ber

root. to mate, be mated, joined in marriage

The root √BER appeared in later writing as the basis for marriage words, and Quenya marriage words began with ver- for much of Tolkien’s life, dating all the way back in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s. However, there are many ways to produce a medial r in Quenya, and Tolkien experimented with more or less all of them in the formation of this root, as seen by the shifting forms in other branches in the Elvish languages.

The earliest form of this root appeared as √VEŘE in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s (QL/101), where the Ř indicated the actual primitive form was VEÐE (or ɃEÐE), as confirmed by its Gnomish equivalent Bedh- (QL/101; GL/22). This early root was unglossed, but its derivatives all had to do with marriage, including ᴱQ. veru/G. †benn/G. bedhron “husband”, ᴱQ. †veri/ᴱQ. vesse/G. bess “wife” and ᴱQ. vesta-/G. benna- “to wed”.

There are indications this root may have initially been ᴹ√BED in The Etymologies of the 1930s, based on primitive forms like ᴹ✶bedū “spouses” (Ety/LEP). But the main “marriage” entry in The Etymologies was ᴹ√BES “wed”, with derivatives like ᴹQ. vesta- “to wed”, ᴹQ. venno/N. benn “husband” and ᴹQ. vesse/N. bess “wife”. One interesting feature about this conceptual stage is that the Noldorin words for “husband” and “wife” drifted in meaning to become simply “man” and “woman”, and new words N. herven and herves were coined for “husband” and “wife”.

In various etymological notes from the late 1960s, Tolkien introduced a new root √BER for marriage. His longest description of it was in a 1969 note:

> √BER “to mate, be mated, joined in marriage”: Q. verya (intr.) “to marry (of husband and wife), be joined to” (veryanen senna); verta (tr.) “to give in marriage (a) to (b), or to take as husband or wife (to oneself)”; verū > veru “husband”; verī > veri “wife” (VT49/45).

The forms Q. veru/veri “husband/wife” were restorations of the Early Qenya forms from the 1910s.

It is not entirely clear when Tolkien made this change to the root, but in The Road Goes Ever On published in 1967, he said that “[S.] bereth actually meant ‘spouse’, and is used of one who is ‘queen’ as spouse of a king” (RGEO/66), strongly hinting that this word was derived from √BER “wed” at that conceptual stage. Earlier on, N./S. bereth “queen” was derived from primitive ✶barathī, an etymology Tolkien was still using in notes from the late 1950s or early 1960s (PE17/22-23). As discussed in the entry on Elbereth, this etymology presented some phonological difficulties in Sindarin, which may have motivated Tolkien to introduce a new etymology for S. bereth, switching to the root √BER for marriage in the process. My best guess is that this switch happened sometime in the mid-1960s, but it could have been earlier.

Neo-Eldarin: For purposes of Neo-Eldarin writing, I think it is best to ignore the introduction of the root √BER “wed”, and keep using ᴹ√BES “wed” from The Etymologies. As a root for marriage, √BER presents a number of problems:

• It clashes with ᴹ√BER “valiant” from the 1930s, the basis for the name S. Beren.

• It invalidates a number of Noldorin words for husband and wife with no obvious replacements.

• In Sindarin it is difficult to keep derivatives of √BER “wed” from colliding with other words like beria- “to protect”, bertha- “to dare” and beren “bold”, though technically these are all Noldorin words.

The main disadvantage of ignoring √BER “wed” is that it leaves us with no good etymology for the name S. Elbereth. It is quite possible to solve the above problems with √BER by coining new words, but I prefer to keep using the older words as they are quite popular in Neo-Sindarin. It would be relatively easy to coin a new etymology for Elbereth instead, perhaps from ✱elen-baratthī with the longer cluster inhibiting i-intrusion. See the entry on S. bereth for further discussion.

barathī

noun. queen

ndē̆r

noun. man

stor

root. steadfast

A root appearing Notes on Names (NN) from 1957 serving as an explanation for the element S. thorn “steadfast” in the name S. Arathorn, first appearing in a rejected page with variants √STOR and √THOR (PE17/113-114) and then later as only √THOR (PE17/113). This root may be connected to Q. torna “hard” in notes on Quenya intensive forms written between the first and second edition of The Lord of the Rings, where it was an element in Q. tornanga “hard iron”, with intensive forms aristorna, anastorna that imply derivation from √STOR (PE17/56).

Neo-Eldarin: For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I would assume this root is √STOR to avoid conflict with ᴹ√THOR(ON), the basis for “eagle” words.

thor

root. steadfast

urkā

adjective. horrible

berelach

proper name. Berelach

Son of Borlas in Tolkien’s aborted sequel to The Lord of the Rings: The New Shadow (PM/416). The meaning of his name is unclear, but it may contain lach “flame” (as suggested by David Salo, GS/344).

Conceptual Development: In drafts of the story he was first named Berthil >> Bergil (PM/421, note #15).

beregar

masculine name. Beregar

A Númenorean “of the House of Bëor” and father of Erendis (UT/177). The language and meaning of his name is unclear. His name could be derived from ᴹ√BEREK “wild, fierce” (as suggested by David Salo, GS/344) or it could be related to the old Bëorian name Bereg (as indicated by Christopher Tolkien, WJ/232).

bergil

masculine name. Bergil

Son of the Gondorian soldier Beregond and a young boy of Minas Tirith during the War of the Ring (LotR/769). The meaning of his name is unclear.

