elda

noun. Elf, (lit.) one of the Star-folk

The most common Quenya word for “Elf”. Its literal meaning is “one of the Star-folk” (WJ/374), a name given to them by Oromë (S/49) and derived from the same primitive root √EL as Q. elen “star”. Strictly speaking, this term excludes the Avari who chose not to journey to Valinor, so that the proper term for all of Elvenkind is Q. Quendë “one of the Elven race”. The Elves of the West rarely encountered the Avari, however, so that term Elda was ordinarily broad enough to describe all Elves.

Conceptual Development: This word dates back to the earliest stages of Tolkien’s languages. At its first appearance, ᴱQ. Elda was glossed “a beach-fay” (QL/35), but was soon extended to describe all Elves (LT1/113). In Tolkien’s earliest writings the word was not given a clear etymology. In the Lhammas “Account of Tongues” from the 1930s (LR/168-180), Tolkien gave ᴹQ. Elda the sense of “one who departed” (LR/169), as opposed to the ᴹQ. Lembi “Lingerers” who remained behind (precursors of the Avari). With this sense, Elda was derived from ᴹ√LED “go, fare, travel” (Ety/LED).

Tolkien soon revised the etymology of Elda so that it was derived instead from ᴹ√ELED “star-folk” (Ety/ELED). In some later writings, he considered both etymologies of this word to be valid, so that Elda was blending of both “star-folk” (from √EL) and Q. Eldo “marcher” (from √LED or √DEL), as discussed in the Quendi and Eldar essay from 1959-60 and elsewhere (WJ/362-3, PE17/139). However, the sense “star-folk” is probably better known.

In some notes from 1957, Tolkien considered deriving this word from a variant root √DEL “fair” so that its meaning would be “the fair” (PE17/151), but this seems to have been a transient idea.

eldarion

masculine name. *Son of the Eldar

The son of Aragorn and Arwen (LotR/1062). His name is a compound Eldar “Elves” and the patronymic suffix -ion “-son”.

eldarin

noun/adjective. of the Eldar; Elvish (language)

@@@ Helge Fauskanger suggested that Eldarinwa is an extended form of this word as an adjective (QQ/Eldarin). More exactly, I think it is the application of the possessive/adjectival suffix -va to the word Eldarin in its noun-sense = “Elvish language”.

eldar ataformaiti

the Elves were ambidexters

First phrase @@@

| |  I  | II |III|IV|  V  |VI|VII| |i Eldar| |i·Eldar|Eldar| |{nār >> nā >>}|nāner|...| |{nár}| | |{tatafor... >>}|attaformor|ataformor|{attaformaite >>} ataformaite|{ataformaite >>} ataformaiti|

eldar nilir eleni

(the) Elves love (the) stars

eldar oronter

the Elves arose

eldar sindar

Grey Elves

eldar sindaron

Grey Elves’

ar súlë manwëo etsurinyë ar eldaron indor turyaner

*and the spirit of Manwe went out and the hearts of the Eldar were comforted / or obeyed

mana i coimas eldaron?

What is the ‘coimas’ of the Eldar?

mana i·coimas in·eldaron?

What is the ‘coimas’ of the Eldar?

i arani eldaron

The kings of the Eldar

lambe eldaron

the language of the Eldar

oromë valaron minya omennë ye eldar

Orome first of (the) Valar met the Elves

sindar eldar

Grey Elves

sindar eldaron

Grey Elves’

sindar i eldar malariando

Grey are the Elves of Beleriand

Elda-lambë

the language of the eldar

Elda-lambë noun "the language of the Eldar" (WJ:368)

Oromë

the eldar now take the name to singify 'horn-blowing' or 'horn-blower', but to the valar it had no such meaning

Oromë noun name of a Vala, adopted and adapted from Valarin. Observes Pengolodh, "the Eldar now take the name to singify 'horn-blowing' or 'horn-blower', but to the Valar it had no such meaning" (WJ:400-401, cf. SA:rom and ROM, TÁWAR in Etym, VT14:5). Genitive Oromëo and possessive Oroméva in WJ:368. _._Loose compound Oromë róma "an Oromë horn", sc. "one of Orome's horns (if he had more than one)" (WJ:368). A deleted entry in the Etymologies cited the name as Orómë with a long middle vowel (VT45:15). Oromendil, masc. name *"Friend of Oromë" (UT:210)

eldalondë

place name. Haven of the Eldar

A haven in Númenor where the ships of the Eldar came (UT/167). This name is a compound of Elda “Elf” and londë “haven”.

eldavehtë

proper name. a habitation, haunt or place occupied by Eldar

A term for Beleriand as the habitation of the Eldar, a combination of Elda “Elf” and vehtë “habitat” (PE17/189).

in

the coimas [lembas] of the eldar

in article, apparently a variant of the definite article i, observed in the phrase i-coimas in-Eldaron "the coimas [lembas] of the Eldar" in PM:403. It looks like the Sindarin plural article, but in Quenya i normally covers both sg. and pl. "the", and the word Eldar does not need any article at all. The alternative reading i-coimas Eldaron (PM:395) is probably to be preferred.

eldalië

noun. People of the Elves, Elven-folk, People of the Eldar, Elven-folk, [ᴹQ.] Elf-folk

aiya eldalië ar atanatári, utúlie’n aurë

Behold, people of the Eldar and Fathers of Men, the day has come!

elda-lambë

proper name. Language of the Eldar

A term for Elvish languages as adopted by other peoples (WJ/369), a compound of Elda “Elf” and lambë “language”.

i arani eldaive

The kings of the Eldar

lambe eldaiva

the language of the Eldar

ost-in-edhil

place name. Fortress of the Eldar

Home of the Noldor in Eriador during the Second Age, described as the “city of the Elves” (S/286) and translated by Christopher Tolkien as “Fortress of the Eldar” (SI/Ost-in-Edhil). This name is a combination of ost “fortress, city”, the plural in of the definite article i and the plural of Edhel “Elf” (SA/os(t), edhel).

oazel

proper name. Eldar who had come to Aman, Elves who left Middle-earth for Aman

eledāim orontēr

the Elves arose