calwa

beautiful

calwa ("k") adj. "beautiful" (LT1:254)

mairëa

beautiful

mairëa adj. "beautiful" (of things made by art) (PE17:163). An alternative (and peculiar) form "mairia" is also implied in the source.

mírya

beautiful

mírya adj. "beautiful" (of work of art only) (PE17:165)

vanima

adjective. beautiful

vanimalda

your beautiful

vanimalda adj. with suffix *"your beautiful"; Arwen vanimalda "Arwen your beauty = beautiful Arwen" (WJ:369, cf. PE17:55).The ending for sg. "your" normally appears as -lya rather than -lda (which according to late sources is rather the ending for plural "your", here inappropriate). Originally Tolkien seems to have intended vanimalda as an inflected form of vanima "beautiful", the ending -lda expressing comparative, superlative or simply "exceedingly" (PE17:56: vanimalda = "exceeding fair"). However, since this ending was later revised out of existence, Tolkien reinterpreted the word. The Second Edition of LotR changes one letter to arrive at the reading vanimelda, q.v. for Tolkiens new explanation.%

linda

fair, beautiful

linda adj. "fair, beautiful" (of sound) (SLIN, LIND; VT45:27), "soft, gentle, light" (PE16:96), "beautiful, sweet, melodious of sound" (PE17:150); for Linda as a noun, see Lindar.

vanima

beautiful, fair

vanima adj. "beautiful, fair" (BAN, VT39:14) (glossed "proper, right, fair" in early "Qenya", LT1:272, though a later source says the word is used "only of living things, especially Elves and Men", PE17:150); nominal pl. vanimar "beautiful ones", partitive pl. genitive vanimálion, translated "of beautiful children", but literally meaning *"of [some] beautiful ones") (LotR3:VI ch. 6, translated in Letters:308). Arwen vanimalda "Beautiful Arwen", literally "Arwen your beauty" (see -lda for reference; changed to Arwen vanimelda in the second edition of LotR; see vanimelda).

vanima

adjective. beautiful, fair, beautiful, fair, *handsome; [ᴱQ.] proper, right, as it should be, fair

A word for “beautiful, fair” derived from the root √BAN of similar meaning (PE17/55, 143, 150, 165). Tolkien specified that this word was used “only of living things, especially Elves or Men” (PE17/150). Tolkien further stated that this would did not mean only “fair (blond)”, because it was applicable to Arwen who had dark hair (PE17/165). Thus it applied to any physically beautiful living creature.

Conceptual Development: The first appearance of this word was the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, where ᴱQ. {vana >>} vanĭma was glossed “proper, right, as it should be, fair” under the early root ᴱ√VANA (QL/99). In The Etymologies of the 1930s it was ᴹQ. vanima “fair” under the root ᴹ√BAN (Ety/BAN). In this document it was the basis for ᴹQ. Vanimo “the Beautiful”, indicating that by the 1930s its base meaning had shifted from “proper” to “beautiful”.

Neo-Sindarin: In the “Neologism of the Day” (NotD) series on the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server as posted 2023-05-30, Delle pointed out that this word was not specifically feminine, so could also mean “✱handsome” when applied to males.

Derivations

• √BAN “beauty (due to lack of fault or blemish); fair, beautiful” ✧ PE17/149; PE17/150; PE17/165

Element in

• Q. úvanima “not fair, ugly; hard to call beautiful, hideous” ✧ PE17/143; PE22/156; VT39/14
• Q. úvanimo “monster, corrupt or evil creature” ✧ PE17/150
• Q. vanimelda “beautiful and beloved, elven-fair” ✧ PE17/056; PE17/057
• Q. vanimalda “most beautiful, exceeding fair; thou beautiful, thou beautiful; most beautiful, exceeding fair” ✧ PE17/055 (vanimalda)

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√ɃAN > vanima	[banima] > [βanima] > [vanima]	✧ PE17/149
√BAN > vanima	[banima] > [βanima] > [vanima]	✧ PE17/150
√BAN > vanima	[banima] > [βanima] > [vanima]	✧ PE17/165

Variations

• vanima ✧ PE17/055 (vanima); PE17/056; PE17/057; PE17/143; PE17/149 (vanima); PE17/150; PE17/165 (vanima); VT39/14
• vănĭmā ✧ PE17/057
• vănima ✧ PE22/156

wenya

adjective. fair, beautiful

Cognates

• S. bain “fair, beautiful; good, wholesome, favorable; fair-haired, beautiful; good, wholesome, favorable; fair, fair-haired” ✧ PE17/191

Derivations

• ✶gwenyā “fair, beautiful” ✧ PE17/191
  • √GWEN “fair, beautiful; (probably originally) fresh, fair, unblemished (especially of beauty of youth)” ✧ PE17/191

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶gwenyā > wenya	[gwenjā] > [ɣwenjā] > [wenjā] > [wenja]	✧ PE17/191

míra

adjective. beautiful, lovely

írima

lovely, beautiful, desirable

írima adj. "lovely, beautiful, desirable" (ID, FS, PE17:155), in FS also pl. írimar; in the "Qenya" of Fíriel's Song, adjectives in -a form their plurals in -ar instead of -ë as in LotR-style Quenya.

mirya

adjective. beautiful, lovely (of works of art only)

Cognates

• ᴺS. mair “precious”

Derivations

• √MIR “precious; esteem, value” ✧ PE17/165; PE17/165

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√MĬR > mĭrya	[mirja]	✧ PE17/165
√MIR > mīra	[mīra]	✧ PE17/165
√MIR > anamirya	[anamirja]	✧ PE17/165

