las

root. leaf

This root was connected to leaves throughout Tolkien’s life. It did not appear directly in the Qenya or Gnomish lexicons of the 1910s, but ✱ᴱ√LASA “leaf” is implied by ᴱQ. lasse and G. lass “leaf” (QL/51; GL/52). ᴹ√LAS appeared directly in The Etymologies of the 1930s with the derivatives ᴹQ. lasse and N. lhass (Ety/LAS¹), and the root √LAS “leaf” was also mentioned in Tolkien’s later writings (PE17/77; VT39/9).

las

root. listen

This root did not appear as the basis of “listen” words until The Etymologies of the 1930s, where Tolkien gave ᴹ√LAS “listen” as opposed to ᴹ√LAS “leaf” (Ety/LAS¹, LAS²). One of its derivatives was N. lhewig “ear” (from fossilized dual lhaw). Tolkien apparently wanted to retain this form in his later writings after deciding that initial l was no longer unvoiced in Sindarin, so he coined a variant s-fortified root √SLAS “ear” from which it could still be derived (PE17/62, PE17/77). The unfortified root √LAS “listen” continued to appear, however (PE17/46; PE19/101), as indicated by imperative S. lasto “listen” (LotR/307). Tolkien did speculate that the roots √LAS¹ “leaf” and √LAS² “listen” might ultimately be related, probably because of the similarity of the shape of Elvish ears and the leaves of trees:

> lasse “leaf” (S las); pl. lassi (S lais). It is only applied to certain kinds of leaves, especially those of trees, and would not e.g. be used of leaf of a hyacinth (linque). It is thus possibly related to √LAS “listen”, and S-LAS stem of Elvish words for “ear”: Q hlas, dual hlaru. Sindarin dual lhaw, singular lheweg (PE17/62).

A similar notion appeared in The Etymologies: “Some think this [ᴹ√LAS¹ ‘leaf’] is related to the next [ᴹ√LAS² ‘listen’] and ✱lassē ‘ear’. The Quendian ears were more pointed and leaf-shaped than [?human]” (Ety/LAS¹).

lassē

noun. leaf

slas

root. ear

slas

noun. ear

mith

root. grey

Tolkien introduced the root ᴹ√MITH in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a blending of ᴹ√MIS “✱wet” and ᴹ√KHITH “mist, fog”, with the derivative N. mith “white fog, wet mist” as in N. Mithrim “✱Mist Lake” (Ety/MITH, RINGI; EtyAC/MITH). As a later addition to this entry Tolkien wrote the adjective N. mith “grey”, and that was the more common use of this word in Tolkien’s later writings. In a 1955 letter to David Masson Tolkien specified that “usage suggests that MIÞ- is paler and whiter, a luminous grey” (PE17/72).

sal

root. [unglossed], *harp(ing), lyre

The unglossed root ᴱ√SALA appeared in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like ᴱQ. salma “lyre, small harp” and ᴱQ. salumbe “harping, music” (QL/81). The root √SAL appeared again Common Eldarin: Verb Structure from the early 1950s to illustrate the reformed perfect form of its verb Q. asálie (PE22/132), but since these later forms are unglossed it is unclear whether they have the same meaning (“✱harp(ing)”) as the earlier version of the root.

stuk

root. [unglossed]

An unglossed root in a rejected section of the Outline of Phonology (OP2) from the early 1950s, serving to illustration certain phonetic developments: ✶stuknā > Q. thúna (PE19/86).

tig

root. [unglossed]

A root appearing in Late Notes on Verb Structure (LVS) from 1969 as the basis for the verb Q. tinga- “go (for a long while)” (PE22/157). The etymology was marked with an “X” and so was probably a transient idea (PE22/157 note #70).

phut

root. [unglossed]

An unglossed root appearing in the second version of Tengwesta Qenderinwa (TQ2) as an etymological variation of √PUT (PE18/90).

graw Reconstructed

root. [unglossed], [ᴹ√] dark, swart

This root appeared as a primitive form grawa serving as the basis of the word Q. roa “bear” >> “dog” in notes on monosyllabic roots from 1968 (VT47/35); a Sindarin derivative S. graw “bear” appeared in other notes written around the same time (VT47/12). Patrick Wynne suggested that in the sense “bear” grawa might be connected to the root ᴹ√GRAWA “dark, swart” from The Etymologies of the 1930s (EtyAC/GRAWA).

laikā

adjective. green

thindi

adjective. grey

thindā

adjective. grey

lemek

root. [unglossed]

An unglossed root in the Outline of Phonology from the early 1950s illustrating certain phonetic combinations (PE19/98), and therefore possibly not a “real” root.

stin

root. grey

thini

adjective. grey

las

leaf

pl1. lais** **_ n. _leaf. Only applied to certain kinds of leaves, esp. those of trees, and would not e.g. be used of leaf of hyacinth. It is thus possibly related to LAS 'listen', and S-LAS stem of Elvish words for 'ear'. Q. lasse, pl1. lassi.

las

noun. leaf

lass

noun. leaf, leaf; [G.] petal

The basic Sindarin word for “leaf”, derived from the root √LAS (PE17/62, 153; PE22/166). It appeared as both lass and las, but I believe the latter is the suffixal form, the result of the Sindarin sound change whereby final ss shortened in polysyllables (LotR/1115). Its plural form was lais, which is of interest because normally consonant clusters prevent i-intrusion]]; compare nern and resg the plurals of narn and rasg. I am of the opinion that the ss was a particular “weak” cluster and allowed intrusion anyway; see the entry on Sindarin plural nouns for further discussion.

