-r

suffix. plural suffix

-r

suffix. motion to or towards a point, motion to or towards a point, *archaic allative

-r(o)

suffix. agental suffix

An agental suffix derived from ancient ✶-rō̆ (WJ/371), usually appearing as suffixal -r but sometimes as -ro as in quentaro “speaker, minstrel” (PE19/83; PE18/51). The fuller form appears especially in cases where the word is taken to be masculine: compare its feminine form [ᴹQ.] quentare “minstrel [f.]” (PE23/85). Tolkien indicated -rō was sometimes accompanied by nasal infixion, and that there was another variant -rdŏ > rd (WJ/371), but there are no clear signs of -r(d) in his later writings (but see the ᴱQ. examples below).

Based on the example ontari “parents” plural of [ᴹQ.] ontaro “parent [m.]”, it seems the usual plural form of this suffix may be -ri even in cases where -ro survived into Modern Quenya. This plural could be because of Quenya’s general dislike of repeated r-sound. However, ontaro may also be a specifically masculine form of an unattested gender neutral ✱ontar “parent” and ontari may be the plural of that gender neutral form, in which case likely there is no plural for the specifically masculine form. Regardless of the exact phenomenon in play, I would assume the plural of words like quentaro “minstrel” is quentari, referring to a group of minstrels of any gender.

Conceptual Development: There are no examples of -ro in the Early Qenya of the 1910s and 20s, but there are examples of agental -r and sometimes -ar, as in ᴱQ. maksar “cook” from ᴱQ. maksa- (QL/59), and ᴱQ. vaktelear “merchant” from ᴱQ. vaktele “trade” (QL/99). There are also examples of -r(d), such as ᴱQ. ektar (ektard-) “swordman” (QL/35) and ᴱQ. moar (moard-) “shepherd” (QL/60).

-rya

suffix. his, her, its

-rë

suffix. abstract noun

-ro

he

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

-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.

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).

anta-

give

anta- (1) vb. "give" (ANA1, MC:215, 221), pa.t. antanë (antanen "I gave", VT49:14) or †ánë, perfect ánië (PE17:147, cf. QL:31). According to VT49:14, Tolkien noted that anta- was sometimes often with an "ironic tone" to refer to missiles, so that antanen hatal sena "I gave him a spear (as a present)" was often used with the real sense of "I cast a spear at him". Usually the recipient of the thing given is mentioned in the dative or allative case (like sena in this example), but there is also a construction similar to English "present someone with something" in which the recipient is the object and the gift appears in the instrumental case: antanenyes parmanen, "I presented him with a book" (PE17:91). The verb occurs several times in FS: antalto"they gave"; strangely, no past tense marker seems to be present (see -lto for the ending); antar a pl. verb translated "they gave", though in LotR-style Quenya it would rather be the present tense "give" (pl.); antaróta "he gave it" (anta-ró-ta "gave-he-it"), another verb occurring in Fíriel's Song, once again with no past tense marker. Also antáva "will give", future tense of anta- "give"; read perhaps *antuva in LotR-style Quenya; similarly antaváro* "he will give" (LR:63) might later have appeared as antuvas (with the ending -s rather than "Qenya" -ro for "he"). Antalë imperative "give thou" (VT43:17), sc. anta "give" + the element le "thou", but this was a form Tolkien abandoned. Apparently ana** was at one point considered as another imperative "give", but Tolkien rewrote the text in question (VT44:13), and the normal patterns would suggest *á anta with an independent imperative particle.

ceura

adjective. renewed

An adjective for “renewed” in rough notes from the late 1960s. Where it first appeared, Tolkien had {keura “renewal” >>} keure “renewed” (VT48/7). Although keure is not a typical adjective form, it seems this change was intentional, since the corresponding Telerin form was T. ciure (VT48/7). However, on a later page Tolkien wrote keura again below Q. kēva “fresh, new, renewed” and adjacent to the Sindarin adjective S. cŷr; on this later page the noun form seems to be Q. keule (VT48/8). Thus it seems to be that ceura “✱renewed” was restored. Hat-tip to Luinyelle for this suggestion.

-llë

suffix. feminine agent

Some feminine agental suffixes were mentioned in Notes on Galadriel’s Song (NGS) from the late 1950s or early 1960s: -lle, -lde, and -nde, the first of which was an element in the name Tintallë (PE17/69). In NGS Tolkien said -lle was used less frequently as an agental suffix because -lle was also the 2nd person plural subject suffix “you (pl.)”. In fact, in notes on Words, Phrases and Passages from the Lord of the Rings (WP2) from this same period Tolkien considered changing Varda’s sobriquet to Tintalde (PE17/69).

However, in the late 1960s Tolkien decided the 2nd person plural suffix was actually -lde (VT49/16, 51), so presumably -lde would then be the less common agental suffix and -lle more common. Tolkien was considering -lde for 2nd plural as early as 1959, and in the 1959 page which specified -lde for 2nd plural, Tolkien also designated -lle for a feminine agent, the equivalent of masculine -ndo (PE17/190).

As for -nde, it was most notable as an element in Serindë “Broideress, Needlewoman” (S/63; MR/257; PM/333).

-mo

suffix. agental suffix

A suffix of which Tolkien said “the ending -mo often appeared in names or titles, sometimes with an agental significance” (WJ/400). It is based on the pronoun mo “(some)one”. This suffix is often specifically neuter, as in [ᴹQ.] nilmo “friend” vs. male and female [ᴹQ.] nildo and nilde (Ety/NIL).

Conceptual Development: The suffix ᴱQ. -mo appears all the way back in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s in words like ᴱQ. laulemo “inhabitant” and ᴱQ. qolimo “invalid” (QL/52, 78).

li(n)-

prefix. many

A Quenya prefix for “many” appearing regularly in Tolkien’s writings throughout his life, dating all the way back to the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s. It was derived from the root √LI that was also the basis for the partitive plural suffix Q. -li. In Demonstrative, Relative, and Correlative Stems (DRC) from 1948, Tolkien specified that li(n)- referred to an indefinite quantity bigger than a few: “a number, a good many, not a few” (PE23/101 note #36).

> Indefinite, expressing “mere plurality” (more than two at least); “some” with the plural, “(not) a few,” “several.” This is expressed by the stems lī̆-, and lĭn(i). In C. Eldarin the stem meant “many,” often a great number, but in Quenya except in a few older derivatives, especially the prefix lin-, lilin-, it is used always as expressing a lesser or vaguer number than the next (PE23/100).

This was then contrasted with ᴹQ. sem(p)- “few” and ᴹQ. hrim- “a great number, very many” [>> *rim-***].

má

noun. hand

The most common Quenya word for “hand”, which Tolkien usually derived from a root √MAH or √MAƷ “hand; handle, wield”. The weak consonant h or ʒ in the root was lost very early, so that primitive ✶mā was one of a rare set of ancient monosyllabic nouns ending in a vowel. Tolkien said that of the various hand words, má was “the oldest (probably) and the one that retained a general and unspecialized sense - referring to the entire hand (including wrist) in any attitude or function” (VT47/6).

As a part of the body, má “hand” was usually referred to in the singular (má) or dual (mát). This was true when referring to the hands of groups of people as well. For example, to say that “the Elves raised their hands”, you would say either i Eldar ortaner mánta (singular, one hand each) or i Eldar ortaner mántat (dual, both hands each), with the possessive suffix -nta “their”.

