Quenya 

-iel

suffix. -daughter; feminine suffix

The most common Quenya suffix for “daughter of” such as in Elerondiel “✱Daughter of Elrond” (PE17/56) or Uinéniel “Daughter of Uinen” (UT/182).

Conceptual Development: The earliest hint of this suffix was ᴱQ. -il mentioned by Tolkien in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s as the equivalent of feminine patronymic ᴱQ. -wen (QL/103), but its only use in this period was in the masculine name ᴱQ. Indorildo, a variant of ᴱQ. Indorion and hence probably meaning “son of” (LT2/217). In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien mentioned ᴹQ. -iel as a feminine patronymic under the root ᴹ√YEL “daughter” (Ety/YEL¹), but this root was rejected and in that document Tolkien seems to have replaced it with ᴹQ. -ien (EtyAC/YŌ).

In later writings Tolkien considered a bewildering variety of suffixes for the feminine patronymic, including -iel(d), -well, -wend and -ien (PE17/170, 190). In practice, though, only -iel appeared in actual names for “daughter of” (see above), perhaps because it is was the cleanest equivalent of the well-established masculine patronymic -ion “son of”.

Changes

  • -yel-well- ✧ PE17/190
  • iel-uell- ✧ PE17/190
  • -yelde-wend- ✧ PE17/190

Cognates

  • S. -iel “daughter; feminine suffix” ✧ PE17/023

Derivations

  • -iel “feminine suffix”

Element in

Variations

  • iel ✧ PE17/023; PE17/170; PE17/190 (iel)
  • -ĕl ✧ PE17/170
  • -ielde ✧ PE17/170
  • -well- ✧ PE17/190
  • -uell- ✧ PE17/190
  • -wend- ✧ PE17/190
  • -wel ✧ PE17/190
  • -yel ✧ PE17/190 (-yel)
  • -yelde ✧ PE17/190 (-yelde)
Quenya [PE17/023; PE17/170; PE17/190] Group: Eldamo. Published by

-lca

your

[-lca ("k") ?"your", apparently an abandoned 2nd person plural possessive (VT49:49). Cf. -cca.]

-lda

your

-lda (1) "your", 2nd person pl. possessive suffix (VT49:16). Onnalda *"your child" (VT49:42). In an earlier manuscript, this ending was used for singular "you" instead, attested in the phrase Arwen vanimalda "Arwen your beauty", sc. "O beautiful Arwen", and in meletyalda "your majesty" (WJ:369) Arwen vanimalda was however changed to Arwen vanimelda in the second edition of LotR, Tolkien reinterpreting the last word (see vanimalda). The ending for singular "your" appears as -lya elsewhere. (LotR1:II ch. 6)

-ser

friend

-ser noun "friend" (SER)

elda

noun. Elf, (lit.) one of the Star-folk

The most common Quenya word for “Elf”. Its literal meaning is “one of the Star-folk” (WJ/374), a name given to them by Oromë (S/49) and derived from the same primitive root √EL as Q. elen “star”. Strictly speaking, this term excludes the Avari who chose not to journey to Valinor, so that the proper term for all of Elvenkind is Q. Quendë “one of the Elven race”. The Elves of the West rarely encountered the Avari, however, so that term Elda was ordinarily broad enough to describe all Elves.

Conceptual Development: This word dates back to the earliest stages of Tolkien’s languages. At its first appearance, ᴱQ. Elda was glossed “a beach-fay” (QL/35), but was soon extended to describe all Elves (LT1/113). In Tolkien’s earliest writings the word was not given a clear etymology. In the Lhammas “Account of Tongues” from the 1930s (LR/168-180), Tolkien gave ᴹQ. Elda the sense of “one who departed” (LR/169), as opposed to the ᴹQ. Lembi “Lingerers” who remained behind (precursors of the Avari). With this sense, Elda was derived from ᴹ√LED “go, fare, travel” (Ety/LED).

Tolkien soon revised the etymology of Elda so that it was derived instead from ᴹ√ELED “star-folk” (Ety/ELED). In some later writings, he considered both etymologies of this word to be valid, so that Elda was blending of both “star-folk” (from √EL) and Q. Eldo “marcher” (from √LED or √DEL), as discussed in the Quendi and Eldar essay from 1959-60 and elsewhere (WJ/362-3, PE17/139). However, the sense “star-folk” is probably better known.

In some notes from 1957, Tolkien considered deriving this word from a variant root √DEL “fair” so that its meaning would be “the fair” (PE17/151), but this seems to have been a transient idea.

Cognates

  • S. Eledh “Elf” ✧ Let/281; SA/êl; PE17/141
  • S. Ell “Elf” ✧ Let/281; WJ/362
  • S. Edhel “Elf” ✧ LRI/Edhil; PE17/045; PE17/151; PE17/152; SA/êl; SA/êl; RC/780
  • S. Ellon “Elf-man” ✧ PE17/151
  • T. Ello “Elf” ✧ WJ/375; WJ/373
  • T. Ella “Elf” ✧ WJ/362; WJI/Eldar

Derivations

  • eledā “star-folk, of the stars” ✧ Let/281; PE17/141; SA/êl; WJ/360; WJ/364; WJ/364
    • EL “lo, behold; star, lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky” ✧ Let/281
  • elenā “connected with or concerning the stars” ✧ PE17/139; PE17/152
    • elen “star” ✧ PE17/139
    • EL “lo, behold; star, lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky” ✧ Let/281; PE17/067; VT42/11; WJ/360
  • edelā “the fair” ✧ PE17/139; PE17/151
    • DEL “*fair” ✧ PE17/151
  • edelō “one who goes, traveller, migrant, marcher” ✧ PE17/152
    • DEL “walk, go, proceed, travel” ✧ WJ/360; WJ/363