Conceptual Development: In Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, this character was first appeared as Ramloth >> Gwinhir before Tolkien settled on N. Bergil (WR/293 note #24).

Bereth (in)-elin

theology. form of Elbereth if it would have been formed later

_theon. _form of Elbereth if it would have been formed later. Bereth (in)-elin << Bereth-elin.

Bereth (in)gîl

theology. form of Elbereth if it would have been formed later

_theon. _form of Elbereth if it would have been formed later.

bereth

theology. a form of Elbereth seldom used

_theon._a form of _Elbereth _seldom used.

bereth

noun/adjective. queen, spouse; supreme, sublime

@@@ unclear why it was not beraith since it was derived from barathī; however Elaran deduced that Tolkien may have re-etymologized this word as a derivative of √BER “marry”, given its later gloss “spouse” in addition to “queen” (PE17/23; RGEO/66); in its original derivation it was probably because [[n|[ei] sometimes became [e] in unstressed final syllables]] in Noldorin

beren

masculine name. Bold

Hero of Beleriand and love of Lúthien who wrested a Silmaril from the crown of Morgoth (S/162). His name is simply [N.] beren “bold” used as a name.

Conceptual Development: The name G. Beren dates back to the earliest Lost Tales, though in the earliest stories he was a Noldorin Elf instead of a Man (LT2/11). The name N. Beren appeared in The Etymologies from the 1930s as a derivative of ᴹ√BER alongside N. beren “bold” (Ety/BER), which is the source of the derivation given above.

beregond

masculine name. ?Valiant Stone

Name of a soldier of Gondor during the War of the Ring (LotR/760), and also the 20th steward of Gondor (LotR/1039). The meaning of this name is unclear. Hammond and Scull suggested that this name might mean “Valiant Stone”, a combination of [N.] beren “bold” and gond “stone”, the latter element perhaps referring to Gondor (RC/521). David Salo suggested the name may instead be derived from derived from ᴹ√BEREK “wild, fierce” (GS/344).

Conceptual Development: In Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, the soldier of Gondor first appeared as Beren (WR/282), briefly Thalion (WR/385), soon revised to N. Barathil >> Barithil >> Berithil (WR/288) before Tolkien finally settled on Beregond late in the writing (SD/59). The steward of Gondor first appeared as Baragond (PM/220).

berúthiel

feminine name. ?Angry-queen

An infamous queen of Gondor, spouse of Tarannon (LotR/311, UT/401-2 note #7). The meaning of her name is unclear, but might be a combination of bereth “queen”, rûth “anger” and the feminine suffix -iel (I do not know who first suggested this etymology).

Conceptual Development: In Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, Tolkien used the names Benish Armon >> Tamar >> Margoliantë Beruthiel before settling on simply Beruthiel (WR/454, 464). None of these variants shine any light on the possible meaning of her name.

berennyr

place name. Brown Lands

Sindarin name of the “Brown Lands”, appearing in Tolkien’s “Unfinished Index” of The Lord of the Rings (RC/343). The initial element is clearly the plural of baran “brown”, and the second element is probably a mutated plural of dôr “land”. The form was (incorrectly) published as Berennyn in RC, with a correction appearing in Addenda and Corrigenda to The Lord of the Rings: A Reader’s Companion.

Berhael

soft mut

soft mut. of Perhael** **(e.g. a·Berhael) >> Perhael

bereth

noun. queen, spouse

bereth

noun. spouse

_n. _spouse, used of one who is queen as spouse of a king. Tolkien notes the parallel with the word queen "being in origin only an ancient word for wife or woman already in Old English reserved for the King's wife".

bereth

noun. feminine personalized form

_n. _feminine personalized form, probably = 'supreme, sublime, queen'. Q. *Varsi.

berian

soft mut

soft mut. of perian after article i >> perain

Berúthiel

Berúthiel

The name Berúthiel is Sindarin. It seems to mean "Angry Queen", incorporating ber(eth), 'queen, spouse'; rúth, which means 'anger'; and the feminine suffix -iel. Since the Black Númenóreans did not use the Elven tongues, this title was probably given to her by the Gondorians and is not her real name.

Berennyn

Brown Lands

J.R.R. Tolkien describes in his unfinished index (for The Lord of the Rings) the Brown Lands as a 'translation' of Berennyn (containing Sindarin baran 'brown, yellow-brown') "a devastated region, east of Anduin, between Lórien and the Emyn Muil".

beren

bold

1) beren (lenited veren), pl. berin. Also used as masc. name Beren. 2) cand (lenited gand, pl. caind)

beren

bold

(lenited veren), pl. berin. Also used as masc. name Beren.

