mo

one, someone, anyone

mo, indefinite pronoun "one, someone, anyone" (VT42:34, VT49:19, 20, 26)

mo

pronoun. one, anyone, someone, somebody

mo

somebody, one

morwë

masculine name. Morwë

An ancient leader among the Avari (MR/81). His name seems to be a combination of the element √MOR “black” and the suffix -wë common in ancient names.

Moryo

moryo

Moryo see Morifinwë under mori-

moriquendi

collective name. Elves of the Darkness, (lit.) Dark Elves

Originally, this term was used for the Elves who never saw the light of the Two Trees of Valinor (S/51, WJ/361). Later, the meaning of this term was modified to exclude the Sindar, and so became more or less equivalent to Avari (WJ/373, SI/Moriquendi). It is a compound of morë (mori-) “darkness” and the plural of Quendë “Elf”.

Conceptual Development: One of the earliest name for the Dark Elves may have been ᴱQ. Hisildi “Twilight People” (LT1/232). The term ᴹQ. Moriqendi first appeared in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (LR/197). It also appeared in The Etymologies, with the same derivation as given above (Ety/MOR). In this earlier period, Tolkien also used the terms ᴹQ. Moreldar and ᴹQ. Morimor for “Dark-elves” (LR/197, 405; Ety/MOR).

A singular form, Moriq(u)en, appeared in linguistic notes from the 1930s and 1940s (PE19/59; PE21/69), as an illustration of the loss of short final vowels in trisyllabic or longer words. A longer singular form Moriquende, reformed from the independent word Quendë, also appeared (PE19/59).

mormacil

masculine name. Black Sword

The Quenya equivalent of Mormegil (MR/216). It is a combination of the element √MOR “black” and macil “sword”.

Conceptual Development: The name ᴱQ. Mormakil dates back to the earliest Lost Tales where it had the same meaning (LT2/84). ᴹQ. Mormakil appeared in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (SM/29, 304) and The Etymologies, which is the source of the derivation as given above (Ety/MAK). The Quenya form was not used in the published version of The Silmarillion, however.

morifinwë

masculine name. Dark Finwë

The father-name of Caranthir (PM/353). It is a compound of morë (mori-) “dark” and the name of is grandfather Finwë, in reference to his black hair. The short form of this name was Moryo.

morikotto

masculine name. *Dark Enemy

The Quenya equivalent of S. Morgoth (VT49/24). It is a compound of morë (mori-) “dark” and cotto “enemy”. It is unlikely this name was much used, and is interesting primarily in shining a light on the etymology of Morgoth.

Conceptual Development: @@@ finish after completing phonology.

morimaitë

adjective. black-handed

A word for “black-handed” in Treebeard’s description of orcs, a combination of Q. morë (mori-) “black” and Q. maitë “handed” (LotR/979; PE17/110). This description was literal rather than figurative (NM/176). ᴹQ. morimaite was already the form Tolkien used in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s (SD/68).

mornië

noun. darkness, blackness

A word for “darkness” or “blackness” appear in the Namárië, a noun form of morna “black, dark” (LotR/377; PE17/73).

morë

noun/adjective. dark, black; darkness, night, dark, black; darkness, [ᴹQ.] blackness, [Q.] night

A word meaning both “dark” and “black” in various compounds, sometimes also functioning as a noun “darkness”. It was derived from primitive ✶mori based on the root √MOR (Let/382).

Conceptual Development: This word has a long history in Tolkien’s languages. It first appeared as ᴱQ. {mōre >>} mōri “night” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s from the early root ᴱ√MORO (QL/62), also appearing as mōre “night” in the contemporaneous Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/63). The word mōre was used as “darkness” in the Oilima Markirya poem written around 1930 (MC/214).

In The Etymologies of the 1930s there were two distinct forms: noun ᴹQ. móre “blackness, dark, night” from primitive ᴹ✶mǭri and adjective ᴹQ. more “blackness, dark, night” from primitive from primitive ᴹ✶mori (Ety/MOR; EtyAC/MOR), though the adjective prefix mori- was frequently translated “dark” in contemporaneous compounds: ᴹQ. Morimando “Dark Mando”, ᴹQ. Moriqendi “Dark Elves”, etc. In later writings, the forms with long ó were no longer used, though whether this was intentional or a coincidence is unclear.

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would mainly use more as an adjective with the sense “dark”, reserving for the colour “black” the word morna instead. For the noun form, I’d use mornië, but I sometimes use mori- or móri- for “night” in compounds as the time of darkness.

motto

noun. fen, marsh, fen, marsh; [ᴹQ.] blot

The word ᴹQ. motto first appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s with the gloss “blot” as a derivative of the root ᴹ√MBOTH (Ety/MBOTH). It reappeared in Quenya Notes (QN) from 1957 as a derivative of √MOT “fen, marsh”, apparently of the same meaning. Its 1957 Sindarin form both < mbotto implies the root may have been √M(B)OT. For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I’d keep both the 1957 and 1930s senses, as derivations of slightly different roots.

morinehtar

masculine name. Darkness-slayer

A later name of one of the S. Ithryn Luin “Blue Wizards” (PM/384). It is a compound of morë (mori-) “darkness” and nehtar “slayer”.

Mormacil

black-sword

Mormacil ("k")noun "Black-sword" (name of Túrin, Sindarin Mormegil) (MAK)

moalin

sheepfold

moalin (moalind-) noun "sheepfold" (QL:60)

moc-

hate

moc- _("k")_vb. "hate" (given as mocir ["k"] "I hate" in LT1:258; read *mocin if the word is to be adapted to Tolkien's later Quenya)

moia-

labour, be afflicted

moia- vb. "labour, be afflicted" (VT43:31)

moica

gentle, soft

moica ("k")adj. "gentle, soft" (GL:58)

moilë

tarn

moilë noun "tarn" (LT2:349)

moina

familiar, dear

moina (1) adj. "familiar, dear" (MOY (MUY) )

moina

safe, secure

moina (2) adj. "safe, secure" (GL:58; this "Qenya" word is evidently obsoleted by # 1 above. This second moina seems to reappear as muina "hidden, secret" in Tolkien's later Quenya.)

mol-

labour

mol- vb. "labour" (a form mólë also listed is presumably the pa.t. though it could also be "labour" as a noun) (PE17:115)

mor

darkness

mor noun "darkness" (Letters:308; probably just an Elvish "element" rather than a complete word; Namárië has mornië for "darkness")

morco

bear

morco ("k")noun "bear" (MORÓK)

mordo

shadow, obscurity, stain

mordo (1) noun "shadow, obscurity, stain" (MOR)

mordo

warrior, hero

mordo (2) noun "warrior, hero" (LT1:268 - probably obsoleted by # 1 above)

mori

night

mori noun "night" (LT1:261, in Tolkien's later Quenya mórë, morë)

mori-

dark, black

mori- "dark, black" in a number of compounds (independent form morë, q.v.):Morimando "Dark Mando" = Mandos (MBAD, VT45:33), morimaitë "black-handed" (LotR3:VI ch. 6, VT49:42). Moriquendi "Dark Elves" (SA:mor, WJ:361, 373), Moringotto "Black Foe", Sindarin Morgoth, later name of Melkor. The oldest form is said to have been Moriñgotho (MR:194). In late material, Tolkien is seen to consider both Moringotto and Moricotto _("k") _as the Quenya form of the name Morgoth (VT49:24-25; Moricotto also appears in the ablative, Moricottollo). Morion "the dark one", a title of Morgoth (FS). Morifinwë "dark Finwë", masc. name; he was called Caranthir in Sindarin (short Quenya name Moryo). (PM:353) In the name Morinehtar, translated "Darkness-slayer", the initial element is defined would thus seem to signify "darkness" rather than "dark" as an adjective (see mórë). (PM:384, 385)

morilindë

nightingale

morilindë noun "nightingale" (MOR)

morion

son of the dark

morion noun "son of the dark" (LT1:261). In Fíriel's Song, Morion is translated "dark one", referring to Melko(r); this may be a distinct formation not including the patronymic ending -ion "son", but rather the masculine ending -on added to the adjective morë, mori- "dark".

morna

dark, black

morna adj. "dark, black" (Letters:282, LT1:261; also used of black hair, PE17:154), or "gloomy, sombre" (MOR). Used as noun in the phrase mi…morna of someone clad "in…black" (PE17:71). In tumbalemorna (Letters:282), q.v. Pl. mornë in Markirya**(the first version of this poem had "green rocks", MC:215, changed to ondolisse mornë** "upon dark rocks" in the final version; see MC:220, note 8).

mornië

darkness

mornië noun "darkness" (Nam, RGEO:67), "dark, blackness" (PE17:73). Early "Qenya" also has Mornië "Black Grief", "the black ship that plies between Mandos and Erumáni" (LT1:261). This is probably a compound of mor- "black" and nië "tear".

morqua

black

morqua adj. "black" (LT1:261; rather morna in LotR-style Quenya)

moru-

to hide

moru- vb. "to hide" (LT1:261)

morë

black

morë adj. "black" (MOR), "dark, darkness" (Letters:282). In compounds the stem-form mori- (q.v.) appears, since the primitive form was ¤mori.

motto

blot

motto noun "blot" (MBOTH)

moia-

verb. to labour, be afflicted, to be afflicted, *be laboured; to labour

molda

adjective. big, large

mol-

verb. to labour

mondósar

place name. Oxford

morna

adjective. black, dark; black of hair, black, dark; black of hair; [ᴹQ.] sombre, gloomy

Morgot / Morgos

noun. Dark Foe

Dark Foe

Moriquen(de)

noun. dark elf

dark elf

Moriquendi

noun. Elves of the Dark

Elves of the Dark

mondo

noun. ox

morños

masculine name. *Dark Enemy

morĭ

adjective. dark

PQ. dark

Fírimo

mortal

#Fírimo noun "mortal", see fírima

úvanimo

monster (creature of melko[r]) (ban, lt1:272); pl. úvanimor

úvanimo noun "monster (creature of Melko[r]) (BAN, LT1:272); pl. úvanimor "monsters" is attested (UGU/UMU, (GŪ). According to VT45:7, 16 Tolkien did not capitalize the word úvanimo_, though it was so printed in the entries BAN and GŪ in the Etymologies as printed in LR. The (pl.) form _húvanimor was abandoned along with hú rather than ú- as a negative prefix, VT45:17.

úvanimo

noun. monster, corrupt or evil creature

Námo

person, somebody

námo (2) noun "a person, somebody" (PM:340 writers may prefer the synonym quén to avoid confusion with # 1)

Vanimo

the beautiful

Vanimo (pl. Vanimor given), noun "the beautiful", children of the Valar (BAN), or "fair folk" = (men and) elves (UGU/UMU, VT45:17). Negated úvanimor = "monsters".

cotumo

enemy

cotumo ("k")noun "enemy" (KOT > KOTH)

moleculë

noun. molecule

moricalca

noun. obsidian, (lit.) black glass

A neologism for “obsidian” coined by Luinyelle in a 2022 Discord discussion of words for stones, a combination of morë “black” and calca “glass”.

morilúpë

noun. blackbird, (lit.) black plume

A neologism for “blackbird” coined by Tamas Ferencz in 2022, a combination of more “black” and [ᴹQ.] lúpe “plume”.

moritöa

noun. ebony wood

A neologism coined by Tamas Ferencz for “ebony wood”, a combination of Q. morë (mori-) “black” and Q. töa “wood”.

mortavar

noun. ebony, ivory

A neologism coined by Helge Fauskanger in his NQNT (NQNT). He translated it as “ivory”, but the elements of the word are √MOR “dark” and [ᴹQ.] tavar “wood”, so the actual meaning is probably intended to be “ebony”. For “ivory” I recommend instead ᴺQ. ilcaxo.

morteccon

noun. graphite, (lit.) black writing rock

A neologism for “graphite” coined by Luinyelle in a 2022 Discord discussion of words for stones, a combination of morë “black”, [ᴹQ.] tek- “write” and ondo “stone”.

molta-

 verb. "to enslave, enthrall"

moica

adjective. soft, gentle

molindo

noun. worker

molië

noun. labour, work

morendë

noun. midnight

@@@ Discord 2023-01-11

morumbar

adjective. dark-fated

@@@ Discord 2023-01-11

morinóre

t^7T5~N7R noun. black-lands, dark-lands, darklands

pelóri

place name. Mountain Wall, Fencing Heights

The Mountains of Aman surrounding the land of the Valar (S/37). This name was translated as “Mountain Wall” (PE17/26) and “fencing or defensive heights” (WJ/403). It seem to be a combination of pelo “boundary (fence)” and the plural of oro “mountain”.

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 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.

anto

noun. mouth, mouth [as a thing for eating]; [ᴱQ.] jaw

The basic Quenya word for “mouth”, appearing as the name of tengwa #13 (4) in The Lord of the Rings Appendix E (LotR/1123). It is likely derived from the root √MAT “eat” from primitive ✱amtō, and hence refers to the mouth as a thing for eating. Quenya has a number of other more specialized words for the mouth, however, such as Q. pé for the closed mouth, Q. ópa for the mouth opening, Q. songa for the interior of the mouth and Q. náva for the entire mouth apparatus (tongue, lips and teeth) used for speech.

