manô

noun. spirit

A noun translated “spirit” and fully declined as an example of a Weak II noun (SD/438). It appeared with both a short a (SD/424) and long â (SD/438). Given its ending -ô, it might be a masculine-noun, but it seems unlikely that spirits would only be male. This entry assumes it is a common-noun instead. It is probably related to ᴹQ. manu “departed spirit” as suggested by various authors (AAD/19, AL/Adûnaic, EotAL/MAN).

pûh

noun. breath

A noun translated “breath” and fully declined as an example of a Weak I noun (SD/431).

phay

root. spirit, spirit; [ᴹ√] radiate, send out rays of light

When this root first appeared in The Etymologies (Ety/PHAY), it was glossed “radiate, send out rays of light” and its derivatives were consistent with this definition, most notably in N. Feanor “Radiant Sun”. In later writings, this root was instead glossed “spirit” (PM/352), which is the connotation of most of its later derivatives. For example, the later meaning of S. Fëanor was changed to “Spirit of Fire”.

The earlier sense “radiate” probably also survived in Tolkien’s later conception, however. On MR/250, the word Q. fairë “spirit” is said to originally have had the sense “radiance”, which is precisely the meaning that ᴹQ. faire had in The Etymologies. There is also a primitive monosyllable ✶phāy “flame, ray of light” in the Outline of Phonology from the early 1950s (OP2: PE19/102). If the root meaning “radiate” remains valid, then the word S. ✱fael “gleam of the sun”, an element of S. Faelivrin “gleam of the sun on the pools of Ivrin” (the second name of Finduilas), might be a derivative of this root.

hyōba

noun. spirit, shadow

phairi

noun. spirit (general)

phayanāro

masculine name. Spirit of Fire

phayā

noun. soul, indwelling spirit

fëa

spirit

fëa noun "spirit" (pl. fëar attested, MR:363). The Incarnates are said to live by necessary union of hroa (body) and fëa (WJ:405). In Airëfëa noun "the Holy Spirit", Fëanáro masc. name "Spirit of Fire" (Quenya-Sindarin hybrid form: Fëanor), Fëanturi noun "Masters of Spirits", name of the two Valar Mandos and Lórien (SA:tur), fëafelmë noun "spirit-impulse" (impulses originating with the spirit, e.g. love, pity, anger, hate) (VT41:19 cf. 13, VT43:37). In one source it is said to mean specifically a "spirit indwelling a body", i.e. "soul" (PE17:124), which contradicts such uses as Airefëa or Fëanturi. Cf. fairë.

vilissë

spirit

vilissë noun "spirit" (GL:23)

þúlë

noun. spirit

airefëa

proper name. Holy Spirit

A Quenya name for the Holy Spirit in Alcar i Ataren, Tolkien’s unfinished Quenya version of the Gloria Patri prayer (VT43/36). It is a compound of airë “holy, holiness” and fëa “spirit”.

alcar i ataren ar i yondon ar i airefëan

glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit

The first line of Alcar i Ataren, Tolkien’s translation of the Gloria Patri prayer. The first word is alcar “glory” followed by dative clauses: i Ataren “for the Father” (atar dative), ar i Yondon “and for the Son” (yondo dative), ar i Airefean “and for the Holy Spirit” (Airefëa dative).

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

> alcar i Atar-en ar i Yondo-n ar i Aire-fea-n = “✱glory [be] Father-to and the Son-to and the holy-spirit-to”

Conceptual Development: Before airefean, Tolkien first wrote and rejected faire aistan, the first word meaning “spirit” and the second a dative form of the adjective aista “holy”.

fëanáro

masculine name. Spirit of Fire

The mother-name of Fëanor by which he was usually known, and from which his Sindarin name was derived (MR/217, PM/343). His name contains the elements fëa “spirit” and nár “fire”, but the name is actually an old compound, developed from ancient ✶Phayanāro (PE17/39, Ety/PHAY).