bereth

queen

(i vereth) (spouse), pl. berith (i mberith)

bereth

spouse

(fem.) bereth (i vereth) (queen), pl. berith (i mberith)

bereth

spouse

(i vereth) (queen), pl. berith (i mberith)

beria

protect

beria- (i veria, i meriar)

bertha

dare

bertha- (i vertha, i merthar)

berthas

noun. adventure, bold undertaking

berthian

noun. challenge; daring, audacity

beria

protect

(i veria, i meriar)

bertha

dare

(i vertha, i merthar)

dîr

noun. man, man, [N.] adult male; agental suffix

A word for “man” as a male person, attested only as an element in compounds or as (archaic?) ndir (PE17/60). This word likely refers to male individuals of all races including Elves, Men, Dwarves and so forth, much like its Quenya cognate Q. nér. This word must have been derived from the primitive subjective form ✶ndēr of the root √N(D)ER “male person”, where the ancient long ē became ī, and the initial cluster nd- became d-, though the ancient cluster would still be reflected in mutated forms, such as in i nîr “the man” rather than ✱✱i dhîr.

Conceptual Development: Perhaps the earliest precursor to this word is (archaic) G. †drio “hero, warrior” with variants driw, driodweg and driothweg, a cognate of ᴱQ. nēr (GL/22). This Gnomish word was derived from primitive ᴱ✶n’reu̯, where the initial nr- became dr-. At this early stage, the root was unstrengthened ᴱ√NERE (QL/65), as reflected in (archaic) ᴱN. nîr “hero, prince, warrior-elf” in the Early Noldorin Dictionary of the 1920s (PE13/164).

In The Etymologies of the 1930s the root became ᴹ√DER “adult male, man” of any speaking race and the derived form was N. dîr (Ety/DER). However, in this document Tolkien said:

> EN †dîr surviving chiefly in proper names (as Diriel older Dirghel [GYEL], Haldir, Brandir) and as agental ending (as ceredir “doer, maker”) ... In ordinary use EN has benn [for “man”] (properly = “husband”).

Thus in the scenario described in The Etymologies, dîr “man” was archaic and used only as an element in names or as a suffix. In ordinary speech it was replaced by N. benn, which used to mean “husband” but now meant “man”, while the word for “husband” became N. hervenn (Ety/BES). It is unlikely Tolkien imagined this exact scenario in later Sindarin, however, since the 1930s root for benn was ᴹ√BES “wed”, but by the 1960s the root for husband/wife/marry words had become √BER.

Neo-Sindarin: Since the status of N. benn is questionable given ᴹ√BES >> √BER, many Neo-Sindarin writers prefer to use S. ✱dîr as the Sindarin word for man. I am of the opinion that both dîr and benn are acceptable for “man, male person”. This is because I prefer to retain ᴹ√BES as the root for “marry, wed”, since it is the best basis for attested husband/wife words in (Neo) Sindarin.

dod

noun. berry

edhelharn

beryl

edhelharn (pl. edhelhern) (literally "Elf-stone") (SD:128-31)

edhelharn

beryl

(pl. edhelhern) (literally "Elf-stone") (SD:128-31)

perhael

masculine name. Samwise, (lit.) Half-wise

Sindarin name of Samwise (SD/126), literally “Half-wise” (PE17/102), appearing in its lenited form Berhael in the Praises of Cormallen (LotR/953). His name appears to be a combination of per- “half” and the lenited form of sael “wise”.

Conceptual Development: In unpublished epilogue to The Lord of the Rings, this name first appeared as N. Perhail “Halfwise” (SD/118), using an earlier word N. sail “wise” based on Noldorin phonology: see N. [[n|[ai] revised to [ae]]].

meril

feminine name. Rose

A Sindarin translation of the name of Sam’s daughter “Rose”, presumably of the same meaning, appearing in Tolkien’s unpublished epilogue to The Lord of the Rings and in the King’s Letter (SD/126, 129). The etymology of the name is unclear.

Conceptual Development: In earlier versions of the epilogue the name appeared as N. Beril (SD/117).

mereth

noun. feast, festival

The word was changed to bereth in the Etymologies, but was never changed in the texts (cf. Mereth Aderthad and the compound Merethrond)

meril

noun. rose

A word for “rose” in the name Meril “Rose” of one of Samwise’s daughters (SD/126). The name was initially given as Beril (SD/117).

adan

man

(pl. Edain; the coll. pl. Adanath is attested). The word Adan came to be used primarily of a member of the Three Houses of the Edain, not of the mortal race of Men in general.

bara

fiery

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

bara

fiery

(eager), lenited vara, pl. berai

bara

eager

bara (fiery), lenited vara, pl. berai

bara

eager

(fiery), lenited vara, pl. berai

barad

tower

1) barad (fortress, fort) (i varad), pl. beraid (i meraid). Note: barad is also an adjective "doomed", but this is derived from a stem in mb- and would have different mutations. 2) (tower or city with citadel/central watchtower) minas (i vinas), pl. minais (i minais), coll. pl. minassath

barad

tower

(fortress, fort) (i varad), pl. beraid (i meraid). Note: barad is also an adjective "doomed", but this is derived from a stem in mb- and would have different mutations.

barad

doomed

barad (lenited marad), pl. beraid. Note: barad is also a noun "fortress, fort, tower", but this is derived from a stem in b- and would have different mutations. 1) fend (threshold), construct fen, pl. find, coll. pl. fennath, 2) fennas (gateway), pl. fennais, coll. pl. fennassath, 3) annon (great gate), pl. ennyn

barad

doomed

(lenited marad), pl. beraid. Note: barad is also a noun "fortress, fort, tower", but this is derived from a stem in b- and would have different mutations.

