él

star

†él noun "star", pl. éli given (WJ:362, EL)

él

noun. star

An archaic or poetic word for star (WJ/362), somewhat common in compounds but in ordinary speech typically appearing as elen. It was derived directly from the primitive root √EL “behold”, the basis for other star words (PM/340; WJ/360).

Conceptual Development: This word first appeared as poetical ᴹQ. él “star” in The Etymologies of the 1930s, already with the derivation given above, though in this document the root ᴹ√EL meant “star” (Ety/EL), a common gloss for the root in later writings as well.

Cognates

• T. él “star” ✧ WJ/362

Derivations

• √EL “lo, behold; star, lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky” ✧ PM/340
• ✶ēl “star” ✧ WJ/360
  • √EL “lo, behold; star, lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky” ✧ WJ/360

Element in

• Q. Carnil “*Red Star”
• ᴺQ. ëarel “starfish, (lit.) sea-star”
• Q. Elatan “*Star Man”
• ᴺQ. élicombë “galaxy, collection of stars”
• Q. Elostirion “*Star Fort”
• Q. elvëa “starlike”
• Q. Elwë
• Q. Luinil “*Blue Star”
• Q. Undómiel “Evenstar”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√el- > el	[el]	✧ PM/340
✶ēl > él	[ēl]	✧ WJ/360

Variations

• el ✧ PM/340

elen

star

elen noun "star" (SA:êl, elen, EL, VT49:39); pl. eleni (occasionally in verse: eldi) (WJ:362, PE17:127); partitive pl. elelli for elenli (PE17:127), gen. pl. elenion in the phrase Elenion Ancalima "brightest of stars" (LotR2:IV ch. 9; see Letters:385 for translation); elen atta "two stars" (VT49:44), genitive elen atto "of two stars" (VT49:45), eleni neldë "three stars", archaic elenion neldë = "of stars three". Genitive "of 3 stars" = elenion neldë (for archaic elenion neldëo) (VT49:45). Allative elenna "starwards" used as name of Númenor _(Silm; see Elenna)_; ablative pl. elenillor "from stars" in Markirya. **Nai elen siluva ***"may a star shine", VT49:38.

elen

noun. star

The most common Quenya word for “star”, mentioned very frequently, derived from an extended form ✶elen of the root √EL “behold” (PE17/67; WJ/360, 362). Its usual plural form is eleni, but it has an archaic plural †eldi sometimes used in verse, the result of the Ancient Quenya sound whereby [[aq|[ln] became [ld]]] after the ancient plural underwent the Quenya syncope, ✶elenī > AQ. elni; its normal modern plural form eleni was actually a reformation from the singular (PE17/57, 151; WJ/362).

Conceptual Development: This word first appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s, though in the original entry for the root ᴹ√EL Tolkien said it was poetical and gave variants ellen and elena (Ety/EL).

Cognates

• S. êl “star” ✧ PE17/024; PE17/024; PE17/067; PE17/127; PE17/151; SA/êl; WJ/362
• T. él “star” ✧ WJ/367
• T. elen “star” ✧ WJ/362

Derivations

• ✶elen “star” ✧ PE17/067; PE17/151; WJ/360
  • √EL “lo, behold; star, lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky” ✧ Let/281; PE17/067; VT42/11; WJ/360
• √EL “lo, behold; star, lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky” ✧ PE17/151; PM/340; RGEO/65; SA/êl

