melindo

lover

melindo noun "lover" (m.) (MEL)

melissë

lover

melissë noun "lover" (f.) (MEL)

meneldil

noun. astronomer, *(lit.) lover of the heavens

A term for “astronomer” appearing in a 1967 letter to Mr. Rang, a combination of the word Q. menel “the heavens” with the suffix -(n)dil “-lover”, so more literally “✱lover of the heavens” (though specifically “love” as in “deep interest in”). It also appeared as the proper name Q. Meneldil, the third king of Gondor (LotR/1038).

aiwendil

masculine name. Lover of Birds

The Quenya name of Radagast (UT/393). Christopher Tolkien translated the name as “Lover of Birds” (UT/401), a compound of aiwë “bird” and -(n)dil “-lover”.

amandil

masculine name. Lover of Aman

Tar-Amandil was the third ruler of Númenor (UTI/219). Many centuries later a second, more famous, Amandil was the last lord of Andúnië and the father of Elendil, and was therefore ancestor of the kings of Gondor and Arnor (LotR/1035-6, S/271-3). This name is a compound of Aman and the suffix -(n)dil “lover”, and thus means “Lover of Aman”.

Conceptual Development: When this character first appeared in the “Lost Road”, his name was ᴹQ. Elendil “Elf-friend”, while his son was called ᴹQ. Herendil (LR/57). In “The Notion Club Papers”, the character was given the Adûnaic name Ad. Arbazân >> Aphanuzîr, while his son was named Ad. Nimruzân >> Nimruzîr “Elf-friend” (SD/389-90), so the meaning of the father’s name shifted to his son. The contemporaneous Quenya names for the characters also shifted to ᴹQ. Amardil and ᴹQ. Elendil (SD/356). The final form Amandil did not appear until quite late in the development of the Akallabêth (SD/382).

anardil

masculine name. *Lover of the Sun

The given name of Tar-Aldarion (UT/219), and also the name of the sixth king of Gondor (LotR/1038). This name seems to be a compound Anar “Sun” and -(n)dil “-lover”. This name also appeared in the form Anardilya (UT/174), as an endearment spoken to the young Tar-Aldarion by his grandfather Vëantur.

ciryandil

masculine name. *Ship Lover

The 14th king of Gondor (LotR/1038). This name is probably a compound of cirya “ship” and the suffix -(n)dil “-friend, -lover”.

eärendil

masculine name. Lover of the Sea

The great mariner who took the Silmaril of Beren to Valinórë, thereby instigating the Valar’s liberation of Beleriand and the final defeat of Morgoth (S/246). His name was a compound of ëar “sea” and the suffix -(n)dil “-friend, -lover” (SA/ëar, (n)dil).

Conceptual Development: This was one of the oldest and most important names in Tolkien’s legendarium. Tolkien admitted that the name was inspired by the Anglo-Saxon word éarendel “ray of light” (Let/150, 385). In fact, the first form of this name in the Lost Tales was ᴱQ. Earendel (LT1/13), often spelt Earendl in Tolkien’s early linguistic notes (QL/34, PE13/99). At this stage the name seems to derive from ᴱQ. earen (earend-) “eagle, eyrie” (QL/34), though the “dialectical form” Yarendl was archaically used for “mariner” (QL/105).

The name remained ᴹQ. Earendel in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (LR/326) and up through Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s (RS/215, TI/99, WR/223 note #29). The name’s association with the Sea did not emerge until Tolkien wrote the (unfinished) “Notion Club Papers” story in the mid-1940s, at which point its form changed to ᴹQ. Earendil (SM/237, 241) and so remained thereafter.

siriondil

masculine name. *Sirion-lover

The 11th king of Gondor (LotR/1038), as well as the name of the father of Eärnil II (LotR/1050). This name seems to be a compound of the river name S. Sirion and the suffix -(n)dil “-friend, -lover”.

telumendil

proper name. *Sky-lover

The name of a constellation (S/48), a compound telumë “roof, canopy” = “sky” and the suffix -(n)dil “-friend, -lover”.

