó. Basically these are simple ablative/genitive forms of ta (#1) "that"; compare silo, sio. (VT49:11)

talumë

at this time

talumë adv. "at this time" meaning "at the time we are thinking of of speaking of", not referring to the present (which is silumë = "at this time" in the narrower sense). (VT49:11)

tamen

thither

tamen adv. "thither" (VT49:33). Compare simen.

tanomë

in the place (referred to)

tanomë adv. "in the place (referred to)" (VT49:11). Cé tulis, tanomë nauvan *"if (s)he comes, I will be there" (VT49:19). Compare sanomë, sinomë.

te

they, them

te pron. "they, them", 3rd person pl. (VT49:51, LotR3:VI ch. 4, translated in Letters:308). The pronoun te represents an original stem-form (VT49:50). Dative ten, téna or tien "for them, to them" (q.v.) Stressed té (VT49:51). Ótë "with them", q.v. VT43:20 connects te "them" with a discussion of Common Eldarin pronominal stems (ca. 1940s), where te is the "personal" 3rd person pl. stem, referring to persons rather than abstracts or inanimates (which are denoted by ta instead; see, however, the entry ta #3 regarding the problems with this form, and the hints that te may possibly be used with reference to inanimates as well)). Also consider the reflexive pronoun intë "themselves", the final element of which is apparently this pronoun te; see also tú for the dual form.

telco

stem

telco noun "stem" of a Tengwa symbol (Appendix E). The Etymologies gives telco ("k") pl. telqui ("q") "leg" (the pl. form is said to be analogical) (TÉLEK). It seems, then, that the word can refer to a "stem" or "leg" in general as well as the stem of a Tengwa. In the pre-classical Tengwar system presupposed in the Etymologies, telco is used to refer to a carrier symbol (VT46:18, 33)

tengwa

letter

tengwa (pl. tengwar is attested) (1) noun "letter" Tengwa (ñ) is defined as "any one visible sign representing (theoretically) any one audible teñgwe" (phoneme) (VT39:17). In non-technical usage tengwa was equivalent to "consonant", since only the consonants were full signs (WJ:396, TEK). In the Etymologies, tengwa was apparently emended from tengwë (VT46:17).

tengwelë

language

tengwelë noun "Language" (in all its aspects), a general word for the grouping and composing of tengwi (linguistic "signs", phonemes) into a linguistic system (VT39:16)

thindë

thindë

†thindë (þindë) older form of sindë, q.v., preserved in Vanyarin (WJ:384, there spelt with the special letter þ, not the digraph th)

timpinen

fluter

timpinen noun "a fluter" (LT1:268; hardly valid in Tolkien's later Quenya, where this would look like an instrumental form. Compare simpetar.)

tinwë

spark

tinwë noun "spark" (gloss misquoted as "sparkle" in the Etymologies as printed in LR, see VT46:19), also "star"; pl. tinwi "sparks", properly used of the star-imagines on Nur-menel (q.v.). Cf. nillë. (TIN, MR:388) In early "Qenya", tinwë was simply glossed "star" (LT1:269, cf. MC:214). In one late source, the meaning of tinwë is given as "spark", and it is said that this word (like Sindarin gil) was used of the stars of heaven "in place of the older and more elevated el, elen- stem" (VT42:11).

tú

they, them

tú pron. "they, them", 3rd person dual ("the two of them"), both "personal and neuter" (the pronoun can be used of persons and things alike). (VT49:51) Tolkien also considered tet for the same meaning, listing it alongside tú in one source (VT49:56), but this form was apparently abandoned.

u-

not do, not be

#u- vb. "not do, not be" (1st pers. aorist uin "I do not, am not"), pa.t. úmë (UGU/UMU). A late (ca. 1968) source gives the forms uin, uin(yë) "I am not", uil(yë) "you are not", uis "it is not", uilmë "we are not", uir "are not" and endingless ui *"is not" (VT49:29, 36); these forms were however struck out. The example uin carë "I dont" (PE17:68) combines this negative verb with a following verb in the "simplest aorist infinitive". Compare ua in another late source. See also ui, which (despite its use as an interjection "no") seems to be the endingless 3rd person aorist.

ua-

not do, not be

ua- negative verb "not do, not be". If a verb is to be negated, ua (coming before the verb) receives any pronominal endings (and presumably also any endings for plurality or duality, -r or -t), whereas the uninflected tense-stem of the verb follows: With the ending -n for "I", one can thus have constructions like uan carë "I do not" (aorist), uan carnë "I did not" (past), uan cára "I am not doing" (present), uan caruva "I shall not do" (future). The verb ua- can itself be fully conjugated: #ua aorist (or present?), únë (past), úva "(future), #uië (perfect) (the aorist and perfect are attested only with the ending -n "I"). In "archaic Quenya" these tense-forms could be combined with an uninflected aorist stem, e.g. future *úvan carë = later Quenya uan caruva, "I shall not do". In later Quenya, only the forms ua (present or aorist) and "occasionally" the past tense form #únë were used in normal prose (únen* "I did not, was not"). (PE17:144; compare FS for úva** as a future-tense negative verb "will not")

ulca

adjective. dark

dark, gloomy, sinister

untúpa

down-roofs

untúpa vb. "down-roofs" = covers (perhaps for *undutúpa-, cf. undu-). Present tense of untup- with lengthening of the stem vowel and the suffix -a (cf. síla "shines" from sil-)

vilwa

air, lower air

[vilwa < wilwa] noun "air, lower air" (distinct from the 'upper' air of the stars, or the 'outer') (WIL; in one place vilwa was not struck out, VT46:21) According to VT46:21, Tolkien considered vilda < wilda as a replacement form, but rejected it.