barad

fort, fortress

(fortress, tower) (i varad), pl. beraid (i meraid). Note: barad is also an adjective "doomed", but this is derived from a stem in mb- and would have different mutations.

bôr

trusty man

(boron-) (i vôr, construct bor) (steadfast man, faithful vassal), pl. *b**ŷr* for older beryn, i meryn (archaic böryn, i möryn). In ”Noldorin”, the older pl. forms were berein, beren.

bôr

faithful vassal

bôr (boron-) (i vôr, construct bor) (trusty/steadfast man), pl. bŷr for older beryn, i meryn (archaic böryn, i möryn). In ”Noldorin”, the older pl. forms were berein, beren.

bôr

faithful vassal

bôr (boron-) (i vôr, construct bor) (trusty/steadfast man), pl. bŷr (i mŷr) for older beryn, i meryn (archaic börin, i mörin). In ”Noldorin”, the older pl. forms were berein, beren.

bôr

faithful vassal

(boron-) (i vôr, construct bor) (trusty/steadfast man), pl. *b**ŷr* for older beryn, i meryn (archaic böryn, i möryn). In ”Noldorin”, the older pl. forms were berein, beren.

bôr

steadfast man

bôr (boron-) (i vôr, construct bor) (trusty man, faithful vassal), pl. bŷr (i mŷr) for older beryn, i meryn (archaic börin, i mörin). In ”Noldorin”, the older pl. forms were berein, beren.

bôr

steadfast man

bôr (boron-) (i vôr, construct bor) (trusty man, faithful vassal), analogical pl. pl. bŷr (i mŷr) for older beryn, i meryn (archaic börin, i mörin). In ”Noldorin”, the older pl. forms were berein, beren.

bôr

steadfast man

(boron-) (i vôr, construct bor) (trusty man, faithful vassal), pl. *b**ŷr* (i m**ŷr) for older beryn, i meryn (archaic börin, i mörin). In ”Noldorin”, the older pl. forms were **berein, beren.

dîr

man

1) (adult male of any speaking race) dîr (dír-, also agentive ending -dir or -nir; with article, i nîr, hard mutation as in o ndîr), no distinct pl. form except with article (i ndîr); coll. pl. díriath. Also benn (i venn, construct ben), pl. binn (i minn). The latter is in archaic language used = "husband" (the etymological meaning). The ending -we in names may also express ”being, man, person”. 2) (mortal human as opposed to Elf) Adan (pl. Edain; the coll. pl. Adanath is attested). The word Adan came to be used primarily of a member of the Three Houses of the Edain, not of the mortal race of Men in general.

edhelharn

elf-stone

(a term for beryl) edhelharn (pl. edhelhern) (SD:128-31).

edhelharn

elf-stone

(a term for beryl) edhelharn (pl. edhelhern) (SD:128-31). SEEING STONE (palantír) *gwachaedir (i **wachaedir), no distinct pl. form except with prefixed article (in gwachaedir), coll. pl. ?gwachaediriath or ?gwachadirnath (the latter form assuming that -dir is reduced from older -dirn) The form occurring in the primary source, gwahaedir, must represent the late Gondorian pronunciation with h for ch** (PM:186).

garth

fort, fortress

1) garth (i **arth) (stronghold), pl. gerth (i ngerth = i ñerth), 2) ost (city, stronghold), pl. yst (WJ:414). The word may appear as os- or oth- before certain consonants in compounds, e.g. Osgiliath ”Citadel (Fortress) of the Stars” (LotR), ostirion (q.v.), Othram ”fortress-wall” (WR:288). 3) barad (fortress, tower) (i varad), pl. beraid (i meraid). Note: barad** is also an adjective "doomed", but this is derived from a stem in mb- and would have different mutations.

meren

festive

(lenited veren; pl. merin) (gay, joyous). Note: In the Etymologies, Tolkien changed the relevant root from MER to MBER so that meren became beren, but names occurring in Tolkien’s narratives (Mereth Aderthad, Merethrond) were not changed, so this revision was never fully implemented. (If meren were to become beren, the related word mereth ”feast” would also become bereth.)

meren

gay

(lenited veren; pl. merin) (festive, joyous). Note: In the Etymologies, Tolkien changed the relevant root from MER to MBER so that meren became beren, but names occurring in Tolkien’s narratives (Mereth Aderthad, Merethrond) were not changed, so this revision was never fully implemented. (If meren were to become beren, the related word mereth ”feast” would also become bereth.)

meren

joyous

(lenited veren; pl. merin) (gay, festive). Note: In the Etymologies, Tolkien changed the relevant root from MER to MBER so that meren became beren, but names occurring in Tolkien’s narratives (Mereth Aderthad, Merethrond) were not changed, so this revision was never fully implemented. (If meren were to become beren, the related word mereth ”feast” would also become bereth.)