Conceptual Development: ᴹQ. anto “mouth” first appeared in notes on The Feanorian Alphabet from the 1940s, where it replaced ᴹQ. anta “jaws” (PE22/50 note #50). In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, ᴱQ. anto (antu-) was itself glossed “jaw” and was based on the early root ᴱ√MATA “eat” (QL/31, 59).

coron

noun. mound, mound; [ᴹQ] globe, ball

A word glossed “mound” in the name Q. Koron Oiolaire “Mound Ever-summer” in the Quendi and Eldar essay from 1959-60 (SA/coron; WJ/401). In The Etymologies of the 1930s, however, ᴹQ. koron was glossed “globe, ball” and was derived from the root ᴹ√KOR “round” (Ety/KOR). If this was its primary meaning, then perhaps it could also refer to round hills as hemispheres. In The Etymologies, its stem form was korn- as indicated by its (Middle Quenya) genitive kornen, likely the result of the Quenya syncope; the same reduction in inflected forms may have applied to the later version of the word as well.

coron oiolairë

place name. Mound Ever-summer

A fuller name of Corollairë, a combination of coron “mound”, oi(o) “ever” and lairë “summer” (WJ/401).

firya

proper name. Mortal

A shorter variant of Fírima (WJ/219, 387). It is the adjectival form of the root √PHIR produced by the suffix -ya.

Conceptual Development: In The Etymologies, the word ᴹQ. firya is glossed “human” and is derived from the same root ᴹ√PHIR (Ety/PHIR).

firya

adjective. mortal; human, [ᴹQ.] human; [Q.] mortal

An adjective translated as “mortal” appearing only in the proper name Firya “Mortal” used of Men in the Quendi and Eldar essay of 1959-60 (WJ/387). ᴹQ. firya was instead translated as “human” in The Etymologies of the 1930s where it was derived from the root ᴹ√PHIR (Ety/PHIR). I would use firya primarily in this second sense “human”, and for “mortal” would use Q. fírima (WJ/387).

fírima

proper name. Mortal, (lit.) One Apt to Die

A name of Men as mortal beings (S/102, WJ/387). It is the adjective fírima “mortal” used as a noun.

Conceptual Development: In Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, the form of this word was ᴹQ. Fírimo ending with an -o (LR/245). This form also appeared in Fíriel’s Song from the same time period. The form Fírima appeared in the Quendi and Eldar essay from 1959-60 (WJ/387), and this was the form used in the published version of The Silmarillion (S/102).

In later writings, the older form form still appeared, however. The form fírimonnar appeared later in a draft version of Alcar mi Tarmenel na Erun, Tolkien’s partial translation of Gloria in Excelsis Deo from the 1950s, but it was eventually replaced with híni “children [of God]”. Also, fírimor appeared in a draft version of the Ambidexters Sentence from the late 1960s, but it did not appear in the final version. Tolkien seems to have vacillated between Fírimo and Fírima in his later writings, but Fírimo was always replaced with something else, while Fírima was allowed to stand.

fírima

adjective. mortal, *(lit.) able to die

A word for “mortal” appearing in the Quendi and Eldar essay from 1959-60, literally meaning “one apt to die” and based on the root √PHIRI “exhale, expire, breathe out” (WJ/387). It is likely based on the verb fir- “to die”. Like English, it can be used as a both an adjective and a noun. It was used as noun in the Quendi and Eldar essay: Fírimar “Mortals”. In The Etymologies of the 1930s, ᴹQ. fírima “mortal” was simply an adjective derived from the root ᴹ√PHIR (Ety/PHIR).

isil

noun. Moon, (lit.) Sheen

The usual name for the Moon in Quenya, also translated as “Sheen” (LR/240; MR/130), from an augmented form of the root √THIL (Let/425; Ety/THIL). This word is most likely the proper name of the Moon, analogous to English “Luna”. Compare this to Q. Rána “Wayward”, which is more descriptive of the nature of the body and hence closer to “Moon” (and “moon”).

Conceptual Development: The precursor to this name seems to be ᴱQ. Sil (Sill-) “moon” from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, derived from the early root ᴱ√SILI (QL/83). The root had various derivatives having to do with “gleam(ing)”, but in the contemporaneous narratives ᴱQ. Sil was translated “(silver) rose” (LT1/192 and 197 note #17). There was also ᴱQ. Silmo as a masculinized name for “moon” (QL/83), which seems to be the ordinary word for “moon” in the English-Qenya Dictionary of the 1920s (PE15/75).

The name ᴹQ. Isil first appeared in early versions of the tales of Númenor from the 1930s (LR/41). The derivation given above appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s (Ety/THIL) and again in a 1972 letter to Richard Jeffery (Let/425).

isilmë

noun. moonlight

A word loosely translated as “moon” in the Markirya poem of the 1960s (MC/222), but more accurately “moonlight” according to the glossary following the poem (MC/223), perhaps an elaboration of Q. silmë “starlight” under the influence of Q. Isil “moon”.

Conceptual Development: A similar word ᴱQ. silma “a ray of moonlight” appeared in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, derived from the early root ᴱ√SILI which was also the basis for ᴱQ. Sil “moon” (QL/83).

nienor

feminine name. Mourning

The grim birth-name the sister of Túrin, perhaps so named for the grief of her mother Morwen over the loss of her husband Húrin (S/199). The name Nienor is translated as “Mourning” and its initial element is probably be related to [ᴹQ.] nie “tear”. It is possible that this name is Sindarin instead of Quenya (see below).

Conceptual Development: The first name for this character was ᴱQ. Vainóni (LT2/138), but it was soon changed to ᴱQ. Nienóri (LT2/71). The shorter form of this name Nienor first emerged in The Lays of Beleriand from the 1920s, where it was translated for the first time as “Lamentation” (LB/9). Based on contemporaneous notes, however, Tolkien initially considered this be the (Early) Noldorin equivalent of her Qenya name Nenyáre (PE15/61).

In Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, the name Nienor was variously translated as “Sorrowful” (LR/138) or “Mourning” (LR/317). The latter translation was the one used in the published version of The Silmarillion. In The Etymologies from the same period, ᴹQ. nie was “tear” versus N. nîn or nîr, hinting a shift back to Quenya, but since the name Nienor did not itself appear in The Etymologies, this is by no means certain.

oro

noun. mount, mountain, hill

An element meaning “mountain” or “hill” given as a derivative of √ORO/RŌ (PE17/64, 83) and appearing in various Quenya compounds in the 1950s and 60s: Q. Orocarni “Red Mountains” (MR/77), Q. Orofarnë “Mountain Ash” (PE17/83), Q. oromandi “mountain dweller[s]” (PE16/96), and Q. Pelóri “Mountain Wall” (PE17/26). It also appeared as ᴱQ. oro “hill” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s as a derivative of the early root ᴱ√ORO (QL/70).

See the discussion in the entry for Q. oron “mountain” for more details on the conceptual developments of this and related words.

orofarnë

proper name. Mountain Ash; Mountain-dwelling

The name of a tree in Fangorn beloved of the Ent Bregalad (LotR/483). It is a compound of the prefix oro- “mountain” and the word farnë “rowan”, thus meaning “mountain ash” (PE17/83). Elsewhere, Tolkien indicated the name meant “mountain-dwelling” (Let/224), but there is no attested Quenya word far- with a sense like “dwell”.

oroman

noun. mountain dweller

A word appearing only in its plural form oromandi in the 1950s verion of the Q. Nieninquë poem where Tolkien translated it as “mountain dweller” (PE16/96). In the versions of the poem from 1921-1931, ᴱQ. oromandi(n) was translated “wood-elves” (PE16/90, 92) or “wood-spirits” (MC/215).

oron

noun. mountain

A word for “mountain” in Quenya whose stem form was oront-, so that it’s plural would be oronti (Ety/Ety/ÓROT).

Conceptual Development: There were a number of competing “mountain” words in Quenya of similar derivation, all based on the root √ORO “rise”; its Sindarin cognate S. orod “mountain” was much more stable in form. The earliest iteration of these Quenya words was ᴱQ. oro “hill” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s as a derivative of the early root ᴱ√ORO, unglossed but with other derivatives like ᴱQ. oro- “rise” and ᴱQ. orto- “raise” (QL/70). The word oro “hill” also appeared in the Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa from this period, alongside a variant form oron(d) of the same meaning (PME/70).

The variant oron reappeared in the Declension of Nouns from the early 1930s, now with the gloss “mountain” (PE21/33); its inflected forms indicate a stem form of {orom- >>} orum- (PE21/34 and note #125). ᴹQ. oron “mountain” appeared again in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a derivative of the root ᴹ√OROT, this time with a stem form oront- as indicated by its plural oronti (Ety/ÓROT). Oron appeared once more in the name Q. Oron Oiolossë “Mount Everwhite” from the Quendi and Eldar essay of 1959-60 (WJ/403).

In Notes on Galadriel’s Song (NGS) from the late 1950s or early 1960s Tolkien gave the variant forms oro, orto “mountain” as derivatives of √ORO/RŌ “rise, mount” (PE17/63-64). ᴹQ. orto had previously appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a derivative of the root ᴹ√OROT but with the gloss “mountain-top” (Ety/ÓROT). Hints of this earlier meaning can be seen in the 1968 word Q. orotinga “mountain-top” though in this compound the second element Q. inga also means “top” (VT47/28). Orto “mountain” may be the final element of the 1968 name Q. Tarmacorto “High Mountain Circle”, but more likely the last element is derivative of √KOR “round”, perhaps ✱Q. corto “circle” (NM/351).

As for oro, it meant “mountain” as an element in many late names: Q. Orocarni “Red Mountains” (MR/77), Q. Orofarnë “Mountain Ash” (PE17/83), Q. oromandi “mountain dweller[s]” (PE16/96), and Q. Pelóri “Mountain Wall” (PE17/26), though in one place Tolkien glossed the prefix oro- as “hill” (PE17/83), perhaps a callback to its meaning in the 1910s.

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I feel oron(t) for “mountain” is better established among Neo-Quenya writers; it is the form used in Helge Fauskanger’s NQNT (NQNT), for example. The word Q. orto was not used for “mountain” until quite late, and I would stick with its 1930s meaning “mountain-top”. As for Q. oro, I would use it as “mountain” only in compounds, not as an independent word.

orotinga

noun. mountain-top

A word in notes from the late 1960s glossed “mountain-top” whose final element was Q. inga “top” (VT47/28). Its initial element is probably a variant of Q. orto “mountain”.

orto

noun. mount, mountain, hill, [ᴹQ.] mountain-top; [Q.] mount, mountain

A word meaning “mount, mountain” given as a derivative of √ORO/RŌ in Notes on Galadriel’s Song (NGS) from the late 1950s or early 1960s (PE17/64). In The Etymologies of the 1930s, ᴹQ. orto “mountain-top” appeared as a derivative of the root ᴹ√OROT (Ety/ÓROT).

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I think it is best to use orto with its 1930s sense “mountain-top”, and use Q. oron for “mountain”; see that entry for more details on the conceptual developments of this and related words.

rána

noun. Moon, (lit.) Wayward

Another name of the Moon (usually Q. Isil), translated as “Wayward” (S/99). This name is a derivative of the root √RAN “wander” (UT/242), with a primitive form ✶rānā (VT48/7).

Conceptual Development: The name ᴱQ. Rána appears as a name of the moon in the earliest Lost Tales (LT1/192), though at this early stage its precise meaning and etymology were unclear. In Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, ᴹQ. Rana appeared with a short a, with the translation “Wayward” (LR/240). The name also appeared with a short a in The Etymologies as a derivative of ᴹ√RAN “wander, stray” from primitive ᴹ✶Ranā (Ety/RAN). The long á was restored in Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s (MR/130).

In some later notes, Tolkien said that Rána was the name of the spirit of the Moon rather than the Moon itself (VT42/13). Elsewhere this spirit was named Tirion, so this was probably a transient idea. In the indexes of The Silmarillion and The Unfinished Tales, Christopher Tolkien translated Rána as “Wanderer”, but the source of that translation is unclear.

songa

noun. mouth (interior cavity behind the teeth containing the tongue)

A word appearing in some 1964 notes on various elements of the mouth, specifically referring to the “interior cavity behind the teeth, containing tongue”, derived from the root √SOŊ (PE17/126). This is likely a technical term, as opposed to the more ordinary word for mouth: Q. anto.

Conceptual Development: An earlier word for the interior of the mouth was ᴱQ. matu “the mouth (inside)” from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√MATA (QL/59).

ópa

noun. mouth (opening of which the lips are the edges)

A word appearing in some 1964 notes on various elements of the mouth, specifically referring to the “opening of which the lips, or pempi, are the edges”, from the root √OP (PE17/126). Tolkien initially wrote (and then deleted) the form {ōka} and the root {√OK}. This is likely a technical term, as opposed to the more ordinary word for mouth: Q. anto.

Conceptual Development: A similar word ᴱQ. óvo or ó “mouth” appeared in Early Qenya Word-lists from the 1920s (PE16/136).

-nen

most nouns have an instrumental in -nen

-nen instrumental ending (pl. -inen, dual -nten, partitive pl. -línen). Attested in ambartanen, lírinen, lintieryanen, súrinen, parmanen; see ambar (#2), lírë, lintië, súrë, parma. Tolkien noted that "most nouns have an instrumental in -nen" (PE17:62), a wording suggesting that the form of the ending may vary; given the normal development ln > ld, it is possible that it would appear as *-den when added to a noun in -l (*macilden "with a sword").

Firya

mortals

Firya pl. Firyar noun "Mortals", an Elvish name of Mortal Men _(WJ:387). Etym has firya "human", literally *"mortal" (PHIR)_

Isil

noun. moon

moon

Isil

moon

Isil (þ) place-name "Moon" (FS; SA:sil, Appendix E, SD:302, SIL; also defined as "the Sheen" under THIL); Isildur masc. name., *"Moon-servant" (SA:sil, Appendix A, NDŪ)

Ulban

monster

Ulban (Ulband-) noun "monster" (a name of Melko) (LT1:260)

aicassë

mountain peak

aicassë ("k") (1) noun "mountain peak" (AYAK)

amal

mother

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

amba

more

amba 2) adj. and noun "more", "used of any kind of measurement spatial, temporal, or quantitative" (PE:17:91). Cf. adverb ambë.

ambë

more

ambë adv. "more", "used of any kind of measurement spatial, temporal, or quantitative" (PE17:91). As noun or adjective, amba.