Urundil

copper-lover

Urundil masc. name, "copper-lover" (PM:365); this may suggest #urun as one word for "copper", unless this is the ending -ndil "friend, lover" suffixed to #uru- as a reduced form of urus, q.v.

meldo

friend, lover

meldo noun "friend, lover". _(VT45:34, quoting a deleted entry in the Etymologies, but cf. the pl. #_meldor in Eldameldor "Elf-lovers", WJ:412) **Meldonya *"my friend" (VT49:38, 40). It may be that meldo is the distinctly masculine form, corresponding to feminine #meldë** (q.v.)

urundil

masculine name. Copper-lover

A sobriquet of the father of Nerdanel in notes from 1968 (PM/366). This name is a compound of the root √URUN “copper” and the suffix -(n)dil “-friend, -lover”.

-(n)dil

suffix. -friend, -lover; devotion, disinterested love

aldanil

masculine name. Lover of Trees

A name appearing only in some linguistic notes from the 1950s, beside variant form Alandil (PE21/83).

eärnil

masculine name. *Lover of the Sea

The name of the 13th and 32nd kings of Gondor (LotR/1038), it is essentially a shorter form of Eärendil, with the same elements (SA/(n)dil).

meneldil

masculine name. *Lover of the Heavens

The 3rd king of Gondor (LotR/1038), his name was a compound of menel “the heavens” and -(n)dil “-friend” (PE17/152). Tolkien wrote that this name could be interpreted as “astronomer” (Let/386), meaning something like “one interested in the heavens as a matter of lore”.

meldo

noun. friend, lover

-dil

suffix. -friend, -lover

-nil

suffix. -friend, -lover

valandil

masculine name. Lover of the Valar

The first lord of Andúnië (LotR/1035) and the third king of Arnor (LotR/1038). This name is a compound of Vala and the suffix -(n)dil “-friend” (Let/386).

Conceptual Development: In the early stories of the Fall of Númenor, the name ᴹQ. Valandil was given to the brother or father of Elendil (LR/33, 60) and in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s it was sometimes used as the name of Elendil himself (RS/169, 270-1). In these early writings, this name was glossed “God-friend” (LR/60), and it also appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√N(D)IL with the gloss “Godwine” (EtyAC/NIL).

aiwë

noun. (small) bird

A noun meaning “(small) bird” (SA/lin¹, Ety/AIWĒ), appearing in Radagast’s Quenya name Aiwendil “Lover of Birds” (UT/401). It was derived from primitive ᴹ✶aiwē like its Sindarin cognate aew (Ety/AIWĒ).

Conceptual Development: In the Gnomish Lexicon from the 1910s, ᴱQ. aiwe appeared as the cognate of G. aigli “bird” (GL/17), but in Early Noldorin notes from the 1920s, the cognate of ᴱN. aiw “bird” was given as ᴱQ. oive (PE13/136, 158) or oi(we) (PE13/132). A similar form oio (stem oiw-) appeared in notes on the Declension of Nouns from the early 1930s (PE21/12). In The Etymologies from the mid-1930s, the form ᴹQ. aiwe was restored (Ety/AIWĒ), and this is the source of the derivation given above.

Elendil

star-friend

Elendil masc. name"Star-friend", "Lover or student of stars", applied to those devoted to astronomical lore. However, when the Edain used this name they intended it to mean "Elf-friend", confusing elen "star" and elda "elf" (WJ:410). (This idea that the name was misapplied seems to be late; Tolken earlier interpreted the name as an ancient compound Eled + ndil so that the meaning really was "Elf-friend"; see Letters:386. See also NIL/NDIL in the Etymologies, where Elendil is equated with "Ælfwine", Elf-friend.) Allative Elendilenna "to Elendil" (PM:401); Elendil Vorondo genitive of Elendil Voronda "Elendil the Steadfast" _(CO) Pl. Elendili the Númenórean Elf-friends (Silm)_; the variant Elendilli in SD:403 would seem to presuppose a stem-form Elendill- not attested elsewhere. Tar-Elendil a Númenorean king, UT:210.