The plural form már “hands” (or archaic †mai) was almost never used, in part because it conflicted with Q. már “dwelling”. The singular form was also used in general statements and proverbs: “hand is cleverer than foot” má anfinya epe tál (ná). A collection of otherwise unrelated hands would likely use the partitive-plural form: máli “some hands”, which in this case could also serve as the general plural (VT47/12 Note 2). See the discussions on PE17/161 and VT47/6 for more information.

This word is also unusual in that it retains its long vowel before consonant clusters in inflected forms such as mánta “their hand” (PE17/161) or márya “his/her hand” (PE17/69). As Tolkien described it:

> Lá is usually shortened to la before 2 consonants, according to the usual Q. procedure, but the long vowel can be retained, especially for additional emphasis, as in other cases where pronominal affixes follow a long vowel, as in márya “his hand” (PE22/160).

Conceptual Development: This word dates all the way back to ᴱQ. mā “hand” from Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, derived from the early root ᴱ√MAHA “grasp” (QL/57). ᴹQ. má “hand” also appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√MAƷ “hand” (Ety/MAƷ). Tolkien mentioned this word with great frequency, usually derived from √MAH or √MAƷ (as noted above) though he sometimes considered deriving it from √MAG instead.

ranya

noun. erratic wandering, erratic wandering; [ᴹQ.] free

A word for “erratic wandering” appearing in notes on The Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor from 1967-69, derived from √RAN “wander, stray, meander” (VT42/13).

Conceptual Development: In The Etymologies of the 1930s, ᴹQ. (a)ranya was glossed “free” and derived from ᴹ✶(a)ranı̯ā under the root ᴹ√RAN “wander, stray” (EtyAC/RAN).

tinco

noun. metal

A word for “metal” in Appendix F of The Lord of the Rings as the name of tengwa #1 [1] and the tincotéma series of tengwar. ᴹQ. tinko “metal” first appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√TINKŌ of the same meaning (Ety/TINKŌ). It also appeared in notes on The Feanorian Alphabet from the 1930s and 40s (PE22/22, 50, 61), already the name of tengwa #1 and its corresponding series.

Conceptual Development: A possible precursor is ᴱQ. sink (sinq-) “mineral, gem, metal” from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√SINI “pale blue” (QL/83). Hints of this earlier word can be seen in ✶sinkitamo >> sintamo “[metal] smith” in notes from the late 1960s.

tindómerel

feminine name. Daughter of Twilight

The Quenya name of Tinúviel (SA/tin, PE19/73). Since she was a Sindarin elf, this name is largely theoretical, as a development from the same primitive form: ✶Tindōmiselde. This name is a compound of tindómë and a suffixal form -rel of seldë “daughter”. In a couple places, Tolkien used this name to illustrated the development of primitive intervocalic ✶[s] into Quenya [r] (PE19/33, 73).

Conceptual Development: The earliest “Qenya” name for Tinúviel was ᴹQ. Tinúviel in linguistic notes from the early 1930s; it was declined in various noun cases, and was clearly intended to be a purely Qenya name rather than an adaptation of the Noldorin Tinúviel (PE21/35). The name ᴹQ. Tindómerel appeared in The Etymologies from the mid-1930s, where it already had the derivation described above (Ety/SEL-D, TIN). In some notes on Quenya phonology from the 1930s, this name appeared as Tindómirel with a medial i (PE19/33), but in a revision of those notes from the 1950s it was reverted back to Tindómerel (PE19/73). It appeared as (Tindómrl) in some examples of left-handed tengwar writing from the 1960s (VT47/37); Tolkien probably neglected to add the vowel diacritics in this case.

ulo

noun. rain

A noun for “rain” in Late Notes on Verbs from 1969 given as {ulla >>} ulo in the phrase ulo úva “rain (unwelcome) is coming”, clearly related to the impersonal verb ul- “to rain” appearing in its future form on the same page: uluva “it will rain” (PE22/167).

Conceptual Development: In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, the noun for “rain” was ᴱQ. úqil, likewise related to the contemporaneous verb ᴱQ. uqin “it rains” (QL/98).

-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.

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)

ringë

cold

ringë adj. "cold", also ringa (which form is to be preferred; cf. Ringarë in LotR). In the Etymologies as printed in LR, ringë is also given as a noun "cold pool or lake (in mountains)", but according to VT46:11 this noun should read ringwë. (RINGI)

sanya

name

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

lina

adjective. many

A neologism for “many” derived from the root √LI. I’ve deprecated this word in favor of attested ᴹQ. lia.

-a

suffix. adjectival suffix

This suffix is frequently used to create the adjective form of a noun, especially in the form -ëa for nouns ending in -ë. This function dates back to CE. ✶-ā.

-ldë

suffix. feminine agent

-më

suffix. abstract noun

-ndë

suffix. feminine agent

-ssë

suffix. abstract noun

-ya

suffix. adjective suffix

cambë

noun. hand, (hollow of) hand

essë

noun. name

niquë

noun. cold, cold; [ᴹQ.] snow

ringa

adjective. cold, cold, [ᴱQ.] chilly; damp

sáma

noun. mind

yunquë

cardinal. twelve

-lta

their

-lta (and -ltya), 3rd person pl. pronominal possessive suffix "their", alternating with -nta/-ntya in Tolkiens writings (VT49:16, 17), just as the ending -ltë "they" also has the variant -ntë. According to VT49:17, the ending -lta or -ltya will appear as -ilta, -iltya following a consonant; other sources rather point to -e- as the connecting vowel in such cases (VT49:17).

-lta

suffix. their

-nta

their

-nta (2) possessive 3rd person pl. pronominal ending: "their" (VT49:17). Lintienta "their speed" (PE17:58), nassentar "their true-being[s]" (PE17:175). This ending corresponds to -ntë "they" (other versions of Quenya uses -ltë for "they" and hence -lta for "their"). Also -ntya, q.v. According to VT49:17, the ending -nta appears as -inta following a consonant (other sources point to -e- rather than -i- as the connecting vowel in such cases).

-nta

suffix. their

-ntya

their

-ntya, possessive 3rd person pl. pronominal ending: "their" (VT49:17), corresponding to -ntë as the ending for "they". Besides -ntya the form -nta is also attested, but the latter clashes with the ending for dual allative. (Other variants of Quenya uses -lta for "their", corresponding to -ltë as the ending for "they".) According to VT49:17, the ending -ntya appears as -intya following a consonant (other sources point to -e- rather than -i- as the connecting vowel in such cases).

-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).

-ssa

suffix. his, her, its

-twa

their

-twa 2) an pronominal possessive ending mentioned in one chart of pronouns, apparently "their" referring to two persons (VT49:16); this may be an ending used in colloquial Quenya rather than formal language (it is listed together with the endings -ya "his, her" and -rya "their", that are explicitly said to belong to colloquial Quenya) (VT49:16-17)

-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.)

Ara-

noble

Ara-, ar- a prefixed form of the stem Ara- "noble" (PM:344). In the masc. names Aracáno "high chieftain", mothername (amilessë, q.v.) of Fingolfin (PM:360, cf. 344), Arafinwë "Finarfin" (MR:230)

Tindómiel

daughter of twilight

Tindómiel, fem. name (UT:210), probably *"daughter of twilight" (tindómë + -iel) and thus the equivalent of Sindarin Tinúviel. Compare tindómerel.