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).

amillë eruva lissëo

Mother of divine grace

The fourteenth line of Tolkien’s Quenya translation of the Litany of Loreto prayer (VT44/12). The first word is the noun amil(lë) “mother”. The second word is the adjective Eruva “divine”, the adjectival form of Eru “God”, meaning “of God, Godly” = “divine”. The final word lissëo “of grace” is the genitive form of the noun lissë “grace”, also seen in Erulissë “God’s grace” appearing in versions I-II of the first line of the Aia María prayer (VT43/26-7).

Decomposition: Broken into its constituent elements, this phrase would be:

> Amillë Eru-va lissë-o = “✱Mother God-(adjective) grace-of”

amillë hristo

Mother of Christ

The thirteenth line of Tolkien’s Quenya translation of the Litany of Loreto prayer (VT44/12). The first word is amil(lë) “mother” followed by the Quenyarized name of Christ: Hristo. As suggested by Wynne, Smith and Hostetter, this second word is probably a genitive: Hristo = “of Christ” (VT44/18). The genitive forms of nouns ending in o are indistinguishable from their normal forms.

Conceptual Development: Tolkien first wrote this phrase in the opposite order: Hristo amille >> Amille Hristo (VT44/12, note on line 13). If Hristo is a genitive, either order could work, because the Quenya genitive can appear both before and after the noun it modifies. Perhaps Tolkien decided that placing it afterwards was less ambiguous, given that the genitive and normal forms of Hristo are identical.

ammë

mother

ammë noun "mother" (AM1)

ancalima

most bright, brightest

ancalima adj. "most bright, brightest", sc. calima "bright" with a superlative or intensive prefix (LotR2:IV ch. 9; see Letters:385 for translation). Ancalima imbi eleni "brightest among stars", also [ancalima] imb' illi "brightest among all" (VT47:30). Fem. name Ancalimë, *"Most Bright One", also masc. Ancalimon (Appendix A). Tar-Ancalimë, a Númenorean Queen (UT:210)

anto

mouth

anto (1) noun "mouth", also name of tengwa #13 (Appendix E)

arin

morning

arin noun "morning" (AR1)

arinya

morning

arinya adj. "morning" in the adjectival sense (e.g. *arinya árë "morning sun") and hence "early" (AR1, VT45:6)

asta

month

asta (1) noun "month", a division of the year (VT42:20). Pl. astar is attested (Appendix D). According to VT48:11, the basic meaning of asta is "division, a part", especially one of other equal parts: "of the year, a month or period". According to VT48:19, asta is also used in Quenya as a group suffix (see quentasta).

awalda

move[d], stirred, exited

awalda adj. "move[d], stirred, exited" (PE17:189); perhaps archaic Quenya for later *oalda.

carpa

mouth

carpa ("k") (1) noun "mouth", including lips, teeth, tongue etc. (PE17:126); also used for "language", in particular the phonetic system.Cf. náva and páva.

carpassë

mouth-system

carpassë ("k") noun "mouth-system", i.e. "full organized language, including system, vocabulary, metre etc." (PE17:126); probably replaced by pahta (2), q.v.

coron

mound

coron (1) noun "mound" (SA); Coron Oiolairë ("Koron"), place-name: the "Mound of Eversummer" where the Two Trees grew. Also contracted Corollairë (WJ:401) and Corlairë (MR:107); both are spelt with an initial k in the sources.

cumbë

mound, heap

cumbë ("k")noun "mound, heap" (KUB)

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.

entë

moreover, further, furthermore, what is more

entë (1) conj. "moreover, further, furthermore, what is more" (VT47:15, VT48:14). Compare yunquentë as a variant of yunquenta, q.v.

etsir

mouth of a river

etsir noun "mouth of a river" (ET)

firë

mortal man

firë noun "mortal man" (PHIR), pl. firi given (the latter is not clearly glossed and may also be the archaic form from which firë is derived, since word-final short i became e in Quenya but since we would rather expect the spelling phiri if it were an archaic form, it is best taken as the pl. of firë.)

fírima

mortal

fírima adj. "mortal" (PHIR; firima with a short i in VT46:4); also used as noun: Fírima pl. Fírimar "those apt to die", "mortals", an Elvish name of Mortal Men (WJ:387). This adj. is also the source of an explicit noun, personalized #Fírimo = mortal, mortal man. Pl. Fírimor (VT49:10-11), dative pl. fírimoin "for men" in Fíriel's Song; cf. also the pl. allative fírimonnar in VT44:35.

isilmë

moonlight

isilmë (þ) noun "moonlight", occurring in Markirya; free translation "the moon" in MC:215 (isilmë ilcalassë, literally "moonlight gleaming-in" = "in the moon gleaming"). Isilmë also appears as the name of a Númenorean woman (UT:210).

lev-

move

lev- verb "move" (intransitive)(PE16:132)

lil

more

lil adverbial particle "more" (PE14:80)

malo

moth

malo (2) (*malu-, pl. malwi) noun "moth" (QL:58)

mamil

mother, mummy

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

noldarë

mole

noldarë noun "mole"; also nolpa (GL:30)

nolpa

mole

nolpa "mole"; also noldarë (GL:30)

náva

mouth

náva ("ñ")noun "mouth", apparently not only the lips but also the inside of the mouth (VT39:13 cf. 8). Possibly, but probably not, the same element that is translated "hollow" in Návarot, q.v.

náva-tengwë

mouth-sign

náva-tengwë noun*"mouth-sign" = "consonant" considered as a phoneme (only pl. náva-tengwi ["ñáva-"] is attested). Also #návëa. Fëanor later substituted the term #pataca (VT39:8)

nítë

moist, dewy

nítë (stem *níti-, given the primitive form ¤neiti) adj. "moist, dewy" (NEI, VT45:38)

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)

oro

mount, mountain

oro (1) noun "mount, mountain" (PE17:64), cf. Qenya oro noun "hill" (LT1:256; rather ambo in LotR-style Quenya, though #oro "mountain, hill" appears in Orocarni and orofarnë, q.v. [PE17:83], also with the meaning "high" in oromar, q.v.) Cf. oro- element "up, aloft" (PE17:64).

orofarnë

mountain-dwelling

orofarnë noun occurring in LotR2:III ch. 4, variously translated "mountain-dwelling" (Letters:224) and "mountain ash" (PE17:83)

oron

mountain

oron (oront-, as in pl. oronti) noun "mountain" (ÓROT; the root occurs in orotinga, q.v.) Oron Oiolossë "Mount Everwhite" (WJ:403)

oron oiolossë

place name. Mount Everwhite

A fuller name for Oiolossë “Mount Everwhite”, with an explicit oron “mountain” in the name (WJ/403).

orotinga

mountain-top

orotinga noun "mountain-top" (VT47:28). Cf. ingor.

orto

mountain-top

orto noun "mountain-top" (ÓROT), "mount, mountain" (PE17:64)

pelóri valion

place name. Mountains of Valinor

A longer name for the Pelóri mountains, with the descriptor Valion “of the Valar”, the (archaic?) genitive plural form of Vala (MR/18). In one place, Tolkien changed this name to Pelóre Valion (MR/33), but since Pelóri consistently appeared in plural form elsewhere, this is probably an aberration.

páva

mouth

páva noun "mouth" (including tongue, lips and teeth). Apparently changed by Tolkien to náva, q.v. (VT39:19)

songa

mouth

songa noun "mouth", in the sense of "interior cavity behind the teeth, containing tongue" (PE17:126)

túma

moving

túma adj.? "moving" (MC:214; this is "Qenya")

ulundo

monster, deformed and hideous creature

ulundo noun "monster, deformed and hideous creature" (ÚLUG)

yaiwë

mocking, scorn

yaiwë noun "mocking, scorn" (YAY)

ópa

mouth

ópa noun "mouth", in the sense of mouth-opening with lips as the edges (PE17:126)

-r

suffix. motion to or towards a point, motion to or towards a point, *archaic allative

amba

more

ambë

adverb. more

amilessë

noun. mother-name

asta

noun. month; division, part (esp. one of other equal parts)

avalda

adjective. move[d], stirred, excited

@@@ per Helge Fauskanger, probably an archaic form (QQ/awalda).

carpassë

noun. mouth-system; full organized language, including system, vocabulary, metre, etc.

entë

adverb. moreover, further(more), what is more, moreover, further(more), what is more; *next (of time or in a sequence)

inwalmë

noun. mood of mind

vanimalda

adjective. most beautiful, exceeding fair; thou beautiful, thou beautiful; most beautiful, exceeding fair

emil

noun. mother

fírimáre

noun. mortality (being mortal)

páva

noun. mouth

úvano

noun. monster, corrupt or evil creature

airë maría eruo ontaril

Holy Mary, Mother of God

The fifth line of Aia María, Tolkien’s translation of the Ave Maria prayer. The first word airë “holy” is either an adjective or a form of address applied to the second word, María: the Quenyarized form of “Mary”. The third word Eruo “of God” is the genitive form of Eru “God”. The last word ontaril “mother” seems to be a feminine form of ᴹQ. ontaro “begetter, parent” (as suggested by the Wynne, Smith and Hostetter, VT43/32). If so, Eruo ontaril more literally means “✱genetrix (female begetter) of God”.

Decomposition: Broken into its constituent elements, this phrase would be:

> Airë María Eru-o ontaril = “✱holy Mary God-of genetrix”

Conceptual Development: In the second version of the prayer, Tolkien used {Aini >>} aina (II) for “holy” instead of aire (I, III-IV). In the first two versions of the prayer Tolkien used Eruamillë (I-II) for “Mother of God”, a compound of Eru “God” and amil(lë) “mother”.

|  I  | II |III|IV| |Aire|{Aini >>} Aina|Aire| |María| |Eruamille|Eruo| | |ontaril|

amaltil

noun. *mother finger

A nursery name for the index finger in rough drafts of Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals from 1968, a combination of Q. amil “mother” and Q. til “tip”, and appearing beside alternate form amilye (VT47/26-27 note #35). In later versions of these notes, the nursery name was emme or emya (VT47/10, VT48/6).

ambo

noun. hill, rising ground, mount

The basis word for “hill” in Quenya (MC/222; PE17/90), also referring to “rising ground” in general (PE17/92).

Conceptual Development: The earliest precursor of this word was ᴱQ. †amun (amund-) “hill” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, a derivative of ᴱ√AM(U) “up(wards)”, though this word was marked as poetic (QL/30); amund- “hill” was also mentioned in the Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/30). The form ᴱQ. ambo “hill” first appeared in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s as a cognate of ᴱN. amon (PE13/137, 159), and it (mostly) retained this form thereafter.

ᴹQ. ambo “hill” reappeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a derivative of ᴹ√AM “up” (Ety/AM²). In notes on the comparative from early in 1967, Tolkien coined some different roots as the basis for this word, first √MAB “lump, mass” (PE17/90) and then √MBON, the latter producing Q. umbo(n) “hill, lump, clump, mass” (PE17/90-93), his motivation being that he wanted √AMA to have a new meaning “addition, increase, plus” to serve as the basis for the intensive. But in other notes from 1967 he derived Q. ambo from √AM “go up”, though in that note he glossed the word as “mount” (PE17/157). In the Q. Markirya poem from late 1960s, ambo was used for “hill” (MC/222).

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would assume Q. ambo was derived from √AM “up”, and would limit its used to hills, ignoring its 1967 “mount” gloss.

emmë

noun. mummy, mother (familiar/family)

The affectionate word for “mother” (= “mummy”) was Q. emmë in notes on Elvish Hands, Fingers and Numerals from the 1960s, based on the late 1960s root √EM for mother (VT47/10; VT48/6, 19).

Conceptual Development: The earliest hypocoristic (pet-name) word for “mother” was the “childish word” ᴱQ. ama in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√AMA (QL/30); it was also mentioned in the Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/30). In The Etymologies of the 1930s it became ᴹQ. amme “mother” derived from the root ᴹ√AM of the same meaning (Ety/AM¹), though in this document it seems to be an ordinary word and not a pet name, a variant of ᴹQ. amil. In late 1960s notes on Elvish Hands, Fingers and Numerals Tolkien revised the Elvish root for “mother” from √AM to √EM, and the affectionate form became emme as noted above.

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I prefer to retain the root √AM for “mother” since it is what Tolkien used for 50 years, and as such recommend restoring the 1930s form ammë to use as affectionate “mummy, mommy”; see the entry on Q. amil(lë) for further discussion.

eruamillë

feminine name. *Mother of God

A title for Mary as the Mother of God in early drafts of Aia María, Tolkien’s translation of the Ave Maria prayer (VT43/26-7), and also as a rejected word in Ortírielyanna, Tolkien’s Quenya translation of the Sub Tuum Praesidium (VT44/5). It is a compound of Eru “God” and amil(lë) “mother”. In later drafts of Aia María, this name was replaced by the term Eruo ontaril (VT43/27-28), and in the translation of other prayers he used the name Eruontarië of similar meaning.

eruontarië

feminine name. *Mother of God, (lit.) God-genetrix

A title for Mary as the Mother of God in Ortírielyanna (VT44/5), Tolkien’s Quenya translation of the Sub Tuum Praesidium, as well as Tolkien’s Quenya translation of the Litany of Loreto (VT44/12). It appeared in both the forms Eruontarië (VT44/12) and Eruontari (VT44/5). It is a compound of Eru “God” and the word ontarië “✱mother, genetrix”. In the final drafts of Aia María, Tolkien’s translation of the Ave Maria prayer, he used the similar term Eruo ontaril (VT43/27-28).