Variations

• mĭrya ✧ PE17/165; PE17/165
• mīra ✧ PE17/165

lelya

delicate, beautiful & fine, slender; lovely

lelya (2) adj. "delicate, beautiful & fine, slender; lovely" (PE17:139, 151)

alya

fair, good

alya (1) adj. "fair, good" (PE17:146), "prosperous, rich, abundant, blessed" (GALA). In a deleted entry in Etym, the glosses provided were "rich, blessed"; another deleted entry defined alya as "rich, prosperous, blessed". (GALA, [ÁLAM], VT42:32, 45:5, 14)

ezel

green

ezel, ezella adj. "green" (in Vanyarin Quenya only). Adopted and adapted from Valarin. (WJ:399)

isca

pale

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

luina

pale

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

mai-

prefix. excellent, admirable, excellent, admirable; *well, happily

Cognates

• S. mae “well; excellent, admirable” ✧ PE17/163; PE17/172

Derivations

• √MAY “excellent, admirable, beautiful; make [art]; suitable, useful, proper, serviceable; right” ✧ PE17/163

Elements

Word	Gloss
mai	“well, well; [ᴱQ.] too much”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√MAY > mai-	[mai-]	✧ PE17/163

Variations

• mai- ✧ PE17/162; PE17/163
• mai ✧ PE17/172 (mai)

nívë

pale

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

alima

fair, good

alima adj. "fair, good" (also alya) (PE17:146)

céva

fresh, new

céva ("k")adj. "fresh, new" (VT48:7, 8)

maiya

noun. (angelic) spirit

melwa

lovely

melwa adj. "lovely" (LT1:262); compare melda in Tolkiens later Quenya.

milmë

desire, greed

milmë noun "desire, greed" (MIL-IK)

néca

pale, vague, faint, dim to see

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

wenya

green, yellow-green, fresh

wenya adj. "green, yellow-green, fresh" (GWEN), apparently "fair, beautiful" ("probably originally "fresh, fair, unblemished especially of beauty of youth") in a later deleted note (PE17:191).

yesta-

desire

yesta- (1) vb. "desire" (YES, VT46:23; the latter source indicates that Tolkien did write yesta- with a final hyphen, indicating that this is "desire" as a verbal stem, not as a noun).

írissë

desire

Írissë fem. name (PM:345), evidently connected to írë "desire".

írë

desire

írë (1) noun "desire". (ID). In the pre-classical Tengwar system presupposed in the Etymologies, írë was also the name of a long carrier with an i-tehta above it, denoting long í. (VT45:17).

írë

noun. desire, desire, [ᴹQ.] longing

Derivations

• √IR “desire, long for, desire, long for; [ᴹ√] desirable, beautiful”
• √ID “desire, long for” ✧ PE17/112

Element in

• Q. Írildë
• Q. írima “desirable, lovely” ✧ PE17/112
• Q. Írimon
• Q. Írissë “*Desirable Lady”
• Q. Irmo “Desirer”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√ID > ír-	[īde] > [īðe] > [īre]	✧ PE17/112

Variations

• ír- ✧ PE17/112 (ír-)

vanya

adjective. fair, beautiful, unmarred; fair-haired (yellow to golden), fair, beautiful, unmarred; fair-haired (yellow to golden); [ᴱQ.] good (not evil), holy

Cognates

• S. bain “fair, beautiful; good, wholesome, favorable; fair-haired, beautiful; good, wholesome, favorable; fair, fair-haired” ✧ PE17/150; PE17/154; PE17/165
• S. gwain “blond” ✧ PE17/150
• S. gwân “pale, fair” ✧ PE17/165

Derivations

• √BAN “beauty (due to lack of fault or blemish); fair, beautiful” ✧ PE17/056; PE17/149; PE17/150
• ✶wanya “fair-haired (yellow to golden)” ✧ PE17/150; PE17/150
  • √(G)WAN “pale, fair” ✧ PE17/150
• √(G)WAN “pale, fair” ✧ PE17/154; PE17/165
• ✶banya “beautiful” ✧ PE17/165
  • √BAN “beauty (due to lack of fault or blemish); fair, beautiful” ✧ PE17/165

Element in

• Q. Arda Vanya “Arda Unmarred” ✧ PE17/150
• Q. ilvan(y)a “perfect” ✧ PE17/150
• Q. úvana “marred” ✧ PE17/150
• Q. Vanya “Fair Elves, the Fair”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√BAN > vanya	[banja] > [βanja] > [vanja]	✧ PE17/056
√ɃAN > vanya	[banja] > [βanja] > [vanja]	✧ PE17/149
√BAN > vanya	[banja] > [βanja] > [vanja]	✧ PE17/150
✶wanya > vanya	[wanja] > [βanja] > [vanja]	✧ PE17/150
✶wana > văna	[wanja] > [βanja] > [vanja]	✧ PE17/150
√GWAN > vanya	[gwanja] > [ɣwanja] > [wanja] > [vanja]	✧ PE17/154
✶banya > vanya	[banja] > [βanja] > [vanja]	✧ PE17/165
√GWAN > wana	[gwanja] > [ɣwanja] > [wanja] > [vanja]	✧ PE17/165

Variations

• văna ✧ PE17/150
• wana ✧ PE17/165 (wana)
• wanya ✧ PE17/165 (wanya)

ezel(la)

adjective. green

vanë

adjective. fair, fair, [ᴱQ.] lovely

Derivations

• √BAN “beauty (due to lack of fault or blemish); fair, beautiful” ✧ PE17/056

Element in

• Q. úvanë(a) “without beauty”
• Q. vanessë “beauty” ✧ PE17/056
• Q. vanië “beauty” ✧ PE17/056
• Q. vanima “beautiful, fair, beautiful, fair, *handsome; [ᴱQ.] proper, right, as it should be, fair” ✧ PE17/056

