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.
Sindarin
-il
point
-il
suffix. feminine suffix
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”
til
point
till
noun. point, spike, (sharp) horn, tine, ending
Derivations
- √TIL “point, horn”
Element in
- ᴺS. canthil “square”
- S. Celebdil “Silvertine” ✧ PE17/036; RC/775; TI/174
- S. Egladil “Elven-point”
- S. niphredil “white flower (similar to a snowdrop); *(lit.) pale point” ✧ PE17/055
- S. Ras Morthil “Andrast”
edhel
noun. Elf
Cognates
Derivations
Element in
- S. Adanedhel “Elf-man” ✧ SA/edhel
- S. Aerlinn in Edhil o Imladris “*Holy Song of the Elves of Rivendell” ✧ RGEO/62
- S. Aredhel “Noble Elf” ✧ SA/edhel
- S. Aredhel “Noble Elf” ✧ PE17/139; PE17/141
- S. Caledhel “*Light Elf”
- S. Danedhel “*Nando” ✧ PE17/141; PE17/141
- S. Dúnedhel “West-Elf” ✧ PE17/141; WJ/378
- S. Edhelharn “Elfstone”
- S. edhellen “elvish” ✧ PE17/045
- S. Edhellond “Elf-haven” ✧ UT/255
- S. Edhellos “Elven-flower” ✧ PM/346
- S. Glóredhel “*Golden Elf” ✧ SA/edhel
- S. Gwenedhel
- S. Lindedhel “Nandorin Elf”
- S. mellyn enin Edhellion “*friends of the Elves” ✧ PE17/097
- S. Mornedhel “Dark-elf” ✧ PE17/141; WJ/377
- S. Nínedhel “?Tear(ful) Elf” ✧ PE17/139
- S. Ost-in-Edhil “Fortress of the Eldar” ✧ SA/edhel
- S. Peredhel “Half-elf” ✧ SA/edhel
- S. Rúnedhel ✧ PE17/141
- S. Thinnedhel “Grey-elf” ✧ PE17/139
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources ✶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
eledh
noun. Elf
Cognates
Derivations
Element in
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources ✶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
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
Element in
- S. Aranel
- S. Aredhel “Noble Elf” ✧ PE17/141
- S. ar in Ellath epholar eno vi Eressai “*and the Elves (?remember) still in Eressëa” ✧ VT50/19
- S. Dúnedhel “West-Elf” ✧ PE17/141
- S. Elladan “Elf-man” ✧ Let/281
- S. Elleth “Elf-maid” ✧ PE17/141; PE17/152; WJ/363
- S. Ellon “Elf-man” ✧ PE17/141; WJ/363
- S. Elrohir “Elf-knight” ✧ Let/281
- S. Elrond “Star-dome” ✧ Let/281
- S. Elros “Star-foam” ✧ Let/281
- S. Elvellyn “Elf-friends, Elf-lovers” ✧ WJ/412
- S. Glinnel “*Singer-elf”
- S. i glinn hen agorer Edain mi Velerian, ach hí in Ellath îr ed epholar “*this song Men made in Beleriand, but now the Elves alone (?remember) it” ✧ VT50/15; VT50/15; VT50/15
- S. Laegel “Green-elves”
- S. Lindel “Nando”
- S. Miniel “Vanyar”
- S. sí il chem en i Naugrim en ir Ellath thor den ammen “*now all (?hands) of the Dwarves and Elves will be (?against) to us” ✧ VT50/23
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources ✶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
penedh
noun. Elf
Derivations
Element in
- S. Morbenedh “*Dark-elf” ✧ PE17/140; PE17/141
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources ✶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
aeg
noun. point
The adjective oeg "sharp, pointed, piercing" from Ety/349 is perhaps rejected: Tolkien later decided that no cognate of Quenya aica "fell, terrible, dire" was used in Sindarin, "though aeg would have been its form if it had occurred" (PM/347). On the other hand, we have words such as aeglos and aeglir , so there must be a noun aeg "point"
mann
food
mann (i vann, construct man), pl. main (i main) (VT45:35).
mann
noun. food
Cognates
- Q. matta “food”
Derivations
- ✶matnā “eaten, eaten, [ᴹ✶] food”
mann
food
(i vann, construct man), pl. main (i main) (VT45:35).
math
noun. food
Cognates
- Q. matta “food”
Derivations
- √MAT “eat”
till
point
till (i dill, o thill, construct til; also -dil, -thil at the end of compounds) (spike, tine, sharp horn, sharp-pointed peak), no distinct pl. form except with article (i thill). Archaic †tild. 5)
till
point
(i** dill, o thill, construct til; also -dil, -thil at the end of compounds) (spike, tine, sharp horn, sharp-pointed peak), no distinct pl. form except with article (i** thill). Archaic †tild. 5)
miniel
first elf
(i Viniel), pl. Mínil (i Mínil), coll. pl. Miniellath. (WJ:383)
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).
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.
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)*.
lefn
elf left behind
pl. lifn.
aeg
point
1) aeg (peak, thorn). No distinct pl. form. Note: aeg is also used as adj. "sharp, pointed, piercing". 2) naith (spearhead, gore, wedge, promontory); no distinct pl. form. 3) nass (sharp end, angle, corner), construct nas, pl. nais. 4)
aeg
point
(peak, thorn). No distinct pl. form. Note: aeg is also used as adj. "sharp, pointed, piercing".
ellon
elf-man
(pl. ellyn)
ment
point
(at the end of a thing) ment (i vent), pl. mint (i mint), coll. pl. mennath.
ment
point
(i vent), pl. mint (i mint), coll. pl. mennath**. **
naith
point
(spearhead, gore, wedge, promontory); no distinct pl. form.
nass
point
(sharp end, angle, corner), construct nas, pl. nais.
nasta
point
(verb) nasta- (i nasta, in nastar) (prick, stick, thrust)
nasta
point
(i nasta, in nastar) (prick, stick, thrust)
salph
liquid food
(i halph, o salph) (soup, broth), pl. seilph (if the word goes like alph ”swan”), with article i seilph.
thela
spear point
(-thel), pl. ?thili, 3) aith; no distinct pl. form.
avar
non-eldarin elf
pl. Evair, also called
calben
elf of the great journey
(i galben, o chalben), pl. celbin (i chelbin).
ecthel
spear point
(pl. ecthil), literally "thorn point”
elleth
elf-woman
(pl. ellith) (WJ:363-64, 377)
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);
peredhel
half-elf
(pl. peredhil) (PM:256, 348).
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**).
rafn
extended point at the side
(wing, horn), pl. raifn (idh raifn).
suff. point, ending. >> niphredil, til