wendë

maid

wendë noun "maid" (GWEN), wendë > vendë "maiden" (WEN/WENED, VT45:16, VT47:17). Sana wendë "that maiden" (PE16:96 cf. 90). According to VT47:17, this word for "maiden" is "applied to all stages up to the fully adult (until marriage)".Early "Qenya" also had wendi "maid, girl" (LT1:271); this may look like a plural form in Tolkiens later Quenya. On the other hand, VT48:18 lists a word wendi "young or small woman, girl". It is unclear whether this is Quenya or a Common Eldarin form, but probably the former: PE17:191 displays the word for "maiden" as wendē, so the Quenya stem form is probably *wende- rather than wendi*-, the stem-form that would result from Common Eldarin wendi). In his Quenya translation of the Sub Tuum Praesidium, Tolkien used Wendë/Vendë to translate "virgin" with reference to the Virgin Mary. Here the plural genitive Wenderon appears in the phrase Wendë mi Wenderon "Virgin of Virgins"; we might have expected Wendion instead (VT44:18).If the pl. form of wendë is wender rather than wendi, as the gen.pl. wenderon suggests, this may be to avoid confusion with the sg. wendi** "girl".

yeldë

noun. daughter

A less common Quenya word for “daughter”, an analog of Q. yondo “son”.

Conceptual Development: In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien had ᴹQ. yelde “daughter” under the root ᴹ√YEL of the same meaning, but the meaning of the root was first changed to “friend”, and then the root was then deleted (Ety/YEL). Meanwhile, under the root ᴹ√YŌ or YON, Tolkien introduced a feminine variant ᴹQ. yende “daughter” along with (suffixal?) yen, derived from primitive ᴹ√yēn or yend (Ety/YŌ). Previously this yende/yendi form was a feminine agent, but Tolkien rejected that meaning (EtyAC/ƷAN).

In between yelde >> yende for “daughter” in The Etymologies, Tolkien considered using the form ᴹQ. selde, and in later writings this seems to be his preferred Quenya word for “daughter”. However, yeldë “daughter” was mentioned again briefly in rough notes from around 1959 (PE17/190), and -iel remained Tolkien’s preferred suffix for “daughter of”.

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I recommend seldë as the more common word for “daughter”, but assume yeldë also exists as variant due to the influence of yondo “son”; see the entries on seldë and the root √YE(L) for further discussion.

á

immediate time reference

a (3), also á, imperative particle. An imperative with "immediate time reference" is expressed by á in front of the verb (or "occasionally after it, sometimes before and after for emphasis"), with the verb following in "the simplest form also used for the uninflected aorist without specific time reference past or present or future" (PE17:93). Cf. a laita te, laita te! "[o] bless them, bless them!", á vala Manwë! "may Manwë order it!", literally "o rule Manwë!" (see laita, vala for reference); cf. also á carë "do[!]", á ricë "try!", á lirë "sing[!]", á menë "proceed[!]", a norë "run[!]" (PE17:92-93, notice short a in this example), á tula "come!" (VT43:14). In the last example, the verb tul- "come" receives an ending -a that probably represents the _suffixed form of the imperative particle, this apparently being an example of the imperative element occurring both "before and after" the verbal stem "for emphasis" (PE17:93)_. This ending may also appear on its own with no preceding a/á, as in the command queta "speak!" (PE17:138). Other examples of imperatives with suffixed -a include cena and tira (VT47:31, see cen-, tir-); the imperatives of these same verbs are however also attested as á tirë, á cenë (PE17:94) with the imperative particle remaining independent and the following verb appearing as an uninflected aorist stem. This aorist can be plural to indicate a 3rd person pl. subject: á ricir! "let them try!" (PE17:93). Alyë (VT43:17, VT44:9) seems to be the imperative particle a with the pronominal suffix -lyë "you, thou" suffixed to indicate the subject who is to carry out the command; attested in the phrase alyë anta "give thou" (elided aly' in VT43:11, since the next word begins in e-: aly' eterúna me, *"do thou deliver us"); presumably other pronominal suffixes could likewise be added. The particle a is also present in the negative imperatives ala, #ála or áva, q.v.

