pîn

adjective. little

A word appearing only in its mutated form bîn in the name S. Cûl Bîn “Little Load” (RC/536).

Conceptual Development: The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had G. pinig “tiny, little” (GL/64), likely based on the early root ᴱ√PINI or √PIKI having to do with small thinks (QL/73). The Etymologies of the 1930s had N. pigen “tiny” under the root ᴹ√PIK (Ety/PIK).

pîn

adjective. little

Similar words occur in Gnomish (pinig "tiny, little", PE/11:64) and in Qenya (pinea "small" etc., PE/12:73)

gwinig

noun. little-one, baby

A word for a “baby” or “little one”, a combination of the root √WIN “young” with the diminutive suffix -ig (VT48/6), hence more literally “✱little young one”.

lebig

noun. little finger

A name for the little finger in notes on Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals from 1968, it is simply ✶lepe “finger” combined with the diminutive suffix -ig (VT48/5). An alternate form niged had the same meaning, an elaboration of √NIK “small” (VT48/5).

Conceptual Development: The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had G. lemp⁽⁾ “a crooked finger; little finger” (GL/53), clearly based on the early root ᴱ√LEPE used for contemporaneous Qenya finger words (QL/53).

neth

noun. (little) girl; sister (diminutive)

A word appearing in several sets of notes from the late 1960s having to do with Hands, Fingers and Numerals. It was related to the finger name of the fourth finger (representing the sister). Tolkien gave it a variety of glosses: “girl” (VT47/33), “little girl” (VT47/33), or as an archaic diminutive for “sister” (VT47/14; VT48/6), where it was replaced by nethig in modern speech. He also gave it several different derivations, from √NET “trim, pretty, dainty” (VT47/33) or the root √NETH which itself was given a variety of meanings: “sister” (VT47/12, 26, 34), “(young) woman” (VT47/15, 32, 39) or “fresh, lively, merry” (VT47/32).

Neo-Sindarin: For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I think the meaning “(little) girl” is the most useful. For “sister” I would use †nîth or nethel, with nethig as the diminutive form.

cûl bîn

place name. Little Load

A mountain near Tarlang’s Neck, mentioned only in Tolkien’s Nomenclature of the Lord of the Rings, where he translated the name as “Little Load” (RC/536). It appears to be a combination of cûl “load” and the lenited form bîn of the (otherwise unattested) adjective pîn “little” (RC/536).

noegin

noun. little dwarf

_ n. _little dwarf. [PE17:45] >> cadhad, nogon, nogoth

niged

noun. little finger

atheg

noun. [little] father; thumb

A play-name for thumb, as well as an affection word for “father”, in notes Elvish Hands, Fingers and Numerals from the late 1960s (VT48/6). It is a combination of the root √AT with the diminutive suffix -eg. Tolkien considered but rejected several alternate forms including aderig and tadeg (VT48/17 note #13).

emig

noun. [little] mother, *mommy

A diminutive word for “mother” in Elvish Hands, Fingers and Numerals from the late 1960s (VT48/6), replacing a longer but rejected diminutive emelig (VT48/6). It is based on either emel “mother” or the primitive root √EM.

gwinig

noun. little finger (Elvish play-name used by and taught to children)

lebig

noun. little finger

niben

adjective. little finger (Elvish play-name used by and taught to children)

niged

noun. little finger

êl

noun. star (little used except in verses)

tithen

little

1. tithen (lenited dithen, pl. tithin) (tiny), 2) pîn (lenited bîn; no distinct pl. form) (RC:536).

gwenig

little baby

(i ’wenig, no distinct pl. form except with article: in gwenig). Also used (in children’s play) as a name of the little finger. (VT47:6, 16-17)

gwenig

little baby

gwenig (i **wenig, no distinct pl. form except with article: in gwenig**). Also used (in childrens play) as a name of the little finger. (VT47:6, 16-17)

gwenig

little baby

gwenig (i **wenig, no distinct pl. form except with article: in gwenig**). Also used (in childrens play) as a name of the little finger. (VT48:6, 16-17)

atheg

little father

atheg (pl. ethig). The word was also used in childrens play for ”thumb”. (VT48:6, 17)

emig

little mother

(no distinct pl. form except with article: in emig). Also used (in children’s play) as a name for the index finger (VT48:6, 17)

emig

little mother

emig (no distinct pl. form except with article: in emig). Also used (in childrens play) as a name for the index finger (VT48:6, 17)

honeg

little brother

(i choneg, o choneg), pl. honig (i chonig), also used as a play-name for the middle finger. (VT47:6, 16-17) 2) In older sources Tolkien listed different ”Noldorin” words for ”brother”: muindor (i vuindor), analogical pl. muindyr (i muindyr). Archaic/poetic †tôr (i** dôr, o thôr, construct tor), pl. teryn (i** theryn), coll. pl. toronath. In ”Noldorin”, the pl. was terein. 3) “Brother” in extended sense of “relative”: gwanur (i ’wanur) (kinsman, also kinswoman), pl. gwenyr (in gwenyr). Note: a homophone of the sg. means ”pair of twins”.

honeg

little brother

honeg (i choneg, o choneg), pl. honig (i chonig), also used as a play-name for the middle finger. _(VT47:6, 16-17) _2) In older sources Tolkien listed different ”Noldorin” words for ”brother”: muindor (i vuindor), analogical pl. muindyr (i muindyr). Archaic/poetic †tôr (i dôr, o thôr, construct tor), pl. teryn (i theryn), coll. pl. toronath. In ”Noldorin”, the pl. was terein. 3) “Brother” in extended sense of “relative”: gwanur (i **wanur) (kinsman, also kinswoman), pl. gwenyr (in gwenyr**). Note: a homophone of the sg. means ”pair of twins”.

honeg

little brother

honeg (i choneg), pl. honig (i chonig). Also used (in childrens play) as a name of the middle finger (VT47:6, 16-17)

mib

noun. (little) kiss, peck

nethig

little sister

nethig (no distinct pl. form except with article, in nethig). Also used (in childrens play) as a term for the ring finger. (VT47:14, 38-39, VT48:6, 17)

niged

little finger

niged (pl. nigid) _(VT48:5), also called lebig (no distinct pl. form) (VT48:5, 15). _

rodol

noun. little pipe (especially musical)

taith

noun. note, jot, scribbling, (lit.) a little writing

hanar

noun. brother

A word for “brother” coined by Tolkien in notes on Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals from the late 1960s, based on the root √KHAN of the same meaning and replacing the archaic form of the word †hawn (VT47/14). Remnants of this archaic form can be seem in the diminutive/affectionate form honeg “[little] brother” (VT48/6); Tolkien considered and apparently rejected alternates of the diminutive: honig and hanig (VT47/14; VT48/17).

Conceptual Development: The Etymologies of the 1930s had N. tôr “brother” from the root ᴹ√TOR (Ety/TOR), and the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had G. hethos “brother” from the early root ᴱ√HESE [HEÞE] (GL/48-49; QL/40). See those entries for discussion.

niben

adjective. petty, petty, *small and weak

A word for “petty”, most notable as an element in Nogoth Niben “Petty Dwarf” (WJ/388). In notes from the late 1960s, Tolkien said this word was the play name of the littlest finger (VT48/6). Some notes on roots having to do with “small” had the root √NIP “small, usually with connotation of weakness”, which Patrick Wynne suggested was the likely basis for niben (VT48/18). Thus this word means both small as well as weak or inferior.

leber

finger

leber (pl. lebir) (VT47:10, 23, 24; VT48:5). This may replace ”Noldorin” lhebed, which we would otherwise update to Sindarin as lebed. For names of specific fingers, see INDEX FINGER, LITTLE FINGER, MIDDLE FINGER, RING FINGER, THUMB.

mîw

small

1. mîw (tiny, frail), lenited vîw, no distinct pl. form, 2) niben (petty), pl. nibin. Also used as a name for the the little finger. (VT48:6) 3) SMALL (and frail) nimp, no distinct pl. form (VT48:18)

niben

small

(petty), pl. nibin. Also used as a name for the the little finger. (VT48:6) 

niben

petty

niben (small), pl. nibin. Also used as a name for the the little finger (VT48:6).

niben

petty

(small), pl. nibin. Also used as a name for the the little finger (VT48:6).

tithen

tiny

1. tithen (lenited dithen, pl. tithin) (little), 2) mîw (small, frail), lenited vîw, no distinct pl. form; 3) pigen (lenited bigen; pl. pigin)

tithen

tiny

(lenited dithen, pl. tithin) (little)

adar

noun. father

The Sindarin word for “father”, derived from the root √AT(AR) (PM/324; VT44/21-22; VT48/19).