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).]

alcantaméren

made it shine

alcantaméren _("k")_vb. "made it shine" (with a fem.pl. subject; the ending -ren probably means "they" of women, but the ending does not have to be translated here) (MC:216; this is "Qenya")

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.

arato

noble

arato noun "a noble" (PE17:147), in PE17:118 given as aratō and there glossed "lord" (often = "king"). Cf. aráto. The form cited in the latter source, aratō with a long final vowel, is evidently very archaic (compare Enderō under Ender); later the vowel would become short. (PE17:118)

arquen

noble

arquen noun "a noble" (WJ:372), "knight" (PE17:147)

ceura

renewed

ceura ("k"), probably adj. "renewed" (VT48:8). Also in the form ceurë (VT48:7), but ceura seems to be the form that would fit Tolkien's general principles best: there are many adjectives in -ra, whereas forms in -rë would normally be taken to be the plural form of such adjectives.

ceuran-

new moon

ceuran- ("k") noun "new moon" (compare Rána "moon"). The word is cited with a final hyphen, as if some final element is missing, but Rána could very well be reduced to -ran at the end of a compound. (VT48:7)

ceurë

renewed

ceurë ("k")adj. "renewed" (emended from a noun ceura "renewal") (VT48:7). See ceura and compare ceuranar.

ceurë

adjective. renewed

esse

noun. name

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-

verb. name

felco

cave, mine, underground dwelling

felco noun "cave, mine, underground dwelling" (PE17:118); also felca, felehta

felya

cave

felya noun "cave" (PHÉLEG), "mine, boring, tunnel, underground dwel[ling]" (PE17:118)

hando

agent

[hando] noun "agent" (male; fem. [yendi]) (VT45:16)

inimeitë

female

inimeitë adj.? ?"female" (INI)

inya

female

inya (1) adj. "female" (INI)

limbë

many

limbë (2) adj. "many", probably obsoleted by #1 above (LT2:342)

lin-

many

lin- (1) (prefix) "many" (LI), seen in lindornëa, lintyulussëa; assimilated lil- in lillassëa.

manyel

female

[manyel noun "female" (PE17:190)]

má

noun. hand

hand

má

hand

má noun "hand" (MA3, LT2:339, Narqelion, VT39:10, [VT45:30], VT47:6, 18, 19); the dual "a pair of hands" is attested both by itself as mát (VT47:6) and with a pronominal suffix as máryat "his/her (pair of) hands" (see -rya, -t) (Nam, RGEO:67). The nominative plural form was only máli, not **már (VT47:6), though plurals in -r may occur in some of the cases, as indicated by the pl. allative mannar "into hands" (FS). Mánta "their hand", dual mántat "their hands" (two hands each) (PE17:161). Cf. also the compounds mátengwië "language of the hands" (VT47:9) and Lungumá "Heavyhand" (VT47:19); also compare the adj. -maitë "-handed". See also málimë.

má

noun. hand

nonda

hand, especially in [?clutching]

nonda noun "hand, especially in [?clutching]" (VT47:23; Tolkien's gloss was not certainly legible)

ormë

summit, crest

ormë (2) noun "summit, crest" (LT1:256; this "Qenya" word is probably obsoleted by # 1 above)

rasta

cardinal. twelve

#rasta cardinal "twelve" (isolated from yurasta_ "24", two times 12; cf. the stem RÁSAT "twelve" listed in the Etymologies). See yunquë. (PE14:17)_

retto

climber

retto "climber" (PE17:182, language unidentified). The form is mentioned as somehow related to the Sindarin element -reth in Orodreth ("Mountain-climber") and could be either Old Sindarin or the Quenya cognate. *Ret- might then be the Quenya verb for "climb", a derivative of the root RETE of similar meaning.

riel

garlanded maiden

riel (*riell-) noun "garlanded maiden" (SA:kal-), full form riellë noun "a maiden crowned with a festival garland" _(PM:347). _In Altariel, Altariellë. Compare rië.

ringa

cold

ringa adj. "cold" (Markirya); the Etymologies gives ringë (RINGI), but it seems that ringa is to be preferred (cf. Ringarë below). Yá hrívë tenë, ringa ná "when winter comes, it is cold" (VT49:23). According to VT46:11, Tolkien originally used the form ringa in Etym as well; later he would restore it. - In early "Qenya", ringa is glossed "damp, cold, chilly" (LT1:265)

rotelë

cave

rotelë noun "cave" (LT2:347)

rotto

cave, tunnel

rotto noun "cave, tunnel" (VT46:12), "a small grot or tunnel" (PM:365)

ruinë

fire, a blaze

ruinë noun "a fire, a blaze" (PE17:183). Compare nárë.

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).

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)

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".

sá

fire

sá noun "fire" (LT1:265; "Qenya" spelling sâ. Rather nárë in LotR-style Quenya.)

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)

tarna

crossing, passage

tarna noun "crossing, passage" (LT2:347)

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)

tindómerel

daughter of twilight

tindómerel (also capitalized Tindómerel) fem. name "daughter of twilight", a kenning (poetic name) of the nightingale; = Sindarin Tinúviel. (TIN, SEL-D, SA:tin; "Tindómrl" in mirrored Tengwar in VT47:37 would seem to be an incomplete annotation of the same word). The form Tindómiel (UT:210) could well be an alternative Quenya equivalent of Tinúviel, and it is possibly to be preferred because the status of the ending -rel "daughter" is uncertain (it was to represent older -zel, -sel corresponding to the independent word seldë, but Tolkien changed the meaning of this word from "daughter" to "child", and since the word for "child" appears as hína in later texts, it may be that seldë and the corresponding ending -rel were dropped altogether).

ulo

noun. rain

uru

fire

uru noun "fire" (LT1:271)

yelwa

cold

yelwa (2) adj. "cold" (LT1:260 this "Qenya" word is apparently obsoleted by # 1 above. In LotR-style Quenya, the regular term for "cold" seems to be ringa.)

yendi

agent

[yendi] noun "agent" (fem.; masc. [hendo]). The word yendi Tolkien changed to yendë before deleting all of this (VT45:16)

yuncë

cardinal. twelve

yuncë ("k") cardinal "twelve", before it was altered to yunquë under the influence of minquë "eleven" (according to VT48:7, 8). The form yuncë is asterisked by Tolkien. Compare encë under enquë.

yunquë

cardinal. twelve

yunquë ("q") cardinal "twelve" (VT47:41, VT48:4, 6, 9; VT49:57; also compare the stem yunuk(w)-_ cited in VT42:24, 31). This word appears already in an early source (PE14:82)_. Some sources point to #rasta, q.v., as another word for "twelve". However, available post-LotR sources indicate that Tolkien intended yunquë as the regular Quenya word for "twelve".

yurasta

cardinal. twelve

yurasta cardinal "24" (two times #rasta "twelve") (PE14:17)

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)

úr

fire

úr noun "fire" (UR)This stem was struck out in Etym, but a word that must be derived from it occurs in LotR, so it seems that Tolkien restored it. Early "Qenya" also has Ûr, noun "the Sun" (also Úri, Úrinci ("k"), Urwen) (LT1:271). Cf. Úri.

-r

3rd pl

3rd pl. pron. suff. #they. Q. -r.See paradigm PE17:132.

-reth

suffix. -reth

suff. >> Orodreth

-roth

-roth

>> -rod

-rod

suffix. -rod

suff.