Element in

• Q. aiya Eärendil elenion ancalima “hail Eärendil, brightest of stars” ✧ LotR/0720; LotR/0915; PE17/090; PE17/101
• Q. ancalima ep’ eleni “brighter than stars” ✧ PE17/056
• Q. ancalima imbi eleni “brightest among stars” ✧ PE17/091
• Q. arcalima ar eleni “A is brightest of all” ✧ PE17/056
• Q. arcalima ep’ eleni “far and away brighter than stars” ✧ PE17/056 (arcalima ep’ eleni)
• Q. elenion ancalima “brightest of stars” ✧ PE17/056; PE17/056; PE17/056; PE17/057; PE17/091
• Q. Elemmacil “*Star Sword”
• Q. Elemmírë “Elven-gem, Star-gem” ✧ PE19/096
• Q. elen atto “of 2 stars” ✧ VT49/45
• Q. Elendil “Elf-friend, Star-lover”
• Q. Elendur “*Star-servant”
• ᴺQ. elengolmë “astronomy”
• Q. elenillor pella talta-taltala “beyond the stars falling” ✧ MC/222
• Q. eleni neldë “*3 stars” ✧ VT49/45
• Q. elenion neldë “of 3 stars” ✧ VT49/45; VT49/45
• Q. Elenna “Starwards”
• Q. elen síla lúmenn’ omentielvo “a star shines on the hour of our meeting” ✧ Let/265; LotR/0081; PE17/012; WJ/367
• Q. Elentári “Queen of the Stars, Star-queen”
• Q. Elentir “*Star-gazer”
• Q. Elentirmo “Star-watcher” ✧ UT/213
• Q. Elenwë
• Q. elenya “adjective referring to the stars, *of the stars, stellar” ✧ WJ/362
• Q. Elerondo “Elrond, (lit.) Star-dome”
• Q. Elerossë “Star Foam”
• Q. Elerrína “Crowned with Stars”
• Q. Elessar “Elfstone”
• Q. Elestirnë “Star-brow”
• Q. nai elen atta siluvat aurenna veryanwesto “*may two stars shine upon the day of your wedding” ✧ VT49/44; VT49/44
• Q. nai elen siluva lyenna “*may a star shine upon you” ✧ VT49/39
• Q. nai elen siluva parma-restalyanna meldonya “*may a star shine upon your book-fair, my friend” ✧ VT49/39
• Q. yassen tintilar i eleni “wherein the stars tremble” ✧ LotR/0377; RGEO/58
• Q. yassen tintilar i eleni “in which twinkle the stars” ✧ RGEO/59

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶elen > elen	[elen]	✧ PE17/067
✶elni > eldi	[eleni] > [elni] > [eldi]	✧ PE17/151

Variations

• Elen ✧ LotR/0081; WJ/367

hela

or

hela conj. "or", apparently an ephemeral form, replaced by hya (VT49:14-15). The editor theorizes that hela literally meant "other than" (VT49:15)

hellë

sky

hellë noun "sky" (3EL; a distinct word hellë "frost" was struck out, see KHEL.)

er

one, alone

er cardinal "one, alone" (ERE, VT48:6, VT49:54), in an early source also adv. "only, but, still" (LT1:269); Eru er "one God" (VT44:17; er was here emended by Tolkien from erëa, which seems to be an adjectival form *"one, single".)

a

cardinal. one

erëa

cardinal. one

erëa adj.? "one" or *"single", apparently an adjectival form (see er) (VT44:17)

min

cardinal. one

min numeral "one", also minë (VT45:34, VT48:6)

min

cardinal. one, one, [ᴱQ.] one (in a series), the first

Cognates

• S. min “one, one, [G.] single” ✧ PE17/095; VT48/06
• T. min “one” ✧ VT48/06

Derivations

• ✶min “one”
  • √MIN “one, first of a series, one, first of a series; [ᴹ√] stand alone, stick out”

Element in

• ᴺQ. millumë “once, one time”
• ᴺQ. mindórë “million”
• Q. minya “first; eminent, prominent”

minë

cardinal. one

minë numeral "one", also min (MINI, VT45:34)

mir

cardinal. one

mir (2) cardinal "one" (LT1:260; in LotR-style Quenya rather minë)

ilwë

sky, heavens

ilwë noun "sky, heavens" (LT1:255), "the middle air among the stars" (LT1:273). VT49:51, 53 also mentions an obscure prononominal element ilwë.