Conceptual Development: N. adar “father” also appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a derivative of the root ᴹ√ATA of the same meaning (Ety/ATA). In the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, however, G. †ador “father” was marked as archaic, and it seems {athon >>} G. nathon was the ordinary word for ”father” (GL/17, 59).

emel

noun. mother

A word for “mother” in notes on Elvish Hands, Fingers and Numerals from the late 1960s, along with a diminutive form emelig (VT48/17 note #13). These forms were struck through and replaced by emig as the proper diminutive form from the root √EM (VT48/6), but that doesn’t necessarily invalidate emel = “mother”, which appeared elsewhere as (probably primitive) emel, emer in rough versions of these notes (VT48/19 note #16). These Sindarin forms are unusual in that the medial m did not become v, which means the primitive form was likely based on ✱emm- as suggested by Patrick Wynne (VT48/17 note #14).

Conceptual Development: G. amil “mother” appeared in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s along with rejected forms {anwin, amril} and an archaic variant †amaith (GL/19). The forms {emaith >>} amaith appeared unglossed in Gnomish Lexicon Slips revising that document (PE13/109). In The Etymologies of the 1930s there was a form N. †emil for “mother” under the root ᴹ√AM of the same meaning, but Tolkien said this word was archaic, apparently replaced by N. naneth (Ety/AM¹; EtyAC/AM¹). With N. emil, the a became e via i-affection, but the medial m failing to become v requires an explanation similar to that of 1960s S. emel.

Neo-Sindarin: I generally prefer derivatives of the earlier root √AM for “mother” words in Quenya, but in the case of Sindarin, I find emel and emig from √EM to be better and more widely accepted.

leber

noun. finger

The Sindarin word for “finger”, derived from primitive ✶leper and based on the root √LEP “pick up” (VT47/10; VT48/5).

Conceptual Development: Tolkien used various Elvish words for “finger” over his life, but most were based on the root √LEP. The Gnomish Grammar and Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had G. leptha “finger” (GG/13; GL/53), clearly derived from the early root ᴱ√LEPE that was the basis for contemporaneous Qenya finger words (QL/53). In Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s it was ᴱN. lhê “finger”, derived from primitive ᴱ✶lept- (PE13/148). In The Etymologies of the 1930s it was N. lhebed “finger” based on the root ᴹ√LEPET of the same meaning (Ety/LEP). In drafts of the 1968 notes mentioned above, Tolkien had S. lebed “finger” (VT47/27), but this was replaced by leber in the finished versions (VT47/23-24 note #30).

adaneth

noun. (mortal) woman

adar

noun. father

arwen

noun. noble woman

atheg

noun. "litte father"

atheg

noun. thumb (Elvish play-name used by and taught to children)

bess

noun. (young) woman

bess

noun. wife

cidinn

adjective. small

_ adj. _small. Q. cinta.

cinnog

adjective. small

_ adj. _small. Q. cinta.

el

star

n. star.

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

emel

noun. mother

emig

noun. "litte mother"

emig

noun. index finger (Elvish play-name used by and taught to children)

emmel

noun. mother

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 )

gil-

noun. star

giliath

noun. all the host of stars

gill

noun. star

gwein

adjective. young

adj. young. Q. vinya. >> gwîn

gwein

adjective. young

gwen

noun. maiden

_n. _maiden. Q. wendē. >> gwend, gweneth

gwend

noun. maiden

_n. _maiden. Q. wendē. >> gwen, gweneth

gwend

noun. maiden, maiden, *young woman

A word for “maiden” or “✱young woman”, frequently appearing as suffixal -wen as an element in female names, derived from the root √WEN(ED) (PE17/191; Ety/WEN).

Conceptual Development: In the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, the word G. gwin meant “woman, female” and G. {gwen >>} gwennin was “girl” (GL/45). The former was derived from the root ᴱ√giu̯i which had to do with pregnancy, but the latter was derived from {ᴱ√gw̯ene >>} ᴱ√gu̯eđe. In the contemporaneous Qenya Lexicon {ᴱ√WENE >>} ᴱ√GWENE was the basis of words like ᴱQ. ’wen(di) “maiden” (QL/103). In the Gnomish Lexicon Slips it seems G. gwin was also reassigned to the root ᴱ√(G)WENE [ᴱ√u̯enĭ-], derived from ᴱ✶u̯einā́, though possibly shifted or blended in meaning with an adjectival sense “womanly” (PE13/113).

In the Early Noldorin Grammar of the 1920s, Tolkien had ᴱN. uin “woman” (PE13/123), a form that also appeared with this gloss in contemporaneous Early Noldorin Word-lists as a replacement for deleted {gwind, gwinn} (PE13/146, 155). In The Etymologies of the 1930s, Tolkien had N. gwend, gwenn “maiden” under the root ᴹ√WEN(ED) which he said was “often found in feminine names” (Ety/WEN). He noted that “since the [suffixed names] show no -d even in archaic spelling, they probably contain a form wen-”. Tolkien seems to have stuck with these forms thereafter.

Neo-Sindarin: For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I would use this word for a young woman or adolescent girl, especially prior to marriage, but for female children I would use neth.

gwenneth

noun. maiden

A longer variant of gwend “maiden” appearing in notes on the Common Eldarin Article (CEA) from 1969 (PE23/136). It might be confused with (or related to) gweneth “maidenhood”.

gwinig

noun. "litte baby"

hanar

noun. brother

hawn

noun. brother

hawn

noun. brother

honeg

noun. "litte brother"

Given as honig in VT/47:14, but see VT/48:17 n. 13 for discussion

honeg

noun. middle finger (Elvish play-name used by and taught to children)

Given as honig in VT/47:14, but see VT/48:17 n. 13 for discussion

laes

noun. babe

lebed

noun. finger

Tolkien later seems to have replaced this form by leber

lebenedh

noun. middle finger

lebent

noun. ring finger

leber

noun. finger

niben

adjective. small, petty

niben-nog

noun. Petty dwarf

_ n. _Petty dwarf. [PE17:46] >> cadhad, noged, nogon, nogoth

niben-nog

proper name. Petty Dwarf

A Sindarin term for a Petty Dwarf (PE17/46), a variation on the better known Nogoth Niben, a combination of niben “petty” and a suffixal form -nog of naug “dwarf”, because [[s|[au] became [o] in polysyllables]] in Sindarin. This term was first published in its plural forms Nibin-noeg (UT/100) and Nibin-nogrim “Petty-dwarves” (UT/148). Tolkien considered numerous variations on the singular form of this name (WJ/187, note #26).

nimp

adjective. small and frail

nobad

noun. the pair of fingers composed of the thumb and the index (grouped together as in the act of picking something)

noged

Petty dwarf

pl1. nœgid _ n. _Petty dwarf. [PE17:46] >> cadhad, nogon, nogoth

noged

noun. Petty Dwarf

This entry includes several experimental Sindarin names for Petty Dwarves from later writings (PE17/45-6, WJ/187). They all have the initial element naug “dwarf” or older variant N. Nawag, and various diminutives as final elements.

nogoth niben

proper name. Petty Dwarf

A Sindarin term for a Petty Dwarf (WJ/388), first published in its plural forms Noegyth Nibin “Petty-dwarves” (S/204). This name is a combination of Nogoth “Dwarf” and niben “petty” (WJ/388).

sîr

stream

_ n. _stream. >> Nanduhirion

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).