Conceptual Development: In earlier versions of these prayers, Tolkien used the name Eruamillë of similar meaning.

isilmë

feminine name. *Moonlight

Second child of Tar-Elendil, known only from a genealogy chart on UT/210. This seems to be the word isilmë “moonlight” used as a name.

pí

noun. small insect, fly, small insect, fly, *mite, gnat; [ᴱQ.] speck, spot, dot, mote

A noun for a “small insect, fly” appearing in notes from 1968 as an example of a primitive monosyllabic noun that survived in modern Quenya (VT47/35). Its primitive form was originally glossed “small bird”. I think it might apply to other tiny insects like mites or gnats, based on its conceptual precursors. Likely it is related to the root √PI(N) for tiny things.

Conceptual Development: In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s Tolkien had ᴱQ. pī “speck, spot, dot, mote” and ᴱQ. pin or pink “a little thing, mite”, the latter also serving as a diminutive ending, all under the early roots ᴱ√PINI, ᴱ√PIKI, or ᴱ√PĪ (QL/73). It is unclear whether or not ᴱQ. pin(k) “mite” could refer to an insect or only a tiny thing. In the Declension of Nouns of the early 1930s, Tolkien had ᴹQ. mí “fly” (PE21/40).

rassë

noun. horn, horn [of both animals and mountains]

A noun appearing as ᴹQ. rasse “horn” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from the root ᴹ√RAS “stick up” along with a variant form rasko (Ety/RAS). In that document Tolkien said it was used “especially on living animal, but also applied to mountains”. The word rasse “horn” reappeared on a (rejected) page of verb forms from 1948 (PE22/127 note #152), and again in notes from the 1950s or 60s discussing the mountain name S. Caradhras (PE17/36).

silmë

noun. starlight, starlight; [ᴹQ.] silver [light], moonlight, light of Silpion

A word for “starlight” and also the name of tengwa #29 [i] (LotR/1123), clearly derived from the root √SIL.

Conceptual Development: The earliest hint of this word was in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s where ᴱQ. silmea seems to be an adjective meaning “✱lunar” (QL/56). ᴱQ. silme also seems to be an adjectival element “gleaming, silver” in ᴱQ. silmerána “gleaming moon, silver moon” from the Oilima Markirya poem and its drafts from around 1930 (MC/220; PE16/75). In The Etymologies of the 1930s ᴹQ. silme was derived from primitive ᴹ✶silimē “light of Silpion, †silver” under the root ᴹ√SIL “shine silver” (Ety/SIL) and thus seems to mean “moonlight”. Indeed, silme had the gloss “moonlight” in notes on The Feanorian Alphabet from the 1930s and 40s (PE22/22, 51), where it was already the name of tengwa #29. It became “starlight” in Appendix E of The Lord of the Rings, however (LotR/1123), and elsewhere “moonlight” was isilmë (MC/223).

Lúnoronti

blue mountains

Lúnoronti noun "Blue Mountains" (LUG2)

Orocarni

the red mountains

Orocarni noun "the Red Mountains", place-name: literally rather *"Mountain-Reds": a plural form of carnë "red" with the element oro- "mountain" or "high" prefixed (Silm)

Túna

hill, mound

Túna (also Tún) place-name, used of the hill on which Tirion was built (Silm, TUN, KOR), derived from a stem (TUN) apparently meaning simply *"hill, mound".

assa

hole, perforation, opening, mouth

assa "hole, perforation, opening, mouth" (GAS)

ceuran-

new moon

ceuran- ("k") noun "new moon" (compare Rána "moon"). The word is cited with a final hyphen, as if some final element is missing, but Rána could very well be reduced to -ran at the end of a compound. (VT48:7)

enwa

tomorrow

enwa adv. "tomorrow" (QL:34)

falqua

cleft, mountain pass, ravine

falqua ("q") noun "cleft, mountain pass, ravine" (LT2:341)

hahta

pile, mound

hahta noun "pile, mound" (KHAG)

indo

heart, mood

indo (1) noun "heart, mood" (ID), "state" (perhaps especially state of mind, given the other glosses) (VT39:23), "mind, region/range of thought, mood" (PE17:155, 179), "inner thought, in fea as exhibited in character or [?personality]" (PE17:189). In another post-LotR source, indo is translated "resolve" or "will", the state of mind leading directly to action (VT41:13). Indo is thus "the mind in its purposing faculty, the will" (VT41:17). Indo-ninya,a word occurring in Fíriels Song, translated "my heart" (see ninya). In the compound indemma "mind-picture", the first element would seem to be indo.

inwis

change of mind, mood

inwis noun "change of mind, mood". A following, bracketed form inwissi is either the plural, the ancestral form or a variant (PE17:191; cf. inwisti). Likely, inwis is to have the stem inwiss- before endings (alternatively inwist-, see inwisti below, and compare the verb vista- "to change").

mólanoldorin

the language of the noldor enslaved by morgoth

mólanoldorin noun "the language of the Noldor enslaved by Morgoth" _(MŌ)_(Changed by Tolkien from múlanoldorin.)

múlanoldorin

the language of the noldor enslaved by morgoth

[múlanoldorin] noun "the language of the Noldor enslaved by Morgoth" (MŌ)(Changed by Tolkien to mólanoldorin.)

náva

noun. *mouth (including tongue, lips and teeth), speech apparatus

The word ñáva appeared in notes associated with the Quendi and Eldar essay from 1959-60, where it was the basis of several words having to do with consonants: Q. návear “consonants” and Q. ñáva-tengwi “consonants” as the tengwi that were “chiefly dependent on the movements in the mouth (including the lips)” (VT39/8). In drafts of this document, Tolkien instead had pávatengwi based on páva “mouth (including tongue, lips and teeth)” (VT39/19, notes #12 and #13), so presumably its replacement ñáva had a similar meaning.

In notes from around 1964 Tolkien instead had the root √KARAP for the “whole [mouth] apparatus for eating, drinking and speaking, including lips, teeth, cavity with palate and tongue”, along with an apparent noun form Q. karpa, though Tolkien indicated this word was actually used for a “phonetic system”. However, in this note he seemed to have revised {√KARAP >> √PATAK >>} √PAKAT, the last of which only had words for “speech” and not “speech apparatus”.

Neo-Quenya: Since √KARAP >> √PAKAT, for purposes of Neo-Quenya I’d retain ñava and give it the sense of páva for the entire mouth apparatus used for producing speech, and especially for producing consonants. It is likely a technical term, less commonly used than Q. anto “mouth”.

or-

urge, impel, move

#or- vb. "urge, impel, move", only of "mental" impulse. Constructed as an impersonal verb: orë nin caritas "I would like/feel moved to do so" (VT41:13), literally *"it impels for me to do so" (notice that what is the subject in English appears in the dative in Quenya). Elsewhere this verb is presented as an A-stem ora- instead (so that the aorist would be ora instead of orë, cf. ora nin "it warns me" in VT41:15), with past tense oranë or ornë, future tense oruv[a], present tense órëa and a form orië that may be the gerund; the forms orórië and ohórië were rejected but may have been intended as perfect forms (VT41:13, 18, VT49:54)

peu

the two lips, the mouth-opening

peu dual noun "the two lips, the mouth-opening" (VT39:9); the dual of pé, q.v.

rinca

twitch, jerk, trick, sudden move

rinca noun "twitch, jerk, trick, sudden move" (VT46:11 cf. RIK(H) )

rúma-

shift, move, heave (of large and heavy things)

rúma- vb. "shift, move, heave (of large and heavy things)"; participle rúmala in Markirya; this was changed to rúma, evidently the naked verbal stem used as participle

tulu-

fetch, bring, bear; move, come

tulu- vb. "fetch, bring, bear; move, come" (LT1:270; compare tulta- in Tolkien's later Quenya)

tundo

hill, mound

tundo noun "hill, mound" (TUN)

an

adverb/conjunction. for, but, then, or; moreover, furthermore

ranalinquë

proper name. *Moon-grass

amaurëa

adjective. dawn, early day, morning

aurë

noun. day (as opposed to night), daylight, sunlight, morning, day (as opposed to night), daylight, morning; sunlight, [ᴱQ.] sunshine, gold light, warmth

entan

noun. tomorrow

indo

noun. (state of) mind, (inner) thought, mood; will, resolve, (state of) mind, (inner) thought, mood; will, resolve; [ᴹQ.] heart

isilya

noun. *Monday, Moon-day

men-

verb. to go, proceed, move (generally); to come, arrive

ontari(l)

noun. *mother, (lit.) genetrix

rum-

verb. to shift, move, heave (of large and heavy things)

telpë

noun. silver, silver; [ᴱQ.] money

enar

adverb. tomorrow

mun-

verb. groan, moan > express dislike

tengwesta

noun. grammar, morphology, system or code of signs, collection of matter concerning writing, *language structure

á cenë ancénië

look sharper, closer, more attentively, better, more closely

mól

noun. slave, slave, [ᴹQ.] thrall

A noun meaning “slave” or “thrall”, from primitive ✶mōl derived from the root √MŌ having to do with “labour” (VT43/31; Ety/MŌ).

Conceptual Development: In the Qenya Lexicon from the 1910s the word for “slave” or “servant” was ᴱQ. virt or vartyo, derived from the root ᴱ√VṚTYṚ “serve” (QL/102). In the two variants, either the [[eq|short syllabic [ṛ] became [ir] before palatalized [tʲ]]], or [[eq|long syllabic [ṝ] became [ar]]]. This word appeared as an element in the name ᴱQ. Virtinoldor “Thrall-Noldoli” for those Noldor enslaved by Melko(r) in the early tales (PE14/9).

In the Gnomish Lexicon from the same period, another Qenya word for “slave” or “servant” was given as ᴱQ. norka derived from primitive ᴱ✶norokā́ (GL/31), though its relationship to other roots is unclear.

The form ᴹQ. mól first appeared in The Etymologies from the 1930s, already having the derivation given above (Ety/MŌ). This word also appeared in Tolkien’s later writings from the 1950s (VT43/31). A later term for "Slave Noldorin” was ᴹQ. Mólanoldorin (Ety/MŌ; LR/177), a strong indication that mól replaced Early Qenya virt.

móna

noun. *womb

A word for “womb” in Quenya prayers of the 1950s; the editors of the prayers suggested it is probably connected to √MŌ “labour” (VT43/31).

Conceptual Development: Earlier versions of the prayers had carva instead, possibly connected to √KAR “make” (VT43/31). In notes on Elvish growth from 1959, Tolkien had two different words for “gestation”: colbamarië (NM/91) and colbanavië (NM/120). The initial elements of these might be colba “✱womb”, with meanings “✱womb-dwelling” and “✱womb-being” respectively.

Neo-Quenya: Giving the tentative nature of the interpretations of colba, I’d stick with móna for “womb” for purposes of Neo-Quenya.

an

for

an (1) _conj. and prep. _"for" (Nam, RGEO:66), an cé mo quernë… "for if one turned…" (VT49:8), also used adverbially in the formula an + a noun to express "one more" (of the thing concerned: an quetta "a word more", PE17:91). The an of the phrase es sorni heruion an! "the Eagles of the Lords are at hand" (SD:290) however seems to denote motion towards (the speaker): the Eagles are coming. Etym has an, ana "to, towards" (NĀ1). The phrase an i falmalī _(PE17:127) is not clearly translated but seems to be a paraphrase of the word falmalinnar "upon the foaming waves" (Nam)_, suggesting that an can be used as a paraphrase of the allative ending (and if falmalī is seen as a Book Quenya accusative form because of the long final vowel, this is evidence that an governs the accusative case). In the "Arctic" sentence, an is translated "until". Regarding an as used in Namárië, various sources indicate that it means an "moreover, further(more), to proceed" (VT49:18-19) or ("properly") "further, plus, in addition" (PE17:69, 90). According to one late source (ca. 1966 or later), an "is very frequently used after a full stop, when an account or description is confirmed after a pause. So in Galadriels Elvish lament […]: An sí Tintallë, etc. [= For now the Kindler, etc…] This is translated by me for, side an is (as here) often in fact used when the additional matter provides an explanation of or reason for what has already been said". Related is the use of an + noun to express "one more"; here an is presumably accented, something the word would not normally be when used as a conjunction or preposition.

quer-

turn

#quer- vb. "turn" (transitive), attested as pa.t. quernë (VT49:18-20). Compare kuere (kwere) as one variant of a stem meaning "turn" (PE14:65). English intransitive "to turn" requires a reflexive pronoun in Quenya: mo quernë immo "one turned oneself" (VT49:6), in idiomatic English simply "one turned". Passive participle #querna "turned", isolated from nuquerna (q.v.) "under-turned" = reversed, turned upside down. Also in númenquerna "turned westward" (VT49:18), nanquernë "turned back", pl. form of *nanquerna (VT49:17-18, 20)

lóma

noun. moss

A neologism for “moss” coined by Orondil on 2020-11-22 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS) as a combination √LOG “soaked” and ✶-mā “thing”.

menemma

noun. movie, motion picture

@@@ I prefer levemma because men- implies movement in a direction rather than just general “motion”

maimun

noun. monkey, ape

A neologism for “monkey, ape” coined by Dírheron on the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS) in 2019-10-08, as a loan word from classical Arabic.

nyarrincë

noun. mouse

A neologism coined by Eruanwa in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS) on 2020-02-22, a diminutive of nyarro “rat”, hence actually “✱little rat”.

hanusta

noun. monastery

hanustar

noun. monk

laulë

noun. mode of life, *lifestyle

levemma

noun. movie, motion picture

levë

noun. movement

menesta

noun. motion, movement

nolpa

noun. mole

ortosta

noun. mountain range

@@@ Discord 2022-04-01

telpevistando

noun. money-changer

ulunda

adjective. monstrous

ulundië

noun. monstrosity

malo

noun. moth

quaptando

noun. money-changer, (lit.) exchanger

senwa

noun. moment, instant

vorimyalë

noun. monotony

amaurë Reconstructed

noun. dawn, early day, morning

cahta

noun. cause, motive, reason

@@@ kasta used in NQNT

enar

noun. tomorrow

lev-

verb. to move (intr.)

lúmincë

noun. minute, moment

omen- Reconstructed

verb. to move to a common point, meet, to meet, move to a common point, *(lit.) move together

suiva

adjective. soughing, moaning [of wind]

valda-

verb. to matter; to be of significance, worth, moment

ammë

noun. mummy, mother

haruni

noun. grandmother

salca-

noun. to mow, scythe, mow down

silúmëa

adjective. current, contemporary, modern

nehtar

noun. slayer

An element in Morinehtar “Darkness-slayer”, a name of one of the Blue Wizards (PM/384). It seems to be an agental form of nahta- “to slay”, but the reason why the vowel is e is unclear.

cala

noun. light, light; [ᴱQ.] daytime (sunlight), 12 hours

This is the most common Quenya word for “light”, derived from the root √KAL of similar meaning (RGEO/62; PE17/84). It appears in numerous compounds, either in its full form or in a reduced form cal-.