Derivatives

  • S. Ell “Elf” ✧ PE17/141
    • S. Elleth “Elf-maid” ✧ PE17/141
    • S. Ellon “Elf-man” ✧ PE17/141

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
eledā/elenā > Elda[eledā] > [eldā] > [elda]✧ Let/281
elenā > Elda[elenā] > [elnā] > [eldā] > [elda]✧ PE17/139
edelā > Elda[edelā] > [edlā] > [eldā] > [elda]✧ PE17/139
eledā > elda[eledā] > [eldā] > [elda]✧ PE17/141
edelā > elda[edelā] > [edlā] > [eldā] > [elda]✧ PE17/151
elenā > elda[elenā] > [elnā] > [eldā] > [elda]✧ PE17/152
edelā > eledā > elda[edelā] > [eledā] > [eldā] > [elda]✧ PE17/152
elda > Elda[elda]✧ SA/êl
eldā > Elda[eldā] > [elda]✧ WJ/360

Variations

  • elda ✧ PE17/045; PE17/056; PE17/057; PE17/141; PE17/141; PE17/151; PE17/152; PE17/152
Quenya [Let/198; Let/281; LotR/1127; LotR/1137; LotRI/Eldar; LRI/Edhil; MRI/Eldar; NM/239; PE17/045; PE17/056; PE17/057; PE17/114; PE17/135; PE17/139; PE17/141; PE17/151; PE17/152; PE17/189; PE21/73; PE21/77; PE22/155; PM/029; PM/346; PM/395; PM/403; PMI/Eldar; RC/217; RC/780; S/049; SA/êl; SI/Eldar; SI/High Elves; TII/Eldar; UTI/Eldanna; UTI/Eldar; VT49/08; WJ/362; WJ/364; WJ/368; WJ/369; WJ/373; WJ/374; WJ/375; WJ/407; WJI/Eldar; WRI/Eldar] Group: Eldamo. Published by

-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.

heldo

friend

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

meldo

friend, lover

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

meldë

friend

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

-cca

your

[-cca ("k") ?"your", apparently an abandoned 2nd person plural or dual possessive (VT49:49). Compare -lca.]

-sta

your

-sta (1) "your", dual 2nd person possessive pronominal ending: "of you two" (VT49:45, 16), cf. -stë (q.v.) Genitive -sto in veryanwesto "of your wedding" (VT49:45) and tengwiesto "of your reading" (VT49:47), allative -stanna in parmastanna "on your book" (VT49:47). An archaic ending of similar form could also be the third person dual "of the two of them" (but according to VT49:51, the corresponding subject ending was changed to -ttë, and then the ending for "their" would presumably become -tta)

-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)

-tya,

your, thy

-tya, pronominal ending, 2nd person sg. intimate/familiar "your, thy" (VT49:16, 38, 48); compare -tyë

ailin

g.sg. ailinen

ailin ("g.sg. ailinen", in Tolkien's later Quenya dat.sg.) "pool, lake" (AY, LIN1, LT2:339). Fem. name Ailinel (likely Ailinell-), perhaps ailin + the feminine ending -el (as in aranel "princess"), hence "Lake-woman" or similar (UT:210).

málo

noun. friend

friend, comrade

Quenya [PE 18:46 PE 18:96] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

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)

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)]

Sindarin 

-el

suffix. your

_2nd sg./pl. poss. suff. _your. Maybe the polite form of this suff. See also the paradigm of poss. suff. in PE17:46. Later -lein. >> -eg, -lein

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:46] -. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

-el

suffix. 2nd person singular polite possessive suffix

Sindarin [PE17/046] Group: Eldamo. Published by

-iel

suffix. daughter; feminine suffix

A widely used feminine suffix in Sindarin (PE17/23, 190). It sometimes more specifically meant “-daughter” in names such as Elrenniel “Arwen; ✱(lit.) Elrond-daughter” (PE17/56) or Tinúviel “Daughter of Twilight” (S/165), but in other cases it simply meant female as in names like Gilthoniel “Star-kindler [female]” (PE17/23). It was also sometimes reduced to -il or -el. See the entry on the root √YE(L) for a discussion of various conceptual vacillations in its connection to “daughter”.

Conceptual Development: The use of N. -iel dates back to Noldorin, where its connection to “daughter” was more explicit, though Tolkien vacillated on whether the suffix was based on ᴹ√YEL or ᴹ√SEL (Ety/SEL, YEL). The suffix does not appear to be specifically feminine in Gnomish of the 1910s, however, appearing in both female names like G. Níniel (LT2/100) and male names like G. Inwithiel (LT1/22).

Cognates

  • Q. -iel “-daughter; feminine suffix” ✧ PE17/023

Derivations

  • -iel “feminine suffix”

Element in

Variations

  • iel ✧ PE17/023
  • -el ✧ PE17/049 (-el)
Sindarin [PE17/023; PE17/049] Group: Eldamo. Published by

-eg

suffix. your

_2nd sg./pl. poss. suff. your.Maybe the familiar form of this suff. See also the paradigm of poss. suff. in PE17:46. Later -gen_. >> -el, -gen

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:46] -. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

-il

suffix. feminine suffix

A fairly common feminine suffix appearing as -il in Sindarin, either formed on its own or as a variant of the feminine suffix -iel. This suffix was also common Noldorin words in The Etymologies of the 1930s, along with an alternate form -ril that seems to be a feminine agental suffix, the equivalent of masculine -(r)on, seen in pairs like N. melethril/melethron “lover” and N. odhril/odhron “parent” (Ety/MEL, ONO). The -il suffix and its -ril variant are seen all the way back in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s in pairs like G. gwadhril/gwadhron “inhabitant” (GL/47) and G. ainil/ainos “god”, female and male respectively (GL/18). So it seems this feminine suffix was well established in Tolkien’s mind.