Teler

teler

(member of the Third Clan of the Elves) 1) Teler (i Deler), pl. Telir (i Thelir) or coll. pl. Tellerrim (PM:385). See REAR. 2) glinnel (i **linnel), pl. glinnil** (in glinnil), coll. pl. glinnellath.

ada

father

(pl. edai)

adanadar

father of men

normally pl. Edenedair "Fathers of Men", the early Edain.

adaneth

mortal woman

(pl. edenith), also firieth (pl. firith).

adar

father

adar (pl. edair);

adar

father

(pl. edair);

aew

small bird

. No distinct pl. form.

bess

woman

bess (i vess, construct bes) (wife), pl. biss (i miss). The word etymologically means ”wife”, but the meaning was generalized.

bess

woman

(i vess, construct bes) (wife), pl. biss (i miss). The word etymologically means ”wife”, but the meaning was generalized.

celeth

stream

(noun) 1) celeth (i geleth, o cheleth), pl. celith (i chelith), 2) sirith (i hirith, o sirith) (flowing), no distinct pl. except with article (i sirith), 3) nên (water, lake, pool, waterland), construct nen, pl. nîn, 4) rant (watercourse, water-channel, lode, vein), pl. raint (idh raint), coll. pl. rannath.

celeth

stream

(i geleth, o cheleth), pl. celith (i chelith)

dess

young woman

(i ness, o ndess, constuct des), pl. diss (i ndiss).

dess

young woman

(i ness, o ndess, constuct des), pl. diss (i ndiss)

gilion

of stars

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

glinnel

rear

(i ’linnel), pl. *glinnil*** (in glinnil), coll. pl. glinnellath**.

glâd

small forest

(i ’lâd, construct glad) (wood), pl. glaid (in glaid).

gwador

sworn brother

(i ’wador), pl. gwedyr (in gwedyr). In ”N”, the pl. was gwedeir (LR:394 s.v. TOR)

gwanur

kinsman

(i ’wanur) (brother), pl. gwenyr (in gwenyr). Note: a homophone of the sg. means ”pair of twins”.

gwend

maiden

gwend (i **wend, construct gwen) (friendship), pl. gwind (in gwind), coll. pl. gwennath**. Note: a homophone means ”bond, friendship”.

gwend

maiden

(i ’wend, construct gwen) (friendship), pl. gwind (in gwind), coll. pl. gwennath. Note: a homophone means ”bond, friendship”.

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).

hanar

brother

1. hanar (i chanar, o chanar), pl. henair (i chenair) (VT47:14). A more archaic term is *haun (spelt ”hawn” in source) (i chaun, o chaun), pl. hoen (i choen), coll. pl. honath.

hanar

brother

(i chanar, o chanar), pl. henair (i chenair) (VT47:14). A more archaic term is ✱haun (spelt ”hawn” in source) (i chaun, o chaun), pl. hoen (i choen), coll. pl. honath.

hûb

small landlocked bay

(i chûb, o chûb, construct hub) (harbour, haven), pl. huib (i chuib).

laes

babe

laes (no distinct pl. form);

laes

noun. babe

laes

babe

(no distinct pl. form);

mîw

small

(tiny, frail), lenited vîw, no distinct pl. form

mîw

tiny

(small, frail), lenited vîw, no distinct pl. form

naneth

mother

naneth (pl. nenith). Hypocoristic form (”mom”) nana, pl. nenai (but this word is probably rarely pluralized). In a higher style also †emil. No distinct pl. form; coll. pl. emillath. Variant form emel (pl. emil), also spelt emmel (pl. emmil). (VT48:17)

naneth

mother

(pl. nenith). Hypocoristic form (”mom”) nana, pl. nenai (but this word is probably rarely pluralized). In a higher style also †emil. No distinct pl. form; coll. pl. emillath. Variant form emel (pl. emil), also spelt emmel (pl. emmil). (VT48:17)

neth

young

neth (pl. nith). A homophone is the noun ”sister, girl”.

neth

young

(pl. nith). A homophone is the noun ”sister, girl”.

nimp

small

no distinct pl. form (VT48:18)

nogotheg

petty-dwarf

(”dwarflet”), pl. negethig for archaic nögethig (WJ:388).

nên

stream

(water, lake, pool, waterland), construct nen, pl. nîn

pigen

tiny

(lenited bigen; pl. pigin)

pêg

small spot

(i** bêg, construct peg) (dot), pl. pîg (i** phîg) 

rant

stream

(watercourse, water-channel, lode, vein), pl. raint (idh raint), coll. pl. rannath.

sirith

stream

(i hirith, o sirith) (flowing), no distinct pl. except with article (i sirith)

teler

teler

(i Deler), pl. Telir (i Thelir) or coll. pl. Tellerrim (PM:385). See

tinu

small star

(i** dinu, o thinu; also -din at the end of compounds) (spark), analogical pl. tiny (i** thiny). Archaic tinw, so the coll. pl. is likely  tinwath.

wen

maiden

, see MAIDEN. The final element -wen in names means ”girl, maiden, virgin”.

nitya

adjective. little

A word appearing only as an element in the name of Nityafinwë (PM/365). It was probably derived √NIK “small”, with ✱nikya becoming nitya because ky became ty in (Ancient) Quenya.

Conceptual Development: There seem to be earlier iterations of this word that began with m instead of n. The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had ᴱQ. minwa “small” under the early root ᴱ√MINI (QL/61). The Early Qenya Grammar had ᴱQ. mitya “little” (PE14/48, 80), while the contemporaneous English-Qenya Dictionary had ᴱQ. mitya “little (in quantity)” (PE15/74). The Etymologies of the 1930s had ᴹQ. mitsa or minte under the root ᴹ√MIT “small”, but this entry was deleted (EtyAC/MIT).

pia

adjective. little

A list of “large & small” words from around 1968 had pia “little” derived from √PEYE (PE17/115), probably from primitive ✱peya with eya > ia. This was followed by words pikina, pinke, and pitya, all probably derived from a different root ᴹ√PIK (Ety/PIK).

Neo-Quenya: I think the root √PEY was probably a transient idea, quickly reverted back to √PIK. For purposes of Neo-Quenya I prefer other words over pia “little”.

pia

little

pia adj. "little" (PE17:115); variants picina ("k"), pincë ("k"), pitya

picina

adjective. little

A word appearing as pikina or pinke following the word pia “little” in a list of “large & small” words from 1968 (PE17/115). It is probably derived from the root ᴹ√PIK (Ety/PIK).

pitya

little

#pitya adj. "little" in Pityafinwë, Pitya-naucor

pincë

adjective. little

lepincë

noun. little finger

A word for the “little finger” in notes on Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals from 1968, a combination of ✶lepe “finger” and the diminutive suffix ✶-inki, appearing first as lepinka and later as lepinke (VT47/10-11; VT48/5). The short form Q. {nitye >>} níke was also used for the “little finger” (VT48/5, 15).

Conceptual Development: In drafts of these notes, the word first appeared as Q. nihtil, a combination of √NIK “small” and Q. -til “point” (VT47/26).

nettë

noun. (little) girl, sister (diminutive), daughter, pretty little thing

A word appearing in several sets of notes from the late 1960s having to do with Hands, Fingers and Numerals. It was related to the finger name of the fourth finger (representing the sister). Tolkien mostly glossed it either as “(little) girl” or “sister (diminutive)”, but in one placed indicated it originally meant “pretty little thing” (VT47/33) and in another that it might be used for “daughter” (VT47/15). He also gave it several derivations, from √NET “trim, pretty, dainty” (VT47/33) or the root √NETH which itself was given a variety of meanings: “sister” (VT47/12, 26, 34), “(young) woman” (VT47/15, 32, 39) or “fresh, lively, merry” (VT47/32).