Conceptual Development: Curiously, in the Gnomish Lexicon from the 1910s, ᴱQ. Feanor was marked as Qenya (GL/35), corresponding to G. Fionor “Goblet Smith”, but it seems unlikely that this was a lasting idea. In the earliest Lost Tales, Feanor was probably so named in his own language, Gnomish (LT1/128). His later Quenya name ᴹQ. Feanáro first appeared in The Etymologies, where it is translated as “Radiant Sun” (Ety/PHAY). The interpretation as “Spirit of Fire” appears in texts from the 1950s and 1960s, as noted above (MR/217, PM/343).

súlë

noun. breath; (movement of) spirit, emission of power (of will or desire)

A word for “spirit” appearing in The Lord of the Rings appendices, where it was given as the name of tengwa #9 [3, “s” from older “th”] (LotR/1123). It also meant “breath” (PE17/124) and was originally derived from the primitive root √THŪ “puff, blow” (NM/237; PE17/124; Ety/THŪ). In this respect, súlë resembled the Ancient Greek word πνεῦμα (“pneuma”), which also originally meant “breath” but came to be used for the spirit or soul.

The meaning of the Quenya word was not quite the same, however. It was not used for a “soul” (which was fëa) or a disembodied spirit (which was fairë). Tolkien said:

> Eldar did not confound ordinary “breath” of the lungs with “spirit” ... the Eldar held that “spirits”, the more as they had native power, could emit their influence to make contact with or act upon things exterior to themselves: primarily on upon other spirits, or other incarnate persons (via the fëar), but also in the case of great spirits (such as the Valar or greater Maiar) directly upon physical things without the mediacy of bodies normally necessary in the case of fairondi or incarnates. To describe this, they used (but by deliberate symbolism taken e.g. from such cases as their breathing upon a cold or frosted surface, which was then melted) the √THŪ [“breath”] ... Hence [primitive Eldarin] thū́lē “blowing forth” was used = “spirit” in this special sense: the emission of power (of will or desire) from a spirit (PE17/124).

Thus súlë was used metaphorically as “spirit” in the sense of the movement of a spirit’s power or will upon the world, alongside its more ordinary meaning as “breath”.

Conceptual Development: This word first appeared in The Etymologies from the 1930s, already with the meaning and etymology given above (Ety/THŪ). Its appearance in compounds like Súlimë “March” (LotR/1110) and Súlimo “Breather” (S/26, PE21/85) imply a stem form of súli-, but in one place it was given a primitive form ✶thū́lē, which implies a stem form of súle-. The prefixal form súli- was due to blending with primitive ✶sūli, the basis of S. sûl “wind” (NM/237).

There are cases where, especially in his earlier writing, Tolkien used súle for “spirit” in a more traditional sense, as in the phrase ksaráre psare súle “longing frets the spirit” (PE22/119). Thus it may be that Tolkien originally conceived of a semantic evolution for súle closer to Greek πνεῦμα, before differentiating it more clearly as described above.

Ainu

holy one, angelic spirit

Ainu noun "holy one, angelic spirit"; fem. Aini (AYAN, LT1:248); "one of the 'order' of the Valar and Maiar, made before Eä"; pl. Ainur is attested. Adopted and adapted from Valarin ayanūz(WJ:399). In the early "Qenya Lexicon", ainu was glossed "a pagan god", and aini was similarly "a pagan goddess", but as Christopher Tolkien notes, "Of course no one within the context of the mythology can call the Ainur 'pagan' " (LT1:248). Ainulindalë noun "Music of the Ainur" (SA:lin #2), the First History (WJ:406), the Song of Creation (AYAN)

Fëanáro

spirit of fire

Fëanáro masc. name "Spirit of Fire", in Sindarized form Fëanor(SA:nár, PHAY, MR:206). The word apparently includes the masculine ending -o. Compare fëa, nár.

Nermi

field-spirit

Nermi noun "a field-spirit" (LT1:262)

a aina fairë, eru órava (o)messë

God, the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us

The eighth line of Tolkien’s Quenya translation of the Litany of Loreto prayer (VT44/12). The first word is the vocative a “O” followed by aina fairë = “holy spirit”. The fourth word Eru is Tolkien’s usual Quenya name for God. The phrase órava (o)messe “have mercy on us” is essentially the same as in the first line; see that entry for discussion.