-or

suffix. agental suffix

A general agental suffix that developed from the ancient suffix ✶-ro, mainly when final r became syllabic -or after other consonants. This can be seen most clearly in [N.] tavor “woodpecker, [lit.] knocker” derived from older tafr [tavr] < ᴹ✶tamrō (Ety/TAM).

Conceptual Development: This agental suffix also appeared as G. -or in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s in words such as G. nandor “farmer” and G. ecthor “swordsman”. It appeared in a quite a few words in The Etymologies of the 1930s. There is some evidence of it in Tolkien’s later writings, such as S. magor “swordsman” attested in S. Menelvagor “Swordsman of the Sky” (LotR/81), and in Notes on Names (NN) from 1957 Tolkien said -or was a variant of the masculine agental suffix -on used after n (PE17/141). This variant had a plural form -yr.

Neo-Sindarin: For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, most people assume -or is a gender-neutral agental suffix.

-rant

-lode

suff. -lode. Dw. _nâla _path, course, river-course or bed. >> -ian, -ianda

-red

suffix. applied esp

suff. applied esp. to colours and shapes. >> rhaed, -rhed

-rhed

suffix. applied esp

suff. applied esp. to colours and shapes. >> -red, rhaed

-rim

suffix. general or group plural ending

pl. suff. general or group plural ending. >> -ath

-ruin

suffix. fire

suff. #fire. Q. ruine. >> Angruin

-ren

suffix. adjective suffix

@@@ perhaps a later, S-only, innovation

cŷr

adjective. renewed

An adjective meaning “renewed” based on the root √KEW “new, fresh, renewed” (VT48/7-8).

-(r)on

suffix. agental suffix

A (masculine) agental suffix appearing as either -on or -ron. The -on variant is derived from ancient ✶-on(do), as seen in [N.] callon “hero” < ᴹ✶kalrondō (Ety/KAL). The -ron variant arose from the addition of ✶-on(do) to the ancient agental suffix ✶-ro after vowel losses made that suffix indistinct. This can be seen most clearly in [N.] thavron “carpenter” < [ON.] sthabro(ndo) < ᴹ✶stabrō (Ety/STAB). Other times the reduced -r became syllabic -or, as in [N.] tavor “woodpecker, [lit.] knocker” < tafr [tavr] < ᴹ✶tamrō (Ety/TAM).

Sometimes the suffix -(r)on was specifically masculine, as in Ellon vs. Elleth “Elf (m./f.)” and [N.] odhron vs. odhril “parent (m./f.)” (WJ/363; Ety/ONO). Other times it seems to be more neutral in meaning, as in pethron “speaker” or mellon “friend” (PE18/100). As a suffix in names, -on is only masculine.

Conceptual Development: The suffix G. -(r)on dates all the way back to the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, but in Early Noldorin Word lists of the 1920s, it usually appeared as ᴱN. -ion.

-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.

maw

noun. hand

The Sindarin equivalent of Q. má, likewise derived from the root √MAH or √MAƷ “hand; handle, wield” (PE17/162; VT47/6). However, in Sindarin this word was archaic, used only in poetry, having been replaced in ordinary speech by other words like S. mâb and (less often) cam. Other remnants of this word can be seen in compounds like molif “wrist, (orig.) hand link” and directional words like forvo and harvo for left and right hand side.

Conceptual Development: In the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, G. mô from the early root ᴱ√MAHA was the normal word for “hand”, replacing mab “hand” (< ᴱ√MAHA) which in this document Tolkien decided was instead an irregular dual form of mô (GL/55). It had also had an irregular plural mabin based on this dual, replacing an older plural †maith. In the Gnomish Grammar, its archaic form was †mâ, with the usual Gnomish sound change of ā to ō (GG/14), as opposed to later Sindarin/Noldorin ā to au, spelt -aw when final. Tolkien seems to have abandoned mô as a non-archaic word for “hand” early on, preferring ᴱN. mab “hand” by the 1920s and introducing N. cam “hand” in the 1930s.

mâb

noun. hand, hand, [N.] grasp

The typical Sindarin word for “hand” (VT47/7, 20), usable in almost any context. It is most notable as an element in the name Mablung “Heavy Hand” (VT47/8). See below for a discussion of its etymology.

Conceptual Development: This word dates all the way back to the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, where G. mab “hand” appeared as a derivative of the early root ᴱ√MAPA “seize” (GL/55). Tolkien then revised the gloss to “hands”, saying instead it was an irregular dual of G. mô “hand”. The word reverted to singular ᴱN. mab “hand” in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s (PE13/149). These early versions of the word were already an element of Mablung “Heavy Hand(ed)” (LT2/38; LB/311), but also of Ermabwed “One-handed” (LT2/34; LB/119).

In the 1930s it seems Tolkien decided Ilk. mâb “hand” was primarily an Ilkorin word, and the usual word for “hand” in Noldorin was N. cam. Compare Ilkorin Ermabuin “One-handed” and Mablosgen “Empty-handed” with Noldorin Erchamion and Camlost of the same meaning. In The Etymologies of the 1930s, Tolkien had N. mab “grasp” under the root ᴹ√MAPA “seize”, but the version of the entry with that word was overwritten (EtyAC/MAP), leaving only the Ilkorin form mâb. In this period, Mablung may also have been an Ilkorin name.

After Tolkien abandoned Ilkorin in the 1950s, he kept S. Erchamion and Camlost based on cam, but also kept Mablung “Heavy Hand” which must have become Sindarin. In his later writings Tolkien again revisited the etymology of S. mâb “hand”. In a note from Jan-Feb 1968, he wrote:

> It [Q. má = “hand”] did not survive in Telerin and Sindarin as an independent word, but was replaced by the similar-sounding but unconnected C.E. makwā, Q. maqua, T. mapa, S. mab, of uncertain origin, but probably originally an adjectival formation from MAK “strike” ... (VT47/19).

This sentence was struck through, however. In drafts of notes on Elvish Hands, Fingers and Numerals written in or after 1968, Tolkien again derived mâb from √MAP (VT47/20 note #13), but in the final version of these notes he made the remarkable decision to discard this root despite it being a stable part of Elvish for nearly 50 years, declaring it was used only in Telerin and not Quenya or Sindarin (VT47/7). He coined a new etymology for S. mâb “hand” based on ✶makwā “handful” = ✶mā + ✶kwā (VT47/6-7), a variation on the above etymology from √MAK.

Neo-Sindarin: For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I prefer to ignore Tolkien’s 1968 removal of √MAP “seize”, and so would continue to derive S. mâb “hand” from that root. However, its ancient meaning may have been “✱grasp”, and its eventual use as “hand” might have been influenced by ancient ✶makwā “handful”.

naur

noun. fire, fire, [N.] flame

The basic Sindarin word for “fire”, derived from the root √NAR of the same meaning (LotR/942; PE17/38) and very well attested. It is derived from primitive ✱nār- since primitive long ā became au in Sindarin. It appeared as N. naur “flame” in The Etymologies of the 1930s with the same derivation (Ety/NAR). As a suffix it usually reduces to -nor, since au usually becomes o in polysyllables. As a prefix, though, it is often Nar- before consonant clusters, no doubt because the ancient long ā was shortened before it could become au.