Conceptual Development: G. lass “a leaf” appeared all the way back in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, but there Tolkien said it was sometimes used for “petal” = G. tethlas (GL/52). In Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s it became ᴱN. lhas “leaf” (PE13/148) and N. lhass “leaf” appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from primitive ᴹ✶lassē under the root ᴹ√LAS (Ety/LAS¹). These 1920s-30s forms were due to the Noldorin sound change whereby initial l was unvoiced to lh. Tolkien abandoned this sound change in Sindarin of the 1950s and 60s, so that lass “leaf” was restored.

lass

leaf

_n. _leaf. >> athelas, las

lasta-

verb. listen

_ v. _listen, give ear. Q. lasta-. >> lasto

lasto

imp

v. imp. of lasta-give ear, listen. fennas nogothrim lasto beth lammen 'doorway of the Dwarf-folk listen to the words of my tongue'. >> lasta-

lasta-

verb. to listen, give ear

lasbelin

noun. season of autumn

lasgalen

noun. leaf green

n. leaf green.

lass

noun. leaf

lasta-

verb. to listen

lasto

verb. listen!

Borlas

noun. lasting, faithful joy (male name)

bór (“faithful, enduring”) + glass (“joy”)

lasbelin

autumn

lasbelin (”leaf-withering”), no distinct pl. form. Coll. pl. lasbeliniath.

lasbelin

leaf-withering

” (= autumn) lasbelin (no distinct pl. form).

lasgalen

leaf-green

lasgalen (pl. lesgelin).

lasgalen

leaf-green

lasgalen (pl. lesgelin)

lass

leaf

lass (pl. #lais). (Letters:282, PM:135).

lasta

listen

lasta- (i lasta, i lastar),

lasta

listen

(i lasta, i lastar)

last

noun. (sense of) hearing

lastor

noun. eavesdropper

lasbelin

leaf-withering

(no distinct pl. form).

lasbelin

noun. leaf-fall, autumn

lasgalen

leaf-green

(pl. lesgelin).

lass

leaf

(pl. #lais). (Letters:282, PM:135).

methedras

place name. Last Peak

Last peak of the Mist Mountains (LotR/429), explictly translated “Last Peak” in Tolkien’s “Unfinished Index” of The Lord of the Rings (RC/366). This name is a combination of methed “end” and rass “horn”.

Conceptual Development: In Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, this name first appeared as N. Methen Amon (TI/391), later revised to N. Methendol and finally N. Methedras (TI/404). These earlier forms clearly included the Noldorin adjective N. methen “end, final” (Ety/MET). It is possible that this is true of the initial appearance of N. Methedras as well (as suggested by Roman Rausch, EE/2.63), since phonetically the combination [[n|[nr] became [ðr]]], and Tolkien often represented [ð] as “d” in the Lord of the Rings drafts. For example, N. Caradras >> S. Caradhras underwent the same development.

Unlike Caradhras, however, Tolkien never revised this form to ✱✱Methedhras. This could have been an oversight, or Tolkien could have reconceived of the initial element as the noun methed “end” seen in Methed-en-Glad, as suggested above (and by David Salo, GS/384).

Arvedui

noun. last king

âr (“king”) + medui (“last”)

Methedras

noun. last peak

methed (“last”) + ras (“horn, mountain peak”) The original form of ras is probably rass with the final s dropped at the end of a polysyllable [HKF].

meth

adjective. last, last; [N.] end

medui

adjective. last

penninor

noun. last day of the year

golas

collection of leaves

(i ’olas) (foliage), pl. gelais (i ngelais = i ñelais), coll. pl. golassath. Archaic pl. göleis. ”

medui

adjective. end, final, last

bronwe

noun. endurance, lasting quality, faith

lheweg

noun. ear

The Sindarin word for “ear” was derived from primitive √S-LAS, an elaboration of √LAS “listen” (PE17/62). Its singular form lheweg is somewhat unusual. Based on its Quenya cognate Q. hlas (< ✶slas), its historical singular should probably be ✱lhâ. However, it seems the modern Sindarin form was actually based on the (fossilized) dual lhaw < ✶slasū, from which a singular form lheweg “ear” was derived using the singular suffix -eg, though it isn’t clear why the base vowel also changed from a to e.

Conceptual Development: Tolkien described a similar scenario in The Etymologies of the 1930s, except the singular was N. {lhaweg >>} lhewig and it was derived directly from ᴹ√LAS “listen” (Ety/LAS²; EtyAC/LAS²). The voiceless lh- in this word was the result of the Noldorin sound-change of the 1930s whereby ancient initial r-, l- were unvoiced. This Noldorin dual lhaw made it into Lord of the Rings drafts as part of Amon Lhaw “Hill of Hearing, (lit.) of Ears” (TI/364), a form that Tolkien retained in the published version (LotR/393). Since the unvoicing of initial l was no longer a feature of Sindarin of the 1950s and 60s, Tolkien needed to contrive a new derivation from primitive √S-LAS.