Conceptual Development: ᴱQ. kala appeared all the way back in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s glossed “daytime (sunlight), 12 hours” and derived from the early root ᴱ√KALA “shine golden” (QL/44), but it had the sense “light” in the phrase ᴱQ. i·kal’antúlien “Light hath returned” (LT1/184), and it was given as the cognate of G. gala “light, daylight” in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon (GL/37).

ᴹQ. kala “light” appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a derivative of the root ᴹ√KAL “shine” (Ety/KAL). Somewhat curiously in that document its primitive form was given as ᴹ✶k’lā́ (EtyAC/KAL), a form that also appeared in the first version of Tengwesta Qenderinwa (TQ1) from the 1930s (PE18/38). Tolkien may have used this variant form to explain N. glaw “radiance” (< ᴹ✶g’lā́), but in later writings S. glaw “sunshine” was derived from √LAW.

mundo

noun. bull, ox

A word for “bull” in a 1972 letter to Meriel Thurston (Let/422). A similar form mondo appeared as an element in the name Q. Mondósar “Oxford” from a 1968 letter (DTS/70). See S. mund for other possible conceptual precursors.

Possible Etymology: Luinyelle suggested that this word is likely related to and a later iteration of G. mû “ox” from the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/58), possibly an agental formation from onomatopoeic ✱mū plus ✶-ndō. I think this is a good theory, but it is somewhat undermined by the existence of mondo-.

má

noun. hand

The most common Quenya word for “hand”, which Tolkien usually derived from a root √MAH or √MAƷ “hand; handle, wield”. The weak consonant h or ʒ in the root was lost very early, so that primitive ✶mā was one of a rare set of ancient monosyllabic nouns ending in a vowel. Tolkien said that of the various hand words, má was “the oldest (probably) and the one that retained a general and unspecialized sense — referring to the entire hand (including wrist) in any attitude or function” (VT47/6).

As a part of the body, má “hand” was usually referred to in the singular (má) or dual (mát). This was true when referring to the hands of groups of people as well. For example, to say that “the Elves raised their hands”, you would say either i Eldar ortaner mánta (singular, one hand each) or i Eldar ortaner mántat (dual, both hands each), with the possessive suffix -nta “their”.

The plural form már “hands” (or archaic †mai) was almost never used, in part because it conflicted with Q. már “dwelling”. The singular form was also used in general statements and proverbs: “hand is cleverer than foot” má anfinya epe tál (ná). A collection of otherwise unrelated hands would likely use the partitive-plural form: máli “some hands”, which in this case could also serve as the general plural (VT47/12 Note 2). See the discussions on PE17/161 and VT47/6 for more information.

This word is also unusual in that it retains its long vowel before consonant clusters in inflected forms such as mánta “their hand” (PE17/161) or márya “his/her hand” (PE17/69). As Tolkien described it:

> Lá is usually shortened to la before 2 consonants, according to the usual Q. procedure, but the long vowel can be retained, especially for additional emphasis, as in other cases where pronominal affixes follow a long vowel, as in márya “his hand” (PE22/160).

Conceptual Development: This word dates all the way back to ᴱQ. mā “hand” from Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, derived from the early root ᴱ√MAHA “grasp” (QL/57). ᴹQ. má “hand” also appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√MAƷ “hand” (Ety/MAƷ). Tolkien mentioned this word with great frequency, usually derived from √MAH or √MAƷ (as noted above) though he sometimes considered deriving it from √MAG instead.

nís

noun. woman

The usual Quenya word for “woman” or more exactly a “female person” of any race, in later writings appearing as both nís (MR/213, 226, 229) and nisse (VT47/18, 33). Even in the cases where its singular was nís, its plural form was given as nissi, indicating a stem form of niss-. In rough notes from 1968 Tolkien said “The monosyllabic nouns (especially those with only one stem-consonant) were a small dwindling class often replaced by strengthened forms (as nis- was [by] nisse)” (VT47/18).

Thus it seems the ancient form was ✱nis- from the root √NIS, which like its male counterpart Q. nér “man” inherited a long vowel from the ancient subjective form ✱nīs. But the voiceless s was felt to be intrinsic to word, and it was thus strengthened to niss- in inflected forms to avoid the sound changes associated with an isolated s. From this a longer form nisse was generalized. In practice I think either form can be used, with singular nís being preserved by analogy with nér. However, I think inflected forms are probably all based on nisse, such as genitive nisseo “of a woman” rather than ✱✱nisso.

Conceptual Development: In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien had both ᴹQ. nis and nisse “woman” derived the root ᴹ√NIS, with plural nissi in both cases (Ety/NIS, NDIS). He explained this variation as follows: “nis was a blend of old nīs (nisen) and the elab[orated] form ✱nis-sē” (EtyAC/NĪ¹). Hence it is was essentially the same as the scenario described above, but in the 1930s the long vowel in ancient nīs did not survive in the later short form nis.

In Quenya prayers of the 1950s, Tolkien experimented with some alternate plural forms nínaron [genitive plural] >> nísi [ordinary plural] (VT43/26-29, 31), the former apparently representing a variant singular form ✱nína, but in later writings plural nissi was restored.

pempë

noun. lip

A word for “lip” appearing only in its plural form pempi in 1964 notes on the parts of the mouth, where it was related to Q. pé “the closed mouth” (PE17/126). In 1968 notes on monosyllabic nouns, Tolkien said the primitive ✶pē “lip” was reduplicated to ✶pē̆pe; this is likely connected to an irregular plural form péti in the (untranslated) phrase et i péti “✱out of the mouth/lips”, with dissimilation of the second p to t as suggested by Patrick Wynne (VT47/35): ✱pēpi > péti. The 1964 form pempe is probably also the result of reduplication, likely ✱peñ-peñ > pempe(ñ), since √PEÑ was the usual root for “lip” (PE21/70; PE19/102).

Conceptual Development: The earliest “lip” word was ᴱQ. kilme from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√KILI “edge” (QL/46), a form also appearing in the contemporaneous Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/46). A similar form ᴱQ. kilma “lip” appeared in a list of body parts from the 1920s, along with an alternate word ᴱQ. kaile “lip” (PE14/117). There are no signs of these early lip-words after that point.

Neo-Quenya: Tolkien also sometimes used Q. pé for “lip”; see that entry for discussion. For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I recommend using Q. pé mainly for “closed mouth” and pempë for a single “lip”. However, the dual form peu of pé was used of “the two lips, the mouth-opening” (VT39/9), which I would use for “a pair of lips for one person (open or closed)”, functioning as an irregular dual of pempë.

lúmë

noun. darkness

A noun in the 1960s versions of the Markirya glossed “darkness” (MC/222), perhaps derived from a root √DU as suggested by David Salo in a post to the Elfling mailing list in 2012 (Elfling/362.96).

Neo-Quenya: I’d generally use Q. huinë for “darkness” in Neo-Quenya, but that word is more for total darkness, whereas lúmë might be a less severe form of darkness, a variant of Q. lómë “night, dusk”.

#lav-

lick

#lav- (1) vb. "lick", pa.t. #lávë in undulávë, see undu (Nam); 1st person aorist lavin "I lick" in the Etymologies(LAB)

-ima

fair

-ima adjectival suffix. Sometimes it is used to derive simple adjectives, like vanima "fair" or calima "bright"; it can also take on the meaning "-able" (PE17:68), as in mátima "edible" (mat- "eat"), nótima "countable" (not- "count") and (with a negative prefix) úquétima "unspeakable" (from quet- "speak"). Note that the stem-vowel is normally lengthened in the derivatives where -ima means "-able", though this fails to occur in cenima "visible" (q.v., but contrast hraicénima, q.v.) and also before a consonant cluster as in úfantima "not concealable" (PE17:176). "X-ima" may mean "apt to X" (when the ending is added to an intransitive verbal stem), as in Fírimar "mortals", literally "those apt to die" (WJ:387). The adj. úfantima "not concealable" (PE17:176) also appears as úfantuma (PE17:180), indicating the existence of a variant ending -uma (possibly used to derive adjectives with a "bad" meaning; compare the ending *-unqua next to -inqua, q.v.)

-ië

openness

-ië (2) abstract ending, often used to derive abstracts from adjectives, e.g. látië "openness" vs. láta "open", mornië "darkness" vs. morna "black, dark", vanië (for *vanyië) "beauty" vs. vanya "fair".

Anar

sun

Anar noun "Sun" (ANÁR, NAR1, SA:nár; UT:22 cf. 51); anar "a sun" (Markirya); Anarinya "my Sun" (FS). See also ceuranar, Úr-anar. (According to VT45:6, Tolkien in the Etymologies mentioned anar "sun" as the name of the short vowel carrier of the Tengwar writing system; it would be the first letter if anar is written in Quenya mode Tengwar.) Compounded in the masc. name Anárion "Sun-son" (Isildur's brother, also the Númenorean king Tar-Anárion, UT:210); also in Anardil "Sun-friend" (Appendix A), a name also occurring in the form Anardilya with a suffix of endearment (UT:174, 418). Anarya noun second day of the Eldarin six-day week, dedicated to the Sun (Appendix D). Anarríma name of a constellation: *"Sun-border"??? (Silm; cf. ríma)

Carnistir

red-face

Carnistir masc. name "red-face", mother-name (never used in narrative) of Morifinwë = Caranthir (PM:353)

Cermië

july

Cermië noun seventh month of the year, "July" (Appendix D)

Elwë

star-person

Elwë masc. name, *"Star-person" (PM:340, WJ:369, WEG, VT45:12). In the pre-classical Tengwar system presupposed in the Etymologies, Elwë was also the name of a Tengwa similar in form to Roman c, which in a full-vowel mode denoted a (short) e. (VT45:17; in the Sindarin "Mode of Beleriand", exemplified in the LotR itself, this letter has the value a instead. Elsewhere in the Etymologies itself, this symbol is called Ossë [q.v.] and is assigned the value o.)

Eru

the one

Eru divine name "the One" = God (VT43:32, VT44:16-17), "the One God" (Letters:387), a name reserved for the most solemn occasions (WJ:402). Often in the combination Eru Ilúvatar, "Eru Allfather" (cf. MR:112). Genitive Eruo (MR:329, VT43:28/32), dative Erun (VT44:32, 34). The adjectival form Eruva "divine" (Eruva lissëo "of divine grace", VT44:18) would be identical to the form appearing in the possessive case. Compound nouns: Eruhantalë "Thanksgiving to Eru", a Númenórean festival (UT:166, 436), Eruhin pl. Eruhíni "Children of Eru", Elves and Men (WJ:403; SA:híni, cf. _Eruhîn _in Letters:345), Eruion *"son of God" (or "God the Son"?) (VT44:16), Erukyermë "Prayer to Eru", a Númenórean festival (UT:166, 436), Erulaitalë "Praise of Eru", a Númenórean festival (UT:166, 436), Eruamillë "Mother of God" (in Tolkien's translation of the Hail Mary, VT43:32, see also VT44:7), Eruontari, Eruontarië other translations of "Mother (Begetter) of God" (VT44:7, 18), Erusén "the children of God" (RGEO:74; this is a strange form with no plural ending; contrast the synonym Eruhíni.) #Eruanna and #erulissë, various terms for "grace", literally "God-gift" and "God-sweetness", respectively (VT43:29; these words are attested in the genitive and instrumental case, respectively: Eruanno, erulissenen).

Melkor

mighty-rising

Melkor (spelt Melcor in VT49:6, 24, MR:362), masc. name: the rebellious Vala, the devil of the Silmarillion mythos. Older (MET) form Melkórë "Mighty-rising" (hence the interpretation "He that arises in power"), compare órë #2. Oldest Q form *mbelekōro (WJ:402). Ablative Melkorello/Melcorello, VT49:7, 24. Compounded in Melkorohíni "Children of Melkor", Orcs ("but the wiser say: nay, the slaves of Melkor; but not his children, for Melkor had no children") (MR:416). The form Melkoro- here occurring may incorporate either the genitive ending -o or the otherwise lost final vowel of the ancient form ¤mbelekōro. For Melkors later name, see Moringotto / Moricotto (Morgoth) under mori-.