Conceptual Development: In the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, the word for “fire” was G. sâ with archaic form †sai (GL/66) clearly based on the early root ᴱ√SAH(Y)A “be hot” as suggested by Christopher Tolkien (LT1A/Sári; QL/81). In Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s, the word for “fire” was ᴱN. byr or buir from primitive ᴱ✶ [mburyē] (PE13/139). Tolkien introduced naur in The Etymologies of the 1930s and stuck with it thereafter.

rain

noun. erratic wandering

A word for “erratic wandering” appearing in notes on The Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor from 1967-69, derived from √RAN “wander, stray, meander” and an element in the river name Gilrain “✱Wandering Star” (VT42/13). See also ᴺS. rain “free, ✱unconstrained” [N. rhain] for another (adjectival) meaning for this word.

raud

noun. metal

A noun appearing as N. rhaud “metal” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from the root ᴹ√RAUTĀ of the same meaning (Ety/RAUTĀ). In that document, it was the basis for the second element of the names Finrod, Angrod and Damrod. In Tolkien’s later writings the second element of these names were based on S. raud “noble” instead. This 1930s “metal” word might reappear in Rodëol “metal of Eöl” in drafts of the Silmarillion from the 1950s, since in Sindarin initial r did not become rh as it did in Noldorin. For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I think it best to stick to [N.] tinc “metal”

-deid

suffix. his

_3rd sg. poss. suff. his, her.See also the paradigm of poss. suff. in PE17:46. Earlier -ed_. >> -deith, -dyn, -ed, [[]]

-deith

suffix. his

_3rd sg. poss. suff. his, her.See also the paradigm of poss. suff. in PE17:46. Earlier -ed_. >> -deid, -dyn, -ed, [[]]

-dyn

suffix. his

_3rd sg. poss. suff. his, her.See also the paradigm of poss. suff. in PE17:46. Earlier -ed_. >> -deid, -deith, -ed, [[]]

-ent

3rd pl

_3rd pl. poss. suff. _their.See also the paradigm of poss. suff. in PE17:46. Later -wen. >> -wen

-wen

suffix. their

_3rd pl. poss. suff. their.See also the paradigm of poss. suff. in PE17:46. Earlier -ent_. >> -ent

arod

noble

1b _adj._noble. >> raud

arod

adjective. noble

d adj. noble. Q. arata. >> raud

haered

noun. remoteness

_n._remoteness. >> hae, haer, na-chaered

imp

cardinal. twelve

_ card. _twelve. Q. yunque. imp << iug. >> imp. This gloss was rejected.

naur

fire

_ n. fire. naur an edraith ammen! _'fire [be] for rescue/saving for us'. Q. nár. >> Sammath Naur

orgaladh

noun. fourth day of the Númenórean week, day of the White Tree

This day was formerly called orgaladhad in the Elvish calendar

orgaladhad

noun. fourth day of the Elvish week, day of the Two Trees

This day was renamed orgaladh in the Númenórean calendar

rhaed

adjective. applied esp

adj. applied esp. to colours and shapes. rhaed << raed. >> -red, -rhed, rhîd

rhîd

adjective. applied esp

adj. applied esp. to colours and shapes. Maybe the plural form of rhaed. >> -red, rhaed, -rhed

ûr Reconstructed

noun. fire, fire; [ᴱN.] sun

A word for “fire” attested in later writings only as an element in names, such as S. Úrui “August, ✱Hot-one” (LotR/1110). It appeared as N. ûr “fire” in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√UR “be hot”, but this and related words were deleted when Tolkien changed the sense of the root to “wide, large, great” (Ety/UR). However, √UR “heat” was restored in later writings (PE17/148; PE22/160), and primitive ✶ūr “a fire (on hearth)” appeared in Common Eldarin: Noun Structure from the early 1950s, though Tolkien did mark it with a “?” (PE21/71 and note #8).

Conceptual Development: Perhaps the first precursor to this word was G. †Uril, an archaic word for the Sun in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s appearing beside its modern form G. Aur (GL/75) and clearly a derivative of the early root ᴱ√URU as suggested by Christopher Tolkien (LT1A/Ûr; QL/098). In Gnomish Lexicon Slips revising this document, it became {ŷr >>} hŷr “sun” (PE13/114), and in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s it became ᴱN. {húr >>} úr “sun”, derived from primitive ᴱ✶ourū̆ (PE13/155).

This in turn became N. ûr “fire” in The Etymologies of the 1930s under ᴹ√UR “be hot”, but as noted above the meaning of this root was changed in that document (Ety/UR). Although the root √UR “heat” was later restored, it isn’t clear whether Tolkien also restored ûr “fire”, though there is some secondary evidence of it: primitive ✶ūr “a fire (on hearth)” appeared in notes from the early 1950s, as also noted above (PE21/71).

Neo-Sindarin: If S. naur is (like its Quenya cognate Q. nár) more representative of an elemental or abstract notion of fire, then ûr might be used for an individual physical fire such as one in a fireplace.

arn

noble

(adjective) 1) arn (royal), pl. ern, also arth (lofty, exalted), pl. erth, or arod (archaic *araud), pl. aroed. 2) brand (high, lofty, fine), lenited vrand, pl. braind; 3) raud (eminent, high), in compounds -rod, pl. roed. 4) taur (also tor-, tar- in compounds) (lofty, high, sublime; vast, masterful, mighty, overwhelming, huge, awful), lenited daur, pl. toer. Note: homophones mean ”king (of a people)” and also ”great wood, forest”. Also used as noun ”a noble”; see below.

arn

noble

(royal), pl. ern, also arth (lofty, exalted), pl. erth, or arod (archaic ✱araud), pl. aroed.

-as

suffix. abstract noun

-eb

suffix. adjective suffix

-en

suffix. adjective suffix

-i

suffix. adjectival suffix

-iel

suffix. adjective suffix

-th

suffix. abstract noun

@@@ mostly seems to use base vowel between suffix and root

arod

adjective. noble

e

pronoun. he

rhaed

noun. peculiar hue, (special) fashion

tîn

pronoun. his

Non-lenited form suggested by Carl Hostetter (VT31/21).

ýneg

cardinal. twelve

ess

noun. name

inu

noun/adjective. female

-in

suffix. plural suffix

-in

suffix. adjective suffix

aned

give

anno

verb. give!

arod

adjective. noble

arod

adjective. noble

adj. #noble.

arphen

noun. a noble

arth

adjective. (unknown meaning, perhaps (?) noble, lofty, exalted)

athrad

noun. (river-)crossing, ford, way

aur

noun. day, sunlight, morning

calan

noun. day, period of actual daylight

Attested in the first edition of LotR, but omitted from the second.

cam

noun. hand

camm

noun. hand

ceber

noun. stake, spike, stone ridge

e

pronoun. he

The meaning "he" is deduced from the apparent function of this word in the so-called "King's Letter", but it also seems possible to interpret it as "indeed" (as in Q. e, LR/63, VT/45:11), used here in a way of formal address expressing the wishes or the will of the King

eneth

noun. name

esta-

verb. to name

feleg

noun. cave

n. cave, mine, underground dwelling. Q. felco. Q.