The Gnomish word for “ear” from the 1910s had a completely different basis: it was G. unc “ear, handle (of a jar)” (GL/75), cognate to ᴱQ. unk derived from the root ᴱ√ṆQṆ (QL/98).

brona

last

(verb) 1) brona- (survive) (i vrona, i mronar), 2) dartha- (i dhartha, i narthar) (stay, wait, remain, endure) (VT45:8)

brona

last

(survive) (i vrona, i mronar)

bronadui

lasting

bronadui (enduring). Lenited vronadui. No distinct pl. form.

bronadui

lasting

(enduring). Lenited vronadui. No distinct pl. form.

dartha

last

(i dhartha, i narthar) (stay, wait, remain, endure) (VT45:8)

medui

last

(adjective) 1) medui (lenited vedui; no distinct pl. form), 2) meth (lenited veth, pl. mith). Note: the word is also used as a noun ”end”.

medui

last

(lenited vedui; no distinct pl. form)

meth

last

(lenited veth, pl. mith). Note: the word is also used as a noun ”end”.

penninor

last day of the year

(i benninor, o phenninor), pl. penninoer (i phenninoer). Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” penninar (LR:400 s.v. YEN).

penninor

last day of the year

*penninor (i benninor, o phenninor), pl. penninoer (i phenninoer). Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” penninar (LR:400 s.v. YEN).

glinthad

noun. look, glance, flash of the eye

ui

everlasting

ui (eternal); no distict pl. form. Also used as adverb ”ever, always”.

ui

everlasting

(eternal); no distict pl. form. Also used as adverb ”ever, always”.

methed

noun. end

This word is attested in later writings as an element in the names Methed-en-Glad “End of the Wood” and possibly Methedras “Last Peak” (of the Misty Mountains). The latter name first appeared in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s as N. Methen Amon and Methendol (TI/404), making it likely that methed is a revision from the earlier adjective N. methen (Ety/MET).

This new form likely changed from an adjective to a noun, since -ed/-ad is usually a gerundal suffix in Sindarin (forming nouns from verbs). This word is clearly a noun in the name Methed-en-Glad, and could also be a noun in Methedras (= “Peak of the End?”).

edro

verb. imp

v. imp. of edra-open. annon edhellen edro hi ammen! 'Elvish gate open now for us'. >> edra-

hithren

adjective. grey

_ adj. _grey. >> thind

laeg

green

_ adj. _green. >> Legolas

medui

adjective. end

adj. end, final, last. Ai na vedui Dúnadan. Mae g'ovannen. 'Ah! At last, Dúnadan ! Well met !'. m > v after preposition.

minno

verb. imp

v. imp. of minna- enter. Pedo mellon a minno! 'Say friend and enter'. >> minna-

mith

grey

adj. grey, light grey. >> Mithrandir, mithril

orgaladh

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

This day was formerly called orgaladhad in the Elvish calendar

orgaladhad

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

This day was renamed orgaladh in the Númenórean calendar

pedo

verb. imp

v. imp. of ped- say. Pedo mellon a minno! 'Say friend and enter'. >> ped-

thin

adjective. grey

adj. grey. Q. sinda. >> thind, Thingol, thinn

thind

adjective. grey

adj. grey. Q. sinda. >> thin, Thingol, thinn

thind

adjective. grey

_ adj. _grey. Obsolete except in names as Thingol. >> hithren

thinn

adjective. grey

adj. grey. Q. sinda. >> thin, thind, Thingol

tíro

verb. imp

_ v. imp. _look. >> tíria, tirith

brenia

endure

1) brenia- (i vrenia, i mreniar), 2) dartha- (i dhartha, i narthar) (stay, wait, remain, last) (VT45:8) LONG ENDURED, see brûn under OLD

bronadui

enduring

bronadui (lasting). Lenited vronadui. No distinct pl. form.

bronadui

enduring

(lasting). Lenited vronadui. 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).

dartha

endure

(i dhartha, i narthar) (stay, wait, remain, last) (VT45:8)  

dartha

wait

dartha- (i dhartha, i narthar) (stay, remain, last, endure) (VT45:8)

dartha

wait

(i dhartha, i narthar) (stay, remain, last, endure) (VT45:8)

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). 

meth

end

(noun) 1) meth (i veth), pl. mith (i mith). Note: the word is also used as an adjective ”last”. 2) (rear, hindmost part) tele (i dele, o thele), pl. teli (i theli). In ”Noldorin”, the pl. was telei (LR:392 s.v. TELES). 3) ( maybe primarily ”last point in line; last of a series of items”) #methed (i vethed), pl. methid (i methid). Isolated from the name Methedras, the last in a line of mountain peaks.

meth

end

(i veth), pl. mith (i mith). Note: the word is also used as an adjective ”last”.

methed

end

(i vethed), pl. methid (i methid). Isolated from the name Methedras, the last in a line of mountain peaks.

cidinn

?. [unglossed]

cinnog

?. [unglossed]

hithren

adjective. grey

iavas

noun. autumn, autumn, *harvest (time)

maud

?. [unglossed]

mithren

adjective. grey

thind

adjective. grey, grey, [N.] pale

if from þindā, why no a-affection? @@@

aur

noun. day, sunlight, morning

avgaro

prefix. imp

pref. & v. imp. do not do it!

calan

noun. day, period of actual daylight

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

calen

adjective. green

calen

green

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

cuio

verb. imp

v. imp. live. Cuio i Pheriain anann 'May the Halflings live long'.

danna

fall

_ v. _fall. Q. lanta-.

danna-

verb. to fall

Written dant- in the Etymologies

dant

noun. fall

echuir

noun. a season, the beginning of spring

eglerio

verb. imp

v. imp. glorify.

ethuil

noun. season of spring

firith

noun. season of fading

girithron

noun. december (month)

iavas

noun. season of autumn

laeb

adjective. green

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

laeg

adjective. green

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

laer

noun. season of summer

lant

noun. fall

lathra-

verb. to listen in, eavesdrop

lathrada-

verb. to listen in, eavesdrop

lhaw

noun. ears (referring to one person's pair of ears only)

madu

?. [unglossed]

methed

noun. end

mith

adjective. (pale) grey

mithren

adjective. grey

oraearon

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

oranor

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

orbelain

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

orgilion

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

orithil

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

ormenel

noun. fifth day of the week, Heavens' day

thind

adjective. grey, pale

thinn

adjective. grey

_adj. _grey. Q. sinde.