Narquelië

october

Narquelië noun tenth month of the year, "October" (Appendix D); the word seems to mean "Fire-waning", "Sun-waning". Compare narquelion ("q"), q.v.

Narsil

sun

Narsil (Þ) noun the sword of Elendil, compound of the stems seen in Anar "Sun" and Isil "Moon"; see Letters:425 for etymology

Návarot

nogrod

Návarot noun "Nogrod" (< Novrod), Hollowbold, name of a dwelling of the Dwarves (WJ:389). If the element that is here translated náva is the same as náva "mouth", the initial n comes from earlier ng (ñ) and should be represented by the letter noldo rather than númen in Tengwar writing. However, Tolkien in WJ:414 reconstructs the primitive form of the náva in Návarot as ¤_nābā _rather than ngābā or ngāwā (the likely source of náva "mouth"), so this appears doubtful. The initial n of Návarot should evidently be represented by the letter númen in Tengwar writing.

Ringarë

december

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

Súlimë

march

Súlimë noun, third month of the year, "March". The word apparently means *"windy one" (Appendix D; SA:sûl; not capitalized in the latter source). Early "Qenya" has súlimë "wind" (LT1:266)

Víressë

april

Víressë noun, fourth month of the year, "April" (Appendix D). The Quenya name is apparently related to words for youth and freshness; compare vírië, virya.

Yavannië

september

Yavannië noun, name of the ninth month of the year, "September" (Appendix D, SA:yávë)

airë

noun. sea

An archaic word for “sea” which fell out of use to due conflict with “holy” words like aira or airë; it was a noun form of primitive ✶gaı̯ră (PE17/27). The more common modern word for “sea” is ëar.

Conceptual Development: ᴹQ. aire “sea” appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a derivative of ᴹ√AYAR (Ety/AY); it appeared beside a form ᴹQ. airen that might be a genitive form, or might be a longer form; see the entry on ᴹQ. airon for discussion.

ambo

hill, rising ground

ambo noun "hill, rising ground" (Markirya, PE17:92), "mount" (PE17:157), allative pl. ambonnar "upon hills" in Markirya (ruxal' ambonnar "upon crumbling hills") According to VT45:5, ambo was added to the Etymologies as a marginal note.

amilyë

mummy

amilyë or milyë (cited as (a)milyë), noun "mummy", also used as a play-name of the index finger, but Tolkien emended it to emmë, emya. (VT48:4) In its basic sense, (a)milyë would be a variant of amil, amillë "mother", q.v.

an-

very

an- (2) intensive or superlative prefix carrying the idea of "very" or "most", seen in ancalima "most bright" (cf. calima "bright"), antara "very high, very lofty" and #anyára "very old" or "oldest" (the latter form occurring in the so-called Elaine inscription [VT49:40], there with the dative ending -n). Assimilated to am- before p-, as in amparca ("k") "very dry", and to al-, ar-, as- before words in l-, r-, s- (though Tolkien seems to indicate that before words in l- derived from earlier d, the original quality of the consonant would be preserved so that forms in and- rather than all- would result). See also un-. (Letters:279, VT45:5, 36) Regarding the form of the superlative prefix before certain consonants, another, partially discrepant system was also set down in the Etymologies and first published in VT45:36. The prefix was to appear as um- or un- before labialized consonants like p-, qu-, v- (the consonant v preserving its ancient pronunciation b- following the prefix, thus producing a word in umb-), as in- (technically iñ-) before c- and g- (the latter presumably referring to words that originally had initial g-, later lost in Quenya but evidently preserved following this prefix), and as an- otherwise. However, this system would contradict the canonical example ancalima, which would have been *incalima if Tolkien had maintained this idea. In a post-LotR source, the basic form of the prefix is given as am- instead (see am- #2). In this late conception, the prefix still appears as an- before most consonants, but as ama- before r, l, and the form an- is used even before s- (whether original or from þ), not the assimilated variant as- described above. General principles would suggest that the form am- should also appear before y- (so the form #anyára probably presupposes an- rather than am- as the basic form of the prefix, Tolkien revisiting the earlier concept in the _Elaine inscription). (PE17:92)_

carnistir

masculine name. Red-face

The mother-name of S. Caranthir, from which his Sindarin name was derived (PM/353). It is a compound of carnë (carni-) “red” and the primitive form stīrē “face” (VT41/10). In other writings Tolkien gave the words anta or cendelë for “face”.

Conceptual Development: Tolkien also briefly considered the form Carastir in a marginal note (VT41/10).

cas

noun. head, head, [ᴱQ.] top, summit

This is the Quenya word for “head”, with a stem form of car- because medial s generally became z and then r, but the s was preserved when final. This word can refer to the head of people and animals, as well as the metaphorical “head” (or top) of other things, in much the same way that Q. tál “foot” can refer to their base.

Conceptual Development: This word was established very early in Tolkien’s writing, being derived from the root ᴱ√KASA “head” all the way back in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s (QL/45), but its exact form varied as Tolkien changed his mind on the phonetic development of s in Quenya. Its form in the Qenya Lexicon was in fact ᴱQ. kar (kas-), since in Early Qenya period medial s survived and it was final s that became r (PE12/26). This kar (kas-) was the usual word for head in the 1910s and 20s, but in the typescript version of the Early Qenya Grammar Tolkien instead revised it to ᴱQ. kas (kast-) “head” (PE14/72 and note #5).

In noun declensions from the late 1920s and early 1930s, Tolkien instead had cas (car-), reflecting a conceptual shift in the phonologic development of s (PE13/112-113; PE21/22). However, for reasons unclear, the form ᴹQ. kár (kas-) was restored in The Etymologies written around 1937 under the root ᴹ√KAS “head” (Ety/KEM), despite s > z > r being the normal medial phonetic development in this period (PE19/33). This abnormal form slipped into The Lord of the Rings itself as part of the name Q. Eldacar “Elfhelm” (LotR/1038).

Tolkien generally used the form cas for “head” in his later writings (PE19/103; VT49/17), but in his notes on Words, Phrases and Passages from the Lord of the Rings from the late 1950s or early 1960s, Tolkien was forced to contrive another explanation for Eldacar:

> What is -kar in names. How could it stand for helm? E.g. as stem ✱kāsā (√KAS, head) would give kāra, but in compound forms -kāsă > -kas. Would not an ă be lost before voicing of s or at least before z > r (PE17/114).

In this note Tolkien considered having Q. carma “helm” < kas-mā, but discarded the idea since he felt karma “tool or weapon” < KAR “do, make” + mā was the more likely meaning. He then said “Eldă|kāzā in compounds to -kār(ă) > -kar” despite its phonological implausibility, and indeed kāza/kára appeared in a discussion of helms within 1964 notes on Dalath Dirnen (DD: PE17/188).

As for the sense “top”, there is better evidence for it among Tolkien’s earlier writings, such as the glosses “head, top” in Early Qenya Grammar of the 1920s (PE14/79) and the early-1930s allative form kasta “up (to the top)” (PE21/22). I see no reason to assume this alternate meaning did not survive in Tolkien’s later conception of the language.

cemi

earth, soil, land

cemi noun "earth, soil, land"; Cémi ("k")"Mother Earth" (LT1:257; the "Qenya" word cemi would correspond to cemen in LotR-style Quenya)

coivië

noun. life, life, [ᴱQ.] liveliness; awakening

The usual word for “life” in Tolkien’s later writings based on the root √KOY (NM/84, 119; VT49/42), in one place appearing with the variant koive (PE17/68). In another place Tolkien instead used kuivie for “life” in the phrase kuivie-lankasse “on the brink of life”, reflecting Tolkien’s ongoing vacillation between √KOY and √KUY as the root for life.

Conceptual Development: ᴱQ. koivie was “awakening” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s (QL/48) as reflected in the name ᴱQ. Koivie-néni “Waters of Awakening” from this period (QL/48), but the word was glossed “liveliness” in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon (GL/29). The noun for “life, being alive” was ᴹQ. kuile in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√KUY “come to life, awake” (Ety/KUY), but was usually coivie in Tolkien’s writings from the 1950s and 60s, as noted above.

Neo-Quenya: I prefer √KOY as the root for “life” for purposes of Neo-Eldarin, so I’d use coivie as the noun “life, liveliness”, and use cuivië for “awakening” as seen in the later form of the name Q. Cuiviénen “Water of Awakening” (S/48).

cormen

round(ed) place

cormen ("k")noun literally "a round(ed) place" = "circular enclosure" or *"mound" (VT27:20, 24, 25)

cotto

enemy

#cotto ("k")noun "enemy", isolated from Moricotto "Dark Enemy", a Quenya form of Morgoth(VT49:25). Compare cotumo, *notto.

cálë

light

cálë ("k")noun "light" (Markirya; in early "Qenya", cálë meant "morning", LT1:254)

cálë

noun. light

A noun for “light” appearing in the versions of the Markirya poem from the 1960s (MC/222-223).

Conceptual Development: In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, ᴱQ. kále “morning” was a derivative of the early root ᴱ√KALA “shine golden” (QL/44), and kāle was mentioned again Gnomish Lexicon Slips as a cognate of G. gaul “a light” (PE13/114). The form ᴱQ. kale “day” appeared in the Early Qenya Grammar of the 1920s, but was deleted (PE14/43). It might also be an element in ᴹQ. yúkale “twilight” (= “both lights”) from The Etymologies of the 1930s (Ety/KAL).

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I’d stick to the better attested Q. cala “light”.

cár

head

cár (cas-) ("k")noun "head" (KAS).The given stem-form appears doubtful within the phonological framework of LotR-style Quenya. Probably we should read cas with stem car- (PE14:69 indeed reads "kas head, pl. kari", and VT49:17 quotes the sg. "kas" from a post-LotR source). Compare other forms found in late sources: hlas "ear" with stem hlar- (PE17:62) and olos "dream", pl. olori (UT:396). In Tolkiens early "Qenya", post-vocalic -s became -r at the end of words but was preserved when another vowel followed. His later scheme either lets -r appear in both positions, or reverses the scenario altogether (hence olos, olor-). It would seem that the forms cár, cas- were distractedly carried over into the Etymologies from the Qenya Lexicon (kar, kas-, QL:45) even though they presuppose an earlier version of the phonology. An apparent variant form in late material, cára from earlier cáza ("k"), however fits the later phonology since intervocalic s would become z > r (PE17:188).

emmë

mummy

emmë (1) noun "mummy", hypocoristic form of "mother", also used in children's play for "index finger" and "index toe" (VT47:10, 26, VT48:4, 6, 17, 19). Also emya.

emya

mummy

emya noun "mummy", also used in children's play for "index finger" and "index toe" (VT47:10, 26, VT48:4, 6). Said to be a reduction of emenya *"my mother", seemingly presupposing #emë as a word for "mother" (but this word normally appears as emil or amil, incorporating a feminine ending). In VT48:19, emya is explained as deriving from em-nya "my mother". Compare emmë # 2.

essë

name

essë (1) noun "name", also later name of Tengwa #31, originally (MET) called árë (ázë). (Appendix E). With a pronominal ending esselya "thy name" (VT43:14). Pl. #essi in PM:339 and MR:470, gen.pl. #esseron "of names" in the compound Nómesseron (q.v.); we would rather have expected *ession, given the nom.pl. essi; perhaps #esser is a valid alternative plural form. Essecarmë noun "name-making" (MR:214, 470), Eldarin ceremony where the father announces the name of his child. Essecenta *("k") noun "Name-essay" (see centa) (MR:415); Essecilmë noun "name-choosing", an Eldarin ceremony where a child named him- or herself according to personal lámatyávë (q.v.) (MR:214, 471). The meaning Tolkien originally assigned to the word essë** in the Etymologies was "place" rather than "name" (VT45:12).

hildi

followers

hildi, -hildi noun "followers" (used = mortal men, the Second-born of Ilúvatar) (KHIL) (also Hildor, q.v.). Dat. pl. hildin "for men", a dative pl. occurring in Fíriel's Song. Cf. hildinyar "my heirs", evidently *hildë, hildo "follower, heir" + -inya "my" + -r plural ending (EO)

lelya-

go, proceed (in any direction), travel

lelya- (1) vb. "go, proceed (in any direction), travel", pa.t. lendë / elendë (WJ:363, VT14:5, PE17:139) At one point Tolkien assigned a more specific meaning to the underlying root LED: "go away from the speaker or the point in mind, depart" (PE17:52), which would make lelya- a near synonym of auta-. The same source denies that the derivatives of _LED _were used simply for "go, move, travel", but elsewhere Tolkien assigns precisely that meaning to lelya-.

lenna-

go

lenna- vb. "go", pa.t. lendë "went" (LED; cf. lelya-). In the Etymologies as printed in LR, the word lenna- wrongly appears as **linna-; see VT45:27.

lómë

dusk, twilight

lómë noun "dusk, twilight", also "night"; according to SD:415, the stem is lómi- (contrast the "Qenya" genitive lómen rather than **lómin in VT45:28). According to PE17:152, lómë refers to night "when viewed favourably, as a rule, but it became the general rule" (cf. SD:414-415 regarding lōmi as an Adûnaic loan-word based on lómë, meaning "fair night, a night of stars" with "no connotations of gloom or fear"). In the battle-cry auta i lómë "the night is passing" (Silm. ch. 20), the "night" would however seem to refer metaphorically to the reign of Morgoth. As for the gloss, cf. Lómion masc. name "Child of Twilight [dusk]", the Quenya name Aredhel secretly gave to Maeglin _(SA). Otherwise lómë is usually defined as "night" (Letters:308, LR:41, SD:302 cf.414-15, SA:dú)_; the _Etymologies defines lómë as "Night [as phenomenon], night-time, shades of night, Dark" (DO3/DŌ, LUM, DOMO, VT45:28), or "night-light" (VT45:28, reading of _lómë uncertain). In early "Qenya" the gloss was "dusk, gloom, darkness" (LT1:255). Cf. lómelindëpl. lómelindi "nightingale" _(SA:dú, LR:41; SD:302, MR:172, DO3/DŌ, LIN2, TIN). _Derived adjective #lómëa "gloomy" in Lómëanor "Gloomyland"; see Taurelilómëa-tumbalemorna...