ílë

star

ílë noun "star" (LT1:269; rather elen, él in LotR-style Quenya.)

quén

one, (some)body, person, individual, man or woman

quén (quen-, as in pl. queni; as final element in compounds -quen) noun "one, (some)body, person, individual, man or woman", pl. queni = "persons", "(some) people", "they" with the most general meaning (as in "they [= people in general] say that..."). The element is combined with noun and adjective stems in old compounds to denote habitual occupations or functions, or to describe those having some notable (permanent) quality; examples include roquen, ciryaquen, arquen, q.v. Also in aiquen "whoever", ilquen "everybody" (WJ:361 cf. 360, 372).

mo

one, someone, anyone

mo, indefinite pronoun "one, someone, anyone" (VT42:34, VT49:19, 20, 26)

hya

or

hya conj. "or" or noun "other thing" (VT49:14)

hya

conjunction. or

Derivations

• √KHY- “other”

Element in

• Q. epetai i hyarma ú ten ulca símaryassen “consequently the left hand was not to them evil in their imaginations” ✧ VT49/14

Variations

• hya ✧ VT49/14

var

or

var (1) conj. "or" (QL:100). In Tolkiens later Quenya, the word hya appears for "or". A phrase involving a double var…var may mean "either…or" in one early (untranslated) text, according to Christopher Gilsons interpretation (PE15:32, 39)

ecar

conjunction. or

Cognates

• S. egor “or”

herca

conjunction. or

Cognates

• S. egor “or”

el

star

n. star.

edhel

noun. Elf

Cognates

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

Derivations

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

Element in

• S. Adanedhel “Elf-man” ✧ SA/edhel
• S. Aerlinn in Edhil o Imladris “*Holy Song of the Elves of Rivendell” ✧ RGEO/62
• S. Aredhel “Noble Elf” ✧ SA/edhel
• S. Aredhel “Noble Elf” ✧ PE17/139; PE17/141
• S. Caledhel “*Light Elf”
• S. Danedhel “*Nando” ✧ PE17/141; PE17/141
• S. Dúnedhel “West-Elf” ✧ PE17/141; WJ/378
• S. Edhelharn “Elfstone”
• S. edhellen “elvish” ✧ PE17/045
• S. Edhellond “Elf-haven” ✧ UT/255
• S. Edhellos “Elven-flower” ✧ PM/346
• S. Glóredhel “*Golden Elf” ✧ SA/edhel
• S. Gwenedhel
• S. Lindedhel “Nandorin Elf”
• S. mellyn enin Edhellion “*friends of the Elves” ✧ PE17/097
• S. Mornedhel “Dark-elf” ✧ PE17/141; WJ/377
• S. Nínedhel “?Tear(ful) Elf” ✧ PE17/139
• S. Ost-in-Edhil “Fortress of the Eldar” ✧ SA/edhel
• S. Peredhel “Half-elf” ✧ SA/edhel
• S. Rúnedhel ✧ PE17/141
• S. Thinnedhel “Grey-elf” ✧ PE17/139

Phonetic Developments

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

Variations

• edhel ✧ PE17/045; PE17/151; RC/780; SA/edhel; UT/255; UTI/Edhelrim
• eðel ✧ PE17/139; PE17/141; PE17/152
• Eðel ✧ PM/346

eledh

noun. Elf

Cognates

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

Derivations

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

Element in

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

Phonetic Developments

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

Variations

• eledh ✧ Let/281 (eledh); PE17/142; PE17/142; UTI/Edhelrim
• elein ✧ PE17/139 (elein)
• eleð ✧ PE17/140; PE17/141; PE17/142
• Elen ✧ WJ/363; WJ/377 (Elen); WJI/Elen

elen

noun. Elf

ell

noun. Elf

Cognates

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

Derivations

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

Derivatives

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

Element in

• S. Aranel
• S. Aredhel “Noble Elf” ✧ PE17/141
• S. ar in Ellath epholar eno vi Eressai “*and the Elves (?remember) still in Eressëa” ✧ VT50/19
• S. Dúnedhel “West-Elf” ✧ PE17/141
• S. Elladan “Elf-man” ✧ Let/281
• S. Elleth “Elf-maid” ✧ PE17/141; PE17/152; WJ/363
• S. Ellon “Elf-man” ✧ PE17/141; WJ/363
• S. Elrohir “Elf-knight” ✧ Let/281
• S. Elrond “Star-dome” ✧ Let/281
• S. Elros “Star-foam” ✧ Let/281
• S. Elvellyn “Elf-friends, Elf-lovers” ✧ WJ/412
• S. Glinnel “*Singer-elf”
• S. i glinn hen agorer Edain mi Velerian, ach hí in Ellath îr ed epholar “*this song Men made in Beleriand, but now the Elves alone (?remember) it” ✧ VT50/15; VT50/15; VT50/15
• S. Laegel “Green-elves”
• S. Lindel “Nando”
• S. Miniel “Vanyar”
• S. sí il chem en i Naugrim en ir Ellath thor den ammen “*now all (?hands) of the Dwarves and Elves will be (?against) to us” ✧ VT50/23