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√BAN > vane	[bani] > [bane] > [βane] > [vane]	✧ PE17/056

Variations

• vane ✧ PE17/056

-ima

fair

-ima adjectival suffix. Sometimes it is used to derive simple adjectives, like vanima "fair" or calima "bright"; it can also take on the meaning "-able" (PE17:68), as in mátima "edible" (mat- "eat"), nótima "countable" (not- "count") and (with a negative prefix) úquétima "unspeakable" (from quet- "speak"). Note that the stem-vowel is normally lengthened in the derivatives where -ima means "-able", though this fails to occur in cenima "visible" (q.v., but contrast hraicénima, q.v.) and also before a consonant cluster as in úfantima "not concealable" (PE17:176). "X-ima" may mean "apt to X" (when the ending is added to an intransitive verbal stem), as in Fírimar "mortals", literally "those apt to die" (WJ:387). The adj. úfantima "not concealable" (PE17:176) also appears as úfantuma (PE17:180), indicating the existence of a variant ending -uma (possibly used to derive adjectives with a "bad" meaning; compare the ending *-unqua next to -inqua, q.v.)

vanya

fair

vanya (1) adj. "fair" (FS), "beautiful" (BAN), a word referring to beauty that is "due to lack of fault, or blemish" (PE17:150), hence Arda Vanya as an alternative to Arda Alahasta for "Arda Unmarred" (ibid., compare MR:254). Nominal pl. Vanyar "the Fair", the first clan of the Eldar; the original meaning of this stem was "pale, light-coloured, not brown or dark" (WJ:382, 383, stem given as WAN), "properly = white complexion and blonde hair" (PE17:154, stem given as GWAN); stems BAN vs. WAN discussed, see PE17:150.

vanë

fair

vanë adj. "fair" (LT1:272; in Tolkien's later Quenya rather vanya)

marya

pale, fallow, fawn

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

amya-

prefix. excellent, admirable

Cognates

• S. ein- “excellent, admirable” ✧ PE17/163; PE17/172

Derivations

• √MAY “excellent, admirable, beautiful; make [art]; suitable, useful, proper, serviceable; right” ✧ PE17/163

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√MAY > amya-	[amja-]	✧ PE17/163

Variations

• amya- ✧ PE17/163; PE17/172 (amya-)

laica

green

laica (1) adj. "green" (in older sources laiqua) (Letters:282, PE17:159). Laicolassë (laica + #olassë) "green-foliage" (PE17:46), Quenya cognate of Sindarin Laegolas (dialectal form Legolas); compare olassië. Adj. laicalassë "green as leaves", literally "green-leaf" (PE17:56).

laica

adjective. green

Cognates

• S. laeg “fresh and green, viridis, green (of leaves/herbiage), green, viridis, green (of leaves/herbiage), fresh” ✧ Let/282; PE17/084; PE17/159
• Nan. lego “green” ✧ Let/282

Derivations

• ✶laikā “green” ✧ Let/282
  • √LAY “*be alive, flourish, [ᴱ√] be alive, flourish” ✧ Let/282
• √LAY “*be alive, flourish, [ᴱ√] be alive, flourish” ✧ PE17/159

Element in

• Q. laicalassë “green-leaf, green as leaves”
• ᴺQ. laicelumir “malachite (lit.) green-flowing-jewel”
• Q. Laicolassë “Green-foliage” ✧ PE17/056
• ᴺQ. laimaril “emerald”
• Q. Laiquendi “Green-elves”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶laikā > laica	[laikā] > [laika]	✧ Let/282
√LAY > laika	[laikā] > [laika]	✧ PE17/159

Variations

• laikā ✧ PE17/084
• laika ✧ PE17/159

laiqua

green

laiqua ("q")adj. "green" (LÁYAK, LT1:267, MC:214), "Qenya" pl. laiquali ("q")(MC:216). Occurs in the phrase laiqua'ondoisen ("q") "green-rocks-upon" (MC:221; this is "Qenya"), Laiqualassë ("q") masc. name "Legolas" (Greenleaf) (LT1:267). Used as noun in the phrase mi laiqua of somebody clad "in green" (PE17:71). In later material, the word for "green" appears as laica, and the cognate of Legolas is said to be Laicolassë, q.v. (PE17:56)

laiqua

adjective. green

Changes

• laiqua → laikā “green” ✧ PE17/084

Cognates

• S. laeg “fresh and green, viridis, green (of leaves/herbiage), green, viridis, green (of leaves/herbiage), fresh” ✧ PE17/153
• Nan. lego “green” ✧ PE17/153

Derivations

• ✶laikwā ✧ PE17/153

Element in

• ᴺQ. laiquaril “emerald”
• Q. sanomë tarnë Olórin, Aracorno, Eomer, Imrahil, mi mísë, mi telepta yo morna, mi laiqua yo ninquë, mi luinë, ta Gimli mi lossëa “There stood Gandalf, Aragorn, Eomer and Imrahil in grey, in silver and black, in green and white, and in blue, and also Gimli in white” ✧ PE17/071

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶laiquā > laiqua	[laikwā] > [laikwa]	✧ PE17/153

virya

fresh

virya (1) adj. "fresh" (VT46:22)

Lindar

singers

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

bain

beautiful

_ adj. _beautiful. Q. vanya.

bain

adjective. beautiful, fair

bain

fair

_ adj. _fair, good, blessed, wholesome, favourable, without evil/bad element, not dangerous, evil or hostile. bân or bain << bân pl. bain. >> bân

bain

adjective. fair, beautiful; good, wholesome, favorable; fair-haired, beautiful; good, wholesome, favorable; fair, fair-haired