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I think the meaning “(little) girl” is the most useful. For “sister” I would use nésa.

nityafinwë

masculine name. Little Finwë

The father name of Amrod (PM/353). It is a compound of the nitya “little” and the name of his grandfather Finwë.

Conceptual Development: Tolkien first wrote this name as Pityafinwë, but then changed the initial pitya >> nitya. He also wrote the short form of this name as Pityo, but this name was not revised (PM/365).

vinimo

noun. baby, little-one

A word appearing as winimo “baby” (VT47/10) or “little-one, baby” (VT48/6) in notes associated with Elvish Hands, Fingers and Numerals from the late 1960s, in one place with the variant win(i)ke (VT48/6). It was an elaboration of winë (wini-) of similar meaning. Tolkien said that “Pengoloð gives these in archaic Quenya form before the change of w, in most situations to v” (VT48/6), so the modern spelling and pronunciation of this word would be vinimo.

winë

noun. baby, little-one, child not yet full grown

A word glossed “baby” (VT47/10), “child not yet full grown” (VT47/26), or “little-one, baby” (VT48/6) in notes associated with Elvish Hands, Fingers and Numerals from the late 1960s, sometimes appearing beside longer variants winimo or win(i)ke (VT47/10; VT48/6). It was derived from the root √WIN (VT47/26).

Neo-Quenya: Tolkien said that “Pengoloð gives these in archaic Quenya form before the change of w, in most situations to v” (VT48/6), but I would keep this word as wine since that would be easier for an infant to pronounce. I would use it only as an affectionate or play name, using longer †winimo (modern vinimo) as the proper term for “baby”.

Pityafinwë

little finwë

Pityafinwë masc. name "Little Finwë"; he was called Amrod in Sindarin. Short Quenya name Pityo (PM:353)

Telellë

little elf

Telellë noun "little elf" (also Teler); the Telelli are said to be "young Elves of all clans who dwelt in Kôr to perfect their arts of singing and poetry" (LT1:267; see Teler)

hérincë

little lady

hérincë ("k") noun *"little lady" (UT:195). Concerning the diminutive ending, cf. Atarincë, cirinci.

lepinca

little finger

lepinca ("k")noun "little finger" (VT47:10); variant lepincë (VT47:26, VT48:5)

lepincë

little finger

lepincë ("k")noun "little finger" (VT47:26, VT48:5); variant lepinca (VT47:10). According to VT48:15, 18, lepincë is derived from older lepinki; if so the Quenya form should have the stem lepinci-.

lipil

little glass

lipil noun "little glass" (LT1:258)

nandellë

little harp

nandellë ("ñ")noun "little harp" (ÑGAN/ÑGÁNAD)

nercë

little man

nercë ("k")noun "little man", a diminutive of nér (VT47:33). VT48:18 seems to hint that -cë is to be derived from older -ki; if so, nercë should have the stem-form nerci-. Compare wenci.

nercë

noun. little man

A diminutive form of nér “man” given as {nerkĭ >>} nerke “little man” in notes from 1968 (VT47/33), with the addition of the diminutive suffix ✶-i(n)ki.

nihtil

little finger

[nihtil noun "little finger" (VT47:26)]

nityë

little finger

[nityë noun, ephemeral word for "little finger", changed to nícë (VT48:15)

nícë

little finger

nícë "little finger" (VT48:5, 15), also lepincë

titta

little, tiny

titta adj. "little, tiny" (TIT)

lumincë

adverb. a little while

nihtil

noun. little [finger]

nícë

noun. little finger

pityafinwë

masculine name. Little Finwë

atarincë

masculine name. Little Father

The mother-name of S. Curufin (PM/352). It is a compound of atar “father” and the diminutive suffix -incë.

hérincë

noun. *little lady

lendë tanna nieliccilis

*thither came little Niéle

lepinca

noun. little finger

win(i)cë

noun. baby, little-one

winimo

noun. baby, little-one

nityahan

noun. little brother (informal/familiar)

A neologism coined by Röandil posted on 2023-11-10 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), a combination of nitya “little” and háno “brother”, with longer variant nityaháno.

nityanet

noun. little sister (informal/familiar)

A neologism coined by Röandil posted on 2023-11-10 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), a combination of nitya “little” and nésa “sister”, with longer variant nityanésa [þ].

hruxë

noun. mischief, (lit.) little evil

A neologism for “mischief” coined by Luinyelle posted on 2025-12-18 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), a diminutive form of √SRUG, so more literally “little evil”.

hyapalle

noun. slipper, (lit.) little shoe

A neologism coined by Luinyelle and Valerie on 2023-08-10, a diminutive of [ᴹQ.] hyapat “shoe”, compare nillë “little woman”.

orvincë

 noun. little apple, pommel

Compound consisting of orva "apple" [PE13/116] and -ince diminutive ending [UT/195].

colcallë

noun. phylactery, (lit.) little box

A neologism for “phylactery” coined by Helge Fauskanger for his NQNT (NQNT), a diminutive of [ᴱQ.] colca “box”.

hassë

noun. little brother, ‘lil bro’ (intimate)

A neologism coined by Röandil posted on 2023-11-10 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), derived from primitive ✱khansi.

netsë

noun. little sister, ‘lil sis’ (intimate)

A neologism coined by Röandil posted on 2023-11-10 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), derived from primitive ✱netsi > ✱neth-si .

nicë

adverb. little, a bit

sanicca

adverb. that little, that small (mentioned)

A neologism coined as part of my research into Quenya correlatives.

sartë

noun. note, jot, scribbling, (lit.) a little writing

@@@ by Röandil in the “Neologism of the Day” series on the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS) on 2023-04-01 from pre-classical period with sar- meant “to write”; alternate later from tehtë, (tehti-) from √TEK

sinicca

adverb. this little, this small

A neologism coined as part of my research into Quenya correlatives.

soroncë

noun. kite, (lit.) little eagle

A neologism coined by Luinyelle posted on 2024-01-14 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), a diminutive form of soron “eagle”.

tolipincë

noun. little doll

yanicca

adverb. as little as, as small as

Teler

sea-elf

Teler noun "sea-elf", pl. Teleri, general (partitive) pl. Telelli, the third tribe of the Eldar (TELES (MIS) ), also called Lindar.Teleri means "those at the end of the line, the hindmost", (WJ:382 cf. 371), derived from the stem tel- "finish, end, be last" (SA:tel-). The Lindar were so called because they lagged behind on the march from Cuiviénen. In early "Qenya", Teler, also Telellë, was defined "little elf" (LT1:267), but this is hardly a valid gloss in Tolkien's later Quenya.

atar

father

atar noun "father" (SA; WJ:402, UT:193, LT1:255, VT43:37, VT44:12). According to the Etymologies (ATA) the pl. is atari, but contrast #atári in Atanatári "Fathers of Men" (q.v.); possibly the word behaves differently when compounded. Atarinya "my father" (LR:70), atar(inya) the form a child would use addressing his or her father, also reduced to atya (VT47:26). Diminutive masc. name Atarincë ("k") "Little father", amilessë (never used in narrative) of Curufinwë = Curufin (PM:353). Átaremma, Ataremma "our Father" as the first word of the Quenya translation of the Lord's Prayer, written before Tolkien changed -mm- as the marker of 1st person pl. exclusive to -lm-; notice -e- as a connecting vowel before the ending -mma "our". In some versions of the Lord's Prayer, including the final version, the initial a of atar "father" is lengthened, producing #átar. This may be a contraction of *a atar "o Father", or the vowel may be lengthened to give special emphasis to #Átar "Father" as a religious title (VT43:13). However, in VT44:12 Atar is also a vocative form referring to God, and yet the initial vowel remains short.