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶eldā > ell	[eldā] > [elda] > [elða] > [elð] > [ell]	✧ PE17/141
Q. elda > eld > ell	[elda] > [elða] > [elð] > [ell]	✧ PE17/141
✶eldā > Ell-	[eldā] > [elda] > [elða] > [elð] > [ell]	✧ WJ/360

Variations

• ell ✧ Let/281; PE17/141; PE17/141 (ell); PE17/141; PE17/152 (ell)
• elt ✧ PE17/141
• Ell- ✧ WJ/363
• ell- ✧ WJ/364

penedh

noun. Elf

Derivations

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

Element in

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

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶kwenedē > peneð	[kwenedē] > [penedē] > [penede] > [peneðe] > [peneð]	✧ PE17/140
✶kwenedē > Penn	[kwendē] > [pendē] > [pende] > [pend] > [penn]	✧ PE17/141

Variations

• peneð ✧ PE17/140; PE17/141
• Penn ✧ PE17/141

elen

star

pl1. elin, pl2. elenath _n._star. Its collective plural (pl2.) designates 'the (host of all the) stars, (all) the (visible) stars of the firmament'. Q. elen, pl1. eldi, eleni. o menel aglar elenath ! lit. 'from Firmament glory of the stars !'. >> êl

elen

noun. star

êl

noun. star (little used except in verses)

êl

star

pl1. elin, pl2. elenath** ** n. star. Q. elen, pl1. eldi, eleni, pl2. elelli. >> elen

êl

noun. star

A Sindarin word for “star” that is largely archaic and poetic, and is mainly used as element in names like Elrond (Let/281; WJ/363; Ety/EL); the more usual word for “star” in ordinary speech was gil (RGEO/65). However, the collective form elenath is still used in common speech to refer to the entire host of stars (WJ/363). The plural of êl is elin, as this word was derived from ancient ✶elen, and the final n that was lost in the singular was preserved in the plural. In some cases Tolkien posited a restored analogical singular elen from the plural form (PE17/24, 67, 139), but this isn’t in keeping with the notion that the word was archaic, so I would ignore this for purposes of Neo-Sindarin.

Conceptual Development: This word and its root first appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s, where N. el “star” was derived from the root ᴹ√EL of similar meaning, but was “only [used] in names” (Ety/EL). It seems Tolkien introduced the root to give a new etymology for names like N. Elrond and N. Elwing, which initially appeared under the root ᴹ√ƷEL “sky” (Ety/ƷEL).

Cognates

• Q. elen “star” ✧ PE17/024; PE17/024; PE17/067; PE17/127; PE17/151; SA/êl; WJ/362

Derivations

• √EL “lo, behold; star, lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky” ✧ Let/281; RGEO/65; SA/êl
• ✶elen “star” ✧ PE17/067; PE17/139; PE22/150; WJ/360
  • √EL “lo, behold; star, lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky” ✧ Let/281; PE17/067; VT42/11; WJ/360

Element in

• S. Anglachel “*Iron-of-the-flaming-star”
• S. Anguirel “*Iron-of-the-fiery-star”
• S. Eladar “Starfather”
• S. elanor “pimpernel, small golden star-shaped flower, (lit.) sun-star” ✧ PE17/055
• S. Elbereth “Queen of Stars, (lit.) Star-queen” ✧ PE17/022; RGEO/65
• S. Elrond “Star-dome”
• S. Elros “Star-foam”
• S. Elu ✧ PM/369
• ᴺS. elui “starry”
• S. Elwing “Star-spray” ✧ PM/369
• S. Nan Elmoth “*Valley of Starry Dusk”
• S. Narn en·Êl “*Tale of the Star” ✧ MR/373
• S. Narn e·Dant Gondolin ar Orthad en·Êl “*Tale of the Fall of Gondolin and the Raising of the Star” ✧ MR/373
• S. o menel aglar elenath “from heaven on high the glory of the starry host” ✧ LotR/0238; PE17/024; RGEO/63; RGEO/64