mereth

festival

(i vereth) (feast), pl. merith (i merith). Note: In the Etymologies, Tolkien changed the relevant root from MER to MBER so that mereth became bereth, but names occurring in Tolkien’s narratives (Mereth Aderthad, Merethrond) were not changed, so this revision was never fully implemented.

mereth

feast

(i vereth) (festival), pl. merith (i merith). Note: In the Etymologies, Tolkien changed the relevant root from MER to MBER so that mereth became bereth, but names occurring in Tolkien’s narratives (Mereth Aderthad, Merethrond) were not changed, so this revision was never fully implemented.

rîs

queen

1) rîs, no distinct pl. except with article preceding (idh rîs); coll. pl. ?rissath; 2) rían (”crown-gift”), pl. ríain (idh ríain); 3) bereth (i vereth) (spouse), pl. berith (i mberith), 4) ríen (crowned lady), pl. ?rîn (idh rîn). The adjective rîn ”crowned” may also be used as a noun ”crowned woman” = ”queen”, but with no distinct pl. form except when article precedes (idh rîn again); coll. pl. ríniath. Note: a homophone means ”remembrance”.

barad

noun. tower, great towering building, tower, great towering building, [N.] fort, fortress

rían

noun. queen, queen, *(lit.) crowned-lady

Dúnadan

noun. Man of the west, Númenórean

adan

noun. man, one of the Second People (elvish name for men)

adanadar

noun. man, one of the Fathers of Men

adanath

noun. men

barad

noun. tower, fortress

barad

tower

1b n. tower.

barad

tower

1c n. tower. Q. marto.

baran

soft mut

soft mut. of paran >> Dol Baran, paran

baur

soft mut

soft mut. of paur >> Celebrimbor

ben-

soft mut

soft mut. of pen-

beth

soft mut

soft mut. of peth >> peth

brethil

noun. beech, beech-tree, silver birch

cand

adjective. bold

dew

soft mut

soft mut. of tew >> tew

drúadan

noun. wild man, one of the Woses

drû

noun. wild man, Wose, Púkel-Man

In PE/11:31, an older Gnomish word drû, drui meant "wood, forest", and in PE/13:142, the early Noldorin word drú was assigned the meaning "dark". Drû pl. Drúin later came to be used for the name of the Woses, with other derivatives (Drúadan, etc.). "Wose" is actually the modernization of an Anglo-Saxon word wasa only found in the compound wudu-wasa "wild man of the woods", cf. UT/385 sq. In the drafts of the "Ride of the Rohirrim" in WR/343-346, the Woses first appeared as "the dark men of Eilenach". Though internally said to derive from drughu in their own tongue, Tolkien's choice for the Sindarin name of the Woses was apparently influenced by earlier meanings assigned to this word

galen

soft mut

soft mut. of calen >> calen

gortheb

adjective. horrible

gorthob

adjective. horrible

govannen

soft mut

soft mut. of covannen

mereth

noun. feast, feast, [N.] festival

meril

noun. rose (flower)

minas

noun. tower

minas

noun. fort, city with a citadel and central watch-tower

neldor

noun. beech

A Sindarin word for “beech” appearing in the names Taur-na-Neldor “Beech-forest” (LotR/469; RC/384) and Neldoreth, the name of a forest with beeches (S/55; PE17/81).

Conceptual Development: In The Etymologies of the 1930s, Ilk. neldor was an Ilkorin word based on ᴹ√NÉL-ED “three”, which Tolkien said was “properly name of Hirilorn the great beech of Thingol with three trunks = neld-orn ? [question mark from Tolkien]” (Ety/NEL). In the 1910s and 20s, ᴱQ. neldor “beech” was an Early Qenya word (PE16/139; QL/65), and its cognates in this period were G. deldron “beech” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/30), G. deil(i)an or delwen “beech” in Gnomish Lexicon Slips (PE13/112), and ᴱN. {de(i)lian >>} deilian “beech-tree” in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s (PE13/142).

Possible Etymology: The Ilkorin derivation from √NELED is no longer suitable in Sindarin, since we would expect [[s|[d] > [ð]]] as in S. neledh “three”. It is possible Tolkien simply never reexamined the etymology of this word after it became Sindarin. Alternately, it could be nel- “tri-” + taur “forest” or -dor “-lord” or something similar.

rhavan

noun. wild man

rhaw

adjective. wild

adj. wild. Q. hráva. Tolkien wrote this entry as "rhaw [f]" (PE17:78).

rhaw

adjective. wild, wild, [N.] untamed

rîs

noun. queen

thorn

adjective. steadfast

adj. steadfast. Q. thorna, sorna. >> Arathorn

thorn

adjective. steadfast

vast

soft mut

soft mut. of #bast.

vedui

soft mut

soft mut. of medui

úvedin

soft mut

soft mut. of úmedin v. & pron. suff. I do not eat. >> -n, ú-, úmedin

úvel

soft mut

soft mut. of úmel _ suff. & verbal stem (quasi-participle in aorist mode) _lit. 'not loving', enemy, inimical. >> ú-, úmel

braig

wild

(fierce), lenited vraig. No distinct pl. form. (VT45:34)

cand

adjective. bold

cand

bold

(lenited gand, pl. caind)

curunír

man of craft

(i gurunír, o churunír) (wizard), no distinct pl. form except with article (i churunír), coll. pl. ?curuníriath.