Cognates

• Q. vaina “blonde, fair of hair” ✧ PE17/155
• Q. vanya “fair, beautiful, unmarred; fair-haired (yellow to golden), fair, beautiful, unmarred; fair-haired (yellow to golden); [ᴱQ.] good (not evil), holy” ✧ PE17/150; PE17/154; PE17/165
• Q. wenya “fair, beautiful” ✧ PE17/191

Derivations

• √BAN “beauty (due to lack of fault or blemish); fair, beautiful” ✧ PE17/150
• √(G)WAN “pale, fair” ✧ PE17/154
• √GWAY ✧ PE17/154
• ✶banya “beautiful” ✧ PE17/165
  • √BAN “beauty (due to lack of fault or blemish); fair, beautiful” ✧ PE17/165
• ✶gwenyā “fair, beautiful” ✧ PE17/191
  • √GWEN “fair, beautiful; (probably originally) fresh, fair, unblemished (especially of beauty of youth)” ✧ PE17/191

Element in

• ᴺS. banath “beauty”
• ᴺS. beinas “beauty”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√BAN > bân	[ban] > [bān]	✧ PE17/150
√GWAN > bain	[gwanja] > [banja] > [bania] > [benia] > [beni] > [bein] > [bain]	✧ PE17/154
√GWAY > baen	[gwain] > [bain] > [baen]	✧ PE17/154
✶banya > bain	[banja] > [bania] > [benia] > [beni] > [bein] > [bain]	✧ PE17/165
✶gwenyā > bein > bain	[gwenjā] > [benjā] > [benja] > [benia] > [beni] > [bein] > [bain]	✧ PE17/191

Variations

• bân ✧ PE17/150
• baen ✧ PE17/155 (baen)

dail

adjective. delicate

adj. delicate, beautiful and fine, slender. Q. lelya.

dail

adjective. lovely

_ adj. _lovely, beautiful. Q. lelya. >> deil

dail

adjective. beautiful, fine, delicate, lovely

Cognates

• Q. lelya “delicate, beautiful and fine, slender, lovely” ✧ PE17/139; PE17/151; PE17/151

Derivations

• ✶delya “lovely, fine, beautiful” ✧ PE17/151; PE17/151
  • √DEL “*fair” ✧ PE17/151; PE17/151

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶delya > deil > dail	[delja] > [delia] > [deli] > [deil] > [dail]	✧ PE17/151
✶delya > deil	[delja] > [delia] > [deli] > [deil] > [dail]	✧ PE17/151

Variations

• deil ✧ PE17/139; PE17/151

deil

adjective. delicate

adj. delicate, beautiful and fine, slender. Q. lelya. >> dail

deil

lovely

_ adj. _lovely, beautiful. Q. lelya. >> dail

deil

adjective. beautiful, fine, delicate, lovely

írui

adjective. desirable

_ adj. _desirable, lovely (mostly applied to persons, esp. women).

ein-

prefix. excellent, admirable

Cognates

• Q. amya- “excellent, admirable” ✧ PE17/163; PE17/172

Derivations

• √MAY “excellent, admirable, beautiful; make [art]; suitable, useful, proper, serviceable; right” ✧ PE17/163

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√MAY > amya- > anya- > ein-	[amja-] > [anja-] > [ania-] > [enia-] > [eina-] > [ein-]	✧ PE17/163

fael

adjective. fair minded, just, generous

nimp

adjective. pale

adj. pale, pallid. nimp << nim (PE17:168). >> niphred

raud

excellent

_ adj. _excellent, noble, eminent.

bân

adjective. fair

_ adj. _fair, good, wholesome, favourable, not dangerous, evil or hostile. bân or bain << bân pl. bain. >> bain

calen

adjective. green

calen

green

(galen) _ adj. _green (fresh, vigorous). galen after a sg. noun. Q. kălina (lit. illumined) sunny, light.

gwain

adjective. fair

adj. fair. . This gloss was rejected.

melui

adjective. lovely, sweet

This word only occurs in the place name Imloth Melui, a vale where roses grew

aníra-

verb. to desire

maer

adjective. excellent

_ adj. _excellent. Q. maira admirable, excellent, precious. >> maer-, maeron

gwana

noun/adjective. fair

Changes

• gwain → gwana “fair, general word for Elves” ✧ PE17/140

Derivations

• ✶wanasō ✧ PE17/140

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶wanasō > gwana	[wanasō] > [wanaso] > [wanaho] > [gwanaho] > [gwanah] > [gwana]	✧ PE17/140

Variations

• gwain ✧ PE17/140 (gwain)

gwân

adjective. fair

_ adj. _fair, pale.

laeb

adjective. green

_ adj. _green. A theoretical equivalent to Q. laiqua but that did not exist in Sindarin.

laeb

adjective. fresh

laeg

green

_ adj. _green. >> Legolas

laeg

adjective. green

_ adj. _green (of leaves, herbage). Q. laika.

laeg

adjective. "viridis", fresh and green

Seldom used (replaced by calen )

laew

adjective. fresh

_ adj. _fresh.

laew

adjective. fresh

Derivations

• √LAY “*be alive, flourish, [ᴱ√] be alive, flourish” ✧ PE17/159

Element in

• ᴺS. laeweth “freshness”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√LAY > laew	[laiwa] > [laiw] > [laew]	✧ PE17/159

lind

adjective. fair

Derivations

• √LIN “sing, make a musical sound, sing, make a musical sound, [ᴱ√] gentle”