Element in

  • S. brethil “princess, (lit.) queen-daughter”
  • S. híril “lady, lady; [G.] princess, †queen” ✧ SA/heru
  • ᴺS. regil “mare”
  • S. Thuringwethil “Woman of Secret Shadow”

edhel

noun. Elf

Cognates

  • Q. Elda “Elf, (lit.) one of the Star-folk” ✧ LRI/Edhil; PE17/045; PE17/151; PE17/152; SA/êl; SA/êl; RC/780
  • Q. Eldo “one of the Marchers” ✧ WJ/363

Derivations

  • edelā “the fair” ✧ PE17/139; PE17/151
    • DEL “*fair” ✧ PE17/151
  • edelō “one who goes, traveller, migrant, marcher” ✧ PE17/141; PE17/152; WJ/360
    • DEL “walk, go, proceed, travel” ✧ WJ/360; WJ/363

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
edelā > eðel[edelā] > [edela] > [eðela] > [eðel]✧ PE17/139
edelō > eðel[edelō] > [edelo] > [eðelo] > [eðel]✧ PE17/141
edelā > edhel[edelā] > [edela] > [eðela] > [eðel]✧ PE17/151
edelā > eðel[edelā] > [edela] > [eðela] > [eðel]✧ PE17/152
edelō > Edhel[edelō] > [edelo] > [eðelo] > [eðel]✧ WJ/360
edelō > Edhil[edelī] > [edeli] > [eðeli] > [eðili] > [eðil]✧ WJ/360

Variations

  • edhel ✧ PE17/045; PE17/151; RC/780; SA/edhel; UT/255; UTI/Edhelrim
  • eðel ✧ PE17/139; PE17/141; PE17/152
  • Eðel ✧ PM/346
Sindarin [LRI/Edhil; PE17/045; PE17/097; PE17/139; PE17/141; PE17/151; PE17/152; PM/346; RC/780; RGEO/62; SA/edhel; SA/êl; SI/Sindar; UT/255; UT/318; UTI/Edhelrim; WJ/364; WJ/377; WJ/378; WJI/Edhel] Group: Eldamo. Published by

eledh

noun. Elf

Cognates

  • Q. Elda “Elf, (lit.) one of the Star-folk” ✧ Let/281; SA/êl; PE17/141
  • Q. elenya “adjective referring to the stars, *of the stars, stellar” ✧ WJ/362

Derivations

  • eledā “star-folk, of the stars” ✧ Let/281; PE17/140; PE17/141; PE17/142
    • EL “lo, behold; star, lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky” ✧ Let/281
  • elenā “connected with or concerning the stars” ✧ PE17/139; WJ/360
    • elen “star” ✧ PE17/139
    • EL “lo, behold; star, lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky” ✧ Let/281; PE17/067; VT42/11; WJ/360

Element in

  • S. Edelbar “*Elf-home” ✧ PE17/142
  • S. Eledhwen “Elfsheen, Elven-fair” ✧ Let/281; SA/êl; UTI/Haudh-en-Elleth
  • S. Elennor “*Elf-land” ✧ PE17/142
  • S. Eledhes “*Elf-maid” ✧ PE17/141; PE17/142
  • S. Eledhon “*Elf-man” ✧ PE17/141; PE17/142

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
eledā/elenā > eledh[eledā] > [eleda] > [eleða] > [eleð]✧ Let/281
eledā/elenā > elidh[eledī] > [eledi] > [eleði] > [eliði] > [elið]✧ Let/281
elenyā > elein[elenjā] > [elenja] > [elenia] > [eleni] > [elein] > [elain]✧ PE17/139
eledā > eleð[eledā] > [eleda] > [eleða] > [eleð]✧ PE17/140
eledā > eleð[eledā] > [eleda] > [eleða] > [eleð]✧ PE17/141
eledā > eledh[eledā] > [eleda] > [eleða] > [eleð]✧ PE17/142
elenā > Elen[elenā] > [elena] > [elen]✧ WJ/360
elenā > Elin[elenī] > [eleni] > [elini] > [elin]✧ WJ/360

Variations

  • eledh ✧ Let/281 (eledh); PE17/142; PE17/142; UTI/Edhelrim
  • elein ✧ PE17/139 (elein)
  • eleð ✧ PE17/140; PE17/141; PE17/142
  • Elen ✧ WJ/363; WJ/377 (Elen); WJI/Elen
Sindarin [Let/281; PE17/139; PE17/140; PE17/141; PE17/142; SA/êl; UTI/Edhelrim; UTI/Haudh-en-Elleth; WJ/363; WJ/377; WJI/Elen] Group: Eldamo. Published by

elen

noun. Elf

ell

noun. Elf

Cognates

  • Q. Elda “Elf, (lit.) one of the Star-folk” ✧ Let/281; WJ/362

Derivations

  • eledā “star-folk, of the stars” ✧ PE17/141; WJ/360
    • EL “lo, behold; star, lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky” ✧ Let/281
  • Q. Elda “Elf, (lit.) one of the Star-folk” ✧ PE17/141
    • eledā “star-folk, of the stars” ✧ Let/281; PE17/141; SA/êl; WJ/360; WJ/364; WJ/364
    • EL “lo, behold; star, lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky” ✧ Let/281
    • elenā “connected with or concerning the stars” ✧ PE17/139; PE17/152
    • elen “star” ✧ PE17/139
      • EL “lo, behold; star, lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky” ✧ Let/281; PE17/067; VT42/11; WJ/360
    • edelā “the fair” ✧ PE17/139; PE17/151
    • DEL “*fair” ✧ PE17/151
    • edelō “one who goes, traveller, migrant, marcher” ✧ PE17/152
    • DEL “walk, go, proceed, travel” ✧ WJ/360; WJ/363