árë

day

árë noun "day" (PM:127) or "sunlight" (SA:arien). Stem ári- _(PE17:126, where the word is further defined as "warmth, especially of the sun, sunlight"). Also name of tengwa #31; cf. also ar # 2. Originally pronounced ázë; when /z/ merged with /r/, the letter became superfluous and was given the new value ss, hence it was re-named essë (Appendix E)_. Also árë nuquerna *"árë reversed", name of tengwa #32, similar to normal árë but turned upside down (Appendix E). See also ilyázëa, ilyárëa under ilya. In the Etymologies, this word has a short initial vowel: arë pl. ari (AR1)

úcarë

debt, trespass

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

úmëa

evil

úmëa (2) adj. "evil" (UGU/UMU). Obsoleted by #1 above? Possibly connected to úmëai in Narqelion, if that is a "Qenya" plural form.

-rya

his, her

-rya 3rd person sg. pronominal ending "his, her" and probably "its" (VT49:16, 38, 48, Nam, RGEO:67), attested in coivierya *"his/her life", máryat "her hands", ómaryo "of her voice" (genitive of *ómarya "her voice"), súmaryassë "in her bosom" (locative of súmarya "her bosom"); for the meaning "his" cf. coarya "his house" (WJ:369). The ending is descended from primitive ¤-sjā via -zya (VT49:17) and therefore connects with the 3rd person ending -s "he, she, it". In colloquial Quenya the ending -rya could be used for "their" rather than "his/her", because it was felt to be related to the plural ending -r,e.g. símaryassen "in their [not his/her] imaginations" (VT49:16, 17). See -ya #4.

-ya

his

-ya (4) pronominal suffix "his" (and probably also "her, its"), said to be used in "colloquial Quenya" (which had redefined the "correct" ending for this meaning, -rya, to mean "their" because it was associated with the plural ending -r). Hence e.g. cambeya ("k") "his hand", yulmaya "his cup" (VT49:17) instead of formally "correct" forms in -rya. The ending -ya was actually ancient, primitive ¤-jā being used for "all numbers" in the 3rd person, predating elaborated forms like -rya. It is said that -ya "remained in Quenya" in the case of "old nouns with consonantal stems", Tolkien listing tál "foot", cas "head", nér "man", sír "river" and macil "sword" as examples. He refers to "the continued existence of such forms as talya his foot", that could apparently be used even in "correct" Quenya (VT49:17). In PE17:130, the forms talya "his foot" and macilya ("k") "his (or their) sword" are mentioned.

hyárë

this day

hyárë noun used as adv. (older hyázë) "this day", a form Tolkien apparently abandoned in favour of síra, q.v. (VT43:18)

nen

river

nen noun "river" (LT1:248), "river, water" (LT1:262) (In Tolkien's later Quenya, nén with a long vowel means "water", but hardly "river" - that is sírë.)

nin

to me, for me

nin pron. "to me, for me", dative of ni (FS, Nam). Sí man i yulma nin enquantuva? "Now who will refill the cup for me?" (Nam), nás mara nin *"it is good to me" = "I like it" (VT49:30), ecë nin carë sa* "it-is-open for me to do it" = "I can do it" (VT49:34). See also ninya**.

síra

this day

síra compound noun "this day", used = *"today" as adverb (VT43:18)

sírima

liquid, flowing

sírima adj. "liquid, flowing" (LT1:265)

sívë

peace

sívë (2) noun "peace" (VT44:35)

sívë

knowing, knowledge

sívë (3) noun "knowing, knowledge" (PE17:68; probably never meant to coexist with #1 and #2 above, so istya may be preferred)

tambë

so

tambë prep. (1) "so" or "as" (referring to something remote; contrast sívë). Sívë...tambë "as...so" (VT43:17).

ya

as

ya (2) or yan, prep. "as" (VT43:16, probably abandoned in favour of sívë)

ye

as

[ye (3), also yé, prep. "as" (VT43:16, struck out; in the text in question Tolkien finally settled on sívë, q.v.)]

sís

adverb. here

sítë

adjective. of this sort

ulco

noun. evil

urra

adjective. bad

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.

estirnë Reconstructed

noun. brow

This word is attested only in the name Elestirnë “Star-brow” (UT/184), and is probably related to the primitive word ✶stīrē “face” (VT41/10). From the name alone, it is difficult to discern what the independent word for “brow” would be. In Quenya, an initial primitive ✶[st-] first reduced to [θ-] and then later to [s-], as in sundo < ᴹ√STUD (Ety/SUD) and selma < √STEL (WJ/319). Thus, ✱sirnë “brow” < ✱þirne < ✱✶stirnē is a possibility.

A primitive initial ✶[st] could be preserved, however, if there was some kind of vocal augmentation, as in estel < √STEL (WJ/318) and astalda < √STAL (PE17/115). Therefore, it is possible that ✱estirnë is the independent form of the word, exactly as it appears within Elestirnë. Usually, though, such vocal augments are the same as the root’s base-vowel (as in the above examples), so ✱istirnë would be a more typical form.

Absent further evidence, this entry uses ✱estirnë for the form of this word, as it appears within the name.