aiwë

(small) bird

aiwë noun "(small) bird" (AIWĒ, SA:lin #1); Aiwendil "Lover of Birds" (UT:401)

eldandil

masculine name. Elf-friend

A term meaning “Elf-friend”, but implying an interest in them as a subject of lore (WJ/412). This name is a compound of Elda “Elf” and the suffix -(n)dil “-friend”.

quendil

masculine name. Elf-friend

A term translated as “Elf-friend” (WJ/410), but more accurately describing those concerned with the lore of Elven-kind (WJ/412). This name is a compound Quendë “Elf” and the suffix -(n)dil “friend”. It also appear in the longer form Quendendil.

-ndil

friend

-ndil (also -dil) ending occurring in many names, like Amandil, Eärendil; it implies devotion or disinterested love and may be translated "friend" (SA:(noun)dil); this ending is "describing the attitude of one to a person, thing, course or occupation to which one is devoted for its own sake" (Letters:386). Compare -ndur. It is unclear whether the names derived with the ending -ndil are necessarily masculine, though we have no certain example of a woman's name in -ndil; the name Vardilmë (q.v.) may suggest that the corresponding feminine ending is -(n)dilmë.

-ndur

friend

-ndur (also -dur), ending in some names, like Eärendur; as noted by Christopher Tolkien in the Silmarillion Appendix it has much the same meaning as -ndil "friend"; yet -ndur properly means "servant of" (SA:(noun)dil), "as one serves a legitimate master: cf. Q. arandil king's friend, royalist, beside arandur 'king's servant, minister'. But these often coincide: e.g. Sam's relation to Frodo can be viewed either as in status -ndur, in spirit -ndil." (Letters:286)

-ser

friend

-ser noun "friend" (SER)

Eldandil

elf-friend

Eldandil (pl. Eldandili in WJ:412) noun "Elf-friend" (by the Edain confused with Elendil, properly "Star-friend") (WJ:410)

Quendendil

elf-friend

Quendendil (also contracted Quendil; pl. Quendili in WJ:410) masc. name "Elf-friend" (WJ:410)

heldo

friend

[heldo, also helmo, fem. heldë, noun "friend" (VT46:3)]

meldë

friend

#meldë noun "friend", feminine (meldenya "my friend" in the Elaine inscription [VT49:40], Tolkien referring to Elaine Griffiths). Compare meldo.

málo

noun. friend

friend, comrade

málo

friend

málo noun "friend" (MEL, VT49:22)

nildo

friend

nildo noun "friend" (apparently masc.; contrast nildë) (NIL/NDIL)

nildë

friend

nildë noun "friend" (fem.) (NIL/NDIL)

nilmo

friend

nilmo noun "friend" (apparently masc.) (NIL/NDIL)

sermo

friend

sermo noun "friend" (evidently masc., since sermë is stated to be fem.) (SER)

sermë

friend

sermë noun "friend" (fem.) (SER)

seron

friend

seron noun "friend" (SER)

sondo

friend

[sondo noun "friend" (VT46:15)]

seron

noun. lover

seron

noun. lover

gaerdil

masculine name. *Sea-lover

Sindarin equivalent of Eärendil, also appearing as Gaerdil(i)on, Gaerdilnir amd Gaerennil (PE17/19, 27). This name contains gaer “sea” and the suffix -dil “friend, lover”.

-dil

suffix. friend, lover

gelennil

masculine name. Lover of Trees

A name appearing only in some linguistic notes from the 1950s, beside variant form Gleðennil (PE21/83).