Derivatives

  • S. Elleth “Elf-maid” ✧ PE17/141
  • S. Ellon “Elf-man” ✧ PE17/141

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
eldā > ell[eldā] > [elda] > [elða] > [elð] > [ell]✧ PE17/141
Q. elda > eld > ell[elda] > [elða] > [elð] > [ell]✧ PE17/141
eldā > Ell-[eldā] > [elda] > [elða] > [elð] > [ell]✧ WJ/360

Variations

  • ell ✧ Let/281; PE17/141; PE17/141 (ell); PE17/141; PE17/152 (ell)
  • elt ✧ PE17/141
  • Ell- ✧ WJ/363
  • ell- ✧ WJ/364
Sindarin [Let/281; PE17/141; PE17/142; PE17/152; VT50/15; VT50/19; VT50/23; WJ/363; WJ/364; WJ/377; WJ/412] Group: Eldamo. Published by

penedh

noun. Elf

Derivations

  • kwende “speaker, elf” ✧ PE17/140; PE17/141
    • KWENED “spoken, articulate, spoken, articulate; [ᴹ√] Elf” ✧ PE17/137
    • KWEN “speak with rational words” ✧ PE19/093
      • KWE “vocal speech” ✧ WJ/392
    • KWEN “speak with rational words” ✧ PE17/140; WJ/360
    • KWE “vocal speech” ✧ WJ/392

Element in

  • S. Morbenedh “*Dark-elf” ✧ PE17/140; PE17/141

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
kwenedē > peneð[kwenedē] > [penedē] > [penede] > [peneðe] > [peneð]✧ PE17/140
kwenedē > Penn[kwendē] > [pendē] > [pende] > [pend] > [penn]✧ PE17/141

Variations

  • peneð ✧ PE17/140; PE17/141
  • Penn ✧ PE17/141
Sindarin [PE17/140; PE17/141] Group: Eldamo. Published by

-gen

suffix. your

_2nd sg. poss. suff. your.Maybe the familiar form of this suff. See also the paradigm of poss. suff. in PE17:46. Earlier -eg_. >> -eg

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:46] -. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

-lein

suffix. your

_2nd sg. poss. suff. your.Maybe the polite form of this suff. See also the paradigm of poss. suff. in PE17:46. Earlier -el_. >> -el

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:46] -. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

mellon

noun. friend

Sindarin [Ety/372, LotR/II:IV, SD/129-31, Letters/424] Group: SINDICT. Published by

mellon

noun. friend

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

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:41] < _melnā_ < MEL love. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

mellon

noun. friend

Cognates

  • Q. meldo “friend, lover” ✧ WJ/412

Derivations

  • MEL “love, love, [ᴹ√] love (as friend)” ✧ SA/mel

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
mel- > mellon[meldondo] > [melðondo] > [melðond] > [mellond] > [mellonn] > [mellon]✧ SA/mel

Variations

  • Mellon ✧ LotR/0308; LotRI/Mellon
Sindarin [AotM/062; Let/424; LotR/0305; LotR/0308; LotRI/Mellon; PE17/041; PE17/097; SA/mel; SD/129; VT44/26; WJ/412] Group: Eldamo. Published by

edhel

elf

(pl. edhil). Coll. pl. Edhelrim (or Edhellim) (UT:318). Also †eledh, pl. elidh, coll. pl. eledhrim (Letters:281), also elen, pl. elin, also with coll. pl. eledhrim (elen + rim with the regular change nr > dhr). (WJ:363, 377-78; the shorter coll. pl. Eldrim > *Elrim*** may also occur). But since elin** also means "stars", other terms for "Elf" may be preferred.

peredhel

half-elf

(pl. peredhil) (PM:256, 348).

send

grey-elf

(i hend, o send, construct sen) (probably a term only used by the Noldor, borrowed from Quenya Sinda), pl. sind (i sind), coll. pl. Sendrim (the only attested form).

ellon

elf-man

(pl. ellyn)

laegel

green-elf

pl. laegil; coll. pl. laegrim or laegeldrim (WJ:385). These forms from a late source would seem to supersede the ”N” forms listed in LR:368 s.v. LÁYAK: *Lhoebenidh* or *Lhoebelidh*. The Green-elves of Beleriand were also called Lindel (pl. Lindil), also Lindedhel (pl. Lindedhil)  *(WJ:385)*.

elleth

elf-woman

(pl. ellith) (WJ:363-64, 377)

meldis

friend

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

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.