lómëa

gloomy

#lómëa adj. "gloomy"; see Taurelilómëa-tumbalemorna...

lúna

dark

lúna adj. *"dark" in Lúnaturco and Taras Lúna, Quenya names of Barad-dûr (Dark Tower). (PE17:22). In the Etymologies, lúnë "blue" was changed by Tolkien from lúna (VT45:29).

maitë

handed

maitë (stem *maiti-, given the primitive form ¤ma3iti) adj. "handed" or "handy, skillful" (VT49:32, 42) in Angamaitë, hyarmaitë, lungumaitë, morimaitë, Telemmaitë, q.v. Etym gives maitë pl. maisi "handy, skilled" (MA3), but Tolkien later eliminated the variation t/s (compare ataformaitë "ambidextrous", pl. ataformaiti).

mar

earth

mar (1) noun "earth" (world), also "home, dwelling, mansion". Stem mard- (VT46:13, PE17:64), also seen in the ablative Mardello "from earth" (FS); the word is used with a more limited sense in oromardi "high halls" (sg. oromar, PM17:64), referring to the dwellings of Manwë and Varda on Mt. Taniquetil (Nam, RGEO:66). The initial element of Mardorunando (q.v.) may be the genitive mardo (distinguish mardo "dweller"). May be more or less identical to már "home, house, dwelling" (of persons or peoples; in names like Val(i)mar, Vinyamar, Mar-nu-Falmar, Mardil) (SA:bar, VT45:33, VT47:6). Már is however unlikely to have the stem-form mard-; a "Qenya" genitive maren appears in the phrase hon-maren, q.v., suggesting that its stem is mar-. A possible convention could therefore be to use már (mar-) for "home, house" (also when = household, family as in Mardil, q.v.), whereas mar (mard-) is used for for "earth, world". Early "Qenya" has mar (mas-) "dwelling of men, the Earth, -land" (LT1:251); notice that in LotR-style Quenya, a word in -r cannot have a stem-form in -s-.

melehta

adjective. mighty

An adjective for “mighty” derived from the root √MBELEK in a page of notes having to do with “large & small” words, probably from the late 1960s (PE17/115), apparently from the primitive form ✱✶mbelektā (with [kt] > [ht]). A variant form meletya appears with the 2nd-plural possessive suffix -lda as Meletyalda “your mighty” in the Quendi and Eldar essay of 1959-60 (WJ/369), likely from the primitive form ✱✶mbelekya (with [kj] > [tj]). This variant form has a more typical primitive adjective suffix ✶-ya, but is inconsistent with the attested Sindarin cognate S. belaith, so I’d stick with melehta for purposes of Neo-Quenya.

men-

go

#men- (4) vb. "go" (VT47:11, cf. VT42:30, VT49:23), attested in the aorist (menë) in the sentence imbi Menel Cemenyë menë Ráno tië "between Heaven and Earth goes the path of the Moon". In the verb nanwen- "return" (or go/come back), -men- is changed to -wen- following nan- "back" (etymological form cited as nan-men-, PE17:166). In examples from VT49:23, 24, Tolkien used men- in the sense of "go as far as": 1st person sg. aorist menin (menin coaryanna "I arrive at [or come/get to] his house"), endingless aorist menë, present tense ména- "is on point of arrival, is just coming to an end", past tense mennë "arrived, reached", in this tense usually with locative rather than allative (mennen sís "I arrive[d] here"), perfect eménië "has just arrived", future menuva "will arrive". All of these examples were first written with the verb as ten- rather than men-, Tolkien then emending the initial consonant.

mistë

noun. drizzle, drizzle, [ᴹQ.] fine rain

A word for “drizzle” (PE19/101) or “light rain” (Ety/MIZD) from primitive ✶mizdē, illustrating how ancient zd became st in Quenya.

Conceptual Development: The earliest precursor of this word was ᴱQ. mirde “mist” derived from primitive ᴱ✶mẓđē in the Early Qenya Phonology of the 1910s (PE12/14). In Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s, this became ᴱQ. mie derived from primitive ✶míye as a cognate to ᴱN. midh “mist, drizzle” (PE13/150). In The Etymologies of the 1930s it was ᴹQ. miste “fine rain”, already with the derivation given above and with cognate N. mîdh “dew” (Ety/MIZD). The form miste reappeared in the Outline of Phonology from the early 1950s with the same derivation and Sindarin cognate S. míð but with gloss “drizzle” (PE19/101).

máma

noun. sheep

A word for “sheep” appearing in the Quendi and Eldar essay of 1959-60 as a derivative of ✶māmā (WJ/395). It appeared again in notes from 1968 as a derivative of ✶mbāba (VT47/35), apparently with some amount of assimilation since the second primitive b > m as suggested by Patrick Wynne (VT47/36).

Conceptual Development: A similar word ᴱQ. moa “sheep” appeared in both the Qenya Lexicon and Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa of the 1910s, in the former under the entry for the early root ᴱ√MAWA “cry, bleat” (QL/060). In Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s, the word for “sheep” was instead ᴱQ. sauve (PE16/132).

móri

dark

móri adj. "dark" (MC:221; this is "Qenya"; in Tolkien's later Quenya mórë, morë)

mórë

blackness, dark, night, darkness

mórë noun "blackness, dark, night, darkness" (MOR, MC:214), also given with a short vowel:morë "dark, darkness" (Letters:282). If this is the initial element of Morinehtar "Darkness-slayer" (PM:384, 385), it would seem to have the stem-form mori-, though mori- is normally the adjective "dark, black" (see below).

nehtar

slayer

#nehtar noun "slayer", isolated from Morinehtar "Darkness-slayer" (PM:384, 385). It may be that a verbal stem #nehta- "to slay, kill" can also be isolated from this noun, though the attested form is actually nahta- (a possible example of A/E variation).

notto

enemy

*notto (ñ)noun "enemy", reconstructed simplex form of the second element of the Moringotto "Dark Enemy", a Quenya form of Morgoth(VT49:25). Compare #cotto.

nér

man

nér (1) (ner-, as in pl. neri) noun "man" (adult male elf, mortal, or of other speaking race) (MR:213, VT49:17, DER, NDER, NI1, VT45:9; see also WJ:393)

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.

nór

noun. land

A term for “land” as in “(dry) land as opposed to the sea”, mentioned in the Quendi and Eldar essay of 1959-60 (WJ/413) and again in notes from around 1968 (PE17/106-107).

Possible Etymology: In the Quendi and Eldar essay this term was derived from primitive ✶ndōro, but in the aforementioned 1968 notes Tolkien clarified that its stem form was nŏr-. This means it was probably derived from ancient ✱ndŏr-, where the long vowel in the uninflected form was inherited from the Common Eldarin subjective form ✱ndōr, a phenomenon also seen in words like nér (ner-) “man”. I prefer this second derivation, as it makes the independent word more distinct from the suffixal form -ndor or -nóre used in the names of countries.

ohtacáro

warrior

[ohtacáro] ("k")noun "warrior" (KAR). In the Etymologies as printed in LR, the accent of the word ohtacáro was omitted (VT45:19).

oio

endless period

oio noun "an endless period" (CO) or adv. "ever" (SA:los). Oiolairë "Ever-summer" (name of a tree, UT:167; also in the name Coron Oiolairë, "Mound of Ever-summer". Oiolossë "Everwhite, Ever-snowwhite", a name of Taniquetil (OY), hence the translation "Mount Everwhite" in Tolkien's rendering of Namárië. See also SA:los. Explicit "mount" in Oron Oiolossë "Mount Everwhite" (WJ:403). Ablativic genitive Oiolossëo "from Mount Everwhite" in Namárië (Nam, RGEO:67, OY)

orco

orc

orco ("k") noun "Orc", pl. orcor or orqui (WJ:390, ÓROK; pl. Orcor also in WJ:12, MR:74, 194). If the pl. form orqui is preferred, the word should be assigned the stem-form orcu-. Early "Qenya" has orc ("k") (orqu-) ("q") "monster, demon" (LT1:264; in LotR-style Quenya, no word can end in -rc.)

oromar

high (lofty) dwelling, hall

oromar (oromard-) noun "high (lofty) dwelling, hall" (PM17:63-64), pl oromardi "high halls" or "high mansions" in Namárië (cf. RGEO:66, PE17:64), referring to the mansions of Manwë and Varda upon Mt. Taniquetil. See mar #1. Distinguish oromardi noun "mountain-dwellers" (PE16:96), pl. of *oromar(d-).

ossë

terror

ossë noun "terror" (GOS/GOTH). In the pre-classical Tengwar system presupposed in the Etymologies, ossë was also the name of a Tengwa similar in shape to Roman c, which in a full-vowel mode apparently had the value o. (VT45:15; in the Sindarin "Mode of Beleriand", exemplified in the LotR itself, this letter has the value a instead. Elsewhere in the Etymologies itself, this symbol is called Elwë (q.v.) and is assigned the value e.)

ossë

terror

Ossë noun name of a Maia, adopted and adapted from Valarin (WJ:400), though connected with the common noun ossë "terror" in Etym (GOS/GOTH)

pé

lip

pé noun "lip", dual peu "the two lips, the mouth-opening" (VT39:9; VT47:12, 35). In an earlier source, the Etymologies, pé was glossed "mouth" (PEG), whereas in PE17:126 it is more specifically "the closed mouth".

quén

one, (some)body, person, individual, man or woman

quén (quen-, as in pl. queni; as final element in compounds -quen) noun "one, (some)body, person, individual, man or woman", pl. queni = "persons", "(some) people", "they" with the most general meaning (as in "they [= people in general] say that..."). The element is combined with noun and adjective stems in old compounds to denote habitual occupations or functions, or to describe those having some notable (permanent) quality; examples include roquen, ciryaquen, arquen, q.v. Also in aiquen "whoever", ilquen "everybody" (WJ:361 cf. 360, 372).

rassë

horn

rassë, also rasco, noun "horn" (especially on living animal, but also applied to mountains) (RAS/VT46:10, PM:69)

retto

climber

retto "climber" (PE17:182, language unidentified). The form is mentioned as somehow related to the Sindarin element -reth in Orodreth ("Mountain-climber") and could be either Old Sindarin or the Quenya cognate. *Ret- might then be the Quenya verb for "climb", a derivative of the root RETE of similar meaning.

róma

horn

róma (1) noun "horn" (WJ:368 - this refers to a "horn" as an instrument rather than as part of an animal; see rassë, tarca_)._Loose compound Oromë róma "an Oromë horn", sc. "one of Orome's horns (if he had more than one)" (WJ:368).

silmë

starlight

silmë noun "starlight", also name of tengwa #29 (Appendix E), though in the pre-classical Tengwar system presupposed in the Etymologies, the name silmë instead applied to tengwa #3 (VT46:13). Silmë nuquerna "_s reversed", name of tengwa #30, similar to normal silmë but turned upside down (Appendix E)_. In the Etymologies, stem SIL, silmë is defined as the "light of Silpion" (Telperion), and also a poetic word for "silver".

telpë

silver

telpë noun "silver" (in one example with generalized meaning "money", PE14:54), telep- in some compounds like Teleporno; assimilated telem- in Telemnar and the adj. telemna (KYELEP/TELEP, SA:celeb, LT1:255, 268; also tyelpë, telep-, UT:266). The true Quenya descendant of primitive ¤kyelepē is tyelpë, but the Telerin form telpë was more common, "for the Teleri prized silver above gold, and their skill as silversmiths was esteemed even by the Noldor" (UT:266). In various names: Telperion the White Tree of Valinor; Telperien ("Telperiën"), fem. name including telp- "silver" (Appendix A); Telperinquar "Silver-fist, Celebrimbor" (SA:celeb - also Tyelperinquar); Telporno, Teleporno "Silver-high" = Sindarin _Celeborn(Letters:347, UT:266). _It seems that Teleporno is properly Telerin, Quenyarized as Telporno. Compare adjectives telemna, telpina, telepsa, telepta (q.v.)

tyelpë

silver

tyelpë noun "silver" (KYELEP/TELEP), etymology also in Letters:426 and UT:266. Tyelpë is the true Quenya descendant of primitive ¤kyelepē, but the Telerin form telpë was more common, "for the Teleri prized silver above gold, and their skill as silversmiths was esteemed even by the Noldor" (UT:266). In the Etymologies, tyelpë is also the name of Tengwa #1 with overposed dots, this symbol having the value ty (VT45:25). Cf. tyelpetéma as the name of the entire palatal series of the Tengwar system.

túra

big, great

túra adj. "big, great" (PE17:115), related to words for power and apparently referring to a more abstract greatness than words like haura "huge". Cf. taura, túrëa. Apparently initial element of Túrosto.

unquë

hole, hollow

unquë noun "hole, hollow" (VT46:20, UNUK), also name of tengwa #16 _(Appendix E; there spelt unque, while the Etymologies has unqe)_

vanimelda

the highest word of praise for beauty

vanimelda adj., said to be "the highest word of praise for beauty", with two interpretations that were apparently considered equally valid and simultaneously true: "beautiful and beloved" (vanima + melda, with haplology), i.e. "movingly lovely", but also "elven-fair" (fair as an Elf) (vanima + elda). The word was also used as the second name of Arwen. (PE17:56, Second Edition LotR1:II ch. 16).

váya

sea

váya noun "sea" (considered as "waters, motion"). The wording of the source indicates that Tolkien only tentatively considered such a word (PE17:33)

váya

noun. ocean, sea, ocean, [stormy] sea

A word in Quenya Notes (QN) from 1957 that Tolkien described as “used of sea (as waters, motion)”, a derivative of √WAYA “blow, or be disturbed” (PE17/33). This note was crossed through, but a similar note appeared afterwards with a (archaic?) word waya “ocean” (PE17/34).