-l(yë)

suffix. you (polite)

-ltë

suffix. they

-tyë

suffix. you (familiar)

alqua

noun. swan

The Quenya noun for “swan” derived from primitive ✶alkwā (NM/378; PE18/100; UT/265; Ety/ÁLAK).

Conceptual Development: The word ᴱQ. alqa dates all the way back to the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, where it was a derivative of the early root ᴱ√ḶKḶ (QL/30), though it had a variant form alqe in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon (GL/18). Other than this one exception, Tolkien stuck with alqua throughout his life. In The Etymologies of the 1930s, ᴹQ. alqa “swan” appeared under the root ᴹ√ALAK “rushing” (Ety/ÁLAK).

amya-

verb. [unglossed]

andafangar

collective name. Longbeards

The Quenya form of the name S. Anfangrim “Longbeards” (PM/321). It is a compound of anda “long” and the plural form of fanga “beard”.

angal

noun. mirror, mirror, *reflective surface

A noun for “mirror” in notes from the late 1960s, derived from primitive ✶aññala based on the root √ñal- (NM/350, 353). Another derivative of this root was ✶ñalatā “a glitter (of reflected light)” (NM/349), so perhaps this word meant “mirror” in the sense “✱reflective surface”.

arra

adjective. [unglossed]

atta

cardinal. two

cairë

?. [unglossed]

calca

noun. glass

conta-

verb. [unglossed]

cúma

noun. [unglossed]

essë

noun. name

exa

adjective. other

felca

adjective. [unglossed]

fimbë

adjective. slender, slender, *thin

finca

noun. [unglossed]

hindo

noun. [unglossed]

hindë

noun. [unglossed]

holdë

noun. [unglossed]

hyana

adjective. other

háro

?. [unglossed]

hí

adverb. here

ista-

verb. to know

ita-

verb. to sparkle

itara

adjective. gleaming

lomba

adjective. blind

A word for “blind” in a deleted paragraph of notes from 1969, derived from the root √DOM “dark” (PE22/153 note #50). This paragraph was deleted because of Tolkien’s shifting thoughts on the behavior of the prefix la-, so I think [ᴺQ.] lomba “blind” may remain viable for purposes of Neo-Quenya. I think this word may refer to temporary blindness, as opposed to lacenítë for one who is permanently unable to see.

lye

pronoun. you (polite)

lírë

noun. song

malsa

?. [unglossed]

min

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

naue

?. [unglossed]

nómë

noun. place

rië

adverb. only

sal-

verb. [unglossed]

senna

adjective. short

sáma

noun. mind

sélo

?. [unglossed]

síma

noun. imagination, mind

sívë

noun. peace

sívë

noun. knowing, knowledge

sóla

?. [unglossed]

tanna

adverb. thither

tar(a)

adverb. thither, thither; [ᴹQ.] beyond

tenna

noun. letter (epistola)

thar-

verb. [unglossed]

tomba

noun. [unglossed]

tompë

noun. [unglossed], *pulse, beat

@@@ Neo-meaning “✱pulse, beat” suggested by Röandil on 2023-04-20

um(ba)-

prefix. [unglossed]

undu

preposition/adverb. down, under, down, under, [ᴹQ.] beneath

éna

?. [unglossed]

þúna

?. [unglossed]

cermië

noun. harvest

A neologism for “harvest” coined by Petri Tikka in PPQ (PPQ) from the early 2000s inspired by Cermië “July”, but that meaning seems rather unlikely to me. I would use attested yávië for “harvest” instead.

cénelóra

noun. blind

oiwa

adjective. glossy

@@@ later etymology unclear

tenca

noun. letter (epistola)

tincina

adjective. metallic

vinyar

noun. news

#turco

chief

#turco (1) noun "chief" (isolated from Turcomund "chief bull", Letters:423). Turco, masc. name, see Turcafinwë.

-iel

daughter

-iel patronymic/matronymic ending -"daughter" (YEL, VT46:22-23) In the Etymologies, Tolkien struck out this ending and the corresponding independent word yeldë "daughter", changing them to -ien, yendë. However, the ending -iel later turns up in later forms: Uinéniel "Daughter of Uinen" in UT:182 and Elerondiel "daughter of Elrond" (Elerondo) in PE17:56. Hence it would seem that Tolkien changed his mind again and restored this ending, and perhaps the noun yeldë along with it. The form Elerondiel (from Elerondo) demonstrates that a final vowel is omitted before -iel.

-l

suffix. you (polite)

-lto

they

-lto, "Qenya" pronominal ending "they"; see -ltë

-ltë

they

-ltë, 3rd person pl. pronominal suffix, "they" (VT49:51; cariltë "they do", VT49:16, 17). It alternates with -ntë in Tolkiens manuscripts (VT49:17, 57). In his early material, the ending also appears as -lto, occurring in Fíriel's Song (meldielto "they are beloved" and cárielto "they made"), also in LT1:114: tulielto "they have come" (cf. VT49:57). Compare -lta, -ltya as the ending for "their".