wenci

woman, maiden

wenci ("k") noun, apparently a diminutive form of the stem wēn- "woman, maiden". It is possible that this is meant to be Common Eldarin rather than Quenya; if so the Quenya form would be *wencë (compare nercë "little man") (VT48:18)

wine

noun. baby, child not yet fully grown

winë (stem *wini-, given the primitive form ¤wini) noun "baby, child not yet fully grown", "little-one", also used in children's play for "little finger" or "little toe" (VT46:10, 26, VT48:6, 16). Synonyms win(i)cë, winimo. In Exilic Quenya, this word would appear as *vinë; compare the related word winya > vinya "young, new".

winicë

baby

winicë (also wincë), noun "baby", also used in children's play for "little finger" or "little toe" (VT48:6). Synonyms winë, winimo. In Exilic Quenya, this word would appear as *vinicë*, vincë; compare the related word winya > vinya "young, new". Since the diminutive ending -icë descends from -iki(VT48:16), winicë may have the stem-form winici**-.

winimo

baby

winimo noun "baby", "little-one", used in children's play for "little finger" or "little toe" (VT47:10, VT48:6, 16). Synonyms winë, win(i)cë. In Exilic Quenya, this word would appear as *vinimo; compare the related word winya > vinya "young, new".

atar

noun. father

The Quenya word for “father”, derived from the root √AT(AR) (PM/324; WJ/402; VT48/19).

Conceptual Development: ᴱQ. atar “father” dates all the way back to the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, though in that document it was “a more solemn word ... usually to 1st Person of the Blessed Trinity”, as opposed to more ordinary ᴱQ. attu “father” (QL/33). In the English-Qenya Dictionary of the 1920s, ᴱQ. atar was the ordinary word for “father”, but with variant archaic form †attar (PE15/72). ᴹQ. atar “father” reappeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a derivative of the root ᴹ√ATA of the same meaning (Ety/ATA). It appeared again in the Quenya Verbal System (QVS) from 1948 in various inflected forms (PE22/118-119). It continued to appear regularly in Tolkien’s later writings. Thus this word was established early and retained its form throughout Tolkien’s life with only minor variations.

háno

noun. brother

A word for “brother” coined by Tolkien in notes on Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals from the late 1960s, based on the root √KHAN of the same meaning (VT47/14). It had a diminutive/affectionate variant hanno used as a play name for the middle finger in several places in these notes (VT47/12; VT48/6).

Conceptual Development: The Etymologies of the 1930s had ᴹQ. toron “brother” from the root ᴹ√TOR (Ety/TOR), and the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had ᴱQ. herendo “brother” from the early root ᴱ√HESE (QL/40). See those entries for discussion.

níca

adjective. small

A word appearing in a note from 1968 along side a (primitive?) variant ✶ninkĭ, both derived from the root √NIK “small” and so probably of similar meaning (VT47/26; VT48/18).

-wen

maiden

-wen "maiden" as suffix, a frequent ending in feminine names like Eärwen "Sea-maiden" (SA:wen). Early "Qenya" also has -wen, feminine patronymic "daughter of" (LT1:271, 273), but the patronymic ending seems to be -iel "-daughter" in Tolkien's later Quenya.

Lindissë

woman

Lindissë fem.name, perhaps lin- (root of words having to do with song/music) + (n)dissë "woman" (see nís). (UT:210)

Návatar

father

Návatar noun a title of Aulë referring to his position as the immediate author of the Dwarvish race, apparently including atar "father", but the first element cannot be related to any known term for "Dwarf" (PM:391 cf. 381)

amal

mother

amal noun "mother"; also emel (VT48:22, 49:22); the form amil (emil) seems more usual.

amil

mother

amil noun "mother" (AM1), also emil (q.v.) Longer variant amillë (VT44:18-19), compounded Eruamillë "Mother of God" in Tolkien's translation of the Hail Mary (VT43:32). If amil is a shortened form of amillë, it should probably have the stem-form amill-. Also compare amilyë, amya, emya. Compounded amil- in amilessë noun "mothername" (cf. essë "name"), name given to a child by its mother, sometimes with prophetic implications (amilessi tercenyë "mother-names of insight"). (MR:217).

amil(lë)

noun. mother

Tolkien used a number of similar forms for “mother” for most of his life. The earliest of these are ᴱQ. amis (amits-) “mother” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s along with variants ᴱQ. ambi, âmi, amaimi under the root ᴱ√AMA (QL/30). An additional variant ammi appeared in the Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/30). In Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s Tolkien had ᴱQ. ambe or mambe “mother” (PE16/135). This became ᴹQ. amil “mother” in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√AM “mother” (Ety/AM¹).

This 1930s form amil appears to have survived for some time. It appeared in a longer form Amille in Quenya Prayers of the 1950s (VT43/26; VT44/12, 18), and as an element in the term amilessi “mother-names” in a late essay on Elvish naming (MR/217). In the initial drafts of Elvish Hands, Fingers and Numerals from the late 1960s Tolkien used the form amilye or amye as an affectionate word for “mother”, and amaltil as the finger name for the second finger (VT47/26-27 note #34 and #35).

However, in those documents Tolkien seems to have revised the root for “mother” from √AM to √EM and the affectionate forms from amye to emya or emme (VT47/10; VT48/6, 19). The revised word for “mother” appears to be emil based on the 1st person possessive form emil(inya) (VT47/26).

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I prefer to retain the root √AM for “mother”, since that is what Tolkien used for 50 years, and ignore the very late change to √EM. As such, I would recommend amil(le) for “mother” and affectionate forms amme “mommy” and amya. However, if you prefer to use Tolkien’s “final” forms, then emil(le), emme and emya seem to be what Tolkien adopted in the late 1960s.

ammë

mother

ammë noun "mother" (AM1)

atar

noun. father

atto

father, daddy

atto noun "father, daddy" (hypocoristic)(ATA, LR:49), supposedly a word in "actual 'family' use" (VT47:26), also used in children's play for "thumb" and "big toe" (VT47:10, 26, VT48:4, 6). The dual form attat listed in VT48:19 seems to be formed from the alternative form atta, though attat was changed by Tolkien from attot. - Compare atya.

celu

stream

celu _("k")_noun "stream" (LT1:257; rather celumë in LotR-style Quenya)

celumë

stream, flow

celumë ("k")noun "stream, flow" (KEL, LT1:257); locative pl. celumessen ("k") in Markirya (ëar-celumessen is translated "in the flowing sea", lit. *"in sea-streams").

cinta

small

cinta adj. "small" (PE17:157)

cinta

adjective. small

A word for “small” in Notes on Names (NN) from 1957 derived from the root √KIT or √KIN (PE17/157).

Neo-Quenya: This word is fairly obscure, so I would used other words for “small” for purposes of Neo-Quenya, such as níca.

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).

emel

mother

emel noun "mother"; also amal (VT48:22, 49:22); the form amil (emil) seems more usual.

emil

mother

emil noun "mother", emilinya "my mother" (also reduced to emya) the terms a child would use in addressing his or her mother (VT47:26). Emil would seem to be a variant of amil. Also compare emel.

emil

noun. mother

hanno

brother

hanno noun "brother" (a colloquial form, cf. háno), also used in children's play for "middle finger" (VT47:12, 14, VT48:4, 6)

hinyë

noun. baby

A word for a “baby” in rough notes on Elvish finger names (VT47/27), probably some kind of diminutive formation from √KHIN “child”. It had a variant hintil that is clearly specific to fingers only: = √KHIN + √TIL “✱baby finger, (lit.) child tip”.

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, it is probably better to use one of the baby words from the more finished versions of these notes, such as vinimo.

háno

brother

háno noun "brother", colloquially also hanno (VT47:12, 14). It is unclear whether Tolkien, by introducing this form, abandoned the older (TLT) word toron (q.v.)

inya

small

inya (2) adj. "small" (LT1:256; this "Qenya" word may be obsoleted by # 1 above)

lapsë

babe

lapsë noun "babe" (LAP)

leper

finger

leper (pl. leperi given) noun "finger" (VT44:16, VT47:10, 14, 24, VT48:5; an older source gives the word for "finger" as lepsë, q.v.)

leper

noun. finger

The Quenya word for “finger” appearing in various notes on Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals from 1968, derived from the root √LEP “pick up” (VT47/10; VT48/5).