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

> a Aina Fairë, Eru órava (o)me-sse = “✱o Holy Spirit, God have-mercy us-on”

Conceptual Development: As in the first line, Tolkien first used the dative ómen for “on us” before revising it to the locative (o)messe (VT44/12, notes on line 8).

fairë

phantom, disembodied spirit, when seen as a pale shape

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

falmar

sea-spirit, nymph

falmar, falmarin (falmarind- or simply falmarin- as in pl. falmarindi [or falmarini]) noun "sea-spirit, nymph" (PHAL/PHÁLAS)

hó

spirit, shadow

hó noun "spirit, shadow" (PE17:86)

manu

departed spirit

manu noun "departed spirit" (MAN)

mánë

spirit that has gone to the valar or to erumáni

mánë noun "a spirit that has gone to the Valar or to Erumáni" (LT1:260)

súlë

spirit, breath

súlë (þ) noun "spirit, breath", also name of tengwa #9; originally thúlë (þúlë), before the shift th > s that occurred shortly before the rebellion of the Noldor (Appendix E, THŪ). Its gloss, "blowing forth", was metaphorically used as "the emission of power (of will or desire) from a spirit" (PE17:124). If the element súlë appears in Súlimë and Súlimo (q.v.), the stem-form may seem to be súli-.

tavaril

dryad, spirit of woods

tavaril noun "dryad, spirit of woods" (evidently fem.) (TÁWAR)

tavaro

dryad, spirit of woods

tavaro, tavaron noun "dryad, spirit of woods" (evidently masc.) (TÁWAR)

ëala

being, spirit

ëala noun "being, spirit" (pl. ëalar is attested), spirits whose natural state it is to exist without a physical body, like Balrogs (MR:165). The word apparently originates from the participle of ëa, q.v.

fëa

noun. (indwelling or incarnate) spirit, soul

fëafelmë

noun. *spirit-impulse

maia

noun. (angelic) spirit, the Beautiful

ainu

noun. holy one, spirit, holy one, angelic spirit (m.); [ᴱQ.] (pagan) god

cöacalina

noun. light of the house, indwelling spirit

maiya

noun. (angelic) spirit

máya

noun. angelic spirit

sustanë manwëo súlë ten i indo sindicollo ar he lastanë ar carnes

*the spirit of Manwe blew unto the heart of Thingol and he listened and did it

-ndur

friend

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

Rána

the wayward, the wanderer

Rána place-name "the Wayward, the Wanderer", a name of the moon (MR:198, MC:221, Silm); genitive Ráno in the phrase Ráno tië "the path of the Moon" (VT47:11). See also ceuran-, ránasta. According to one late source, Rána is not properly the Moon itself but is rather the "name of the spirit (Máya) that was said to abide in the Moon as its guardian" (VT42:13). The Etymologies gives Rana with a short vowel (RAN). In the pre-classical Tengwar system there presupposed, Rana was also the name of tengwa #25 (VT45:10), which letter Tolkien would later call Rómen instead.

aina

holy

aina (2) adj "holy" (AYAN), derived from Ainu. Adopted and adapted from Valarin. According to VT43:32, the word is "obsolete, except in Ainur", apparently suggesting that airë or airëa (q.v.) was the normal term for "holy" in later Quenya. However, Tolkien repeatedly used aina in his translation of the Litany of Loreto: Aina Fairë "Holy Spirit", Aina Neldië "Holy Trinity", Aina Maria "Holy Mary", Aina Wendë "Holy Virgin". He also used Aina Eruontari for "holy Mother" in his rendering of the Sub Tuum Praesidium(WJ:399, FS, SA, VT43:32, VT44:5, 12, 17-18)

airë

holy

airë (1) adj. "holy", #Airefëa "the Holy Spirit" (VT43:37, dative airefëan on the previous page), airetári or Airë Tári "holy queen" (a title of Varda, PM:363), genitive aire-tário "holy-queen's" (Nam, RGEO:67). However, according to PM:363, airë is the noun "sanctity", while aira is the adjective "holy". VT43:14 refers to an etymological note of "Sept.-Oct. 1957" where airë is said to be a noun "sanctity, holiness", and the adjective "holy" is given as airëa. However, the verb #airita- "hallow" seems to be formed from an adjective airë, airi- "holy". Evidently airë can function as both adjective ("holy") and noun ("holiness"); if so airë as adj. could represent a primitive adjective gaisi, whereas airë as noun may descend from gaisē. The former but not the latter would have the stem airi- (as observed in the derived verb #airita-), and compounds like airetári (rather than *airitári) would seem to contain properly the noun "holiness".