thinn

adjective. grey

thîr

noun. look, face, expression, countenance

tiro

verb. look!

aur

day

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

aur

day

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

brenia

endure

(i vrenia, i mreniar)

bronwe

endurance

bronwe (i vronwe)

bronwe

endurance

(i vronwe)

brûn

long endured

under

calan

daytime

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

calen

green

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

cened

sight

#cened (i gened) (seeing), pl. cenid (i chenid) if there is a pl. Isolated from cenedril, see MIRROR.

cened

sight

(i gened) (seeing), pl. cenid (i chenid) if there is a pl. Isolated from cenedril, see

danna

fall

(verb) ?danna- (i dhanna, i nannar), pa.t. dant, past participle ("fallen") dannen, pl. dennin.

danna

fall

(i dhanna, i nannar), pa.t. dant, past participle ("fallen") dannen, pl. dennin.

dannas

autumn

(noun) dannas (i dhannas), pl. dannais (i nannais), also dant (i dhant) (fall, falling), pl. daint (i naint). (PM:135)

dannas

autumn

(i dhannas), pl. dannais (i nannais), also dant (i dhant) (fall, falling), pl. daint (i naint). (PM:135)

dant

fall, falling

(i dhant) (autumn), pl. daint (i naint), also (and maybe particularly when the meaning is "autumn") dannas (i dhannas), pl. dannais (i nannais) (PM:135)

dath

steep fall

(i dhath) (hole, pit, abyss), pl. daith (i naith) (VT45:8).

dúnedhel

beleriand, elf of

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

dû

nightfall

(i dhû) (night, dusk, late evening, darkness), pl. dui (i nui) (SD:302)

edinor

anniversary day

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

girithron

december

Girithron (na **Irithron**)

girithron

december

(na ’Irithron)

hol

close

#hol- (i chôl, i chelir), pa.t. perhaps holl as suggested by the passive participle hollen ”closed” (the only attested form of this verb). Conceivably, hollen in the source could be a lenited form of sollen, in which case this verb should begin in s- rather than h- when not mutated.

hol

close

(i chôl, i chelir), pa.t. perhaps holl as suggested by the passive participle hollen ”closed” (the only attested form of this verb). Conceivably, hollen in the source could be a lenited form of sollen, in which case this verb should begin in s- rather than h- when not mutated.****

iavas

autumn

1) iavas, pl. iavais, coll. pl. iavassath; 2)

iavas

autumn

pl. iavais, coll. pl. iavassath

l

autumn

asbelin (”leaf-withering”), no distinct pl. form. Coll. pl. l**asbeliniath**.

lanc

sudden end

(sharp edge, sudden end, brink), pl. lainc, coll. pl. langath.

lant

fall

_(noun) _1) #lant (pl. laint, coll. pl. lannath). This is apparently a Quenya borrowing, dant being the native Sindarin word. Note: a homophone means ”clearing in forest”. 2) pend (i bend, o phend; construct pen) (declivity), pl. pind (i phind), coll. pl. pennath. 3)

lant

fall

(pl. laint, coll. pl. lannath). This is apparently a Quenya borrowing, dant being the native Sindarin word. Note: a homophone means ”clearing in forest”. 2) pend (i bend, o phend; construct pen) (declivity), pl. pind (i phind), coll. pl. pennath. 3)

lanthir

waterfall

(no distinct pl. form). Coll. pl. lanthiriath.

lathra

listen in

(eavesdrop) (i lathra, i lathrar), also lathrada (i lathrada, i lathradar)

lathron

eavesdropper

lathron (hearer, listener), pl. lethryn, coll. pl. lathronnath. This is a masc. form, corresponding to fem. lethril (VT45:26), no distinct pl. form, but coll. pl. lethrillath.

lathron

eavesdropper

(hearer, listener), pl. lethryn, coll. pl. lathronnath. This is a masc. form, corresponding to fem. lethril (VT45:26), no distinct pl. form, but coll. pl. lethrillath.****

lhaw

ears

(?i thlaw or ?i law).

lhewig

ear

lhewig (?i thlewig or ?i lewig the lenition product of lh is uncertain). This ia a singular formed from the collective

lhewig

ear

(?i thlewig or ?i lewig – the lenition product of lh is uncertain). This ia a singular formed from the collective

manadh

final end

(i vanadh) (fate, fortune [usually = final bliss]), pl. menaidh (i menaidh).

methen

end

(adj.) methen (lenited vethen; pl. methin) (VT45:34)

methen

end

(lenited vethen; pl. methin) (VT45:34)

mith

grey

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

mithren

grey

1) *mithren (lenited vithren, pl. mithrin). 2) thind (pale); no distinct pl. form. 3) (pale grey) mith (lenited vith; no distinct pl. form). David Salo would read mîth with a long vowel. Note: a homophone means ”white fog, wet mist”.

mithren

grey

(lenited vithren, pl. mithrin).

nass

sharp end

(point, angle, corner), construct nas, pl. nais.

tele

end

(i dele, o thele), pl. teli (i theli). In ”Noldorin”, the pl. was telei (LR:392 s.v. TELES).

thind

grey

(pale); no distinct pl. form.

thîr

look

(noun) thîr (face, expression, countenance) (VT41:10) See also LOOKING.

thîr

look

(face, expression, countenance) (VT41:10) See also

las

noun. leaf

lego

adjective. green

lassī

noun. leaves

PQ. leaves

lassë

noun. leaf, leaf; [ᴱQ.] petal

The basic Quenya word for “leaf”, derived from the root √LAS (PE17/62, 153; VT39/9). This word dates all the way back to the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s where ᴱQ. lasse “leaf” appeared as its own entry (QL/51). ᴹQ. lasse “leaf” also appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√LAS (Ety/LAS¹). In the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s Tolkien said that lasse meant both “a leaf or petal” (GL/52). After that Tolkien translated it only as “leaf”. In one set of later notes Tolkien said it was even more restricted in meaning, and “only applied to certain kinds of leaves, especially those of trees, and would not e.g. be used of leaf of a hyacinth (linque)” (PE17/62).