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√EL > êl	[elen] > [ele] > [el] > [ēl]	✧ Let/281
✶elen > êl	[elen] > [ele] > [el] > [ēl]	✧ PE17/067
✶ELEN > êl	[elen] > [ele] > [el] > [ēl]	✧ PE17/139
✶elenī > elin	[elenī] > [eleni] > [elini] > [elin]	✧ PE22/150
√EL > êl	[elen] > [ele] > [el] > [ēl]	✧ RGEO/65
√ele > êl	[elen] > [ele] > [el] > [ēl]	✧ SA/êl
✶elen > êl	[elen] > [ele] > [el] > [ēl]	✧ WJ/360

Variations

• Êl ✧ MR/373
• el- ✧ PE17/022
• elen ✧ PE17/024; PE17/067; PE17/139
• el(en) ✧ PE17/025
• el ✧ PE17/055; PM/369

Menel

noun. sky, high heaven, firmament, the region of the stars

lo

lo

gil

noun. star, bright spark

In The Etymologies (Ety/358, corrected by VT/45:15), this word was given as geil , plural gîl. However, later in LotR/E and RGEO/73, Tolkien seems to consider gil as a singular (with no hints in the sources of what the plural would be, besides the collective plural giliath )

min

cardinal. one, one, [G.] single

Cognates

• Q. min “one, one, [ᴱQ.] one (in a series), the first” ✧ PE17/095; VT48/06

Element in

• S. Miniel “Vanyar”
• S. minlamad “?alliteration, (lit.) first-echoing”
• S. minui “first” ✧ VT42/25
• S. minuial “(dawn) twilight”

Variations

• min ✧ PE17/095; VT48/06
• mîn ✧ VT42/25

pen

pronoun. one, somebody, anybody

Usually enclitic and mutated as ben.2

egor

conjunction. or

egor

conjunction. or

Cognates

• ᴺQ. ecar “or”
• ᴺQ. herca “or”

Element in

• S. egor ben genediad Drannail erin Gwirith edwen “or in the Shire-reckoning the second day of April” ✧ AotM/062; SD/129

gil-

noun. star

gill

noun. star

giliath

noun. all the host of stars

min

fraction. one (first of a series)

mîn

fraction. one (first of a series)

edhel

elf

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

ellon

elf-man

(pl. ellyn)

elleth

elf-woman

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

laegel

green-elf

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

miniel

first elf

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

gwanwel

elf of aman

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

elvellon

elf-friend

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

eru

the one

isolated from

min

cardinal. one

1) (number ”one” as the first in a series) min, mîn (VT48:6), Note: homophones include the noun ”peak” and the adjective ”isolated, first, towering”. 2) (number) êr, whence the adjectival prefix er- (alone, lone); 3)

min

one

mîn (VT48:6), Note: homophones include the noun ”peak” and the adjective ”isolated, first, towering”.

pen

cardinal. one

(indefinite pronoun) (= somebody, anybody) pen (WJ:376); lenited ben. According to one interpretation of the phrase caro den i innas lín from the Sindarin Lords Prayer (VT44:23), this could mean *”let one do your will”, with den (perhaps a lenited form of *ten) as the indefinite pronoun ”one”. However, others interpret den as the accusative form of the pronoun ”it”: ”Do it [, that is:] your will”.

pen

one

(WJ:376); lenited ben. According to one interpretation of the phrase caro den i innas lín from the Sindarin Lord’s Prayer (VT44:23), this could mean ✱”let one do your will”, with den (perhaps a lenited form of ✱ten) as the indefinite pronoun ”one”. However, others interpret den as the accusative form of the pronoun ”it”: ”Do it [, that is:] your will”.

peredhel

half-elf

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

send

grey-elf

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

êr

one

whence the adjectival prefix er- (alone, lone)

dúnedhel

elf of beleriand

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

edhelharn

elf-stone

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

mornedhel

dark elf

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

egor

or

egor

egor

or

**

lefn

elf left behind

pl. lifn.