nárë

flame

nárë, also short nár, noun "flame" (NAR1, Narqelion). Translated "fire" in some names, see Aicanáro, Fëanáro (where nár apparently has the masculine ending -o, though in the latter name it may also be the genitive ending since Fëa-náro** is translated "Spirit of Fire"). At one point, Tolkien mentioned "nār-" as the word for "fire (as an element)" (PE17:183). Cf. ruinë** as the word for "a fire" (a concrete instance of fire) in the same source.

órë

heart

órë (1) noun "heart" (inner mind), also name of tengwa #21 (Appendix E), "premonition" (VT41:13), "nearest equivalent of 'heart' in our application to feelings, or emotions (courage, fear, hope, pity, etc.)" (VT41:13). The órë apparently defines a person's personality, cf. the description of Galadriel in PM:337, that "there dwelt in her the noble and generous spirit (órë) of the Vanyar". Órenya "my heart" (VT41:11).

-ndil

friend

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

-ser

friend

-ser noun "friend" (SER)

Aino

god

Aino noun "god", within Tolkien's mythos a synonym of Ainu (but since Aino is basically only a personalized form of aina "holy", hence "holy one", it could be used as a general word for "god") (PE15:72)

aira

holy

aira (2) adj. "holy"; see airë #1

airëa

holy

airëa adj. "holy"; see airë.

aista

holy

aista (1) adj. "holy" (VT43:37)

elwen

heart

elwen noun "heart" (LT1:255; rather hón or enda in LotR-style Quenya)

enda

heart

enda noun "heart", but not referring to the physical organ; it literally means "centre" (cf. endë) and refers to the fëa (soul) or sáma (mind) itself. (VT39:32)

foa

breath, puff of breath

foa (1) noun "breath, puff of breath" (VT47:35, 36)

fúmë

noun. breath

A word for “breath” in the Löa Yucainen poem, perhaps related to föa “(puff of) breath”.

heldo

friend

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

hón

heart

hón noun "heart" (physical) (KHŌ-N); hon-maren "heart of the house", a fire (LR:63, 73; this is "Qenya" with genitive in -en, not -o as in LotR-style Quenya read *hon-maro?)

indo

heart, mood

indo (1) noun "heart, mood" (ID), "state" (perhaps especially state of mind, given the other glosses) (VT39:23), "mind, region/range of thought, mood" (PE17:155, 179), "inner thought, in fea as exhibited in character or [?personality]" (PE17:189). In another post-LotR source, indo is translated "resolve" or "will", the state of mind leading directly to action (VT41:13). Indo is thus "the mind in its purposing faculty, the will" (VT41:17). Indo-ninya,a word occurring in Fíriels Song, translated "my heart" (see ninya). In the compound indemma "mind-picture", the first element would seem to be indo.

larma

raiment

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

larma

noun. raiment

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

meldo

friend, lover

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

meldë

friend

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

málo

noun. friend

friend, comrade

málo

friend

málo noun "friend" (MEL, VT49:22)

nildo

friend

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

nildë

friend

nildë noun "friend" (fem.) (NIL/NDIL)

nilmo

friend

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

nár

flame

nár noun "flame", also nárë (NAR1).Translated "fire" in some names, see Aicanár(o), Fëanáro (where nár apparently has the masculine ending -o added to it). According to PE17:183, nár- is "fire as an element" (a concrete fire or blaze is rather called a ruinë).

návë

being

návë "being", *"to be", infinitive (or gerund) of ná; see ná #1. (PE17:68)

návë

noun. being

The gerund (verbal noun) of ná- “to be” (PE17/68), so “being” as in “the state of being” rather than “a living being”.

sermo

friend

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

sermë

friend

sermë noun "friend" (fem.) (SER)

seron

friend

seron noun "friend" (SER)

sondo

friend

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

sára

fiery

sára (2) adj. "fiery" (LT1:248; this "Qenya" word may have been obsoleted by # 1 above)

uruitë

fiery

uruitë adj. "fiery" (UR; thisstem was struck out in Etym, but several words that must be derived from it occur in LotR, so it seems that Tolkien restored it.)