groth

noun. cave, tunnel, large excavation

groth

noun. delving, underground dwelling

imp

cardinal. twelve

inib

cardinal. twelve

inu

adjective. female

mab-

noun. a hand-full, complete hand (with all five fingers)

maw

noun. hand

mâb

noun. a hand-full, complete hand (with all five fingers)

oraearon

noun. seventh day of the Númenórean week, Sea-day

oranor

noun. second day of the week, day of the Sun

orbelain

noun. sixth day of the week, day of the Powers or Valar

orgilion

noun. first day of the week, day of the Stars

orithil

noun. third day of the week, day of the Moon

ormenel

noun. fifth day of the week, Heavens' day

penninor

noun. last day of the year

raud

noun. metal

rhîd

noun. peculiar hue, (special) fashion

ring

adjective. cold

rond

noun. cave roof

rond

noun. vaulted or arched roof, as seen from below (and usually not visible from outside), or a (large) hall of chamber so roofed

ross

noun. rain

roth

noun. cave

n. cave. Q. rondo.

tîn

adjective. his

yneb

cardinal. twelve

yneg

cardinal. twelve

în

adjective. his (referring to the subject)

ýneg

cardinal. twelve

anna

give

anna- (i anna, in annar), pa.t. ?aun (with endings one-)

anna

give

(i anna, in annar), pa.t. ?aun (with endings one-)

ar

noble

(adjectival prefix) ar- (high, royal). In the form ar(a)- this is an element in the names of the kings of Arnor and Arthedain.

ar

noble

(high, royal). In the form ar(a)- this is an element in the names of the kings of Arnor and Arthedain.

arphen

noble

(noun, "a noble") 1) arphen, pl. erphin; 2) raud (eminent man, champion), pl.roed (idh roed), coll. pl. rodath.

arphen

noble

pl. erphin

arwen

noble woman

(pl. erwin).****

athrad

crossing

1) athrad (ford), pl. ethraid**, 2) iach (ford), pl. iaich**

athrad

crossing

(ford), pl. ethraid, 2) iach (ford), pl. iaich

aur

day

aur (morning), pl. oer. As prefix or- in names of weekdays.

aur

day

(morning), pl. oer. As prefix or- in names of weekdays.

brand

noble

(high, lofty, fine), lenited vrand, pl. braind

bregedúr

wildfire

(i vregedúr), pl. bregedýr (i mregedýr)

calan

daytime

(i galan, o chalan), pl. celain (i chelain)

cam

hand

1) cam (i gam, o cham), pl. caim (i chaim), coll. pl. cammath; 2) mâb (i vâb; construct mab), pl. maib (i maib). 3) Archaic †maw (i vaw), pl. moe (i moe). A homophone means ”soil, stain”. (VT47:6) 4) (fist) dond (i dhond; construct don), pl. dynd (i nynd), coll. pl. donnath (VT47:23).

cam

hand

(i gam, o cham), pl. caim (i chaim), coll. pl. cammath

camlann

of the hand

(i gamlann, o chamlann), pl. cemlain (i chemlain).

ceber

stake

ceber (i geber, o cheber) (spike, stone ridge), pl. cebir (i chebir). A lenited pl. form occurs in the name Sarn Gebir. Cf. also

ceber

stake

(i geber, o cheber) (spike, stone ridge), pl. cebir (i chebir). A lenited pl. form occurs in the name Sarn Gebir. Cf. also

crûm

left hand

(i grûm, o chrûm, construct crum), pl. cruim (i chruim), coll. pl. crummath. Also ✱hair (i chair), no distinct pl. form (not even with article). Note: hair is also used = ”left” as adjective. Cited in archaic form heir (LR:365 s.v. KHYAR).

cýron

new moon

cýron (i gýron), pl. cýroen (i chýroen). Archaic *cýraun, spelt cýrawn in the source (VT48:7).

cŷr

renewed

cŷr (lenited gŷr; no distinct pl. form) (VT48:7-8). Another form, cîr, clashes with the word for ”ship”.s

cŷr

renewed

cŷr (lenited gŷr; no distinct pl. form) (VT48:7-8). Another form, cîr, clashes with the word for ”ship”.

dond

hand

(i dhond; construct don), pl. dynd (i nynd), coll. pl. donnath (VT47:23).

e

he

1) e (SD:128-31), 2) ho, hon, hono. (The distinctions between these forms are unclear. Possibly ho is the nominative ”he”, whereas hon is the accusative ”him”. Hono could be an emphatic form. It may be that all of these pronouns, except e, are ”Noldorin” and were not maintained in Sindarin proper.)

e

he

(SD:128-31)

edinor

anniversary day

(pl. edinoer). Archaic edinaur. In ”Noldorin”, the word appeared as edinar.

eilia

rain

(vb.) eilia-, impersonal 3rd singular uil "it rains". (In ”Noldorin”, the impersonal form was "oeil" = öil, later eil.)

eilia

rain

impersonal 3rd singular uil "it rains". (In ”Noldorin”, the impersonal form was "oeil" = öil, later eil.)

eneth

name

(noun) eneth (pl. enith)

eneth

name

(pl. enith)

esta

name

(verb.) esta- (call) (i esta, in estar)

esta

name

(call) (i esta, in estar)

fela

cave

(pl. fili). In the Etymologies (LR:381 s.v. PHÉLEG) the name Felagund is said to include this word, but since Tolkien later re-explained this name as a borrowing from Dwarvish, some would consider fela as a word for ”cave” conceptually obsolete.

forgam

right-handed

(pl. fergaim, for archaic förgeim)

fuir

right hand

pl. fŷr. Also used as adj. "right, north" (VT42:20). In ”Noldorin” the word appeared as (”foeir” =) föir, feir (LR:382 s.v. PHOR).

galvorn

copper, gold,  iron, silver

(i** ’alvorn, pl. gelvyrn [in ngelvyrn*] if there is a pl.), a black metal made by the Dark Elf Eöl. (WJ:322)*

groth

cave

(i ’roth) (delving, large excavation), pl. gryth (in gryth) (VT46:12)

groth

large excavation

groth (i **roth) (cave, delving), pl. gryth (in gryth**)

groth

large excavation

groth (i **roth) (cave, delving), pl. gryth (in gryth**);

grôd

cave

1) grôd (i **rôd, construct grod) (delving, excavation, underground dwelling), pl. grŷd (in grŷd) (WJ:414), 2) groth (i **roth) (delving, large excavation), pl. gryth (in gryth) (VT46:12), 3) rond (construct ron) (cavern, vault, vaulted ceiling, hall with vaulted roof), pl. rynd (idh rynd), coll. pl. ronnath, 4) roth (delving, large excavation), pl. ryth, 4) gathrod (i **athrod), pl. gethryd (i ngethryd = i ñethryd), 5) fela (pl. fili). In the Etymologies (LR:381 s.v. PHÉLEG) the name Felagund is said to include this word, but since Tolkien later re-explained this name as a borrowing from Dwarvish, some would consider fela** as a word for ”cave” conceptually obsolete.

grôd

cave

(i ’rôd, construct grod) (delving, excavation, underground dwelling), pl. grŷd (in grŷd) (WJ:414)

gûr

inner mind

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

helch

bitterly cold

(lenited chelch; pl. hilch);

ho

he

hon, hono. *(The distinctions between these forms are unclear. Possibly ho is the nominative ”he”, whereas hon is the accusative ”him”. Hono could be an emphatic form. It may be that all of these pronouns, except e, are ”Noldorin” and were not maintained in Sindarin proper.)*

ind

mind

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

ind

mind

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

inu

female

inu (analogical pl. iny)

inu

female

(analogical pl. iny)**

laew

many

laew (frequent); no distinct pl. form.