Element in

• S. Linhir “Fair Stream” ✧ RC/587

Variations

• lin ✧ RC/587 (lin)

cîw

adjective. fresh, new

bain

beautiful

bain (fair). Lenited vain. No distinct pl. form.

bain

beautiful

(fair). Lenited vain. No distinct pl. form.

bain

fair

bain (beautiful). Lenited vain. No distinct pl. form.

bain

fair

(beautiful). Lenited vain. No distinct pl. form.

elu

pale blue

(analogical pl. ely). Archaic elw (pl. ilw?).

lasgalen

leaf-green

(pl. lesgelin).

gael

pale

(glittering), lenited ’ael; no distinct pl. form.

maidh

pale

1) maidh (lenited vaidh; no distinct pl. form) (fallow, fawn), 2) nimp (nim-) (white); no distinct pl. form, 3) thind (grey); no distinct pl. form; 4) gael (glittering), lenited ael; no distinct pl. form. 5) *malu (lenited valu; analogical pl. mely; lenited valu) (fallow). Cited in archaic form malw (LR:386 s.v. SMAL).

maidh

pale

(lenited vaidh; no distinct pl. form) (fallow, fawn)

malu

pale

(lenited valu; analogical pl. mely; lenited valu) (fallow). Cited in archaic form malw (LR:386 s.v. SMAL).

nimp

pale

(nim-) (white); no distinct pl. form

thind

pale

(grey); no distinct pl. form

calen

green

1) (etymologically "bright") calen (lenited galen), pl. celin (attested in lenited form in the name Pinnath **Gelin, "Green Ridges"). 2) laeg (fresh), no distinct pl. form. (Note: a homophone means ”keen, sharp, acute”.) In the Woodland dialect lêg, whence leg- in the name Legolas** ”Greenleaf” (Lettters:282, 386).

calen

green

(lenited galen), pl. celin (attested in lenited form in the name Pinnath Gelin, "Green Ridges").

îr

sexual desire

(VT46:23)

aníra

desire

(vb.) aníra- (i aníra, in anírar);

aníra

desire

(i aníra, in anírar);

gwind

pale blue

(lenited ’wind; no distinct pl. form).

mith

pale grey

(lenited vith; no distinct pl. form). David Salo would read mîth with a long vowel. Note: a homophone means ”white fog, wet mist”.

laeg

green

(fresh), no distinct pl. form. (Note: a homophone means ”keen, sharp, acute”.) In the Woodland dialect lêg, whence leg- in the name Legolas ”Greenleaf” (Lettters:282, 386). 

cîw

fresh

1) cîw (lenited gîw; no distinct pl. form) (new), 2) laeb (no distinct pl. form). Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” lhoeb (LR:368 s.v. LÁYAK) 3) laeg (green), no distinct pl. form. (Note: a homophone means ”keen, sharp, acute”.) In the Woodland dialect lêg, whence leg- in the name Legolas ”Greenleaf” (Lettters:282, 386).

ezel(la)

adjective. green

Element in

• Van. Ezellohar “Green Mound” ✧ WJ/399

Variations

• ezel/ezella ✧ WJ/399

lego

adjective. green

Cognates

• Q. laica “green” ✧ Let/282
• Q. laiqua “green” ✧ PE17/153

Derivations

• ✶laikā “green” ✧ Let/282
  • √LAY “*be alive, flourish, [ᴱ√] be alive, flourish” ✧ Let/282
• ✶laikwā ✧ PE17/153

Element in

• Nan. Legolas “Greenleaf” ✧ Let/282; PE17/153

Variations

• leg ✧ Let/282
• lēgo ✧ PE17/153
• lĕgo ✧ PE17/153

lygn

adjective. pale

Primitive form given as lugni "blue", sc. the stem LUG1 (LR:370, not defined) with an ending -ni not otherwise attested, though -i is an ending found on many primitive colour-adjectives. The ending _-i _causes umlaut u > y; compare yrc as the plural of urc "Orc". That a short original final -i is capable of causing such an umlaut at the Common Eldarin stage is somewhat surprising, since Primitive Quendian lugni should have become *lugne at this stage, and final e would hardly cause umlaut. Perhaps we are to understand that the change of final i to Common Eldarin e happened relatively late, after the Eldar had crossed the Hihtaeglir and parted with the Nandor?

banya

adjective. beautiful

Derivations

• √BAN “beauty (due to lack of fault or blemish); fair, beautiful” ✧ PE17/165

Derivatives

• Q. Vanya “Fair Elves, the Fair” ✧ PM/402
  • T. Vania “Vanya” ✧ WJ/383
• Q. vanya “fair, beautiful, unmarred; fair-haired (yellow to golden), fair, beautiful, unmarred; fair-haired (yellow to golden); [ᴱQ.] good (not evil), holy” ✧ PE17/165
• S. bain “fair, beautiful; good, wholesome, favorable; fair-haired, beautiful; good, wholesome, favorable; fair, fair-haired” ✧ PE17/165

gwenyā

adjective. fair, beautiful

Derivations

• √GWEN “fair, beautiful; (probably originally) fresh, fair, unblemished (especially of beauty of youth)” ✧ PE17/191

Derivatives

• Q. wenya “fair, beautiful” ✧ PE17/191
• S. bain “fair, beautiful; good, wholesome, favorable; fair-haired, beautiful; good, wholesome, favorable; fair, fair-haired” ✧ PE17/191

delya

adjective. lovely, fine, beautiful

Derivations

• √DEL “*fair” ✧ PE17/151; PE17/151

Derivatives

• Q. lelya “delicate, beautiful and fine, slender, lovely” ✧ PE17/151; PE17/151
• S. dail “beautiful, fine, delicate, lovely” ✧ PE17/151; PE17/151

bani

adjective. fair

Element in

• Q. vanië “beauty” ✧ PE17/057
• Q. vanima “beautiful, fair, beautiful, fair, *handsome; [ᴱQ.] proper, right, as it should be, fair” ✧ PE17/057

Variations

• vanĭ ✧ PE17/057

ir

root. desire, long for, desire, long for; [ᴹ√] desirable, beautiful

Tolkien experimented with a variety of roots for “desire, desirable”, some in connection to the name Idril. Perhaps the earliest iteration of this root is indicated by the Gnomish word G. irn “desired, wished for” (GL/52), but given its other related forms such as G. îr- “will, intend to”, G. irm “wish, intention, resolve” and ᴱQ irya “wish” (GL/52; PE13/116), the (unattested) early root ✱ᴱ√IRI probably meant “wish, intend”.