uruvoitë

fiery

uruvoitë adj. "fiery" (LT1:271)

velca

flame

velca ("k") noun "flame" (LT1:260; nár, nárë would be the normal word in Tolkien's later Quenya)

úruva

fiery

úruva adj. "fiery" (from UR; this stem was struck out in Etym, but several words that must be derived from it occur in LotR, so it seems that Tolkien restored it. The word úruva also occurred in early "Qenya"; in LT1:271 it is glossed "like fire".)

aino

noun. god

hû

spirit

_ n. _spirit, shadow.

faer

noun. spirit

faen

noun. vapour; [disembodied] spirit

A word for “vapour” in some 1957 notes derived from √PHAY “spirit”, also referring to disembodied spirits as the equivalent of Q. fairë for “spirit” (NM/237).

Neo-Sindarin: For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I’d use better-known S. faer for a disembodied spirit (MR/349), a more direct cognate of Q. fairë, but I see no reason why faen can’t be used for vapour.

faenor

masculine name. Spirit of Fire

The proper form of Fëanor if it were a true Sindarin name (MR/217, PM/343). This name is a combination of fae “spirit” and the suffixal form -nor of naur “fire”.

fân

noun. (white) cloud; veil, curtain; form or vision of a spiritual being; spirit [embodied]

The usual Sindarin word for “cloud” (PE17/36, 174; RGEO/66). As Tolkien explained it “The S. form fân, fan- was usually applied to clouds, as veils over the blue sky or the sun or moon, or resting hills” (RGEO/66). This use meant it was largely limited to white clouds in fair weather (PE17/36; Let/278); a dark or stormy cloud would be [ᴺS.] lum (see that entry for discussion). In an essay written around 1967 Tolkien indicated that fân had a second meaning:

> In Sindarin ✱phanā > fân meant a “veil”: a covering concealing what lay within or behind. It was frequently used of clouds in the sky, as veils over the blue heaven or the sun, moon, stars. This indeed became its leading sense, so that when it was still used of lesser and handmade things this was felt to be a transference of the sense “cloud” and fân was seldom applied to any but things of soft textures, such as woven veils, mantles, or curtains (PE17/173).

Thus in addition to “cloud”, fân applied to soft handmade veils or curtains (from its original sense). But the word had a third meaning as well, with a more complex origin:

> √PHAN-. The basic sense of this was “cover, screen, veil”, but it had a special development in the Eldarin tongues ... In Quenya, owing to close relations of the Eldar in Valinor with the Valar, and other lesser spirits of their order, fana developed a special sense. It was applied to the visible bodily forms adopted by these spirits, when they took up their abode on Earth, as the normal “raiment” of their otherwise invisible being ... This Quenya meaning of fana after the coming of the Exiles to Middle-earth was also assumed by Sindarin fân, at first in the Sindarin as used by the exiled Noldor, and eventually also by the Sindar themselves, especially those in close contact with the Noldor or actually mingled with them (PE17/174-176).

Thus, owing to the Quenya meaning of the word, the Sindar also used fân to referred physical form of the Valar and other spiritual beings, as well as visions of such beings (PE17/26), since the Sindar had relatively little direct experience of the Valar. For spirits, being embodied was not their natural state, so their fân was like “clothing” a spirit could wear to interact with the physical world.

Conceptual Development: In The Etymologies of the 1930s this word was N. faun “cloud” derived from primitive ᴹ✶spāna based on the root ᴹ√SPAN “white” (Ety/SPAN). In one note from around 1957 Tolkien considered using S. fân for an embodied spirit or soul, the equivalent of Q. fëa (NM/237), but elsewhere this was S. fae (MR/165; PM/343). For the most part in later writings, Tolkien used fân for “cloud” and related senses, as discussed above. Furthermore, in later writings it was a derivative of √PHAN rather than 1930s ᴹ√SPAN.

fëanor

masculine name. Spirit of Fire

Greatest of the Noldor and crafter of the Silmarils (LotR/657). His Sindarin name is a partial adaptation of his mother-name Q. Fëanáro “Spirit of Fire”, as opposed to a pure Sindarin translation, which would have been Faenor (MR/217, PM/343). As such, it is a combination of Q. fëa “spirit” and the suffixal form -nor of S. naur “fire”.