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.

miniel

first elf

(i Viniel), pl. Mínil (i Mínil), coll. pl. Miniellath. (WJ:383)

gwanwel

elf of aman

(”departed” Elf), pl. gwenwil (in gwenwil), coll. pl. gwanwellath. (WJ:378) Also gwanwen; see

elvellon

elf-friend

(pl. elvellyn, coll. pl. elvellonnath (WJ:412);

avar

non-eldarin elf

pl. Evair, also called

dúnedhel

elf of beleriand

(i Núnedhel), pl. *Dúnedhil*** (i Ndúnedhil*). (WJ:378, 386)*

edhelharn

elf-stone

(pl. edhelhern) (SD:128-31).

mornedhel

dark elf

(i Vornedhel), pl. Mornedhil (i Mornedhil). Conceivably the entire word could be umlauted in the pl.: ?Mernedhil. **(WJ:409) Another term for ”Dark Elf” is Dúredhel (i Dhúredhel), pl. Dúredhil (i Núredhil**).

lefn

elf left behind

pl. lifn.

calben

elf of the great journey

(i galben, o chalben), pl. celbin (i chelbin).

Telerin 

ella

noun/adjective. Elf

Cognates

  • Q. Elda “Elf, (lit.) one of the Star-folk” ✧ WJ/362; WJI/Eldar

Derivations

  • eledā “star-folk, of the stars” ✧ WJ/360
    • EL “lo, behold; star, lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky” ✧ Let/281

Element in

Telerin [WJ/362; WJ/364; WJ/375; WJI/Eldar] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ello

noun. Elf

Cognates

  • Q. Elda “Elf, (lit.) one of the Star-folk” ✧ WJ/375; WJ/373
  • Q. Eldo “one of the Marchers” ✧ WJI/Eldar

Derivations

  • edelō “one who goes, traveller, migrant, marcher” ✧ WJ/362; WJ/360
    • DEL “walk, go, proceed, travel” ✧ WJ/360; WJ/363

Element in

  • T. Audel “Elf who left for Aman” ✧ WJ/364
Telerin [WJ/362; WJ/364; WJ/373; WJ/375; WJ/376; WJI/Eldar] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Adûnaic

-êth

suffix. feminine suffix

A feminine suffix appearing in several names, as suggested by Carl Hostetter and Patrick Wynn (AAD/11). On SD/427, Tolkien said that the affix -th was often found in feminine forms.

Element in

suffix. feminine suffix

A suffix used to form feminine nouns from common or masculine nouns (SD/435). Another common variant was (SD/438).

Variations

  • ✧ SD/435

Primitive elvish

-iel

suffix. feminine suffix

Derivatives

  • Q. -iel “-daughter; feminine suffix”
  • S. -iel “daughter; feminine suffix”

Element in

Variations

  • iel ✧ MR/388
  • -el ✧ NM/349; NM/353
  • -elle ✧ NM/349; NM/353
  • r/l-iē̆l ✧ PE17/190 (r/l-iē̆l)
Primitive elvish [MR/388; NM/349; NM/353; PE17/190] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Noldorin 

-iel

suffix. daughter; feminine suffix

Cognates

  • Ilk. -il “feminine suffix”
  • ᴹQ. -iel “daughter” ✧ Ety/YEL

Element in

Elements

WordGloss
iell“daughter”

Variations

  • -iel ✧ Ety/PHIR; Ety/YEL (-iel); Ety/YEL (-iel); EtyAC/YEL
  • -iell ✧ EtyAC/YEL
Noldorin [Ety/PHIR; Ety/YEL; EtyAC/YEL] Group: Eldamo. Published by

-il

suffix. feminine suffix

elf

noun. friend

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. helmo “friend” ✧ EtyAC/ÑEL

Derivations

  • ᴹ√ÑEL “friendship” ✧ EtyAC/ÑEL

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√ÑEL > elf[ŋelmo] > [elmo] > [elm] > [elv]✧ EtyAC/ÑEL
Noldorin [EtyAC/ÑEL] Group: Eldamo. Published by

penedh

noun. Elf

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. Qende “Elf” ✧ Ety/KWEN(ED)
  • ᴹQ. Qendelie “Elf-race” ✧ Ety/KWEN(ED)

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶kwenedē “Elf” ✧ Ety/KWEN(ED)
    • ᴹ√KWEN(ED) “Elf” ✧ Ety/KWEN(ED)

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶kwenedē > penedh[kwenedē] > [penedē] > [penede] > [peneðe] > [peneð]✧ Ety/KWEN(ED)
ᴹ✶kwenedē > penidh[kwenedī] > [penedī] > [penedi] > [peneði] > [peniði] > [penið]✧ Ety/KWEN(ED)

Variations

  • peneð ✧ EtyAC/SET (peneð)
Noldorin [Ety/KWEN(ED); EtyAC/SET] Group: Eldamo. Published by

penn

noun. Elf

Cognates

Derivations

Element in

  • N. Morbenn “Dark Elf” ✧ EtyAC/MOR (Morbenn)

Variations

  • penn ✧ PE22/067
Noldorin [EtyAC/MOR; PE22/067] Group: Eldamo. Published by

-(r)il

suffix. feminine suffix

Element in

Variations

  • -il ✧ Ety/BARÁD (-il); Ety/BERÉTH
  • -ril ✧ Ety/MEL (-ril); Ety/SLIG (-ril)
Noldorin [Ety/BARÁD; Ety/BERÉTH; Ety/MEL; Ety/SLIG] Group: Eldamo. Published by

meldir

noun. friend

Noldorin [Ety/372] mell+dîr. Group: SINDICT. Published by

meldis

noun. friend

Noldorin [Ety/372] mell+dîs. Group: SINDICT. Published by

mellon

noun. friend

Noldorin [Ety/372, LotR/II:IV, SD/129-31, Letters/424] Group: SINDICT. Published by

mellon

noun. friend

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. málo “friend” ✧ Ety/MEL
  • ᴹQ. meldo “(friend), lover” ✧ EtyAC/MEL