Neo-Quenya: Despite Tolkien late declaration, I would use lassë as the general “leaf” word for purposes of Neo-Quenya, though more specialized words may also exist such as linquë “(leaf of a) hyacinth”. I would also use it metaphorically in its Early Qenya sense as the “petal” of a flower where the context is very clear, such as lassi indilo “leaves of a lily” = “lily petals”. But where ambiguous, I would use the neologism ᴺQ. lótelas for “petal”, more literally “flower leaf”.

lassemista

proper name. Leaf-Grey

The name of a tree in Fangorn beloved of the Ent Bregalad (LotR/483). It is a compound of lassë “leaf” and mista “grey” (PE17/83).

Lastalaica

sharp-ears

Lastalaica ("k")noun "sharp-ears" (name) (LAS2). Compare laica #2.

lasi

on the contrary

lasi or lasir, -sír adv. "on the contrary", possibly an ephemeral form Tolkien replaced by úsië (VT49:17-18)

lassecanta

leaf-shaped

lassecanta ("k")adj. "leaf-shaped" (KAT)

lasselanta

leaf-fall = autumn

lasselanta noun "leaf-fall = Autumn" (DAT/DANT, LAS1, Narqelion, LT1:254; "lasse-lanta" in VT45:24, but again lasselanta in VT45:26)

lassë

leaf

lassë noun "leaf"; pl. lassi is attested (Nam, RGEO:66, Letters:283, LAS1, LT1:254, VT39:9, Narqelion); gen. lassëo "of a leaf", gen. pl. lassion "of leaves" (earlier lassio) (WJ:407). The word lassë was only applied to certain kinds of leaves, especially those of trees (PE17:62), perhaps particularly _ear-shaped _leaves (cf. the entry _LAS1 _in the Etymologies, where Tolkien comments on the pointed or leaf-shaped Elvish ears and suggests an etymological connection between words for "ear" and "leaf"); see also linquë #3. Compound lasselanta "leaf-fall", used (as was quellë) for the latter part of autumn and the beginning of winter (Appendix D, Letters:428); hence Lasselanta alternative name of October (PM:135). Cf. also lassemista "leaf-grey, grey-leaved" (LotR2:III ch. 4, translated in Letters:224, PE17:62), lassewinta a variant of lasselanta (PM:376). Adj. laicalassë "green as leaves" (PE17:56). See also lillassëa, lantalasselingëa.

lasta-

listen

lasta- vb. "listen", also lasta adj. "listening, hearing" (LAS2, PE17:56); cf. adj. asalastë (*aþa-) adj. "easily heard" (PE17:148)

lasta-

verb. to listen, to listen; [ᴹQ.] to hear

lasselanta

noun. (late) autumn, (lit.) leaf-fall, (late) autumn, (lit.) leaf-fall; [ᴹQ.] October

hlas

noun. ear

The Quenya word for “ear” is derived from primitive √S-LAS, an elaboration of √LAS “listen” (PE17/62, 77). It had a stem form of hlar- because medial s generally became z and then r, but the s was preserved when final.

Conceptual Development: In The Etymologies of the 1930s the word for “ear” was derived directly from ᴹ√LAS “listen”, and had the form lár (Ety/LAS²). This seems to be a brief reversion to Early Qenya phonology of the 1910s, where medial s survived and it was final s that became r (PE12/26); compare to ᴹQ. kár (kas-) “head”, also from The Etymologies (Ety/KAS). In that document, the Noldorin word for “ear” was N. lhewig, a singular form based on the fossilized dual lhaw (Ety/LAS²). The voiceless lh- in this word was the result of the Noldorin sound-change of the 1930s whereby ancient initial r-, l- were unvoiced.

This Noldorin word made it into Lord of the Rings drafts as part of Amon Lhaw “Hill of Hearing, (lit.) Hill of Ears” (TI/364), a form that Tolkien retained in the published version (LotR/393). Since the unvoicing of initial l was no longer a feature of Sindarin of the 1950s and 60s, Tolkien needed to contrive a new derivation from primitive √S-LAS, which also necessitated a change in the Quenya cognate to voiceless initial hl-.

Early Qenya words for “ear” from the 1910s had a completely different basis. They include ᴱQ. ankar (ankas-) “ear (of men)”, ᴱQ. qan (qand-) “ear”, and ᴱQ. unk (unq-) “ear (of animals)” from the Qenya Lexicon, all based on the root ᴱ√ṆQṆ (QL/31, 76, 98). The last of these reappeared as unko “ear” in the Early Qenya Grammar of the 1920s and contemporaneous word lists (PE14/52, 76, 117; PE15/71), but seems to have been abandoned by the 1930s.

hlas

ear

hlas noun "ear", stem hlar- as in the dual form hlaru (PE17:62). Compare lár #2.

taniquelassë

leaf

taniquelassë noun name of tree (UT:167), perhaps Tanique(til) + lassë "leaf"

hlasta-/lasta-

verb. hear

lassemista

Lassemista

Tolkien explained that lassemista means "leaf-grey" in High-elven (Quenya).

lassëa

adjective. with leaves, leafy

telu

adjective. last, last; end (fate), close

An apparently adjectival element in the name Telufinwë meaning “last”.