Conceptual Development: The earliest mention of this name is in the Gnomish Lexicon from the 1910s, where ᴱQ. Feanor is explicitly marked Qenya, with a cognate G. Fionor (< Fionaur) “Goblet Smith” in Gnomish (GL/35). The language of the name Feanor in earliest Lost Tales is not specified, but it is probable that Tolkien re-imagined the name as Gnomish at an early stage, since both Feanor and his father Bruithwir were of the Noldoli (LT1/128, 145).

In the Silmarillion drafts and The Etymologies from the 1930s, the name N. Feanor is explicitly marked as Noldorin, with a Qenya equivalent ᴹQ. Feanáro, both developed from primitive ᴹ✶Phayanāro “Radiant Sun” (Ety/PHAY). However, the phonetic developments leading from ᴹ✶Phaya- to N. Fea- are obscure, and the combination [ea] does not occur in any other Noldorin word. This is likely the reason Tolkien developed the mix-language derivation discussed above, which appears in notes associated with the Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s.

huorn

noun. ?spirit tree

Ent-like creatures from the forest of Fangorn (LotR/705).

Possible Etymology: Clearly the final element of this word is orn “tree”, but Tolkien was unsure of the initial element. In notes on Words, Phrases and Passages from The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien considered first considered hû “spirit, shadow” < ✶hyōba (PE17/86). He then considered hû derived from ✶khōgo with a new gloss that might be “hound” or might be “heart” according to Christopher Gilson; compare N. hû “dog” from The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from the root ᴹ√KHUG (Ety/KHUG). This was followed by unglossed forms hôn or hûn derived from primitive ✶khōn-, which obviously resemble N. hûn “heart” from The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√KHŌ-N (Ety/KHŌ-N).

Thus Tolkien may have considered the possible meanings: “spirit-tree”, “shadow-tree”, “hound-tree”, “heart-tree”.

Conceptual Development: In Lord of the Rings drafts of the 1940s, Tolkien gave these creatures Quenya names ᴹQ. Lamorni >> ᴹQ. Ornómi “Talking Trees” (WR/50).

gorthad

noun. wraith, spirit of Dead

A word for “wraith, spirit of Dead” in the name Tyrn Gorthad “Barrow-downs”, more literally “✱mounds of wraith/spirit of the dead” (LotR/1040; PE17/116). The initial element of this word is clearly gorth “dead” and its second element might just be the abstract noun ending -ad; hat-tip to Vyacheslav Stepanov for this suggestion. Hammond and Scull suggested it might instead be gorth “dread” + sad “place”, or “dread place = barrow” (RC/691), but they did not cite a source for this etymology.

fae

noun. incarnate spirit, incarnate spirit, *soul

faer

noun. spirit (in general)

hû

noun. spirit, shadow

fanuilos, le linnathon

and now to thee, Fanuilos, bright spirit clothed in ever-white, I will ... sing

thû

noun. movement of spirit

fae

spirit

1. fae (soul, radiance). No distinct pl. form. 2) faer (radiance). No distinct pl. form. (MR:349)

fae

spirit

(soul, radiance). No distinct pl. form.

faer

spirit

(radiance). No distinct pl. form. (MR:349)

Fëanor

Spirit of Fire

Fëanor's father-name was Curufinwë, "Skillful Finwë", by adding curu, the Quenya noun for "skill", to his father's name . He later gave his favorite son Curufin the same father-name. His mother-name was Fëanáro, which translates as "Spirit of Fire", being formed by adding fëa, a Quenya noun for "spirit" and nár, "flame". Apparently, the masculine ending -o is also present. The name Fëanor is the Sindarin version of his mother-name.

faergol

noun. depression, grief, (lit.) spirit-burden

hûr

fiery spirit

hûr (i chûr, o chûr, construct hur) (readiness for action, vigour), pl. huir (i chuir) if there is a pl.

hûr

fiery spirit

hûr (i chûr, o chûr, construct hur) (readiness for action, vigour), pl. huir (i chuir) if there is a pl.