gîl

star

gîl (i ngîl = i ñîl, o n**gîl, construct gil) (bright spark, silver glint), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gîl = i ñgîl), coll. pl. giliath** (RGEO, MR:388). Poetic †êl (elen-, pl. elin, coll. pl. elenath) (RGEO, Letters:281, WJ:363).

gîl

star

(i ngîl = i ñîl, o n’gîl, construct gil) (bright spark, silver glint), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gîl = i ñgîl), coll. pl. giliath **(RGEO, MR:388). Poetic †êl (elen-, pl. **elin, coll. pl. elenath) (RGEO, Letters:281, WJ:363).

calben

elf of the great journey

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

gilion

of stars

(lenited ngilion; pl. gilioen). Archaic ✱giliaun.

avar

non-eldarin elf

pl. Evair, also called

ella

noun/adjective. Elf

Cognates

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

Derivations

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

Element in

• T. Ellálië “Elvenfolk” ✧ WJ/375

ello

noun. Elf

Cognates

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

Derivations

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

Element in

• T. Audel “Elf who left for Aman” ✧ WJ/364

él

noun. star

Cognates

• Q. él “star” ✧ WJ/362
• Q. elen “star” ✧ WJ/367

Derivations

• ✶ēl “star” ✧ WJ/360
  • √EL “lo, behold; star, lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky” ✧ WJ/360

Element in

• T. él síla lúmena vomentienguo “A star shines upon the hour of the meeting of our ways” ✧ WJ/407

Variations

• ēl ✧ WJ/362; WJ/407

elen

noun. star

Cognates

• Q. elen “star” ✧ WJ/362

Derivations

• ✶elen “star” ✧ WJ/360
  • √EL “lo, behold; star, lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky” ✧ Let/281; PE17/067; VT42/11; WJ/360

er

cardinal. one

Cognates

• Q. er “one, alone, one, alone; [ᴱQ.] only, a single” ✧ VT48/06

min

cardinal. one

Cognates

• Q. min “one, one, [ᴱQ.] one (in a series), the first” ✧ VT48/06

ash

cardinal. one

Element in

• Bs. ash nazg durbatulûk “one ring to rule them all” ✧ LotR/0254; PE17/011
• Bs. ash nazg gimbatul “one ring to find them” ✧ LotR/0254; PE17/011
• Bs. ash nazg thrakatulûk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul “one ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them” ✧ LotR/0254; PE17/011

ash

cardinal. one

el

root. lo, behold; star, lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky

Tolkien introduced ᴹ√EL as the basis for Elvish star-words in The Etymologies of the 1930s at the same time as he devised a new etymology for the words for “Elf” as the “Star-Folk” using an extended form of this root ᴹ√ELED (Ety/EL, ELED). The extended root √ELED seems to have survived at least up until around 1950, where it appear among list of examples of roots for Elvish tribal names, with deleted variant √EDEL (PE18/84). But later on the extended form seems to have fallen away, at least as the basis for Elf-words, being replaced in the Quendi and Eldar essay from 1959-60 by the root √DEL “walk, go, proceed, travel” and its Quenya-only variant √LED.

In the Quendi and Eldar essay, the words for “Elf” were recontextualized as a blend of the senses “star” and “departure”, referring to Elves both as the people of the stars and the specific group of the Eldar as those Elves who left for Aman (WJ/362-3). In these same notes Tolkien said that ele originated first as an interjection meaning “lo!, behold!”, as uttered when the Elves first beheld the stars (WJ/360). In this sense, it might have been a partial restoration of a (hypothetical) early root ✱ᴱ√ELE used for various words of wonderment and “otherness” in the 1910s and 20s; see that entry for details.