Conceptual Development: The Quenya “finger” words went through quite a few conceptual changes, but they were always based on the root √LEP. The earliest of these was ᴱQ. let (lept-) “finger” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√LEPE with plural form lepsi (QL/53). In Qenya word lists of the 1920s, however, this became ᴱQ. lepta “finger”, still with the plural lepsi (PE15/72; PE16/137).

The form was ᴹQ. let (leps-) in the Declension of Nouns of the early 1930s (PE21/19, 26), expanded to ᴹQ. lepse “finger” in The Etymologies written around 1937, based on the root ᴹ√LEPET of the same meaning (Ety/LEPET). This form demonstrated the 1930s sound change whereby pt became ps (PE19/44 note #44). Tolkien revised this sound change so that the result remained pt (PE19/44), and in 1940s drafts to The Lord of the Rings Tolkien used the word ᴹQ. rakkalepta “✱claw-fingered” in Treebeard’s description of orcs (SD/68), though in the published version this word only appeared in English.

In the Outline of Phonology from the 1950s (OP2) Tolkien considered restoring the sound change pt > ps (PE19/84 note #75), and Q. lepsë appeared in notes from the late 1950s or early 60s on the tree name S. lebethron, so named because “its leaves (like chestnut) [were] shaped like a fingered hand” (PE17/89). However, he again abandoned this, clarifying that the actual result of [[q|[pt] was a spirantal [ɸt]]] (spelled pt to represent the bilabial pronunciation), and that in Tarquesta pronunciation (Exhilic Quenya of the first age) the [ɸ] vocalized to [u̯] so that ✶lepta > leꝑta > Q. leu̯ta “finger” (PE19/84). Q. lepta appeared in several words in the 1960s: Q. leptafinya “clever-fingered” (PE17/17) and Q. Tyelpelepta “✱silver-fingered” (VT47/27).

In drafts of the 1968 notes on Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals, lepta reappeared as an independent word, but with the gloss “thumb” (VT47/27). In the final versions of these notes, however, Tolkien used leper for “finger”, as noted above.

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would use leper for “finger”, but would retain lepta as an adjective meaning “fingered”, especially in compounds like [ᴹQ.] raccalepta “claw-fingered”.

lepsë

finger

lepsë noun "finger" (LEP/LEPET; see leper). According to VT45:27, Tolkien derived lepsë from primitive ¤lepti; if so, lepsë should have the stem-form *lepsi-. However, Tolkien struck out the ancestral form lepti, so we cannot be sure whether this idea was maintained or not. In later sources, the word for "finger" appears as leper.

leuta

noun. finger

mamil

mother, mummy

mamil noun *"mother, mummy" (UT:191)

mintë

small

mintë adj. "small" (VT45:35)

mitsa

small

mitsa adj. "small" (VT45:35) Another synonym from the same source, mitra, looks unusual for a Quenya word (because of the medial cluster tr)

nessa

young

nessa adj. "young" (NETH), alsoNessa as name of a Valië, the spouse of Tulkas (adopted and adapted from Valarin, or an archaic Elvish formation: WJ:404 vs. 416). Also called Indis, "bride" (NETH, NI1). The fem. name Nessanië (UT:210) would seem to incorporate Nessa's name; the second element could mean "tear" (nië), but since Nessa is not normally associated with sorrow, this #nië is perhaps rather a variant of ní "female" (compare Tintanië as a variant of Tintallë).

nincë

small

*nincë (ninci*-) ("k")adj. "small". The form is given as "ninki" with the last vowel marked as short; this is probably the etymological form that would underlie Quenya nincë. The word is said to mean "small" with "good senses"; contrast nípa**, *nimpë. (VT48:18)

nissë

woman

nissë noun "woman" (NDIS-SĒ/SĀ, NI1, NIS, VT47:33); see nís. Note: nissë could apparently also mean "in me", the locative form of the 1st person pronoun ni, q.v.

nissë

noun. woman

nitya

small

#nitya adj. "small" (VT48:15, PM:365)

nuxo

petty dwarf

nuxo noun "Petty dwarf" (PE17:45; the spellings "nukso" and "nuxo" both occur in the source). Elsewhere the Petty-dwarves are called Picinaucor or Pitya-naucor, q.v.

nuxo

noun. Petty dwarf

ní

woman, female

†ní (2) noun "woman, female" (NI1, INI (NĒR ) ). Not to be confused with ní as a stressed form of the pronoun ni "I".

níca

small

níca ("k")adj. "small". The word is said to mean "small" with "good senses"; contrast nípa, *nimpë. (VT47:26, VT48:18)

nína

woman

#nína (gen.pl. nínaron attested) noun "woman" (VT43:31; this word, as well as some other experimental forms listed in the same source, seem ephemeral: several sources agree that the Quenya word for "woman" is nís, nis [q.v.])

nís

woman

nís (niss-, as in pl. nissi) noun "woman" _(MR:213. The Etymologies gives _nis (or nissë), pl. nissi: see the stems NDIS-SĒ/SĀ, NI1, NIS (NĒR), VT46:4; compare VT47:33. In Tolkien's Quenya rendering of Hail Mary, the plural nísi occurs instead of nissi; this form is curious, since nísi would be expected to turn into *nízi, *_níri** (VT43:31). VT47:33 suggests that Tolkien at one point considered _niþ- as the older form of the stem, which etymology would solve this problem (since s from older þ does not become z > r). Even so, the MR forms, nís with stem niss-, may be preferred. - Compare †ní, #nína, nisto, Lindissë.

ontari

mother

ontari noun "mother" or etymologically "begetter, parent" (fem.); clashing with the plural ontari "parents", this was apparently an emphemeral form (see ontarë, ontaril, ontarië for other feminine forms of "begetter, parent") (VT44:7)

ontaril

mother

ontaril noun "mother", female *"begetter" (cf. onta-). Variant of ontarë. (VT43:32)

onóro

brother

onóro noun "brother" (of blood-kinship) (TOR, NŌ (WŌ) )

otorno

brother, sworn brother, [male] associate

otorno noun "brother, sworn brother, [male] associate" (TOR, WŌ). Cf. osellë.

pinilya

small

pinilya adj. "small" (MC:220; this is "Qenya")

toron

brother

toron (torn- as in pl. torni) noun "brother" (TOR; a later source gives háno, hanno [q.v.] as the word for "brother", leaving the status of toron uncertain)

vendë

maiden

vendë < wendë noun "maiden" (WEN/WENED, VT45:16), "virgin" (in Tolkien's translations of Catholic prayers where the reference is to Mary; see VT44:10, 18). The form Véndë in VT44:10 seems abnormal; normally Quenya does not have a long vowel in front of a consonant cluster.

vinya

young

vinya (1) adj. "young" (VT46:22, VT47:26, PE17:191) or "new" (cf. compounds Vinyamar, Vinyarië below; cf. also winya "new, fresh, young" in a deleted entry in the Etymologies, VT45:16; there the word was first written as vinya.) Vinya "the Young", original name of the isle of Númenor among its own people (SD:332).

wendë

noun. maiden

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.

ílë

star

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

pey

root. *little

niktil

noun. little [finger]

pi(n) Reconstructed

root. little

Tolkien used a variety of roots for Elvish words for “small”. One early root was ᴱ√PIKI with variants ᴱ√PINI and ᴱ√PĪ from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, unglossed but with derivatives like ᴱQ. pínea “small” and ᴱQ. pinqe “slender, thin” (QL/73). It also had derivatives in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon such as G. pinig “tiny, little” and G. pibin “small berry, haw” (GL/64).