mân

departed spirit

mân (i vân, construct man), pl. main (i main)

hûr

fiery spirit

(i chûr, o chûr, construct hur) (readiness for action, vigour), pl. huir (i chuir) if there is a pl.

hûr

fiery spirit

(i chûr, o chûr, construct hur) (readiness for action, vigour), pl. huir (i chuir) if there is a pl.

mân

departed spirit

(i vân, construct man), pl. main (i main)

gorthad

noun. wraith

n. wraith, spirit of Dead. >> Tyrn Gorthad

fae

soul

fae (spirit, radiance). No distinct pl. form.: No general word for ”sound” is attested, but there are the following terms:

hûr

readiness for action

hûr (i chûr, o chûr, construct hur) (vigor, fiery spirit), pl. huir (i chuir) if there is a pl.

Fëanor

Fëanor

Fëanor's father-name was Curufinwë, "Skillful Finwë", by adding curu, the Quenya noun for "skill", to his father's name . He later gave his favorite son Curufin the same father-name. His mother-name was Fëanáro, which translates as "spirit of fire", being formed by adding fëa, a Quenya noun for "spirit" and nár, "flame". Apparently, the masculine ending -o is also present. The name Fëanor is the Sindarized version of his mother-name; the proper Sindarin form of his name was Faenor.

fae

soul

(spirit, radiance). No distinct pl. form.

Eru

god

(the One) #Eru, isolated from Eruchín** **"children of the One" (= Elves and Men; sg. *Eruchen).

bara

fiery

1. bara (eager), lenited vara, pl. berai, 2) nórui (sunny). No distinct pl. form.

gaer

holy

gaer (awful, fearful); lenited aear; no distinct pl. form. Note: homophones mean "reddish, copper-coloured, ruddy" and also "sea".

gwanwen

departed

1. (past participle) gwanwen (lenited wanwen; pl. gwenwin), also as noun: a ”departed” one, one of the Elves of Aman: Gwanwen (i **Wanwen), pl. Gwenwin (in Gwenwin) (WJ:378), 2) gwann (dead), lenited wann; pl. gwain**;

hûn

heart

1. (physical heart) hûn (i chûn, o chûn, construct hun), pl. huin (i chuin), 2) (inner mind) gûr (i **ûr, construct gur), pl. guir (i nguir = i ñuir). Note: A homophone means ”death”, but has different mutations. (VT41:11). 3) ind (inner thought, mind, meaning), no distinct pl. form;, coll. pl. innath. 4) nest (core, center), pl. nist. Also notice the prefix hû**- apparently meaning ”heart”..

lach

flame

(noun) 1) lach (leaping flame), pl. laich; 2) naur (in compounds nar-, -nor) (fire, sun), pl. noer, coll. pl. norath, 3) rill (construct ril) (brilliance, glittering reflected light), no distinct pl. form except with article (idh rill).

lacha

flame

(verb) *lacha- (i lacha, i lachar). Only the imperative form lacho is attested.

mellon

friend

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

thûl

breath

1. thûl (pl. thuil), 2) hwest (i chwest, o chwest) (puff, breeze), pl. hwist (i chwist)

aer

adjective. holy

gwanwen

proper name. Departed

A term the Sindar used for the Elves who left Beleriand for Aman, derived from the same root as Q. vanwa: √WĀ/AWA (WJ/366, 378). Another variation was Gwanwel (WJ/378), perhaps incorporating †Ell “Elf”.

Conceptual Development: Notes on Names (NN) from 1957 had a similar form Gwenedhel, with deleted variants {gwenieðel} and {gweineðel} ultimately revised to Caleðel “✱Light Elf” (PE17/140).

gwanwen

adjective. departed, departed, *gone, lost [to time], past

A word for “departed” in the Quendi and Eldar (Q&E) essay from 1959-60 (WJ/378), clearly derived from the root √WĀ “away”. It might be related to the verb gwae- from Definitive Linguistic Notes (DLN) of 1959 (PE17/148). That verb had an irregular passive participle gwawn or gwanu. The word gwanwen may be a modification of (archaic?) gwanu from DLN to more strongly resemble other passive participles like govannen (LotR/209) or onnen (WJ/387). Alternately, it could be a simple adjective, the Sindarin equivalent of Q. vanwa.