Conceptual Development: In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, ᴱQ. telu was a noun meaning “end, close” (QL/91). In the contemporaneous Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa it was glossed “end (fate)” (PME/91).

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would use this element only in compounds since it is not clear what its independent singular or plural forms would be (telo, telwi?). For the ordinary adjective, I’d use métima or telda.

Teleri

noun. Last-comers

Last-comers, Enders

Telufinwë

last finwë

Telufinwë noun "Last Finwë", masc. name; he was called Amras in Sindarin. Short Quenya name Telvo. (PM:353)

métima

last

métima adj. "last" (Markirya), in Markirya also twice métim', since the following words (auressë, andúnë) begin in an a.

oilima

last

oilima adj."last" (MC:213, 214; this is "Qenya"), inflected or lengthened form oilimain "last (pl.)" (MC:221), oilimaisen "(MC:221), oilimaite "last" (MC:214, 221)

quantien

last day of year

quantien ("q") noun "last day of year" (YEN) or "full year" (VT46:23). The latter gloss also turns up in PM:quantien "full year" = yén, a period of 144 solar years (PM:126; pl. quantiéni, PM:127). Since the latter meaning comes from drafts for the LotR Appendices that did not make it into the published LotR, it is difficult to tell whether it is canonical.

telda

last, final

telda (1) adj. "last, final" (WJ:407)

vórë

lasting

vórë noun? "lasting" (as noun? i.e. *"lasting quality"?) Compare the derived adj. vórea. (VT45:7)

yenya

last year

yenya noun (or adv.?) "last year" (YA)

métima

adjective. last, ultimate, final

telda

adjective. last, final

oia

everlasting

oia adj. "everlasting" (OY); according to VT46:8 the word is both adjective and adverb. An explicitly adverbial form oiavë is mentioned elsewhere (PE17:74)

tella

hindmost, last

tella adj. "hindmost, last" (TELES)

voronwa

enduring, long-lasting

voronwa adj. "enduring, long-lasting" (BOR)

voronwië

endurance, lasting quality

voronwië noun "endurance, lasting quality" (BOR)

vórëa

continuous, enduring, lasting

vórëa adj. "continuous, enduring, lasting" (VT45:7)

lár

ear

lár (2) noun "ear" (?). Tolkien's wording is not clear, but ¤lasū is given as an ancient dual form "(pair of) ears"; Quenya lár could represent the old singular las- (LAS2). In a post-LotR source, Tolkien derives hlas "ear" (dual hlaru) from a stem SLAS(PE17:62). Initial hl- rather than l- reflects the revised form of the stem (LAS becoming SLAS), and in the later version of the phonology, postvocalic -s does not become -r when final. Compare the noun "dream", given as olor in the Etymologies (LOS), but as olos pl. olori in a later source (UT:396)

larta-

verb. to wait, stay, remain, last, endure

@@@ used in NQNT

felehta-

verb. [unglossed], *to excavate, tunnel, mine

An untranslated form appearing in Notes on Names (NN) from 1957 derived from the root √PHELEG/PHELEK (PE17/118), possibly a verb derived from ✱phelektā- or ✱phelegtā-. The derivatives of this root had to do with mines and tunnels, so perhaps this verb meant “✱to excavate, tunnel, mine”.

lantë

noun. fall

The word lasselanta “leaf-fall, autumn” (LotR/1107) indicate the form this word should be lanta, which is how it appears in The Etymologies. However, the alternate lassewinta (PM/376) seems to be formed with the infinitive of the verb winta- rather than a noun, so perhaps lasselanta is a similar formation from the verb lanta- “to fall”.

The form lantë, appearing in Noldolantë “Fall of the Noldor” (S/87), more strongly resembles other Quenya nouns, which more often end in -e rather than -a. The noun atalantë “collapse, downfall” is a similar formation from the related verb [ᴹQ.] atalta-, though it could also be the past formation “downfallen” of this TALAT-stem verb.

sinda

adjective. grey

The best known Quenya word for “grey” and an element in a number of names. It is also used as a noun Sinda “Grey Elf”. Tolkien sometimes used a variant form sindë for “grey” (WJ/384; PE17/141; Ety/THIN); see that entry for details.

valariandë

place name. Beleriand

The genitive form Malariando “of Beleriand” was given as the Quenya translation of S. Beleriand appearing in linguistic notes from the 1950s (PE21/78). This form implies that primitively the initial form of this name began with mb-, but that concept is not well supported by other evidence. The lenited form of S. Beleriand consistently had an initial V- (VT50/18, LR/202), making Valariandë is a more probable Quenya form of this name.

Conceptual Development: The (ᴹQ) genitive form Valarianden appeared in an alternate title for the Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (LR/202). In linguistic notes from the 1940s, this name appeared as Veleriande (PE22/126), but the use of e in this form means it is most likely a direct adapation of the Noldorin name.

Ringarë

december

Ringarë noun, the twelfth and last month of the year, "December" (Appendix D, SA:ring); the word seems to mean *"Cold-day".

hlar-

verb. hear

hlar- verb "hear", future tense hlaruva "shall hear" in Markirya. Since the original root is SLAS, this verb may have the past tense *hlassë (for slansē) in more classical forms of Quenya, perhaps re-formed as *hlarnë (or *hlarrë, for hlazze) in spoken Noldorin Quenya. Compare #hriz- "snow" (root SRIS) with past tense hrinsë/hrissë, as well as Tolkien's remarks in PE19:99.