In The Etymologies of the 1930s there was a root ᴹ√ĪR “desirable, beautiful”, but it had no derivatives (EtyAC/ĪR). Elsewhere in the document ᴹQ. íre “desire” was derived from the root ᴹ√ID (Ety/ID), perhaps a new iteration of the (hypothetical) early root ✱ᴱ√ITI “precious”. This second root ᴹ√ID had various derivatives having to do with both thoughts and desires, such as ᴹQ. indo “heart, mood”, N. ind “inner thought, meaning, heart”, ᴹQ. írima “lovely, desirable”, and N. idhren “pondering, wise, thoughtful”. Among its derivatives Tolkien also gave N. Idhril, untranslated but probably meaning “✱Desirable One”.

The problem with this last derivation is that in the contemporaneous narratives, Tolkien generally gave her name as Idril (SM/36, LR/141), which was the form of her name dating all the way in The Lost Tales of the 1910s (LT2/164). When writing the appendices to The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien again used Idril (LotR/1034).

This form of the name could not be derived from √ID, and Tolkien wrestled with this question in his Notes on Names (NN) written in 1957 (PE17/112). Acknowledging the problem, Tolkien first considered introducing a new root √IT “(great) enhancement” to serve as the basic of Idril, but he reversed himself, giving √ID “desire, long for” as a better basis for the name, saying: “Decision: [S.] íđril, Q Írilde”. But then he crossed all this through, and considered reintroducing √IT with a modified meaning “repeat, multiply” (PE17/112).

Based on The Shibboleth of Fëanor written 1968, it seems Tolkien stuck with the notion of basing Idril on a √IT, though he revised the meaning of the root again to “glitter” or “sparkle” (PM/363). As for √ID, the meaning “desire” seems to have been transferred back to √IR, which Tolkien gave with the gloss “desire” in notes on roots having to do with “beautiful” written in 1959-60 (PE17/155). Also, around 1957 Tolkien introduced a new root √IN-I-D to serve as the basis for Q. indo “mind” (PE17/155). The various words having to do with “thoughts” derived from 1930s ᴹ√ID may have been transferred to √IN-ID, a possibility suggested by Elaran in a Discord chat on January 26, 2018. If so, Tolkien may have abandon √ID, using only √IR and √INID going forward.

Assuming the above reasoning is correct, the conceptual development would be 1910s ✱ᴱ√IRI “wish, intend” >> 1930s ᴹ√ID “desire, thoughts” >> 1957 √ID “desire” >> 1959 √IR “desire”, with thought words transferred to √IN-ID (later √I-NID) and the name Idril transferred to √IT “glitter”.

Derivatives

• Q. írë “desire, desire, [ᴹQ.] longing”
• Q. írima “desirable, lovely” ✧ PE17/155; PE17/155
• ᴺS. íra- “to desire”
• ᴺS. irn “desired, wished for”

Element in

• S. aníra- “to desire, to desire, *long for”
• S. írui “desirable, lovely” ✧ PE17/155

ban

root. beauty (due to lack of fault or blemish); fair, beautiful

The root √BAN (or some variant) was connected to beauty for most of Tolkien’s life. One notable derivative was the name of the Valie Vána. In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s Tolkien gave this root as ᴱ√VANA (unglossed) with derivatives like ᴱQ. vane “fair, lovely” and ᴱQ. vanesse “beauty”, but also ᴱQ. Vanar as another name for the Valar (QL/99). The Gnomish words had distinct forms like G. Ban “Vala” (GL/18) vs. G. gwant “beautiful” (GL/44). Thus it seems that ᴱ√VANA in the 1910s is actually a blending of two roots, ✱ᴱ√BANA (or ᴱ√ɃANA) “divine” vs. ✱ᴱ√WANA “beautiful”. This second variant reappeared much later in the 1959 root √(G)WAN “fair, pale” (PE17/154; WJ/383); see below.

In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien gave this root as ᴹ√BAN and it seems at this stage it was associated exclusively with beauty, given derivatives like ᴹQ. vanya and N. bein “beautiful, fair” (Ety/BAN). These words survived into later iterations of the languages as Q. vanya and S. bain (PE17/150). The root √BAN reappeared with these derivatives in several etymological notes written around 1959 (PE17/149-150, 165).

In these 1959 notes, Tolkien first connected √BAN to “fair” as it was in the 1930s (PE17/149), but reversed himself, noting “VAN cannot only = fair (blonde), since vanima is applied in LR to Arwen who was like Lúthien dark” (PE17/165). This prompted Tolkien to reintroduce the root √(G)WAN “fair”, as noted above, limiting √BAN to “beauty” only. He then refined its meaning, saying “√BAN ... appears originally to have referred simply to ‘beauty’, but with implication that it was due to lack of fault or blemish” (PE17/150). The root applied to Vána because she was perfect and unmarred in her beauty.