Derivations

  • ᴹ√MEL “love (as friend)” ✧ Ety/MEL; EtyAC/MEL

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√MEL > meldon > mellon[meldondo] > [melðondo] > [melðond] > [mellond] > [mellonn] > [mellon]✧ EtyAC/MEL

Variations

  • Mellon ✧ TI/181
Noldorin [Ety/MEL; EtyAC/MEL; RS/452; RSI/Mellyn; TI/181; TI/182] Group: Eldamo. Published by

thond

noun. friend

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. sondo “friend” ✧ EtyAC/SON

Derivations

  • ᴹ√SON “love, befriend, cherish” ✧ EtyAC/SON

Element in

  • N. Elethon “Ælfwine” ✧ EtyAC/SON (Elethon)
  • N. ManathonBliss-friend” ✧ EtyAC/SON (Manathon*)

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√SON > thond[tʰondo] > [θondo] > [θond]✧ EtyAC/SON
Noldorin [EtyAC/SON] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Beware, older languages below! The languages below were invented during Tolkien's earlier period and should be used with caution. Remember to never, ever mix words from different languages!

Primitive adûnaic

-th

suffix. feminine suffix

A (primitive?) feminine suffix used in the formation of mîth “baby girl” from the root ✶Ad. √MIYI (SD/427). Tolkien stated that that th was one of the “favoured” feminine consonants (SD/427).

Element in

  • Ad. mîth “baby girl, maid-child, little girl” ✧ SD/427
Primitive adûnaic [SD/427] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Qenya 

-el

suffix. friend

Derivations

  • ᴹ√ÑEL “friendship” ✧ EtyAC/ÑEL

Element in

  • ᴹQ. Aláriel “Eadwine” ✧ EtyAC/ÑEL (Aláriel)
  • ᴹQ. Elériel “Ælfwine” ✧ EtyAC/ÑEL (Elériel)

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√ÑEL > -el[-ŋel] > [-ɣel] > [-el]✧ EtyAC/ÑEL

elda

noun. Elf

Changes

  • EldaElda “‘departed’ Elf” ✧ Ety/ELED

Cognates

  • N. Eledh “Star-folk, Elf” ✧ Ety/ELED; Ety/ELED
  • Ilk. Eld “Star-folk, Elf” ✧ Ety/ELED
  • Dan. Edel “Elf” ✧ Ety/ELED; Ety/ELED
  • Ilk. Egla “Star-folk, Elf” ✧ Ety/ELED
  • Ad. Nimir “Elf, (lit.) Shining One” ✧ SDI2/Nimrî

Derivations

  • ᴹ√LED “go, fare, travel” ✧ Ety/ELED
  • ᴹ√ELED “Star-Folk, Elves” ✧ Ety/ELED
  • ᴹ✶edēlā “firstborn, eldest” ✧ EtyAC/EDE
    • ᴹ√EDE(L) “precede, come forward, hence” ✧ EtyAC/EDE
  • ᴹ✶eledā “Star-folk, Elf” ✧ SD/401; SDI2/Eledâi
    • ᴹ√ELED “Star-Folk, Elves”

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√ELED > Elda[eleda] > [elda]✧ Ety/ELED
ᴹ√ÉLED > Elda[eleda] > [elda]✧ Ety/ELED
ᴹ✶edela > eleda[edela] > [eleda]✧ EtyAC/EDE

Variations

  • eleda ✧ EtyAC/EDE (eleda)
Qenya [Ety/ELED; EtyAC/EDE; LR/072; LR/169; LR/181; LR/197; LR/212; LR/218; LRI/Eldar; PE18/024; PE21/57; PE22/124; PE22/125; SD/401; SDI2/Eldar; SDI2/Eledâi; SDI2/Nimrî; SMI/Eldar; VT27/07] Group: Eldamo. Published by

qen

noun. Elf

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶kwenedē “Elf” ✧ PE21/25; PE21/25
    • ᴹ√KWEN(ED) “Elf” ✧ Ety/KWEN(ED)

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶qend(ǝ)mēn > qenwen[kwendemēn] > [kwendmēn] > [kwenmēn] > [kwenwēn] > [kwenwen]✧ PE21/25

Variations

  • qen ✧ PE21/19; PE21/25
Qenya [PE21/19; PE21/25] Group: Eldamo. Published by

qende

noun. Elf

Cognates

  • N. penedh “Elf” ✧ Ety/KWEN(ED)
  • Dan. cwenda “Elf” ✧ Ety/KWEN(ED)
  • N. penn “Elf”

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶kwenedē “Elf” ✧ Ety/KWEN(ED); PE21/69
    • ᴹ√KWEN(ED) “Elf” ✧ Ety/KWEN(ED)

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶kwenedē > qende[kwenedē] > [kwendē] > [kwende]✧ Ety/KWEN(ED)
ᴹ✶kwĕndĕ > qende[kwende]✧ PE21/69

Variations

  • qende ✧ Ety/KWEN(ED); PE21/69
Qenya [Ety/KWEN(ED); LR/119; LR/168; LR/212; LRI/Qendi; MRI/Quendi; PE18/023; PE21/69; SM/085; SM/086; SMI/Quendi; TII/Qendi] Group: Eldamo. Published by