The root reappeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s as unglossed {ᴹ√PEK >>} ᴹ√PIK with derivatives like N. pigen “tiny” and N. peg “small spot, dot” (Ety/PIK; EtyAC/PIK). Further evidence for this root can be seen in later words like Q. piki- or pitya “petty” (WJ/389) and Q. pic- “lessen, dwindle” (MC/223). A variant root √PEY appeared in a list of roots having to do with “large and small” from the late 1960s with a single derivative Q. pia “little” [< ✱peya], but it was immediately followed by the forms pikina, pinke, pitya which point back to √PIK (PE/117).

Further evidence of early forms ᴱ√PINI and ᴱ√PĪ can also be seen in Tolkien’s later writings. There is S. ✱pîn “little” in S. Cûl Bîn “Little Load” (RC/536), ✶pī {“small bird” >>} “small insect” (VT47/35), and T. pinke “little-one, baby” (VT48/6), though the last of these might be from √PIK. In any case it seems Tolkien continued to use all of √PI, √PIK and √PIN to form words for little things into the late 1960s.

In The Shibboleth of Fëanor from the late 1960s, Tolkien changed pitya to Q. nitya in the name Q. Nityafinwë “Little Finwë” (PM/353, 365 note #59), which may indicate a replacement of √PIK by √NIK, another root used regularly in Tolkien’s later writings for “small”. But I believe √PIK and √NIK may coexist with slightly different meanings: “tiny” vs. “small”; see the entry on √NIK for further discussion.

nik

root. small

One of various roots for “small” Tolkien used in his later writings. The root √NIK “small” first appeared in notes on Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals from the late 1960s (VT47/26; VT48/18), but was connected to the diminutive suffix ✶-i(n)ki which had a much longer conceptual history. One of the earliest known diminutive suffix was ᴱQ. -íne(a) in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s from the root ᴱ√INI “small” (QL/42), which might be a precursor to √NIK; these suffixes reappeared in the Early Qenya Grammar of the 1920s (PE14/49, 81). In the Gnomish Grammar of the 1910s, the word G. inc “small” was used as the basis for the “diminutive superlative” -inci (PE11/16).

In the Qenya Lexicon, Tolkien connected ᴱ√INI “small” to the root ᴱ√MINI of similar meaning (QL/42, 61). There are no signs of ᴱ√MINI “small” in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon, but the word G. migin “little” (GL/57) hints at a (hypothetical) variant root ✱ᴱ√MIKI. Further support for ✱ᴱ√MIKI can be found in other diminutive forms in the Early Qenya Grammar of the 1920s such as prefixal diminutive ᴱQ. mike- along adverbial ᴱQ. mike “little” (QL/48, 81), the latter appearing with the gloss “a bit” in the English-Qenya Dictionary from this period (PE15/70) along with other similar words in both the dictionary and the grammar. This ✱ᴱ√MIKI might be another precursor to √NIK. An early hint at √NIK itself might appear in the word ᴹQ. nikse “minnow, little fish” from the Declension of Nouns from the early 1930s (PE21/27).

In Noldorin and Sindarin, the primary diminutive suffix became -eg, which was connected to the Common Eldarin suffix -iki elsewhere in notes on hands and fingers (VT47/14 note #21). In the notes where √NIK “small” appeared in the late 1960s, Tolkien gave the primitive diminutive as -inkĭ along with variants ikki, -iksi, -si, -ensi, -ki.

One of the main competing roots for “small” was ᴹ√PIK [see the entry for √PI(N)], itself with a lengthy conceptual history. The shift of pitya >> nitya “little” in the father name of Amrod from the late 1960s may represent a replacement of √PIK by √NIK (PM/365), but I think it is likelier the two roots coexisted with slightly different meanings, as was the case for their earlier precursors. In the notes from the late 1960s, √NIK was also contrasted with √NIP “small (usually with connotation of weakness)” (VT48/18), from which the word S. niben “petty” was derived, as in S. Nogoth Niben (WJ/388).

Neo-Eldarin: For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I would assume √NIK meant “small” in a neutral sense, √PIK “tiny” (along with variants √PĪ and √PIN) and √NIP “small and weak”. I would use these as the major Eldarin roots for “small” words, along with a number of other more specialized roots.

win

root. young, young, [ᴹ√] new, fresh

Tolkien used a similar set of Elvish roots for “youth” and “freshness” for many years. The earliest of these was primitive guı̯u̯ or gu̯iu̯ [ᴱ√GWIWI] in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like G. gui “just, just now, only just, already”, G. guin “recent, fresh”, and G. gwioth “youth” (GL/42). This root reappeared as ᴹ√WIR “new, fresh, young” in The Etymologies of the 1930s with variants ᴹ√WĪ and ᴹ√WIN and derivatives ᴹQ. vírie “youth” and ᴹQ. virya “fresh” (EtyAC/WIR). The ᴹ√WIN variant had derivatives ᴹQ. vinya/N. gwîn “young”. Tolkien considered, but rejected, deriving these from strengthened ᴹ√GWIN instead, producing (also rejected) ᴹQ. winya/N. bîn (EtyAC/GWIN).

Q. vinya appeared in quite a few later names with the gloss “young” or “new”, but the Sindarin form became S. gwain as in S. Narwain “January, ✱(lit.) New Fire” (LotR/1110) and S. Iarwain “Old-young” (LotR/1114; RC/128). In Definitive Linguistic Notes (DLN) from 1959, both were given as derivatives of √WIN “young” along with Q. víne/S. gwîn “youth”, though the Sindarin word for “young” was given as (archaic?) gwein (PE17/191). Also related are various words for “baby” from 1968 notes such Q. †wine/S. gwinig “little-one, baby” (VT48/6). In these notes primitive wini was glossed “little” but this was deleted (VT47/26), making it likely that the earlier senses “young, new” were restored for √WIN.

As for the 1930s root ᴹ√WIR, it might have survived as an element in the month names Q. Víressë/S. Gwirith “April” (LotR/1110), perhaps meaning “✱freshness”.

-i(n)ki

suffix. diminutive suffix

khan

root. brother

A root for “brother” that Tolkien introduced in notes on finger-names from the late 1960s as a companion to √NETH “sister” (VT47/14, 26, 34). It conflicts with, and possibly replaces, earlier uses for √KHAN such as √KHAN “back” in notes from around 1959 serving as the basis for the prefix Q. han- in hanquenta “answer” (PE17/166). The root ᴹ√KHAN also appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “understand, comprehend”, with various derivatives in both Quenya and Noldorin of similar meaning (Ety/KHAN).

It is unlikely that all these uses of √KHAN coexisted, but I think at a minimum both √KHAN “brother” and ᴹ√KHAN “understand, comprehend” should be retained for the purposes of Neo-Eldarin, as the latter has no good replacements in Tolkien’s later writing. As for hanquenta “answer”, it might be reinterpreted as “a saying providing understanding”, and so be derived from ᴹ√KHAN “understand”.

lepe

noun. finger

am

root. mother

For most of Tolkien’s life, the Primitive Elvish root for “mother” was √AM. This began with the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, where Tolkien gave the root as ᴱ√AMA (QL/30). In The Etymologies of the 1930s it was ᴹ√AM with derivatives ᴹQ. amil and (archaic) N. emil “mother” (Ety/AM¹). In Quenya prayers of the 1950s, the word for mother was Q. Amille. In the last few years of his life, however, Tolkien toyed with the notion of changing this root to √EM. In notes associated with Eldarinwe Leperi are Notessi written in the late 1960s, Tolkien first gave the root as am, but then wrote em next to it with a question mark, along with several new em-derivatives (VT48/19 note #16). The Q. affectionate word emme for “mommy” appeared in the main article, indicating Tolkien did, in fact, adopt this new root, at least for some period of time.