-ntë

suffix. they

-ro

he

-ro pronominal ending "he", in antaváro, q.v. In Tolkiens later Quenya, the ending -s covers both "he", "she" and "it".

-t

suffix. you (familiar)

-tar

suffix. honorific

-zya

his, her, its

-zya, archaic form of the pronominal ending -rya "his, her, its", q.v. (VT49:17)

Ae

day

Ae (Quenya?) noun "day" (LEP/LEPEN/LEPEK - ae was written over ar [# 2] in the names of the Valinorean week, but ar was not struck out.)

Este

noun. Peace

Peace, name of wife of Lórien

Ilma

starlight

Ilma noun "starlight" (GIL)

Ilmarë

starlight

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

Ingwë

chief

Ingwë masc. name, "chief", name of the "prince of Elves" _(PM:340, ING, WEG, VT45:18). Pl. Ingwer "Chieftains", what the Vanyar called themselves (so in PM:340, but in PM:332 the plural has the more regular form Ingwi). Ingwë Ingweron "chief of the chieftains", proper title of Ingwë as high king (PM:340)_. In the Etymologies, Ingwë is also said to be the name of a symbol used in writing: a short carrier with an i-tehta above it, denoting short i (VT45:18).

Malantur

lord, ruler

Malantur, masc. name. Apparently includes -(n)tur "lord, ruler". The initial element is unlikely to connect with the early "Qenya" element mala- "hurt, pain", and may rather reflect the root MALAT "gold" (PM:366): Malat-ntur > Malantur "Gold-ruler"? (UT:210)

Nando

valley, wide valley

nando (2) "valley, wide valley", variant of nandë #1, q.v. (PE17:80)

Nolmë

knowledge, philosophy (including science)

Nolmë ("ñ")noun "knowledge, Philosophy (including Science)" (PM:360 cf. 344)

Quende#

noun. Elf

Elf

a

cardinal. one

a-

see

a- (2) a prefix occurring in the Markirya poem (Tolkien first used na-, then changed it). It may be prefixed to verbal stems following a noun that is the object of sense-verbs like "see" and "hear" when the verb it is prefixed to describes what happens to this noun, as in man cenuva lumbor ahosta[?] (changed from na-hosta), "who shall see the clouds gather?" (hosta = "gather").

accal(a)-

verb. shine

shine (suddenly and) brilliantly, blaze

ala

day

[ala (7) noun "day", also alan "daytime". The forms allen, alanen listed after these words could be inflected forms of them, genitive "of daytime", constracted (allen = al'nen) and uncontracted. However, Tolkien struck out all of this (VT45:13).]

alba

noun. flower

alma

flower

alma (2) "flower" (PE17:153), said to be the "usual Quenya word" or "general Quenya word" (i.e. for flower), but its coexistence with #1 is problematic. Compare lós, lótë, lotsë, indil.

alqua

noun. swan

swan

alqua

swan

alqua noun "swan" _(ÁLAK [there spelt _alqa, as in LT1:249/LT2:335], SA:alqua, UT:265, VT42:7). The alternative form alquë ("q") mentioned in early material (LT1:249) may or may not be valid in LotR-style Quenya.

andavë

long, at great length

andavë adv. "long, at great length" (PE17:102); see anda

ando

long

ando (2) adv. "long"; maybe replaced by andavë; see anda (VT14:5)

ar

day

ar (2) noun "day" (PE17:148), apparently short for árë, occurring in the names of the Valinorean week listed below. Tolkien indicated that ar in these names could also be arë when the following element begins in a consonant (VT45:27). Usually the word for "day" in LotR-style Quenya is rather aurë (or ré), q.v.

cal-

verb. to shine

calca

glass

calca noun "glass" (VT47:35); compare hyellë, cilin.

calta-

shine

calta- ("k")vb. "shine" (KAL)

celu

stream

celu _("k")_noun "stream" (LT1:257; rather celumë in LotR-style Quenya)

celumë

stream, flow

celumë ("k")noun "stream, flow" (KEL, LT1:257); locative pl. celumessen ("k") in Markirya (ëar-celumessen is translated "in the flowing sea", lit. *"in sea-streams").

cenya

verb. see, perceive

cilin

glass

cilin noun "glass" ("often used as in English ("often used as in English for any thing or implement made of glass") (PE17:37). Compare calca, hyellë.

cilin

noun. glass, glass [transluscent or reflective]

cirma

noun. knife

condo

noun. lord

corma

ring

#corma noun "ring", isolated from #cormacolindo "Ring-bearer", pl. cormacolindor (LotR3:VI ch. 4, translated in Letters:308); Cormarë "Ringday", a festival held on Yavannië 30 in honour of Frodo Baggins (Appendix D)

cuv-

verb. bow

elmenda

wonder

elmenda noun "wonder" (PE13:143)

enna

first

[enna adj. "first" (VT45:12)]

esse

noun. name

esta-

verb. name

exa

other

exa adj.? "other" (apparently as adjective) (VT47:10, VT49:33). Also eces ("k"), unless this is intended as the stem underlying exa (the root KES with prefixed stem-vowel) rather than a Quenya word (VT49:33).