-ser

suffix. friend

Derivations

  • ᴹ√SER “love, be fond of (of liking, friendship)” ✧ Ety/SER

Element in

  • ᴹQ. Elesser “Elf-friend” ✧ Ety/SER

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√SER > -ser[-ser]✧ Ety/SER

helde

noun. friend

Derivations

  • ᴹ√ÑEL “friendship” ✧ EtyAC/ÑEL

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√ÑEL > helde[ŋelde] > [ɣelde] > [helde]✧ EtyAC/ÑEL

heldo

noun. friend

Derivations

  • ᴹ√ÑEL “friendship” ✧ EtyAC/ÑEL

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√ÑEL > heldo[ŋeldo] > [ɣeldo] > [heldo]✧ EtyAC/ÑEL

helmo

noun. friend

Cognates

  • N. elf “friend” ✧ EtyAC/ÑEL

Derivations

  • ᴹ√ÑEL “friendship” ✧ EtyAC/ÑEL

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√ÑEL > helmo[ŋelmo] > [ɣelmo] > [helmo]✧ EtyAC/ÑEL

málo

noun. friend

Cognates

  • N. mellon “friend” ✧ Ety/MEL

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶mālō “friend” ✧ Ety/MEL
    • ᴹ√MEL “love (as friend)” ✧ Ety/MEL
  • ᴹ√MEL “love (as friend)” ✧ PE18/046

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶mālō > málo[mālō] > [mālo]✧ Ety/MEL
ᴹ√MEL > málo[mę̄lō] > [mālō] > [mālo]✧ PE18/046
Qenya [Ety/MEL; PE18/046] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nilmo

noun. friend

Derivations

  • ᴹ√N(D)IL “friend; love, devotion” ✧ Ety/NIL

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√NIL/NDIL > nilmo[ndilmo] > [nilmo]✧ Ety/NIL

sermo

noun. friend

Derivations

  • ᴹ√SER “love, be fond of (of liking, friendship)” ✧ Ety/SER

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√SER > sermo[sermo]✧ Ety/SER

seron

noun. friend

Derivations

  • ᴹ√SER “love, be fond of (of liking, friendship)” ✧ Ety/SER

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√SER > seron[seron]✧ Ety/SER

sondo

noun. friend

Cognates

  • N. thond “friend” ✧ EtyAC/SON

Derivations

  • ᴹ√SON “love, befriend, cherish” ✧ EtyAC/SON

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√SON > sondo[sondo]✧ EtyAC/SON

Doriathrin

cwend

noun. Elf

A Doriathrin noun meaning “Elf” derived from primitive ᴹ✶kwenedē (EtyAC/KWEN(ED)), an example of the Ilkorin syncope.

Conceptual Development: This word is nearly identical to earlier Gnomish Cwenn “Elf” before Tolkien revised the phonological history of the Noldorin language so that [[on|[kw] became [p]]].

Cognates

  • Dan. cwenda “Elf” ✧ Ety/KWEN(ED)

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶kwenedē “Elf” ✧ Ety/KWEN(ED)
    • ᴹ√KWEN(ED) “Elf” ✧ Ety/KWEN(ED)

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶kwenedē > cwend[kwenedē] > [kwenede] > [kwende] > [kwend]✧ Ety/KWEN(ED)
Doriathrin [EtyAC/KWEN(ED)] Group: Eldamo. Published by

-il Reconstructed

suffix. feminine suffix

Apparently a feminine suffix attested in the name Thuringwethil “(Woman of) Secret Shadow” (Ety/THUR) and the noun tóril “queen” (Ety/TĀ).

Cognates

  • N. -iel “daughter; feminine suffix”

Element in

  • Ilk. tóril “queen” ✧ Ety/TĀ
  • Ilk. Thuringwethil “(Woman of) Secret Shadow” ✧ Ety/THUR
Doriathrin [Ety/TĀ; Ety/THUR] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Ossriandric

cwenda

noun. Elf

A noun for “Elf” developed from primitive ᴹ✶kwenedē (Ety/KWEN(ED)). It is an example of the Danian syncope, with second unstressed [e] vanishing after the identical vowel. It is also one of the Danian words for which a long final vowel developed into short final [a].

Cognates

  • Ilk. cwend “Elf” ✧ Ety/KWEN(ED)
  • ᴹQ. Qende “Elf” ✧ Ety/KWEN(ED)

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶kwenedē “Elf” ✧ Ety/KWEN(ED)
    • ᴹ√KWEN(ED) “Elf” ✧ Ety/KWEN(ED)

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶kwenedē > cwenda[kwenedē] > [kwendē] > [kwenda]✧ Ety/KWEN(ED)
Ossriandric [Ety/KWEN(ED)] Group: Eldamo. Published by

edel

noun. Elf

A noun for “Elf” derived from primitive ᴹ✶edel-, an inversion of the primitive root ᴹ√ELED (Ety/ELED). Unlike most similar Danian nouns, it did not undergo the Danian syncope and retained its second vowel. One possible explanation is that the primitive form of this noun ended in a short vowel, ✱✶edelă, and this short final vowel vanished before the period of the syncope, preventing it from occurring in this word. Helge Fauskanger originally suggested a theory much like this one (AL-Nandorin/edel).

Conceptual Development: In an earlier version of this entry, the Danian word for Elf was given as Elda (Ety/ELED).