Derivatives

• ✶ēl “star” ✧ WJ/360
  • Q. él “star” ✧ WJ/360
  • T. él “star” ✧ WJ/360
• ✶el-ā “lo!, look!, see!” ✧ WJ/360
  • Q. ela “behold!” ✧ WJ/360
  • S. elo “behold!” ✧ WJ/360
  • T. ela “behold!” ✧ WJ/360
• ✶eledā “star-folk, of the stars” ✧ Let/281
  • Q. Elda “Elf, (lit.) one of the Star-folk” ✧ Let/281; PE17/141; SA/êl; WJ/360; WJ/364; WJ/364
  • S. Ell “Elf” ✧ PE17/141
    • S. Elleth “Elf-maid” ✧ PE17/141
    • S. Ellon “Elf-man” ✧ PE17/141
  • S. Eledh “Elf” ✧ Let/281; PE17/140; PE17/141; PE17/142
  • S. Ell “Elf” ✧ PE17/141; WJ/360
  • S. Elleth “Elf-maid” ✧ PE17/141
  • S. Ellon “Elf-man” ✧ PE17/141
  • T. Ella “Elf” ✧ WJ/360
• ✶elen “star” ✧ Let/281; PE17/067; VT42/11; WJ/360
  • ✶elenā “connected with or concerning the stars” ✧ PE17/139
  • Q. Elda “Elf, (lit.) one of the Star-folk” ✧ PE17/139; PE17/152
    • S. Ell “Elf” ✧ PE17/141
    • S. Elleth “Elf-maid” ✧ PE17/141
    • S. Ellon “Elf-man” ✧ PE17/141
  • Q. elenya “adjective referring to the stars, *of the stars, stellar” ✧ WJ/360
  • S. Eledh “Elf” ✧ PE17/139; WJ/360
  • Q. elen “star” ✧ PE17/067; PE17/151; WJ/360
  • S. êl “star” ✧ PE17/067; PE17/139; PE22/150; WJ/360
  • T. elen “star” ✧ WJ/360
• Q. él “star” ✧ PM/340
• Q. elen “star” ✧ PE17/151; PM/340; RGEO/65; SA/êl
• S. êl “star” ✧ Let/281; RGEO/65; SA/êl

Element in

• ᴺ✶. ELEM “wonder, marvel”
• ᴺ✶. ELEK “different, strange; other”
• ✶Elmō “Venus”
• √MENEL “heavens, firmament, heavens, firmament, [ᴹ√] sky”
• Q. Elwë ✧ PM/340
• S. menel “the heavens, firmament, region of the stars” ✧ RGEO/64

Variations

• el- ✧ PM/340; VT42/11
• el ✧ RGEO/64
• ele ✧ SA/êl
• ELE ✧ WJ/360

ēl

noun. star

Derivations

• √EL “lo, behold; star, lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky” ✧ WJ/360

Derivatives

• Q. él “star” ✧ WJ/360
• T. él “star” ✧ WJ/360

Element in

• ✶eledā “star-folk, of the stars” ✧ WJ/360
• ✶elen-barathī “star-queen” ✧ PE17/066

Variations

• el ✧ PE17/066

elen

noun. star

Derivations

• √EL “lo, behold; star, lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky” ✧ Let/281; PE17/067; VT42/11; WJ/360

Derivatives

• ✶elenā “connected with or concerning the stars” ✧ PE17/139
  • Q. Elda “Elf, (lit.) one of the Star-folk” ✧ PE17/139; PE17/152
  • S. Ell “Elf” ✧ PE17/141
    • S. Elleth “Elf-maid” ✧ PE17/141
    • S. Ellon “Elf-man” ✧ PE17/141
  • Q. elenya “adjective referring to the stars, *of the stars, stellar” ✧ WJ/360
  • S. Eledh “Elf” ✧ PE17/139; WJ/360
• Q. elen “star” ✧ PE17/067; PE17/151; WJ/360
• S. êl “star” ✧ PE17/067; PE17/139; PE22/150; WJ/360
• T. elen “star” ✧ WJ/360

Element in

• ✶elenā “connected with or concerning the stars” ✧ WJ/360
• ✶elen-barathī “star-queen” ✧ MR/387
• Q. Elentári “Queen of the Stars, Star-queen” ✧ PE17/022
• S. Elbereth “Queen of Stars, (lit.) Star-queen” ✧ PE17/022; PE17/023

Variations

• ĕlĕn ✧ Let/281
• ELEN ✧ PE17/022; PE17/139; PE17/152
• el-en ✧ PE17/023
• elen- ✧ VT42/11

imin

masculine name. One

Element in

• Q. Imillië “Company of Imin”

min

cardinal. one

Derivations

• √MIN “one, first of a series, one, first of a series; [ᴹ√] stand alone, stick out”

Derivatives

• Q. min “one, one, [ᴱQ.] one (in a series), the first”