deleb

horrible

1) deleb (abominable, loathsome), lenited dheleb; pl. delib. 2) gortheb (lenited ngortheb; pl. gerthib; archaic pl. *görthib).

deleb

horrible

(abominable, loathsome), lenited dheleb; pl. delib.

dîr

man

(dír-, also agentive ending -dir or -nir; with article, i nîr, hard mutation as in o ndîr), no distinct pl. form except with article (i ndîr); coll. pl. díriath. Also benn (i venn, construct ben), pl. binn (i minn). The latter is in archaic language used = "husband" (the etymological meaning). The ending -we in names may also express ”being, man, person”.

dúnadan

man of the west

(i Núnadan), pl. Dúnedain (i Ndúnedain) (WJ:378, 386).

firion

mortal man

(pl. firyn).

fêr

beech

†fêr (stem feren-, pl. ferin) (mast);

fêr

beech

(stem feren-, pl. ferin) (mast);

garth

fort, fortress

(i ’arth) (stronghold), pl. gerth (i ngerth = i ñerth)

gortheb

horrible

(lenited ngortheb; pl. gerthib; archaic pl. ✱görthib).

him

steadfast

1) him (abiding), lenited chim, no distinct pl. form. Note that homophones include both the adjective ”cool” and the adverb ”continually”.

him

steadfast

(abiding), lenited chim, no distinct pl. form. Note that homophones include both the adjective ”cool” and the adverb ”continually”.

hûr

fiery spirit

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

lothren

wild

(waste), pl. lethrin for archaic löthrin (VT45:29)

meren

festive

meren (lenited veren; pl. merin) (gay, joyous). Note: In the Etymologies, Tolkien changed the relevant root from _ to

meren

gay

meren (lenited veren; pl. merin) (festive, joyous). Note: In the Etymologies, Tolkien changed the relevant root from _ to

meren

joyous

meren (lenited veren; pl. merin) (gay, festive). Note: In the Etymologies, Tolkien changed the relevant root from _ to

meren

adjective. festive, gay, joyous

mereth

festival

mereth (i vereth) (feast), pl. merith (i merith). Note: In the Etymologies, Tolkien changed the relevant root from _ to

mereth

feast

mereth (i vereth) (festival), pl. merith (i merith). Note: In the Etymologies, Tolkien changed the relevant root from _ to

meril

rose

meril (i veril), no distinct pl. form except with article (i meril), coll. pl. ?merillath. The word is attested as the Sindarin equivalent of the name Rose (SD:128-31)

meril

rose

(i veril), no distinct pl. form except with article (i meril), coll. pl. ?merillath. The word is attested as the Sindarin equivalent of the name Rose (SD:128-31)

minas

tower

(i vinas), pl. minais (i minais), coll. pl. minassath

neldor

beech tree

(pl. neldyr), also brethorn (i vrethorn), pl. brethyrn (i mrethyrn) (VT46:3). The mallorn or ”golden-tree” found in Lórien was supposedly beechlike: mallorn (i vallorn), pl. mellyrn (i mellyrn).

nórui

fiery

(sunny). No distinct pl. form.

ost

fort, fortress

(city, stronghold), pl. yst (WJ:414). The word may appear as os- or oth- before certain consonants in compounds, e.g. Osgiliath ”Citadel (Fortress) of the Stars” (LotR), ostirion (q.v.), Othram ”fortress-wall” (WR:288).

ostirion

fortress with a watchtower

(pl. ostiryn).

rhavan

wild man

(?i thravan or ?i ravan – the lenition product of rh is uncertain), pl. rhevain (?idh revain) (WJ:219). – The following terms apparently apply to ”men” of any speaking race:

rhaw

wild

1) rhaw (untamed). Lenited ?thraw or ?raw (the lenition product of rh is uncertain), pl. rhoe. (VT46:10) Note: a homophone means ”flesh, body”, 2) braig (fierce), lenited vraig. No distinct pl. form. (VT45:34), 3) lothren (waste), pl. lethrin for archaic löthrin (VT45:29)

rhaw

wild

(untamed). Lenited ?thraw or ?raw (the lenition product of rh is uncertain), pl. rhoe. (VT46:10) Note: a homophone means ”flesh, body”

ruin

fiery red

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

rían

queen

(”crown-gift”), pl. ríain (idh ríain)

ríen

queen

(crowned lady), pl. ?rîn (idh rîn). The adjective rîn ”crowned” may also be used as a noun ”crowned woman” =  ”queen”, but with no distinct pl. form except when article precedes (idh rîn again); coll. pl. ríniath. Note: a homophone means ”remembrance”.

rîs

noun. queen

rîs

queen

no distinct pl. except with article preceding (idh rîs); coll. pl. ?rissath

thalion

dauntless man

(hero), pl. thelyn. Also used as an adj. ”dauntless, steadfast, strong”. 

thalion

steadfast

thalion (dauntless, strong), pl. thelyn. Also used as a noun ”hero, dauntless man”.

thalion

steadfast

(dauntless, strong), pl. thelyn. Also used as a noun ”hero, dauntless man”.