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. Elda “Elf” ✧ Ety/ELED; Ety/ELED

Derivations

  • ᴹ√ELED “Star-Folk, Elves” ✧ Ety/ELED
  • ᴹ✶edel- “Star-folk, Elf” ✧ Ety/ELED
    • ᴹ√ELED “Star-Folk, Elves” ✧ Ety/ELED

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√ÉLED > Elda[eledā] > [eldā] > [elda]✧ Ety/ELED
ᴹ✶edel- > Edel[edela] > [edel]✧ Ety/ELED

Variations

  • Elda ✧ Ety/ELED (Elda)
Ossriandric [Ety/ELED] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Middle Primitive Elvish

kwen(ed)

root. Elf

Derivatives

  • ᴹ✶kwenedē “Elf” ✧ Ety/KWEN(ED)
    • Ilk. cwend “Elf” ✧ Ety/KWEN(ED)
    • Dan. cwenda “Elf” ✧ Ety/KWEN(ED)
    • ᴹQ. Qende “Elf” ✧ Ety/KWEN(ED); PE21/69
    • ᴹQ. Qen “Elf” ✧ PE21/25; PE21/25
    • N. penedh “Elf” ✧ Ety/KWEN(ED)
  • N. penn “Elf”

Variations

  • KWENED ✧ PE18/034; PE18/061
Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/KWEN(ED); PE18/034; PE18/061] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kwenedē

noun. Elf

Derivations

  • ᴹ√KWEN(ED) “Elf” ✧ Ety/KWEN(ED)

Derivatives

  • Ilk. cwend “Elf” ✧ Ety/KWEN(ED)
  • Dan. cwenda “Elf” ✧ Ety/KWEN(ED)
  • ᴹQ. Qende “Elf” ✧ Ety/KWEN(ED); PE21/69
  • ᴹQ. Qen “Elf” ✧ PE21/25; PE21/25
  • N. penedh “Elf” ✧ Ety/KWEN(ED)

Element in

  • ᴹ✶morikwende “Dark-elf” ✧ PE19/057; PE19/059

Variations

  • kwènedḗ ✧ PE19/057; PE19/059
  • kwendḗ ✧ PE19/059
  • kwĕndĕ ✧ PE21/69
Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/KWEN(ED); PE19/057; PE19/059; PE21/25; PE21/69] Group: Eldamo. Published by

yel

root. friend

A new gloss for the root ᴹ√YEL “daughter”, with a new set of derivatives like ᴹQ. -iel “-friend” and ᴹQ. yelda “friendly” (Ety/YEL), but it was rejected in turn and probably replaced by ᴹ√MEL.

Derivatives

  • ᴹQ. -iel “-friend” ✧ Ety/YEL
  • ᴹQ. yelda “friendly, dear as friend” ✧ Ety/YEL
  • ᴹQ. yelme “[unglossed]” ✧ Ety/YEL

Variations

  • YEL ✧ Ety/YEL (YEL)
Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/YEL] Group: Eldamo. Published by

mālō

noun. friend

Derivations

  • ᴹ√MEL “love (as friend)” ✧ Ety/MEL

Derivatives

  • ᴹQ. málo “friend” ✧ Ety/MEL
Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/MEL] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Gnomish

cwenn

noun. Elf

Changes

  • CwendCwenn ✧ GL/28

Cognates

  • Eq. Qen “Elf” ✧ GL/32; PE13/099; PE14/009

Element in

Variations

  • Cwend ✧ GL/28 (Cwend)
Gnomish [GL/28; GL/32; PE13/099; PE14/009] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Noldorin

egol

noun. elf

gwenn

noun. Elf

Cognates

  • Eq. Qen “Elf” ✧ PE13/146
  • Et. Bende ✧ PE13/146

Derivations

Element in

Early Noldorin [PE13/146] Group: Eldamo. Published by

idhel

noun. elf

ileth

noun. elf

uidhol

noun. elf

uigol

noun. elf

Early Quenya

qen

noun. Elf

Cognates

  • G. Cwenn “Elf” ✧ GL/32; PE13/099; PE14/009
  • En. Gwenn “Elf” ✧ PE13/146

Derivations

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ✶Gwendi- > Qen[gʷend] > [gʷen] > [kʷen]✧ PE13/146

Variations

  • qende ✧ PE14/009
Early Quenya [GL/32; LRI/Qendi; LT1/235; LT1I/Qendi; PE13/099; PE13/146; PE14/009; QL/092; SM/013; SM/168] Group: Eldamo. Published by

qende

noun. Elf

-sse

suffix. feminine suffix

Element in

Variations

  • -sse ✧ QL/040 (-sse); QL/055 (-sse)
Early Quenya [QL/040; QL/055] Group: Eldamo. Published by

-ni

suffix. feminine suffix

A common feminine suffix in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s in words like varyani “foreigner (fem.)”, probably a suffixal form of ᴱQ. “woman” (GL/60) and often paired with its masculine equivalent ᴱQ. -nu.

Element in

  • Eq. heruni “lady” ✧ QL/040
  • Eq. kuruni “witch” ✧ QL/049
  • Eq. ettani “female cousin” ✧ QL/036
  • Eq. haruni “grandmother” ✧ QL/039
  • Eq. hestani “sister” ✧ QL/040
  • Eq. túrani “queen” ✧ QL/095
  • Eq. varyani “foreigner (fem.)” ✧ QL/100
  • Eq. veruni “wife” ✧ QL/101
  • Eq. vestani “*bride” ✧ QL/101

Elements

WordGloss
“woman”
Early Quenya [QL/036; QL/039; QL/040; QL/049; QL/095; QL/100; QL/101] Group: Eldamo. Published by

-si

suffix. feminine suffix

A feminine suffix in several words from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s such as ᴱQ. felusi “witch” (QL/38) and ᴱQ. varitsi “foreigner (fem.)” (QL/100).

Element in

  • Eq. felusi “witch” ✧ QL/038
  • Eq. varitsi “foreigner (fem.)” ✧ QL/100
  • Eq. yaksi “cow” ✧ QL/105

Variations

  • -tsi ✧ QL/100 (-tsi)
Early Quenya [QL/038; QL/100; QL/105] Group: Eldamo. Published by

-tsi

suffix. feminine suffix