Derivatives

• ✶banya “beautiful” ✧ PE17/165
  • Q. Vanya “Fair Elves, the Fair” ✧ PM/402
  • T. Vania “Vanya” ✧ WJ/383
  • Q. vanya “fair, beautiful, unmarred; fair-haired (yellow to golden), fair, beautiful, unmarred; fair-haired (yellow to golden); [ᴱQ.] good (not evil), holy” ✧ PE17/165
  • S. bain “fair, beautiful; good, wholesome, favorable; fair-haired, beautiful; good, wholesome, favorable; fair, fair-haired” ✧ PE17/165
• Q. Vána “Ever-young, *(lit.) Beauty” ✧ PE17/149; PE17/150
• Q. vanë “fair, fair, [ᴱQ.] lovely” ✧ PE17/056
• Q. vanima “beautiful, fair, beautiful, fair, *handsome; [ᴱQ.] proper, right, as it should be, fair” ✧ PE17/149; PE17/150; PE17/165
• ᴺQ. vanita- “to grow/become fair; to beautify, make fair/beautiful”
• Q. vanya “fair, beautiful, unmarred; fair-haired (yellow to golden), fair, beautiful, unmarred; fair-haired (yellow to golden); [ᴱQ.] good (not evil), holy” ✧ PE17/056; PE17/149; PE17/150
• S. bain “fair, beautiful; good, wholesome, favorable; fair-haired, beautiful; good, wholesome, favorable; fair, fair-haired” ✧ PE17/150

Variations

• VAN ✧ PE17/146
• ɃAN ✧ PE17/149 (ɃAN)

id

root. desire, long for

Derivatives

• Q. írë “desire, desire, [ᴹQ.] longing” ✧ PE17/112
• Q. írima “desirable, lovely” ✧ PE17/112
• S. ídhra- “to long for, desire” ✧ PE17/112

Element in

• Q. Irildë “?Beloved Brilliance” ✧ PE17/112; PE17/112
• S. Idril ✧ PE17/112; PE17/112

may

root. excellent, admirable, beautiful; make [art]; suitable, useful, proper, serviceable; right

A root appearing in Tolkien’s later writings with a variety of glosses: √MAY “make (in artistic sense as ποιήτης [Greek: make, create])” in Quenya Notes (QN) from 1957 (PE17/145, 163), {√MAGA >>} √(A)MAY “suitable, useful, proper, serviceable; right” in Definitive Linguistic Notes (DLN) from 1959 but this note was crossed through (PE17/172), √MAY “excellent, admirable” elsewhere in DLN (PE17/172), again as √MAY “excellent, admirable” in notes contemporaneous to the Quendi and Eldar essay from 1959-60 (PE17/150, 163) and finally as √MAY “beautiful” in notes from the late 1960s (VT47/18).

Two notable derivatives of √MAY were S. mae “well” (PE17/17, 163) and Q. Maia (PE17/163; VT47/18), but elsewhere these two words were derived from the root √MAG “good (useful)” (PE17/16, 162; PE19/46, 62, 75, 94). In the aforementioned notes from the late 1960s, however, Tolkien said “maga was distinct from maʒa and maya” (VT48/18). For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I would assume the root √MAY was distinct from √MAG, having the meaning “excellent, admirable, beautiful” and by extension the creation of beautiful things such as art, to allow the retention of 1957 words like Q. maitar “artist” (PE17/163).

A possible precursor to this root is unglossed ᴱ√MAẎA from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like ᴱQ. mai “too much” and ᴱQ. maira “excessive, strong” (QL/60); perhaps a more extreme version of its later sense “excellent”. The entry also included ᴱQ. mairu “(horse ?); mane, flowing hair”, but Tolkien marked this word with a “?”, perhaps indicating he was unsure it was from this root (QL/60).

Derivatives

• ✶mai “well”
  • S. mae “well; excellent, admirable” ✧ PE17/016; PE17/017
• ✶Māya ✧ VT47/18
  • Q. Maia “(angelic) spirit, the Beautiful” ✧ PE19/075; PE19/094
• Q. mai “well, well; [ᴱQ.] too much” ✧ PE17/162
• Q. mai- “excellent, admirable, excellent, admirable; *well, happily” ✧ PE17/163
• Q. amya- “excellent, admirable” ✧ PE17/163
• Q. Maia “(angelic) spirit, the Beautiful” ✧ PE17/163; PE17/163; PE17/163
• Q. maina “thing of excellence, treasure” ✧ PE17/163
• Q. maira “admirable, excellent, precious, splendid, sublime” ✧ PE17/163; PE17/163; PE17/172
• Q. mairë “work of high and beautiful art, the process of producing a work” ✧ PE17/163
• Q. mairëa “beautiful (of things made by art)” ✧ PE17/163
• Q. maitar “artist; poet” ✧ PE17/163
• S. ein- “excellent, admirable” ✧ PE17/163
• S. mae “well; excellent, admirable” ✧ PE17/163
• S. maen “a treasure” ✧ PE17/163
• S. maer “good, excellent, fair, good, excellent, fair; [N.] useful, fit, good (of things)” ✧ PE17/162; PE17/163; PE17/163
• S. maeron “artist, poet” ✧ PE17/163

Element in

• Q. maita- “to make with art, design, compose” ✧ PE17/163

Variations

• (A)MAY ✧ PE17/146; PE17/172 ((A)MAY)
• maya ✧ VT47/18
• may ✧ VT47/18

gwen

root. fair, beautiful; (probably originally) fresh, fair, unblemished (especially of beauty of youth)

This root appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s with derivatives having to do with freshness and greenness, as in ᴹQ. wenya “green, yellow-green, fresh” and Ilk. gwên “greenness”. In that document it was also the basis for N. bein “fair, beautiful” by way of blending with ᴹ√BAN “beautiful”. In the entry for ᴹ√GWEN Tolkien said it needed to be distinguished from ᴹ√WEN(ED) “maiden”, but in the entry for ᴹ√WEN(ED) he said maiden words needed to be transferred to ᴹ√GWEN (Ety/WEN).