Neo-Eldarin: For purposes of Neo-Quenya writing, I personally prefer to ignore this late change to the root for “mother” and stick with the √AM-forms Tolkien used for most of his life. However, the √AM-forms were less stable in the Sindarin branch of the languages, so I’d use √EM-forms like S. emel and emig, and would assume √AM and √EM were variants of the root, as they were on VT48/19 (see above).

amal

noun. mother

amas

noun. mother

amma

noun. mother

amme

noun. mother

at(ar)

root. father

As the basis for “father” words, √AT and its extended form √ATAR date all the way back to Tolkien’s earliest ideas. The root itself did not explicitly appear in the Qenya or Gnomish Lexicons of the 1910s, but forms like ᴱQ. atar, G. †ador “father” indicate its presence (QL/33; GL/17). The root ᴹ√ATA “father” did appear in The Etymologies of the 1930s with derivatives ᴹQ. atar, N. adar (Ety/ATA) and the base √AT(AR) “father” was mentioned again in late 1960s notes on Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals (VT48/19). In this late period, the Elvish words for “father” remained Q. atar and S. adar (PM/324).

atar

noun. father

elen

noun. star

em

root. mother

emel

noun. mother

emer

noun. mother

leper

noun. finger

lepero

noun. finger

nimpĭ

adjective. small

ninkĭ

adjective. small

nis

root. woman

This root first appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s as ᴹ√NIS “woman”, an extension of ᴹ√NĪ “female” (Ety/NIS). It also had a strengthened form ᴹ√NDIS, unglossed but apparently meaning “bride” based on its derivatives ᴹQ. indis/N. dîs of that meaning (Ety/NDIS). Unstrengthened ᴹ√NIS seems to have survived only in Quenya as the basis for ᴹQ. nis (niss-) “woman”, but this word was also blended with ✱ndis-sē to produce a longer form nisse of the same meaning.

In Tolkien’s later writings, both short Q. nís and longer nissë appeared as words for “woman” (MR/213; VT47/33) and Q. indis reappeared as well, though glossed “wife” (UT/8). As primitive forms, both unstrengthened √nis (VT47/33) and strengthened ✶ndī̆s “woman” also appeared in later writings, the latter given as the feminine equivalent of ✶[[p|n[d]ēr]] “man” (PE19/102).

sīru

noun. stream

ēl

noun. star

tithen

adjective. little, tiny

An adjective appearing as tithen “little, tiny” in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√TIT (Ety/PIK). In notes on The Feanorian Alphabet from the 1930s and 1940s, Tolkien had mutated dithen in awae-dithen “little awae” (PE22/31; PE23/52). In drafts of The Lord of the Rings from the 1940s, Tolkien had the name S. Caradras dilthen “Little Redway” (RS/462 note #4).

Conceptual Development: In the Early Noldorin Grammar of the 1920s, Tolkien had ᴱN. ligen “small” as well as ᴱN. tidig “little (of amount)” (PE13/125). Early Noldorin word-lists of this same period has ᴱN. lhigin “small” and ᴱN. lhigen “few, little” (PE13/149).

tithen

adjective. little, tiny

lhebed

noun. finger

ada

noun. father, daddy

adar

noun. father

adar

noun. father

bess

noun. (young) woman

bess

noun. wife

dess

noun. young woman

dî

noun. woman, lady

el

noun. star

emil

noun. mother

emil

noun. mother

geil

noun. star, bright spark

geil

noun. star

giliath

noun. all the host of stars

gwador

noun. brother (especially used of those not brothers by blood, but sworn brothers or associates)

gwend

noun. maiden

gwenn

noun. maiden

gwenn

noun. maiden

gwîn

adjective. young

lhaes

noun. babe

lhaes

noun. babe

A noun appearing as N. lhaes “babe” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from the root ᴹ√LAP (Ety/KEM).

Neo-Sindarin: This word is sometimes adapted to Neo-Sindarin as ᴺS. laes, for example in HSD (HSD). This updated form is the usual revision of the voiceless initial lh of Noldorin to voiced l in Sindarin. However, this is not the only phonological difficulty in this word. For example, there is some evidence that in Sindarin, the vocalization of spirantalized p is to u rather than i, suggesting ᴺS. ✱laus. There is also evidence that voiceless stops didn’t vocalize before s in Sindarin, but rather became simple spirants, as in ach “neck” < aks, suggesting instead ✱laph. In this case, I think it is best to avoid all these complexities and just use the 1968 word S. gwinig for “baby”.

lhebed

noun. finger

Tolkien later seems to have replaced this form by leber

mithren

adjective. small

muindor

noun. brother

muindor

noun. brother

mîw

adjective. small, tiny, frail

nana

noun. mother, mummy

naneth

noun. mother

naneth

noun. mother

A noun for “mother” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from the (Noldorin-only?) root ᴹ√NAN (Ety/NAN). It apparently replaced archaic/poetic N. †emil (Ety/AM¹; EtyAC/AM¹).

Conceptual Development: The Gnomish Lexicon had a similar set of words for “mother”: G. maba, mabir, baba, and mavwin from the early root ᴱ√maƀ “something nice” (GL/57). The last of these appeared as G. mavwen “ancestress” in the Gnomish Lexicon Slips modifying that document, with an archaic meaning of “mother” and variant forms mafwyn and mavuin (PE13/115). In these slips, it seems the normal “mother” word was G. nân (originally glossed “father”) with variant nanwin (PE13/115). This last word is likely the direct precursor of N. naneth.

Neo-Sindarin: I would use S. emel from the late 1960s as the normal word for “mother” in Neo-Sindarin, but would retain N. naneth as a dialectical or more formal variant.

neth

adjective. young

neth

adjective. young

irregular, compare: tathor @@@

pigen

adjective. tiny

pigen

adjective. tiny

An adjective in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from ON. pikina “tiny” under the root ᴹ√PIK (Ety/PIK).

tôr

noun. brother

The word muindor is more usual

tôr

noun. brother

An (archaic) word for “brother” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from the root ᴹ√TOR of the same meaning, with an irregular plural terein (Ety/TOR). In ordinary speech, it was replaced by muindor, with an initial element muin “dear”.

Neo-Sindarin: In notes from the late 1960s, Tolkien introduced a new word hanar for “brother” (VT47/14). However, I think †tôr and related words might be retained to mean a “metaphorical brother”, a close male associate who may or may not be related by blood, as with such words as gwador “(sworn) brother, associate”. In this paradigm, I would assume muindor still refers to a brother by blood, with an added connotation of strong affection.

nícë

noun. little finger

pincë

noun. little-one, baby

winicë

noun. little-one, baby

netticë

noun. sister (diminutive)

nettë

noun. sister (diminutive)

atta

noun. father

elen

noun. star

emmë

noun. mother

hanna

noun. brother

háno

noun. brother

leper

noun. finger

linda

noun. Teler

él

noun. star

ammê

noun. mother

A noun for “mother” (SD/434). Tolkien gave two forms of this word, ammî and ammê, with no indication as to which would be preferred. However, ammî resembles a plural word, and Tolkien elsewhere stated that such forms tended to change their final vowel to -ê (SD/438), so my guess is that ammî is an archaic form. This word is probably related to the Elvish root √AM “mother”. Some authors have suggested it is directly related to ᴹQ. amme (AAD/10, AL/Adûnaic), but as Andreas Moehn points out (EotAL/MAM) such basic words are rarely borrowed from other languages, so the relationship is more likely from the Primitive Elvish root.

attô

noun. father

A noun for “father” (SD/434). Tolkien gave two forms of this word, attû and attô, with no indication as to which would be preferred. For reasons similar to those given in the entry for ammê “mother”, my guess is that attû is an archaic form, and attô was preferred by the time of Classical Adûnaic. This word is probably related to the Elvish root √AT(AR) “father”, perhaps from Primitive Elvish ᴹ✶atū.

kali

noun. woman

A noun translated “woman” (SD/434).

miya

noun. infant

A noun attested only in its dual form miyât “(infant) twins” (SD/427). Its masculine and feminine equivalents are mîk and mîth.