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).

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)

lanta-

fall

lanta- (2) "fall" (DAT/DANT (TALÁT), Narqelion, VT45:26, VT49:54); lantar aorist tense pl. (Nam, RGEO:66); pl. pa.t. lantaner "fell" (pl.) (SD:246); lantier "they fell", a plural past tense of lanta- "fall" occurring in LR:47; read probably lantaner in LotR-style Quenya, as in SD:246. Also sg. lantië "fell" (LR:56); read likewise *lantanë? (The forms in -ier, -ië seem to be properly perfects.) Future tense lantuva, VT49:47. Participle lantala "falling" (with locative ending: lantalassë) in Markirya.

lantar

fall

-r plural ending used on verbs with a plural subject (VT49:48, 50, 51), e.g. lantar "fall" in Namárië (with the plural subject lassi "leaves"), or unduláver as the pl. form of undulávë "licked down, covered" (PE17:72). The ending is sometimes missing where we might expect it; for instance, the verb tarnë "stood" has multiple subjects and yet does not appear as *tarner in PE17:71.

mista

grey

mista adj. "grey"; see lassemista

úsië

on the contrary

úsië adv. "on the contrary" (VT49:8, 35). Cf. lasi.

amya-

verb. [unglossed]

arra

adjective. [unglossed]

cairë

?. [unglossed]

cen

noun. sight, sight, *sense of sight

conta-

verb. [unglossed]

cúma

noun. [unglossed]

felca

adjective. [unglossed]

finca

noun. [unglossed]

hendas

?. [unglossed]

hindo

noun. [unglossed]

hindë

noun. [unglossed]

holdë

noun. [unglossed]

háro

?. [unglossed]

laica

adjective. green

laiqua

adjective. green

malsa

?. [unglossed]

melya-

verb. [unglossed], *to be in love

mista

adjective. grey

naue

?. [unglossed]

sal-

verb. [unglossed]

sélo

?. [unglossed]

sóla

?. [unglossed]

thar-

verb. [unglossed]

tomba

noun. [unglossed]

tompë

noun. [unglossed], *pulse, beat

@@@ Neo-meaning “✱pulse, beat” suggested by Röandil on 2023-04-20

um(ba)-

prefix. [unglossed]

éna

?. [unglossed]

úsir

conjunction. on the contrary

úsië

conjunction. on the contrary

þúna

?. [unglossed]

cénë

noun. sight

tel

noun. end

telima

adjective. final

Ae

day

Ae (Quenya?) noun "day" (LEP/LEPEN/LEPEK - ae was written over ar [# 2] in the names of the Valinorean week, but ar was not struck out.)

Endien

autumn

Endien noun, alternative term for "autumn" (PM:135). In the Etymologies, the word Endien was assigned a quite different meaning: "Midyear, Midyear week", in the calendar of Valinor a week outside the months, between the sixth and seventh months, dedicated to the Trees; also called Aldalemnar (YEN, LEP/LEPEN/LEPEK)

ala

day

[ala (7) noun "day", also alan "daytime". The forms allen, alanen listed after these words could be inflected forms of them, genitive "of daytime", constracted (allen = al'nen) and uncontracted. However, Tolkien struck out all of this (VT45:13).]

ar

day

ar (2) noun "day" (PE17:148), apparently short for árë, occurring in the names of the Valinorean week listed below. Tolkien indicated that ar in these names could also be arë when the following element begins in a consonant (VT45:27). Usually the word for "day" in LotR-style Quenya is rather aurë (or ré), q.v.

coloitie

noun. endurance, staunchness, fortitude

ezel

green

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

ezel(la)

adjective. green

hiswa

grey

hiswa (þ) adj. "grey" (KHIS/KHITH, Narqelion)

lanta

fall

lanta (1) noun "a fall" (DAT/DANT (TALÁT) ), also lantë.

lantë

fall

#lantë (1) noun "fall" in Noldolantë, q.v. Also lanta.

lingi-

verb. [unglossed]

maitya

?. [unglossed]

malariandë

place name. Beleriand

metta

end

metta noun "end"; Ambar-metta "world-end, the end of the world" (EO); mettarë *"end-day" = New Years' Eve in the Númenórean calendar and the Steward's Reckoning, not belonging to any month (Appendix D). The word Mettanyë, heading the final part of the poem The Trees of Kortirion, would seem to be related (LT1:43)

mísë

grey

mísë (þ, cf. Sindarin mith-) adj. "grey" (used as noun of grey clothes in the phrase mi mísë of someone clad "in grey"). The underlying stem refers a paler or whiter "grey" than sinda, making mísë "a luminous grey" (PE17:71-72)

ré

day

ré noun "day" (of the sun), a full 24-hour cycle (Appendix D) composed of aurë (day, daylight) and lómë "night" (VT49:45). Short -rë in compounds like Ringarë (q.v.). Allative rénna (VT49:45).