-nil

suffix. friend, lover

seron aearon

Sea-lover

melethril

lover

1. (fem.) melethril (i velethril), no distinct pl. form except with article (i melethril), coll. pl. melethrillath. 2) (masc.) melethron (i velethron), pl. melethryn (i melethryn), coll. pl. melethronnath. Also (when lover = ”friend”) mellon (i vellon), pl. mellyn (i mellyn). Coll. pl. mellonnath.

melethron

lover

(i velethron), pl. melethryn (i melethryn), coll. pl. melethronnath. Also (when lover = ”friend”)  mellon (i vellon), pl. mellyn (i mellyn). Coll. pl. mellonnath.

melethor

noun. lover

melethril

lover

(i velethril), no distinct pl. form except with article (i melethril), coll. pl. melethrillath.

mellon

friend

1. (masc.) mellon (i vellon) (lover), pl. mellyn (i mellyn), coll. pl. mellonnath. Also meldir (i veldir), no distinct pl. form except with article (i meldir). Also seron (i heron, o seron), pl. seryn (i seryn), coll. pl. seronnath. 2) (fem.) meldis (i veldis), no distinct pl. form except with article (i meldis), coll. pl. meldissath.

mellon

friend

(i vellon) (lover), pl. mellyn (i mellyn), coll. pl. mellonnath. Also meldir (i veldir), no distinct pl. form except with article (i meldir). Also seron (i heron, o seron), pl. seryn (i seryn), coll. pl. seronnath.

mellon

noun. friend

aew

noun. (small) bird

A noun meaning “(small) bird” (SA/lin¹, Ety/AIWĒ), appearing in the name Linaewen “Lake of Birds” (S/119, UT/401). It was derived from primitive ᴹ✶aiwē like its Quenta cognate aiwë (Ety/AIWĒ), with the primitive diphthong ai becoming the ae in Sindarin.

Conceptual Development: In the Gnomish Lexicon from the 1910s, G. aigli “bird” was given as a derivative of the root ᴱ√aı̯, though in this early iteration Tolkien said it especially applied to larger instead of smaller birds (GL/17). In Early Noldorin notes from the 1920s, it became ᴱN. aiw “bird” (PE13/136, 158). In The Etymologies from the 1930s, the form became N. aew “(small) bird” (Ety/AIWĒ), and this is the source of the derivation given above.

mellon

noun. friend

mellon

noun. friend

_ n. _friend. Pedo mellon a minno! 'Say friend and enter'. 

elvellon

elf-friend

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

meldis

friend

(i veldis), no distinct pl. form except with article (i meldis), coll. pl. meldissath.

melethril

noun. lover

melethron

noun. lover

melethril

noun. lover (f.)

melethron

noun. lover (m.)

meldis

noun. friend (f.)

mellon

noun. friend

aew

noun. (small) bird

elf

noun. friend

meldir

noun. friend

meldis

noun. friend

mellon

noun. friend

thond

noun. friend

pharazîr

masculine name. *Sea-lover

The first version of the Adûnaic name of Q. Eärendil (SD/305), quickly rejected and replaced by Azrabêl, later Azrubêl. Its rejected elements have the same meaning as Azrubêl. Interestingly, the suffix -zîr “-lover” reappeared in the later names Aphanuzîr and Nimruzîr, though as derivations of zîr- instead of iri-. The word pharaz also reappeared later with the meaning “gold”.

azrubêl

masculine name. Sea-lover, Friend of the Sea

The Adûnaic name of Q. Eärendil, having a similar meaning “Friend of the Sea” (SD/359). The first element is the objective form of azra “sea” and the second is an agental-formation for the verb stem bêl- (PM/373). An earlier version of this name, Azrabêl, predates Tolkien’s invention the objective case for Adûnaic (SD/359).

Conceptual Development: The first Adûnaic name given to this character was Pharazîr (SD/305).

nimruzîr

noun. Elf-friend

A noun meaning “Elf-friend”, attested only in the (subjective) plural form Nimruzîrim (PM/151). It is identical to the Adûnaic name Nimruzîr of Q. Elendil, which had the same meaning.

Conceptual Development: An earlier name for the faithful Númenóreans was Avaltiri (SD/347).

gala(da)ndil

masculine name. Lover of Trees

elendīl

masculine name. Star-lover