berethil

feminine name. Berethil

A Noldorin name for Varda appearing on in The Etymologies from the 1930s (Ety/BARATH), possibly replacing older N. Bredhil and G. Bridhil and possibly replaced by N. Elbereth. It developed from ON. Barathi(l).

bergil

masculine name. Bergil

berithil

masculine name. Berithil

beren

adjective. bold

bertha-

verb. to dare

beren

adjective. festive, gay, joyous

bereth

noun. feast, festival

beril

feminine name. Rose

beria-

verb. to protect

bereth

noun. queen

beril

noun. rose

bered ondrath

place name. *Towers of the Stone Road

Guard towers at the entrance of the causeway into Pelennor appearing only in the Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s (WR/340). This name is likely a combination of the plural of barad “tower”, the lenited form of gond “stone” and rath “course, street”, as suggested by Roman Rausch (EE/3.35).

beren

masculine name. Bold

beren

adjective. bold

beria-

verb. to protect

bertha-

verb. to dare

bereth

noun. queen, spouse

meren

adjective. festive, gay, joyous

The word was changed to beren in the Etymologies, but meren would be restored together with mereth

mereth

noun. feast, festival

The word was changed to bereth in the Etymologies, but was never changed in the texts (cf. Mereth Aderthad and the compound Merethrond)

brethil

noun. beech

bair nestad

place name. Houses of Healing

Noldorin name for the Houses of Healing appearing only in the Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s along with several variations (WR/379-380). It is a combination of the plural of bár “home” and nestad “healing”.

Conceptual Development: In a somewhat later typescript version, the form of this name was Edeb na Nestad, but this was rejected (WR/380).

barad

noun. fort, tower, fortress

bár

noun. home; earth

edeb na nestad

place name. Houses of Healing

A rejected Noldorin name for the Houses of Healing (WR/380). It is a combination of the plural of adab “house”, the preposition na “of” and the noun nestad “healing”.

bara

adjective. fiery

bara

adjective. eager

barad

adjective. doomed

cann

adjective. bold

deleb

adjective. horrible, abominable, loathsome

forodrim

noun. Northmen

garth

noun. fort, fortress

him

adjective. steadfast, abiding

him

adjective. continually

rhîs

noun. queen

tirion

noun. tower

barad

noun. tower, fortress

benn

noun. man, male

braig

adjective. wild, fierce

The form brerg in the Etymologies is a misreading according to VT/45:34

breig

adjective. wild, fierce

The form brerg in the Etymologies is a misreading according to VT/45:34

brethel

noun. beech, beech-tree, silver birch

brethel

noun. beech

bôr

noun/adjective. steadfast; trusty man, faithful vassal

cann

adjective. bold

dîr

noun. man, referring to an adult male (elf, mortal, or of any other speaking race)

forodwaith

noun. Northmen

forodwaith

noun. the lands of the North

forodweith

noun. Northmen

forodweith

noun. the lands of the North

fêr

noun. beech-tree

garth

noun. fort, fortress

minnas

noun. tower

minnas

noun. fort, city with a citadel and central watch-tower

minnas

noun. tower

peringol

proper name. Half-elven, (lit.) Half-Noldo

rhaw

adjective. wild, untamed

Meaning rectified according to VT/46:10

rhîs

noun. queen

beorn

noun. man

The shift of e to eo is strange and has no direct parallels, but compare eo from i in meord "fine rain" (< primitive mizdê). Normally final -ô becomes -â in Nandorin (see golda), but here it is simply lost instead of producing *beorna. C.f. meord the other word where we might have expected to see a final -a (in that case from -ê); it may be that final vowels are lost in words that would otherwise come to have more than two syllables. - The shift of primitive s to r in besnô > beorn may be ascribed primarily to the blending with ber(n)ô, but r from z is seen in meord < mizdê; perhaps the s of besnô first became z and then r. Such developments are common in Quenya.

pië

berry

pië noun "berry" (PE16:143)

feren

beech, beech-tree

feren (stem fern-, as in pl. ferni) noun "beech, beech-tree". Also fernë. (BERÉTH, PHER/PHÉREN)

verca

wild

verca ("k")adj. "wild" (BERÉK)

verya-

to dare

verya- (1) vb. "to dare"; also adj. verya "bold" (BER, VT45:7)

lailinquë

noun. beryllium, (lit.) fresh-liquid light

A neologism for “beryllium” coined by Arael on 2022-07-05 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), a combination of √LAY and linquë “liquid light”, so “(lit.) fresh liquid light”.

pio

noun. berry, plum, cherry

Elessar

elf-stone

Elessar masc. name "Elf-stone" (Elen + sar, actually "Star-stone", cf. Elendil concerning elen "star" being used to mean "Elf") (LotR3:V ch. 8). Genitive Elesarno _(VT49:28, read _Elessarno?) indicates that the stem is -sarn-. As a common noun, elessar or "elf-stone" may signify "beryl" (in the chapter Flight to the Ford in the LotR, Aragorn finds "a single pale-green jewel" and declares: "It is a beryl, an elf-stone"). Elessar as a name may also be seen as a pun or variant of Elesser "Elf-friend".

meren

feast, festival

meren (merend-), merendë noun "feast, festival" (MBER; Tolkien first gave the stem-form of meren as mern- before emending it to merend-, VT45:33-34)

merya

festive

merya adj. "festive" (MBER)

arta

fort, fortress

arta (2) noun "fort, fortress" (GARAT under 3AR)

astaldo

masculine name. Valiant

The sobriquet of Tulkas (S/28), a masculinized form of the adjective astalda “strong” (PE17/115).