fimbë

slender

*fimbë (stem fimbi-) adj. "slender" (PE17:23)

findelë

tress, lock

findelë noun "tress, lock" (PE17:119); apparently a synonym of findë #1, q.v.

forya

right

forya adj. "right" (PHOR), "dexter" (VT46:10)

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

fánë

adjective. white

hanno

brother

hanno noun "brother" (a colloquial form, cf. háno), also used in children's play for "middle finger" (VT47:12, 14, VT48:4, 6)

hendas

?. [unglossed]

heru

lord, master

heru (also hér) noun "lord, master" (PM:210, KHER, LT1:272, VT44:12); Letters:283 gives hér (heru); the form Héru with a long vowel refers to God in the source where it appears (i Héru "the Lord", VT43:29). In names like Herumor "Black Lord" and Herunúmen "Lord of the West" (SA:heru). The form heruion is evidently a gen.pl. of heru "lord": "of the lords" (SD:290); herunúmen "Lord-of-West" (LR:47), title of Manwë. Pl. númeheruvi "Lords-of-West" (*"West-lords") in SD:246, a title of the Valar; does this form suggest that #heruvi is the regular plural of heru?

hiswa

grey

hiswa (þ) adj. "grey" (KHIS/KHITH, Narqelion)

hlóna

river, especially given to those at all seasons full of water from mountains

[hlóna (2) noun "a river, especially given to those at all seasons full of water from mountains" (VT48:27; the word is marked with a query and the note containing it rejected; it was apparently replaced by lón, q.v.)]

hróva

dark, dark brown

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

hwindë

birch

hwindë (1) noun "birch" (PE17:23)

hyana

other

hyana adj. "other", cf. hya (VT49:14)

hyellë

glass

hyellë noun "glass" (KHYEL(ES), VT45:23; the later source also provides the unglossed form hyelma, which may be a synonym of hyellë; alternatively hyellë could be "glass" as a substance, whereas hyelma_ rather refers to "a glass" as a drinking vessel). _In later sources, cilin or calca is given as the word for "glass".

háno

brother

háno noun "brother", colloquially also hanno (VT47:12, 14). It is unclear whether Tolkien, by introducing this form, abandoned the older (TLT) word toron (q.v.)

hér

lord

hér noun "lord" (VT41:9), also heru, q.v.

hér

noun. lord

héra

chief, principal

héra adj. "chief, principal" (KHER)

hí

here

hí adv. "here" (VT49:34)

inga

first

inga (2) adj. "first" (ING)

intyalë

imagination

intyalë noun "imagination" (INK/INIK, VT49:33)

intë

pronoun. they (emphatic)

isca

pale

isca ("k") adj."pale" (LT1:256)

issë

knowledge, lore

issë noun "knowledge, lore" (LT2:339; rather ista or istya in Tolkien's later Quenya)

ista

knowledge

ista (1) noun "knowledge" (IS). Also istya.

ista

verb. know

istanwa

known, generally recognized

istare

noun. knowledge

istea

adjective. knowing

istya

knowledge

istya noun "knowledge" (IS). Also ista (#1).

lambelë

language

lambelë noun "Language" (especially with reference to phonology), *"phonetics" (VT39:15)

lendë

left, went

lendë vb. "left, went" (pa.t. of lelya- "go") (FS, LR:47, SD:310, WJ:362), or, according to the Etymologies, the pa.t. of lenna- "go" and lesta- "leave" (LED, ELED. In the Etymologies as printed in LR, lenna- was misread as "linna-"; see VT45:27)

lia

fine thread, spider filament

lia noun "fine thread, spider filament" (SLIG).

lingi-

verb. [unglossed]

lucassë

debt, trespass

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

lucië

debt, trespass

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

luhta

debt, trespass

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

luina

pale

[luina] adj. "pale" (VT45:30)

lutta-

flow, float

lutta- vb. "flow, float" (LT1:249)

lutu-

flow, float

lutu- vb. "flow, float" (LT1:249)

lírë

song

lírë noun "song", stem #líri- in the instrumental form lírinen "in [the] song" or *"by [the] song" (Nam, RGEO:67)

lóte

noun. flower

lúna

dark

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

lúrëa

dark, overcast

lúrëa adj. "dark, overcast" (LT1:259)

maitya

?. [unglossed]

marya

pale, fallow, fawn

marya adj. "pale, fallow, fawn" (MAD)

melya-

verb. [unglossed], *to be in love

min

cardinal. one

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

minya

first

minya adj. "first" (MINI) (cf. Minyatur, Minyon); "eminent, prominent" (VT42:24, 25). Minyar "Firsts", the original name of the Vanyar (or rather the direct Quenya descendant of the original Primitive Quendian name) (WJ:380)

minë

cardinal. one

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

mir

cardinal. one

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

mista

grey

mista adj. "grey"; see lassemista

mista

adjective. grey

mo

one, someone, anyone

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

morĭ

adjective. dark

PQ. dark

mírë

jewel

mírë noun "jewel" (MIR, SA:mîr), "a treasure, a precious thing" (PE17:37).Cf. Elemmírë; short form -mir in Tar-Atanamir (SA:mîr); see also Artamir.