sac-

verb. close

sinda

grey

sinda (þ) adj. "grey" (PE17:72); nominal pl. Sindar used = "Grey-elves", lit. *"Grey ones"; see WJ:375. Gen. pl. Sindaron in WJ:369. With general meaning "grey" also in Sindacollo > Singollo "Grey-cloak, Thingol" (SA:thin(d), PE17:72; see also sindë, Sindicollo);†sindanórië "grey land", ablative sindanóriello "from/out of a grey country" (Nam); the reference is to a "mythical region of shadows lying at outer feet of the Mountains of Valinor" (PE17:72). However, other sources give sindë (q.v.) as the Quenya word for "grey"; perhaps sinda came to mean primarily "Grey-elf" as a noun. Derived adjective Sindarin "Grey-elven", normally used as a noun to refer to the Grey-elven language. (Appendix F)

sindë

grey, pale or silvery grey

sindë (þ) adj. "grey, pale or silvery grey" (the Vanyarin dialect preserves the older form þindë) (WJ:384, THIN; in SA:thin(d) the form given is sinda, cf. also sindanóriello "from a grey country" in Namárië. Sindë and sinda_ are apparently variants of the same word.) _Stem sindi-, given the primitive form ¤thindi; cf. Sindicollo (q.v.)

ten-

hear

ten- (4) vb. "hear", future tense tenuva (MC:213; in Tolkien's later Quenya, "hear" is hlar-)

tihta-

blink, peer

tihta- vb. "blink, peer", participle tihtala in an earlier variant of Markirya

tyel

end

tyel (1) noun "end", stem tyeld- as in the pl. form tyeldi (FS, KYEL; the pl. form tyeldi_ was misread as "tyelde" in the Etymologies as printed in LR; cf. VT45:25 for this correction)_. Cf. tyelma.

tyel-

end, cease

tyel- (2) vb. "end, cease" (KYEL)

tyelima

final

tyelima adj. "final" (KYEL)

umbacarin

noun. [unglossed]

vaina

late

vaina (2) adj., the "late" pronunciation of waina "blonde, fair of hair" (PE17:154)

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).

yávië

autumn

yávië noun "autumn" (SA:yávë); "autumn, harvest", in the calendar of Imladris a precisely defined period of 54 days, but also used without any exact definition (Appendix D). Noun yáviérë *"Autumn-day", a day outside the months in the Steward's Reckoning, inserted between Yavannië and Narquelië (September and October) (Appendix D)

yéta-

look at

yéta- vb. "look at" (LT1:262) Compare yé #1.

árë

day

árë noun "day" (PM:127) or "sunlight" (SA:arien). Stem ári- _(PE17:126, where the word is further defined as "warmth, especially of the sun, sunlight"). Also name of tengwa #31; cf. also ar # 2. Originally pronounced ázë; when /z/ merged with /r/, the letter became superfluous and was given the new value ss, hence it was re-named essë (Appendix E)_. Also árë nuquerna *"árë reversed", name of tengwa #32, similar to normal árë but turned upside down (Appendix E). See also ilyázëa, ilyárëa under ilya. In the Etymologies, this word has a short initial vowel: arë pl. ari (AR1)

úpa-

verb. [unglossed]

úsir

on the contrary

úsir adv. "on the contrary", a form Tolkien may have abandoned in favor of úsië (VT49:18)

lasbelin

noun. autumn

lhass

noun. leaf

lhass

noun. leaf

methedras

place name. Last Peak

penninar

noun. last day of the year

brona-

verb. to last, survive

bronadui

adjective. enduring, lasting

dartha-

verb. to wait, stay, remain, last, endure

brona-

verb. to last, to survive

bronadui

adjective. enduring, lasting

bronwe

noun. endurance, lasting quality, faith

dartha-

verb. to wait, stay, last, endure, remain

lhathleg

masculine name. sharp-ears

A name appearing only in The Etymologies from the 1930s (Ety/LAS²). Its initial element is derived from the root ᴹ√LAS “listen”, probably ✱✶lastā given is Quenya cognate Lastalaika, where the [[n|[st] became [s] before a consonant]] and then the [[n|medial [s] became [θ] before [l]]], as in othlon. Its final element is a suffixal form of lhaeg “sharp”.

Conceptual Development: This name appears to be a variation on earlier G. Legolast “Keen-sight”.

lhasbelin

noun. leaf-fall, autumn

lhewig

noun. ear

ar-

prefix. day

beleriand

place name. Beleriand

borth

?. [unglossed]

brenia-

verb. to endure

bronwe

noun. endurance

dannas

noun. autumn

dantilais

noun. autumn

diragas

?. [unglossed]

firith

noun. autumn

menwed

?. [unglossed]

meth

noun. end

mid

adjective. grey

mith

adjective. grey

nith

?. [unglossed]

nithrad

?. [unglossed]

níth

?. [unglossed]

porennin

?. [unglossed]

telwen

?. [unglossed]

aur

noun. day, sunlight, morning

brenia-

verb. to endure

The form bronio in the Etymologies is a misreading according to VT/45:7

calen

adjective. green

clei

?. [unglossed]

coen

?. [unglossed]

dant-

verb. to fall

Written dant- in the Etymologies

lhasbelin

noun. season of autumn

lhathra-

verb. to listen in, eavesdrop

lhathrada-

verb. to listen in, eavesdrop

lhaw

noun. ears (referring to one person's pair of ears only)

lhewig

noun. ear

mauth

?. [unglossed]

meth

noun. end

methen

adjective. end, final

mith

adjective. (pale) grey

tele

noun. end, rear, hindmost part

thind

adjective. grey, pale

thinn

adjective. grey, pale

thîr

noun. look, face, expression, countenance

huzun

noun. ear

A noun translated as “ear” and fully declined as an example of a Strong I noun (SD/430).

asdi

?. [unglossed]

A word Tolkien used to illustrate Adûnaic pronunciation (pronounced [azdi]) without giving its meaning (SD/421).

sapda

?. [unglossed]

A word Tolkien used to illustrate Adûnaic pronunciation without giving its meaning (SD/421).

ezel(la)

adjective. green

heculbar

place name. Beleriand