This connection between “fresh” and “maiden” reappeared in notes from 1959, where √GWEN was given with gloss “fair, beautiful (probably originally fresh, fair, unblemished especially of beauty of youth)” as this basis for “maiden” words (PE17/191). But Tolkien soon rejected this notion and reverted back to √WEN(ED); this may be a reflection of Tolkien’s ongoing vacillation between Q. wende versus vende as the proper Quenya word for “maiden”; wende (which seems to be his preference) would be better supported by an ancient root beginning with gw-, but that would also invalidate the Sindarin form gwend “maiden” (not ✱✱bend).

Tolkien seems to have given up on √GWEN for maiden words, and the sense “fresh” seems to have been reassigned to the root √KEW in later notes (VT48/7), so √GWEN may have been abandoned completely.

Changes

• GWEN → WEN-ED “fair, beautiful; (probably originally) fresh, fair, unblemished (especially of beauty of youth)” ✧ PE17/191

Derivatives

• ✶gwenyā “fair, beautiful” ✧ PE17/191
  • Q. wenya “fair, beautiful” ✧ PE17/191
  • S. bain “fair, beautiful; good, wholesome, favorable; fair-haired, beautiful; good, wholesome, favorable; fair, fair-haired” ✧ PE17/191
• Q. vendë “maiden, *virgin” ✧ PE17/191

Element in

• S. Eledhwen “Elfsheen, Elven-fair”

wanyā

adjective. fair

Derivations

• √(G)WAN “pale, fair” ✧ WJ/383

Derivatives

• Q. Vanya “Fair Elves, the Fair” ✧ WJ/380; WJ/383
  • T. Vania “Vanya” ✧ WJ/383

Variations

• wanjā ✧ WJ/380; WJ/383

laikā

adjective. green

Derivations

• √LAY “*be alive, flourish, [ᴱ√] be alive, flourish” ✧ Let/282

Derivatives

• Nan. lego “green” ✧ Let/282
• Q. laica “green” ✧ Let/282
• S. laeg “fresh and green, viridis, green (of leaves/herbiage), green, viridis, green (of leaves/herbiage), fresh” ✧ Let/282

gwen

root. fresh, *green, fair, unblemished, beautiful

@@@ might still be valid for Quenya derivations in the Etymologies

Element in

• ᴺQ. wenwa “lime (fruit)”

bein

adjective. beautiful, fair

bein

adjective. fair, beautiful

Cognates

• ᴹQ. vanya “beautiful, fair” ✧ Ety/BAN

Derivations

• ᴹ✶bányā “beautiful” ✧ Ety/BAN
  • ᴹ√BAN “*beauty” ✧ Ety/BAN
• ᴹ√GWEN “*fresh, green” ✧ Ety/GWEN

Element in

• N. Banwen “Vana”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
ᴹ✶bányā > bein	[banjā] > [banja] > [bania] > [benia] > [beni] > [bein]	✧ Ety/BAN
ᴹ√GWEN > bein	[gwenja] > [benja] > [benia] > [beni] > [bein]	✧ Ety/GWEN

gael

adjective. pale, glimmering

nimp

adjective. pale

Cognates

• ᴹQ. ninqe “white” ✧ Ety/NIK-W

Derivations

• ᴹ√NIK(W) “*snow; white” ✧ Ety/NIK-W

Element in

• N. Ered Nimras “White Mountains”
• N. Ered Nimrath “White Mountains”
• N. Ephel Nimrais
• N. Nimbrethil
• N. Nimloth “Pale Blossom”
• N. nimmid(a)- “to whiten” ✧ Ety/NIK-W
• N. Nimdil “White Horn”
• N. nínim “snowdrop”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
ᴹ√NIK-W > nimp	[niŋkwi] > [niŋkwe] > [nimpe] > [nimpʰe] > [nimɸe] > [nimfe] > [nimf] > [nimp] > [nimp]	✧ Ety/NIK-W

calen

adjective. green

maidh

adjective. pale, fallow, fawn

meidh

adjective. pale, fallow, fawn

îr

noun. sexual desire

nim-

adjective. pale, white

nimp

adjective. pale, white

lhaeb

adjective. fresh

lhoeb

adjective. fresh

lhoeb

adjective. fresh

Changes

• lhaeb → lhoeb ✧ Ety/LÁYAK

Cognates

• ᴹQ. laiqa “green” ✧ Ety/LÁYAK

Derivations

• ᴹ✶laikwā “fresh” ✧ Ety/LÁYAK
  • ᴹ√LAYAK “*fresh, green” ✧ Ety/LAIK; Ety/LÁYAK

Element in

• N. Lhoebelidh “Green-elves” ✧ Ety/LÁYAK; EtyAC/LÁYAK (Lhebenidh/Lhebelidh)

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
ᴹ✶laı̯k-wā > lhoeb	[laikwa] > [laipa] > [laip] > [l̥aip] > [l̥aib] > [l̥oeb]	✧ Ety/LÁYAK
ᴹ✶laı̯k-wā > lhaeb	[laikwa] > [laipa] > [laip] > [l̥aip] > [l̥aib] > [l̥aeb]	✧ Ety/LÁYAK

Variations

• lhaeb ✧ EtyAC/LÁYAK (lhaeb)