móri

dark

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

naica

dagger

naica (2) noun "dagger" (GL:37)

nalda

valley

nalda adj. "valley" (used as an adjective), also "lowly" (LT1:261, QL:66)$

nandë

noun. valley

nausë

imagination

nausë (Þ) noun "imagination" (NOWO, VT49:33)

naxa

adjective. evil

naxa

noun/adjective. evil

nindë

slender

nindë adj. "slender" (NIN-DI, pointing to a stem-form nindi-). Not to be confused with *nindë as the likely pa.t. of the verb nir-, q.v.

ninquita-

shine white

ninquita- ("q")vb. "shine white" (NIK-W)

no

under

no prep. "under" (NŪ; all other sources give nu instead. In early "Qenya", no meant "upon"; MC:214)

nu

under

nu prep. "under" _(LR:56, Markirya, Nam, RGEO:66, MC:214; the _Etymologies alone gives no [q.v.] instead). In Mar-nu-Falmar, nuhuinenna, q.v. Prefix nú- in nútil, q.v.

nuinë

suffix. river

nulla

dark, dusky, obscure

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

néca

pale, vague, faint, dim to see

néca ("k") adj "pale, vague, faint, dim to see", pl. nécë ("k") in Markirya

nítë

moist, dewy

nítë (stem *níti-, given the primitive form ¤neiti) adj. "moist, dewy" (NEI, VT45:38)

nívë

pale

nívë adj."pale" (MC:213; this is "Qenya" Tolkien's later Quenya has néca)

nóre

noun. country

country

nótë

number

nótë noun "number" (NOT)

núla

dark, occult, mysterious

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

olca

evil, bad, wicked

olca adj. "evil, bad, wicked" (VT43:23-24, VT48:32, VT49:14, PE17:149). The root meaning implies "wickedness as well as badness or lack of worth" (PE17:170). Variant of ulca.

on

stone

on, ondo noun "stone" (LT2:342, LT1:254 probably only ondo in LotR-style Quenya, see below). Various "Qenya" forms: ondoli "rocks" (MC:213; this would be a partitive plural in LotR-style Quenya), ondolin "rocks" (MC:220), ondoisen "upon rocks" (MC:221), ondolissen "rocks-on" (MC:214; the latter form, partitive plural locative, is still valid in LotR-style Quenya).

onóro

brother

onóro noun "brother" (of blood-kinship) (TOR, NŌ (WŌ) )

otorno

brother, sworn brother, [male] associate

otorno noun "brother, sworn brother, [male] associate" (TOR, WŌ). Cf. osellë.

quel-

verb. to fade, to fade; [ᴹQ.] †to fail; [ᴱQ.] to perish

quendë

elf

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

quinga

bow

quinga ("q")noun "bow" (for shooting) (KWIG, LT1:256)

quén

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

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

rainë

peace

rainë noun "peace" (VT44:34-35)

ranta

part

#ranta noun "part". Pl. rantali attested. (PE14:117)

rauta

metal

rauta noun "metal" [meaning changed by Tolkien from "copper"]. Notice that in the LotR, the word for metal is given as tinco. (RAUTĀ)

rie

adverb. only

rilya

glittering

rilya adj.? noun? "glittering" (RIL; in the printed Etymologies the word is also glossed "brilliance", but according to VT46:11 this gloss does not properly apply to this word)

rohta

debt, trespass

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

rotsë

pipe

rotsë noun "pipe" (LT2:347); pl. rotser (?) in Narqelion? (Cf. QL:xiv)

ré

day

ré noun "day" (of the sun), a full 24-hour cycle (Appendix D) composed of aurë (day, daylight) and lómë "night" (VT49:45). Short -rë in compounds like Ringarë (q.v.). Allative rénna (VT49:45).

san

then

san (1) adv. "then" (MC:216; also twice in Narqelion), a "Qenya" term apparently replaced by tá in Tolkiens later conception. In his later Quenya, san would be the dative form of sa "it", hence "for it; to it".

san

so

san (2) adv. ephemeral word for "so" (ya(n)...san "as...so"; san na "thus be" = let it be so, "amen"); this form was apparently quickly abandoned by Tolkien (VT43:16, 24, VT49.18)

sanar

mind

sanar noun "mind" (literally "thinker" or "reflector", suggesting an underlying verb #sana- "to think, to reflect") (VT41:13)

sanda

name

[sanda, sandë] (þ) (2) noun "name" (VT46:16)

sanya

name

[sanya] (þ) (2) noun ?"name" (reading of gloss uncertain, VT46:16)

satto

cardinal. two

satto, "Qenya" numeral "two" (in Tolkiens later Quenya atta) (VT49:54)

selyë

daughter

[selyë noun "daughter", used in children's play for "fourth finger" or "fourth toe" _(VT47:10, 15, VT48:4) _It is unclear whether it was the word selyë "daughter" itself that was rejected, or just its use as a play-name of a digit. Compare yeldë, yendë.]