Neo-Sindarin: I would assume that, like its Quenya equivalent, gwanwen has the added connotation of “✱gone, lost [to time], past” for purposes of Neo-Sindarin.

Conceptual Development: The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had G. haim or haithin “gone, departed, lost”, the latter based on the verb G. haitha- “hie, go, fare, walk” (GL/47).

gûr

noun. heart (in the moral sense), counsel

lach

noun. (leaping) flame

lacha-

verb. to flame

lacho

verb. flame!

mellon

noun. friend

mellon

noun. friend

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

mellon

noun. friend

naur

noun. flame

naur

noun. fire

aenor

noun. god

A neologism for “a god” opposed to “God” (Eru), based on Gnomish ain. A direct adaptation of the Gnomish form would be aen, but that conflicts with aen “should be”; Fiona Jallings suggested the extended form aenor in a Discord chat in August 2019.

bara

fiery

(eager), lenited vara, pl. berai

eru

noun. God

eru

god

isolated from Eruchín "children of the One" (= Elves and Men; sg. ✱Eruchen).

gaer

holy

(awful, fearful); lenited ’aear; no distinct pl. form. Note: homophones mean "reddish, copper-coloured, ruddy" and also "sea".

gwann

departed

(dead), lenited ’wann; pl. gwain

gwanwen

departed

(lenited ’wanwen; pl. gwenwin), also as noun: a ”departed” one, one of the Elves of Aman: Gwanwen (i ’Wanwen), pl. Gwenwin (in Gwenwin) (WJ:378)

gûr

heart

(i ’ûr, construct gur), pl. guir (i nguir = i ñuir). Note: A homophone means ”death”, but has different mutations. (VT41:11).

hwest

breath

(i chwest, o chwest) (puff, breeze), pl. hwist (i chwist)

hûn

heart

(i chûn, o chûn, construct hun), pl. huin (i chuin)

iaun

holy place

(fane, sanctuary), pl. ioen, coll. pl. ionath

ind

heart

(inner thought, mind, meaning), no distinct pl. form;, coll. pl. innath.

lach

flame

(leaping flame), pl. laich;  2) naur (in compounds nar-, -nor) (fire, sun), pl. noer, coll. pl. norath, 3) rill (construct ril) (brilliance, glittering reflected light), no distinct pl. form except with article (idh rill).

lacha

flame

(i lacha, i lachar). Only the imperative form lacho is attested.

lachenn

flame-eyed

pl. lachinn *(WJ:384, there cited in archaic form lachend)*.

meldis

friend

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

mellon

friend

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

nest

heart

(core, center), pl. nist. Also notice the prefix hû- apparently meaning ”heart”..

nórui

fiery

(sunny). No distinct pl. form.

ruin

red flame

(no distinct pl. form except with article: idh ruin) (blazing fire). Also used as an adj. ”fiery red, burning”. (Silm app, entry ruin; PM:366)

ruin

fiery red

(burning); no distinct pl. form. Also used as noun ”red flame, blazing fire”. (Silm app, entry ruin; PM:366) Note: a homophone means ”slot, spoor, track, footprint”.

thûl

breath

(pl. thuil)

mân

noun. departed spirit

hûr

noun. readiness for action, vigour, fiery spirit

hûr

noun. readiness for action, vigour, fiery spirit

mân

noun. departed spirit

thûl

noun. breath

A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “breath” derived from the root ᴹ√THŪ “puff, blow” (Ety/THŪ). As written in The Etymologies, the actual form was thūl (EtyAC/THŪ).

Conceptual Development: In the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, Tolkien gave G. fest “breath, breathing” (GL/35), likely derived from the early root ᴱ√ǶEHE “breathe” (QL/41) with ƕ becoming f.

bara

adjective. fiery

bara

adjective. eager

cûl

noun. flame

A word for “flame” in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√KUL “golden-red”, but this word was deleted (EtyAC/KUL).

elf

noun. friend

gwann

adjective. departed, dead

hûn

noun. heart (physical)

lhach

noun. (leaping) flame

meldir

noun. friend

meldis

noun. friend

mellon

noun. friend

mellon

noun. friend

naur

noun. flame

naur

noun. fire

naur

noun. flame

thond

noun. friend

thûl

noun. breath