Element in

• ✶Imin “One” ✧ WJ/421
• ✶Iminye ✧ WJ/421

Variations

• Min ✧ NM/060

el

noun. star

Cognates

• ᴹQ. él “star” ✧ Ety/EL
• ᴹQ. elen “star” ✧ Ety/EL; Ety/EL

Derivations

• ᴹ√EL “star, starry sky” ✧ Ety/EL; Ety/EL

Element in

• N. elanor “sun-star”
• N. Elbereth “Queen of Stars, (lit.) Star Queen” ✧ Ety/EL
• N. Elrond “Starry-dome, Sky” ✧ Ety/EL
• N. Elros “Star-foam”
• N. Eldûn “*West-star”
• N. Elrûn “*East-star”
• N. Elwing “Star-spray” ✧ Ety/EL; Ety/EL

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
ᴹ√EL > el	[elen] > [ele] > [el]	✧ Ety/EL

ell

noun. sky

An element meaning “sky” in several names from The Etymologies of the 1930s: N. Elfaron “Sky-hunter” (Ety/SPAR) and N. Elthoron “Eagle of the Sky” (Ety/THOR). It was derived from the root ᴹ√ƷEL “sky” which had an Old Noldorin form: ON. elle (Ety/ƷEL). However, Tolkien said “In Noldorin and Telerin this is confused with EL star”, implying that the word was not used in modern language; an earlier but rejected version of this entry had archaic N. †ell, el “sky” (EtyAC/ƷEL).

Neo-Sindarin: Despite the above statements, ell is probably the best attested option for “sky” in Neo-Sindarin, and I would use it as such, since it is in fact distinct from S. êl “star”, a word that is itself archaic/poetic versus more common S. gil.

Derivations

• On. elle “sky” ✧ Ety/ƷEL
  • ᴹ√ƷEL “sky” ✧ Ety/ƷEL

Element in

• ᴺS. eiliant
• N. Elfaron “Sky-hunter” ✧ Ety/SPAR
• N. Elthoron “Eagle of the Sky” ✧ Ety/THOR

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
On. elle > ell > el	[elle] > [ell] > [el]	✧ Ety/ƷEL

Variations

• el ✧ Ety/SPAR (el); Ety/THOR (el); EtyAC/ƷEL (el)

penedh

noun. Elf

Cognates

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

Derivations

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

Phonetic Developments

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

Variations

• peneð ✧ EtyAC/SET (peneð)

penn

noun. Elf

Cognates

• ᴹQ. Qende “Elf”

Derivations

• ᴹ√KWEN(ED) “Elf”

Element in

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

Variations

• penn ✧ PE22/067

geil

noun. star, bright spark

geil

noun. star

Derivations

• ᴹ✶gilya “star” ✧ Ety/GIL
  • ᴹ√GIL “shine (white or pale)” ✧ Ety/GIL

Element in

• N. Dagor nuin Giliath “Battle-under-Stars”
• N. Dagor-os-Giliath “Battle under Stars”
• N. Edegil “Seven Stars” ✧ Ety/OT
• N. Gilbrennil “Varda” ✧ Ety/GIL
• N. Gildor
• N. Gil-galad “Starlight” ✧ Ety/GIL
• N. gilhof “dew, *(lit.) star-juice”
• N. gilith “starlight, *region of the stars” ✧ Ety/GIL
• N. Gilthoniel “Star-maker, Lady of the Stars” ✧ Ety/GIL
• N. Argilion “*Star-day”
• N. Osgiliath “Fortress of the Stars”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
ᴹ✶gilya > gíl	[gilji] > [gilī] > [gil] > [gīl]	✧ Ety/GIL
ᴹ✶gilya > geil	[gilja] > [gelja] > [gelia] > [geli] > [geil]	✧ Ety/GIL

Variations

• gîl ✧ EtyAC/GIL

min

cardinal. one

Cognates

• ᴹQ. min “one” ✧ Ety/MINI

Derivations

• ᴹ√MIN “stand alone, stick out” ✧ Ety/MINI

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
ᴹ√MINI > min	[mini] > [mine] > [min]	✧ Ety/MINI

giliath

noun. all the host of stars

min

fraction. one (first of a series)