Conceptual Development: In the earliest Lost Tales, the sobriquet of Tulkas was ᴱQ. Poldórea (LT1/79), which was the adjective ᴱQ. poldórea “muscular” used as a name (QL/75). The name ᴹQ. Poldórea still appeared in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, variously glossed “Strong One” or “Valiant” (SM/79, LR/206). It appeared in The Etymologies as an adjectival form of ᴹQ. poldore “physical strength; might” from the root ᴹ√POL(OD) “physically strong” (Ety/POL).

In later writings, the name Q. Poldórëa appeared in Tolkien’s Words, Phrases and Passages from the Lord of the Rings from the 1950s, along with variants Poldor and Poldorno, where he considered a new meaning for this name as “breaker up of the hard/tough” with its second element coming from the root √DOR “hard” (PE17/181). Ultimately, though the name was changed to Astaldo in Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s (MR/149).

canya

bold

canya (1) ("k")adj. "bold" (KAN).

hráva

wild

hráva adj. "wild" (PE17:78); see ráva #1.

lér

man

**lér noun "man" (NI1; hypothetical Q form of PQ dēr; the form actually used in Quenya was nér)

marto

tower

marto (1) noun "tower" (PE17:66)

marto

noun. tower

merca

wild, untamed

[merca ("k")adj. "wild, untamed" (MERÉK, VT45:34)] Compare verca.

minassë

fort, city, with a citadel and central watch-tower

minassë noun "fort, city, with a citadel and central watch-tower" (VT42:24)

neldor

beech

neldor noun "beech" (LT2:343)

norta

horrible

norta (ñ) (2) adj. "horrible" _(VT46:4. In Tengwar writing, the initial N would be represented by the letter noldo, not númen.)_

nér

man

nér (1) (ner-, as in pl. neri) noun "man" (adult male elf, mortal, or of other speaking race) (MR:213, VT49:17, DER, NDER, NI1, VT45:9; see also WJ:393)

nér

noun. man

ostirion

fort

ostirion noun "fort" (TI:423)

pereldar

collective name. Half-elven

The Quenya term for those with mixed Mannish and Elvish blood such as Elrond and Elros (Let/386, PM/348), though in The Lord of the Rings itself, only its Sindarin equivalent Peredhil was used (LotR/1034). Pereldar is a compound of the prefix per- “half-” and the plural of Elda “Elf”.

Conceptual Development: The term ᴹQ. Pereldar appeared in The Etymologies, but there it was translated “Half-eldar” and referred to those Elves such as the Danians who turned back on the journey to Valinor (Ety/PER, LR/215). Pereldar was first applied to the Half-elves in the draft of The Lord of the Rings (RS/412). In later writings, the term for the Elves who did not go to Aman was Q. Úmanyar.

sarta

steadfast, trusty, loyal

sarta adj. "steadfast, trusty, loyal" (PE17:183)

sorna

steadfast

sorna (þ) adj. "steadfast" (PE17:113)

sorna

adjective. steadfast

sára

fiery

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

tarminas

tower

tarminas noun "tower" etc. (Sindarin barad); see taras (PE17:22)

turco

tower

turco ("k") (2) noun "tower". In Lúnaturco, Quenya name of Barad-dûr (Dark Tower). Tolkien changed the word turco from turma (PE17:22).

turinqui

queen

turinqui ("q") noun "queen" (LT1:260; apparently the fem. of tur. In Tolkien's later Quenya, "queen" is tári.)

turma

tower

[turma] (2) noun "tower". Tolkien changed this word to turco (#2), q.v. (PE17:22)

tári

queen

tári noun "queen", used especially of Varda (TĀ/TA3, LT1:264), etymologically "she that is high" (SA:tar). Dative tárin in the Elaine inscription (VT49:40), genitive tário in Namárië. Elentári "Starqueen", a title of Varda. (Nam, RGEO:67). Tarinya "my queen" (UT:179; sic, not *tárinya). Táris or tárissë "queenship" (PE17:155)

tári

noun. queen, queen, [ᴱQ.] mistress, lady

uruitë

fiery

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

uruvoitë

fiery

uruvoitë adj. "fiery" (LT1:271)

varni

queen

varni noun "queen" (LT1:273; rather tári in Tolkien's later Quenya)

varya-

to protect

varya- vb. "to protect" (BAR)

vëo

man

†vëo noun "man" (WEG; etymologically connected to vëa "manly, vigorous"; the more neutral word for "man" is nér. According to VT46:21, Tolkien indicated that vëo is an archaic or poetic word.) Tolkien at a later point defined the word as "living creature" (PE17:189). Cf. variant wëo, q.v.

úruva

fiery

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

merillë

noun. rose

A neologism for “rose” coined by Tamas Ferencz, inspired by S. meril of the same meaning.

rianna

noun. queen