The Quenya word for “eleven” dating all the way back to the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s (PE17/95; VT48/6-8; Ety/MINI; PE14/49, 82; QL/61). In Eldarinwe Leperi are Notessi (ELN) from 1968 Tolkien said it was a combination √MIN “first” and √KEWE “new, fresh”, so originally meaning “the start (first) of a new decade, another min” (VT48/7).
Quenya
minquë
cardinal. eleven
minquë
cardinal. eleven
miqu-
verb. to kiss
miqu- vb. "to kiss", the pa.t. minquë ("q") is cited, not to be confused with the cardinal minquë "eleven" (QL:61). Also miquë ("q")noun "a kiss". Old plural form miquilis ("q") "kisses" (MC:215; this is "Qenya")
miquë
noun. kiss
canaquë
cardinal. fourteen
canaquë ("k, kw") cardinal "fourteen" (VT48:21).The spelling "kanakwe" occurring in the primary source could suggest that this is really a Common Eldarin form; if so, one could theorize that the Quenya form would be canquë with syncope of the middle vowel (the same source lists "minikwe" as a word for 11, and the Quenya form is known to be minque rather than **miniquë**). On the other hand, in the same source "tolokwe" as a word for 18 is listed together with definite Quenya forms and is apparently an unorthodox spelling of toloquë** (as observed by the editor): Here no syncope producing *tolquë occurs.
nelequë
cardinal. thirteen
?nelequë ("kw") cardinal "thirteen" (VT48:21). The spelling "nelekwe" occurring in the primary source could suggest that this is really a Common Eldarin form; if so, one could theorize that the Quenya form would be *nelquë with syncope of the middle vowel (the same source lists "minikwe" as a word for 11, and the Quenya form is known to be minque). Compare nelquëa*. On the other hand, "tolokwe" as a word for 18 is listed together with definite Quenya forms and is apparently an unorthodox spelling of toloquë** (as observed by the editor); here no syncope producing *tolquë occurs. Thus toloquë could support ?nelequë as the Quenya word (but because of the uncertainties, yunquentë may be preferred as the word for 13).
yunquë
cardinal. twelve
The ordinary Quenya word for “twelve”, whose use dates back to at least the Early Qenya Grammar (EQG) of the 1920s (PE14/49, 82). In notes on Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals (HFN) from 1968, Tolkien said its primitive form ✶yūnekē was an elaboration of √ENEK “six” meaning “two (or both) sixes” (VT47/41; VT48/9-10). In Quenya it then picked up a w so that k > kw, either under the influence of minquë “eleven” (VT48/7) or from dual we (VT48/10). Compare also suffixal [ᴹQ.] -rasta “twelve” in duodecimal counting words like yurasta “twenty four” = “✱two twelves”.
yuncë
cardinal. twelve
yuncë ("k") cardinal "twelve", before it was altered to yunquë under the influence of minquë "eleven" (according to VT48:7, 8). The form yuncë is asterisked by Tolkien. Compare encë under enquë.
nelquëa
cardinal. thirteen
nelquëa, cardinal "thirteen" (?) (VT48:21). This looks like an odd form next to other cardinals that simply end in -quë (like lepenquë, enenquë, otoquë = 15, 16, 17), and the form "nelekwe" also listed may indicate another Quenya form nelequë (q.v.) or *nelquë (but because of the uncertainties, yunquentë may be preferred as the word for 13). By another theory, nelquëa* is the ordinal "thirteenth", corresponding to the cardinal nel(e)quë**.
quaican
cardinal. fourteen
quaican, cardinal "fourteen" (but *canaquë may be preferred) (VT48:21)
quainel
cardinal. thirteen
quainel, cardinal "thirteen" (but yunquentë may be preferred) (VT48:21)
rasta
cardinal. twelve
#rasta cardinal "twelve" (isolated from yurasta_ "24", two times 12; cf. the stem RÁSAT "twelve" listed in the Etymologies). See yunquë. (PE14:17)_
yunquenta
cardinal. thirteen
yunquenta cardinal "thirteen" (12 and one more) (VT47:15), variant yunquentë (VT47:40), compare entë #1.
yunquentë
cardinal. thirteen
yunquë
cardinal. twelve
yunquë ("q") cardinal "twelve" (VT47:41, VT48:4, 6, 9; VT49:57; also compare the stem yunuk(w)-_ cited in VT42:24, 31). This word appears already in an early source (PE14:82)_. Some sources point to #rasta, q.v., as another word for "twelve". However, available post-LotR sources indicate that Tolkien intended yunquë as the regular Quenya word for "twelve".
yurasta
cardinal. twelve
yurasta cardinal "24" (two times #rasta "twelve") (PE14:17)
minquë ("q") cardinal "eleven" (MINIK-W, LT1:260, VT48:4, 6, 8, VT49:57). Not to be confused with minquë as the pa.t. of miqu- "to kiss", q.v. Etymology discussed, VT48:7, 8 (where the unorthodox spelling "minkwe" occurs besides "minque").