ser-

verb. rest,repose;stay, tarry, be at the moment

sír

adverb. now

sóra

long, trailing

sóra adj. "long, trailing" (LT2:344)

ta

then

ta (4) conj., said to be a reducted form of tá "then", used "before each new item in a series or list"; "if as often in English the equivalent of and was omitted, and placed only before a final item [e.g. Tom, Dick, and Harriet], this would in Quenya represent a discontinuity, and what followed after ta would be an addition of something overlooked or less important". (PE17:70) Hence the use of arta (ar ta, "and ta") for "et cetera"; in older language ta ta or just ta.

ta

so, like that, also

ta (2) adv. "so, like that, also", e.g. ta mára "so good" (VT49:12)

tai

they, them

tai (2) pron. "they, them", 3rd person pl., used with reference to inanimates rather than persons or living things (VT49:32, see ta #3 above). Perhaps to avoid the clash with tai "that which", the pronoun tai "they, them" was altered to te in at least one manuscript (VT49:33), so that it would merge with the pronoun used of living beings and the distinction between animate and inanimate would be abandoned (see te).

tai

then

tai (3) adv. "then", also tá (which form may be preferred because tai has other meanings as well) (VT49:33)

tai

1lE adverb. then

talo

adverb. thence

tamen

adverb. thither

tana-

to show, indicate

tana- (2) vb. "to show, indicate" (MR:350, 385, 471) (cf. the demonstrative tana "that")

tande

thither

tande adv. "thither" (MC:215; this is "Qenya")

tanna

thither

tanna (2) pron. in allative "thither" (VT14:5, PE16:96; evidently to be understood as the allative of ta #2: "to that [place]"). Compare tar and locative tassë.

tar

adverb. thither

PQ. thither

tar

thither

tar (1) adv. or technically pron. with old allative ending: "thither" (TA). This is ta #1 with the same allative ending -r (from primitive -da) as in mir "into". Compare tanna. According to VT49:11, tar may also appear in the logner form tara.

tara

thither

tara adv. "thither"; see tar #1.

ten

for

ten (2) conj. "for", in Fíriel's Song; apparently replaced by an in LotR-style Quenya.

tengwestië

language

tengwestië noun "Language" as abstract or phenomenon (WJ:394)

tengwië

language

#tengwië noun "language" in the compound mátengwië "language of the hands" (VT47:9). Compare tengwë, tengwesta.

ter

so

ter (2), also tér, prep. (?) ephemeral word for "so" (see ier), abandoned by Tolkien in favour of tambë (VT43:17)

teren

slender

teren, terenë adj. "slender" (TER/TERES)

tildë

spike, horn

tildë noun "spike, horn" _(TIL; in the Etymologies as printed in LR, the first gloss is quoted as "point", but according to VT46:19, the proper reading is "spike")_

tin-

glint, spark, glitter

tin- vb. "glint, spark, glitter" (3rd pers. aorist tinë "it glints") (TIN, PE17:69)

tinco

metal

tinco noun "metal" (TINKŌ), also name of tengwa #1 (Appendix E, there spelt "tinco", but "tinko" in Etym); tincotéma noun "t-series", dental series, first column of the Tengwar system (Appendix E)

tinco

noun. metal

tinda

spike

tinda (2) noun "spike" (LT1:258; probably obsoleted by # 1 above)

tindë

glint

tindë noun "glint" (TIN)

toi

they

toi pron. "they" (FS; replaced by te in LotR-style Quenya?)

toron

brother

toron (torn- as in pl. torni) noun "brother" (TOR; a later source gives háno, hanno [q.v.] as the word for "brother", leaving the status of toron uncertain)

tsette

noun. fly

tulca

yellow

tulca (3) ("k") adj. "yellow". Adopted and adapted from Valarin; the normal Quenya word for "yellow" is rather malina (WJ:399)

tunta-

see, notice, perceive

tunta- "see, notice, perceive", pa.t. túne (QL:95)

turco

noun. chief

tá

then

tá 1) adv. "then" (VT49:11). Cf. ta #4.

tá

adverb. then

tó

thence

tó 2) adv. "thence" (for *tao, the pronoun ta "that, it" with the genitive ending -o, here used in an ablativic sense). Also talo, with -lo as a short form of the ablative ending -llo. (VT49:29, 11)

tó

adverb. thence

túrin

noun. lord

ulca

evil, bad, wicked, wrong

ulca adj. "evil, bad, wicked, wrong" (QL:97, VT43:23-24, VT48:32, VT49:14; compounded in henulca "evileyed", SD:68); variant olca, q.v. Compare noun ulco. The adj. ulca may also itself be used as a noun "evil", as in the ablative form ulcallo "from evil" (VT43:8, 10) and the sentence cé mo quetë ulca *"if one speaks evil" (VT49:19).