laew

many

(frequent); no distinct pl. form.

maw

hand

(i vaw), pl. moe (i moe). A homophone means ”soil, stain”. (VT47:6) 

mithril

copper, gold,  iron, silver

(i** vithril, no distinct pl. form except with article [i** mithril], coll. pl. ?mithrillath). The description of mithril may seem to fit titanium.

mâb

hand

(i vâb; construct mab), pl. maib (i maib).

narthan

fire-sign

pl. **nerthain** (VT45:20)

naur

fire

1) naur (in compounds nar-, -nor) (flame, sun), pl. noer, coll. pl. norath; 2) ûr (heat), pl. uir. Notice the homophone ûr ”wide”.

naur

fire

(in compounds nar-, -nor) (flame, sun), pl. noer, coll. pl. norath

othronn

fortress in a cave/caves

(pl. ethrynn for archaic öthrynn) (underground stronghold). Cited in archaic form othrond in the source (WJ:414).

raud

noble

(eminent, high), in compounds -rod,  pl. roed.  4) taur (also tor-, tar- in compounds) (lofty, high, sublime; vast, masterful, mighty, overwhelming, huge, awful), lenited daur, pl. toer. Note: homophones mean ”king (of a people)” and also ”great wood, forest”. Also used as noun ”a noble”; see below.

rhûd

artificial cave

(construct rhud, with article ?i thrûd or ?i rûd – *the lenition product of rh- is uncertain) (dwelling underground, rockhewn hall, mine), pl. rhuid (?idh ruid). (PM:365)*

riel

garlanded maiden

#riel (princess), pl. ?rîl (idh rîl). Isolated from the name Galadriel.

riel

garlanded maiden

#riel (princess), pl. ?rîl (idh rîl). Isolated from the name Galadriel. The final element -wen in names means ”girl, maiden, virgin”.

rim

cold pool/lake

; no distinct pl. form except with article (idh rim), coll. pl. rimmath. Note: a homophone means ”crowd, great number, host”.

ring

cold

(adj.) ring (no distinct pl. form),

ring

cold

(no distinct pl. form)

rond

cave

(construct ron) (cavern, vault, vaulted ceiling, hall with vaulted roof), pl. rynd (idh rynd), coll. pl. ronnath

ross

rain

ross (construct ros) (foam, dew, spray [of fall or fountain]), pl. ryss (idh ryss). (Letters:282) Note: homophones mean ”reddish, russet, copper-coloured, red-haired” and also ”polished metal, glitter”.

ross

rain

(construct ros) (foam, dew, spray [of fall or fountain]), pl. ryss (idh ryss). (Letters:282) Note: homophones mean ”reddish, russet, copper-coloured, red-haired” and also ”polished metal, glitter”.

ross

polished metal

(glitter), pl. ryss (idh** ryss**). Note: homophones mean ”reddish, russet, copper-coloured, red-haired” and also ”spray, foam, rain, dew”. For concrete metals, see

roth

cave

(delving, large excavation), pl. ryth, 4) gathrod (i ’athrod), pl. gethryd (i ngethryd = i ñethryd)

taen

high mountain

(i daen, o thaen) (height), no distinct pl. form except with article (i thaen). Note: a homophone means ”long (and thin)”.

tinc

metal

tinc (i dinc, o thinc), no distinct pl. form except with article (i thinc), coll. pl. tingath. The word rhaud “metal” occurring in the Etymologies would normally be ”updated” to Sindarin in the form raud, but since raud appears with different meanings in later sources (see

tinc

metal

(i** dinc, o thinc), no distinct pl. form except with article (i** thinc), coll. pl. tingath. The word rhaud** “metal” occurring in the Etymologies would normally be ”updated” to Sindarin in the form raud, but since raud** appears with different meanings in later sources (see

tinc

eminent

should at least be preferred for clarity).

tín

his

*tín (only attested in lenited form dín, following a noun with article). Possibly, the word also covers ”her(s)” and ”its” as a general 3rd person form. If ”his” refers to the same person as the subject, the form ín* is used instead (e.g. i venn sunc i haw ín** ”the man drank his (own) juice”, but *i venn sunc i haw dín ”the man drank his (somebody elses) juice”.

tín

his

(only attested in lenited form dín, following a noun with article). Possibly, the word also covers ”her(s)” and ”its” as a general 3rd person form. If ”his” refers to the same person as the subject, the form ín is used instead (e.g. ✱i venn sunc i haw ín ”the man drank his (own) juice”, but ✱i venn sunc i haw dín ”the man drank his (somebody else’s) juice”.

ín

his

(pronoun referring to the subject, e.g. ✱i venn sunc i haw ín ”the man drank his [own] juice”, as opposed to ✱i venn sunc i haw dín ”the man drank his [= another’s] juice”)

ûr

fire

(heat), pl. uir. Notice the homophone ûr ”wide”.

ýneg

cardinal. twelve

ýneg (VT47:41, VT48:6, 8, 12)

ýneg

twelve

(VT47:41, VT48:6, 8, 12)

-riel

suffix. -riel

-ya

suffix. adjective suffix

aráta

adjective. noble

camba

noun. hand

ceura

adjective. renewed

mapa

noun. hand

má

noun. hand

yúnecë

cardinal. twelve

-or

suffix. agental suffix

-ren

suffix. adjective suffix

-rin

suffix. adjective suffix

-dis

suffix. feminine agent

A feminine agental suffix appearing in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a suffix in N. meldis “friend (f.)”, the feminine equivalent of N. meldir which had the masculine agental suffix dîr (Ety/MEL).

Conceptual Development: In the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s the suffix G. -(n)ir seems to be a feminine agent, probably based on (archaic) G. †nîr “woman”. For example: G. bridh(n)ir “queen” vs. G. bridhon “king” (GL/24) or G. gwar(e)dhir “f. companion” vs. G. gwar(e)dhon “m. companion” (GL/44). Sometimes -ir seems to be gender-neutral, however, as with G. faithir “savior” (GL/33) and G. hilmir “heir (m. or f.)” (GL/49). There are remnants of this feminine -ir suffix in The Etymologies, where in the first iteration of the entry for the root ᴹ√MEL Tolkien had meldir “friend (f.)” (EtyAC/MEL) before deciding meldir was masculine.

gathrod

noun. cave

A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “cave”, apparently a combination of N. gath “cavern” and ᴹ√ROT “tunnel” (Ety/GAT(H)). Its initial element also appeared in the name N. Doriath “Land of the Cave”, but in later writings S. Doriath was redefined as “Land of the Fence” with final element S. iath “fence” (WJ/370), so N. gathrod “cave” was probably abandoned.

inw

noun/adjective. female

A word appearing as N. inw “female” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from the root ᴹ√INI of the same meaning, the equivalent of the Quenya adjective ᴹQ. inya but altered in form to match N. anw “male” (Ety/INI).

Conceptual Development: The word for “female” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s was G. gwinwed, an adjectival form of G. gwin “woman, female” (GL/45). In Gnomish Lexicon Slips from the 1910s the adjective for “fem[ale]” became G. gwineth based on primitive {ᴱ✶u̯eniı̯ásta >>} ᴱ✶u̯eniı̯ássa (PE13/118).

Neo-Sindarin: Many Neo-Sindarin writers adapt this word as ᴺS. inu to better fit Sindarin phonology, as suggested in HSD (HSD). It seems likely the Noldorin form was intended to be an adjective, but for purposes of Neo-Sindarin I think it is acceptable to use it as both an adjective or a noun, like its male equivalent ᴺS. anu.

tinc

noun. metal

A word for “metal” in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√TINKŌ of the same meaning (Ety/TINKŌ).

Conceptual Development: A possible precursor is G. sinc “metal” from the Gnomish Lexicon (GL/67), a cognate of ᴱQ. sink “mineral, gem, metal” under the early root ᴱ√SINI “pale blue” in the contemporaneous Qenya Lexicon (QL/83). For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I prefer to use ᴺS. sinc for “✱mineral”.

-eb

suffix. adjective suffix

-(i)on

suffix. adjectival suffix

-(r)il

suffix. feminine agent

-(r)on

suffix. agental suffix

-as

suffix. abstract noun

-en

suffix. adjective suffix

-iel

suffix. adjective suffix

-os

suffix. abstract noun

-th

suffix. abstract noun

-ui

suffix. adjective suffix

ar-

prefix. day

cam

noun. hand

fela

noun. cave

ho

pronoun. he

rhaud

noun. metal

rhing

adjective. cold

rhoss

noun. rain

rhuin

noun. fire

ûr

noun. fire

-il

suffix. feminine suffix

-in

suffix. plural suffix

-in

suffix. adjective suffix

-on

suffix. agental suffix

anna-

verb. to give

athrad

noun. (river-)crossing, ford, way

aur

noun. day, sunlight, morning

cam

noun. hand

camb

noun. hand

camm

noun. hand

camm

noun. hand

ceber

noun. stake, spike, stone ridge

fela

noun. cave

gathrod

noun. cave

helch

noun. bitter cold

ho

pronoun. he

hon

pronoun. he

hon(o)

pronoun. he

hono

pronoun. he

inw

adjective. female

mō

noun. hand

ON. hand

penninar

noun. last day of the year

rhaud

noun. metal

rhing

adjective. cold

rhond

noun. cave roof

rhond

noun. vaulted or arched roof, as seen from below (and usually not visible from outside), or a (large) hall of chamber so roofed

rhonn

noun. cave roof

rhonn

noun. vaulted or arched roof, as seen from below (and usually not visible from outside), or a (large) hall of chamber so roofed

rhoss

noun. rain

rond

noun. cave

tinc

noun. metal

ûr

noun. fire, heat

-ro

suffix. an old agental formation

li

root. many

This root was connected to words for “many” throughout Tolkien’s life. In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s it appeared as ᴱ√LĪ, with variant ᴱ√ILI “many” and extended form ᴱ√LIYA (LI + ya) “unite many as one” with derivatives like ᴱQ. lia- “entwine” and ᴱQ. liante “tendril” (QL/42, 53). In later writings there is no sign of the inversion √IL “many” (later √IL meant “all”), whereas ᴱ√LIYA seems to have shifted to unrelated ᴹ√SLIG with derivatives like ᴹQ. lia “fine thread, spider filament” and ᴹQ. liante “spider” (Ety/SLIG).

The base root ᴹ√LI “many” did reappear in The Etymologies of the 1930s, however (Ety/LI), and √LI “many” appeared again in etymological notes from the late 1960s (VT48/25). The long-standing connection between this root and the Quenya (partitive) plural suffixes indicates its stability in Tolkien’s mind.

nar

root. fire, fire, [ᴹ√] flame

A root for “fire” first appearing as ᴹ√NAR “flame, fire” in The Etymologies of the 1930s along with derivatives like ᴹQ. nár(e)/N. naur “flame” (Ety/NAR¹). There was also an augmented variant ᴹ√ANÁR that served as the basis for “Sun” words: ᴹQ. Anar and N. Anor (Ety/ANÁR). These roots and the various derivatives continued to appear in Tolkien’s later writings in the 1950s and 60s (PE17/38; Let/425), and in one place Tolkien specified that nār- was “fire as an element” as opposed to √RUYU for an actual blaze.

ringi

root. cold

Tolkien used very similar forms for Elvish words for “cold” for all of his life. The earliest iteration of this root was unglossed ᴱ√RIŊI in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like ᴱQ. rin (ring-) “dew” and ᴱQ. ringa “damp, cold, chilly” (QL/80). The root had similar derivatives in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon such as G. rî “coolness, cool” and G. ring “cool, cold” (GL/65). In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien gave the root {ᴹ√RINGĀ >>} ᴹ√RINGI “cold” with derivatives like ᴹQ. ringe/N. rhing “cold” (Ety/RINGI; EtyAC/RINGI). Primitive forms ✶riñgi “chill” and ✶riñgā appeared in Common Eldarin: Noun Structure from the early 1950s (PE21/80), and Christopher Tolkien mentioned √ring as the basis for cold words in the Silmarillion Appendix (SA/ring).

-ni

suffix. adjectival suffix

Seen in lugni < LUG, luini < LUY and ninkwi < NIKW (with subsequent metathesis). Possibly a (rare) variant of -nā and/or -i.

-(a)rē

suffix. abstract noun

-iel

suffix. feminine suffix

-lī

suffix. many

-ntā

pronoun. their

-syā

suffix. his, her, its

-ya

suffix. adjectival suffix

-ī

suffix. plural ending

khag

root. stake

mā

noun. hand

nāro

noun. fire

raitē

noun. peculiar hue, (special) fashion

turuk

noun. stake

yenā

adjective. female

-ye Reconstructed

suffix. feminine suffix

bes

root. to wed

en

root. name

pâ

noun. hand

A noun translated “hand”, given as an example of an apparent Adûnaic uniconsonantal noun, which had a biconsonantal-root but lost one of its consonants from its ancient form ✶Ad. paʒa (SD/416, 426).

u

pronoun. he

A well-attested pronominal prefix, the masculine singular pronoun “he” (SD/433). See the entry on pronominal-prefixes for more discussion. Tolkien said that it had another variant hu- (SD/433), but this variant was only appears in the early and rejected hunekkū, which was changed to unekkū (see nakh-). Tolkien further indicated that the form u- primitively had an initial consonant [ɣ] or [ʔ] that was lost (SD/433).

zinî

noun. female

A noun translated “female” and fully declined as an example of an (archaic) feminine Strong II noun (SD/437). The archaic form of this word is †zini which is a Strong II noun since it ends in a single short vowel. Its non-archaic form is zinî, which is presumably declined as a Weak II noun; most masculine and feminine nouns became weak in Classical Adûnaic (SD/436).

-ân Reconstructed

suffix. agental suffix

A suffix that is used in some examples for agental-formation: creating nouns from verbs that indicate the agent who performs the verb’s action. The clearest example is sapthân “wise man” derived (after some ancient sound modifications) from saphad- “to understand”. This formation means “✱one who understands”. Less clear examples are ✱magân “wright, ✱builder”, perhaps from a verb ✱mag- “to build”, and kathuphazgân “conquerer”, perhaps a combined of katha “all” and a verb ?phazag- “to take”, meaning “✱one who takes all”.

It is not clear how this suffix related to the similar participle suffix -ân used for form adjectives from verbs. See the entry on participle for further discussion. Andreas Moehn suggested (EotAL/TAN) that -ân as an agental formation may be related to anâ “human being”.

-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.

-î

suffix. feminine suffix

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

ghâsh

noun. fire