Conceptual Development: In the earliest Lost Tales, Tolkien had ᴱQ. Vai “Outer Ocean” (LT1/85), a word that also appeared in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s as a derivative of ᴱ√VAẎA “enfold, wind about” (QL/100). The word ᴱQ. vea “sea” appeared in a number of poems Tolkien wrote in the late 1920s (MC/213-214, 216, 220; numerous references in PE16). ᴹQ. vea “sea” also appeared in the Declension of Nouns from the early 1930s as a derivative of ᴹ✶vaı̯ā (PE21/8, 17), and as an element in the name ᴹQ. Veaneldar “Sea-elves” from the 1930s and possibly Q. Vëantur, a name in later writings for a ship captain in Númenor (UT/171).

In Silmarillion drafts of the 1930s Tolkien used ᴹQ. Vaiya for “Enfolding Ocean” (SM/236) or “Outer Sea” (LR/209). This word was mentioned in The Etymologies as wai(y)a/vai(y)a “envelope” that was used “especially of the Outer Sea or Air enfolding the world within the Ilurambar”, a derivative of ᴹ√WAY “enfold” (Ety/WAY). In the Ambarkanta of early 1930s Tolkien likewise said that the ordinary meaning vaiya was “fold, envelope”, meaning “Outer Sea” when used as a proper name (SM/241). In Quenya Notes (QN) from 1957, the similar word váya/waya was given a new etymology from the root √WAYA “blow” rather than “enfold” as noted above, along with other derivatives having to do with “wind” (PE17/33-34).

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I think the form váya is the best form, and given its derivation from the root for “wind”, I think it refers mainly to rough or stormy seas. The name Vëantur may contained a reduced form of this word.

vëo

man

†vëo noun "man" (WEG; etymologically connected to vëa "manly, vigorous"; the more neutral word for "man" is nér. According to VT46:21, Tolkien indicated that vëo is an archaic or poetic word.) Tolkien at a later point defined the word as "living creature" (PE17:189). Cf. variant wëo, q.v.

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)

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)

ëar

sea

ëar noun "sea" (AYAR/AIR [gives also dat. sg. ëaren],WJ:413; see Letters:386 for etymology). Not to be confused with the pl. form of the verb ëa "be, exist". Pl. ëari "seas" (FS, LR:47); Eär "the Great Sea" (cf. ëaron "ocean"), ablative Eärello "from the Great Sea", et Eärello "out of the Great Sea" (EO). Eärë noun "the open sea" (SD:305). Compound ëaruilë noun "seaweed" (UY). Found in proper names like Eärendil "Sea-friend", Eärendur masc. name, *"Sea-servant"; in effect a variant of Eärendil(Appendix A). Eärendur was also used ="(professional) mariner" (Letters:386).Fem. name Eärwen "Sea-maiden" (Silm); Eärrámë "Sea-wing", "Wings of the Sea", name of Tuor's ship (RAM, AYAR/AIR, SA)

órë

heart

órë (1) noun "heart" (inner mind), also name of tengwa #21 (Appendix E), "premonition" (VT41:13), "nearest equivalent of 'heart' in our application to feelings, or emotions (courage, fear, hope, pity, etc.)" (VT41:13). The órë apparently defines a person's personality, cf. the description of Galadriel in PM:337, that "there dwelt in her the noble and generous spirit (órë) of the Vanyar". Órenya "my heart" (VT41:11).

úvana

unmarred

úvana adj. "unmarred" (PE17:150), rejected meaning: "monstrous" (PE17:149). The word for "unmarred" is alahasta (q.v.) in a more widely published source.

úχarin

unmarred

úχarin adj. "unmarred" (PE17:150), this would be úharin in more standard spelling (and later pronunciation). In a more widely published source, the word for "unmarred" is alahasta, q.v.

carva

womb

#carva noun "womb" (isolated from carvalyo "of thy womb") (VT43:31; Tolkien seems to have abandoned this form in favour of #móna, q.v.)

mól

slave, thrall

mól noun "slave, thrall" (MŌ, VT43:31)

móla

of slave(s), slavish

#móla adj. *"of slave(s), slavish", isolated from mólanoldorin

móna

womb

#móna noun "womb" (isolated from mónalyo "of thy womb") (VT43:31)

móro

ink

móro noun "ink" (PE16:133)

móta-

labour, toil

móta- noun "labour, toil" (MŌ)

mólë

noun. *labour, work

ilma Reconstructed

proper name. Starlight

An (archaic?) name for “Starlight”, it is not directly attested in Tolkien’s later writing, but appears as an element in several names (SA/ilm). It is a derivative of the root √(Ñ)GIL “shine (white)”. Elsewhere, the usual Quenya word for “starlight” is given as silmë (LotR/1123).

Conceptual Development: ᴱQ. ilma “air” appeared in Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s (PE16/142). The name ᴹQ. Ilma “Starlight” is directly attested in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (LR/205), where it first appeared as Silma (SM/240). Ilma also appeared in The Etymologies as a derivative of ᴹ√GIL (Ety/GIL), which is the source of the etymology noted above.

mórolingwe

noun. squid, (lit.) ink-fish

A neologism for “squid” coined by Dírheron on Discord in 2019, a combination of [ᴱQ.] móro “ink” and lingwë “fish”.

au-

prefix. away (from)

carva

noun. *womb

essë

noun. name

hrai(a)

adjective. easy

men

noun. way, way; [ᴹQ.] place, spot

málimë

noun. wrist, (lit.) hand-link

A word for “wrist” in notes on Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals from the late 1960s, a combination of má “hand” and limë “link”, hence “(lit.) hand-link” (VT47/6).

Conceptual Development: There was a similar word in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s: ᴱQ. marikta “wrist”, a combination of suffixal ᴱQ. má “hand(s)” and some derivative of the early root ᴱ√RIKI “✱twist” (QL/57, 80), perhaps “✱hand-joint”.

nenda

adjective. wet

telepta

adjective. silver, silver, [ᴱQ.] of silver

tyelpë

noun. silver

mólë

noun. labour, work

mulmin

noun. mill

mórilanta

noun. nightfall

móriva

adjective. nocturnal

móro

noun. ink

mótaro

noun. worker

alahasta

adjective. unmarred

hastaina

adjective. marred

sahta

adjective. marred

-ndor

land

-ndor, final element in compounds: "land" (Letters:308, UT:253)

-nna

to

-n (1) dative ending, originating as a reduced form of -nă "to", related to the allative ending -nna (VT49:14). Attested in nin, men, ten, enyalien, Erun, airefëan, tárin, yondon (q.v.) and also added to the English name Elaine (Elainen) in a book dedication to Elaine Griffiths (VT49:40). The longer dative ending -na is also attested in connection with some pronouns, such as sena, téna, véna (q.v.), also in the noun mariéna from márië "goodness" (PE17:59). Pl. -in (as in hínin, see hína), partitive pl. -lin, dual -nt (Plotz). The preposition ana (#1) is said to be used "when purely dative formula is required" (PE17:147), perhaps meaning that it can replace the dative ending, e.g. *ana Eru instead of Erun for "to God". In some of Tolkiens earlier material, the ending -n (or -en) expressed genitive rather than dative, but he later decided that the genitive ending was to be -o (cf. such a revision as Yénië Valinóren becoming Yénië Valinórëo, MR:200).

-nna

to, at, upon

-nna "to, at, upon", allative ending, originating from -na "to" with fortified n, VT49:14. Attested in cilyanna, coraryanna, Endorenna, Elendilenna, númenórenna, parma-restalyanna, rénna, senna, tielyanna, q.v. If a noun ends in -n already, the ending -nna merges with it, as in Amanna, formenna, Elenna, númenna, rómenna as the allative forms of Aman, formen, elen, númen, rómen (q.v.). Plural -nnar in mannar, valannar, q.v.

-o

person, somebody

-o (2), also -ó, "a person, somebody", pronominal suffix (PM:340)

-on

name

-on gen.pl. ending (3O), in aldaron, aranion, elenion, Eldaron, #esseron, Ingweron, Istarion, Númevalion, Quendion, Silmarillion, Sindaron, tasarion (see Nan-Tasarion), Valion, wenderon, yénion. Normally the ending -on is added to the nominative plural, whether it ends in -i or -r, but some nouns in -ë that would have nominative plurals in -i seem to prefer the ending -ron in the genitive (hence #esseron as the gen. pl. of essë "name", though the nominative pl. is attested as essi and we might have expected the gen. pl. *ession; similarly wenderon, Ingweron).

-wë

person

-wë a suffix occurring in many personal names, generally but not exclusively masculine (Elenwë is the sole certain example of a fem. name with this ending); it is derived from a stem simply meaning "person" (PM:340, WJ:399). In Etym, -wë is simply defined as an element that is frequent in masculine names, and it is there derived from a stem (WEG) having to do with "(manly) vigour".

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.)

Amarië

good

Amarië fem. name; perhaps derived from mára "good" with prefixing of the stem-vowel and the feminine ending -ië (Silm)

Calaventë

sun

Calaventë _("k")_noun "Sun" (LT1:254)

Calavénë

sun

Calavénë _("k")_noun "Sun" (lit. "light-vessel", "light-dish") (LT1:254)

Elenwë

star-person

Elenwë fem. name *"Star-person" (Silm)

Fui

night

Fui noun "Night" (PHUY) - variant Hui, which form is probably to be preferred in light of Tolkien's later insight that the related word fuinë (see below) is actually Telerin, the proper Quenya form being huinë.

Hui

night

Hui noun "Night" (PHUY), in earlier "Qenya" defined as "evening" _(MC:214) or"fog, dark, murk, night" (LT1:253)._

Ilma

starlight

Ilma noun "starlight" (GIL)

Ilmarë

starlight

Ilmarë noun "starlight", also fem. name, referring to a Maia (GIL, SA:ilm-)

Lindissë

woman

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

Maia

the beautiful

Maia pl. Maiar noun "the Beautiful" (MR:49), the lesser (= non-Vala) Ainur that entered Eä. Variant Máya in VT42:13/VT47:18, pl. Máyar in PM:363, 364 and VT47:18 (possibly, Máya is to be understood as the older form of Maia). With negative prefix ú- also Úmaiar, Maiar who became evil and followed Melkor, such as Balrogs (MR:79, "Umaiar", MR:165).

Quende#

noun. Elf

Elf

Tindómisel

noun. nightingale

PQ. nightingale

a

cardinal. one

aicalë

peak

aicalë ("k")noun "a peak" (AYAK)

airen

noun. sea

airë

sea

airë (2) noun "sea" (the form airen is given, intended as a genitive singular when Tolkien wrote this; in LotR-style Quenya it would rather be a dative sg.) (AYAR/AIR; cf. airon)

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).]

ala-

good

ala- (3), also al-, a prefix expressing "good" or "well" (PE17:146), as in alaquenta (q.v.) Whether Tolkien imagined this ending to coexist with the negative prefix of the same form (#2 above) is unclear and perhaps dubious.

alahasta

unmarred

alahasta adj. "unmarred" (MR:254)

alima

fair, good

alima adj. "fair, good" (also alya) (PE17:146)

alya

fair, good

alya (1) adj. "fair, good" (PE17:146), "prosperous, rich, abundant, blessed" (GALA). In a deleted entry in Etym, the glosses provided were "rich, blessed"; another deleted entry defined alya as "rich, prosperous, blessed". (GALA, [ÁLAM], VT42:32, 45:5, 14)

amaurëa

dawn, early day

†amaurëa noun "dawn, early day" (Markirya)

amba

adverb. up(wards)

ambarónë

noun. dawn, dawn; [ᴹQ.] uprising, sunrise, Orient

ambona

noun. hill

amun

hill

amun (amund-) noun "hill" (LT2:335; in Tolkien's later Quenya ambo)

ana

to

ana (1) prep. "to" (VT49:35), "as preposition _ana _is used when purely _dative formula is required" (PE17:147), perhaps meaning that the preposition ana can be used instead of the dative ending -n (#1, q.v.) Also as prefix: ana- "to, towards" (NĀ1); an (q.v.) is used with this meaning in one source (PE17:127)_

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.

armar

goods

armar noun "goods" (pl.) (3AR). Compare the sg. arma "a piece of goods or property" mentioned above, though Tolkien struck out that text.

cala

light

cala ("k")noun "light" (KAL). Concerning the "Qenya" verb cala-, see #cal- above.

calina

light

calina ("k")adj. "light" (KAL), "bright" (VT42:32) "(literally illumined) sunny, light" (PE17:153) but apparently a noun "light" in coacalina, q.v.

cambë

noun. hand, (hollow of) hand

canta

shape

canta (2) _("k") noun"shape" (PE17:175), also used as adj._ "shaped", also as quasi-suffix -canta ("k") "-shaped" (KAT)

cas

head

cas ("k")"head" (VT49:17), cf. also deleted [cas] ("k")noun "top, summit" (VT45:19). This noun should evidently have the stem-form car-. See cár.

casta

cause

casta (2) noun "cause" (reason) (QL:43)

cat-

verb. shape

shape, fashion

ciris

cleft, crack

ciris _("k")_noun "cleft, crack" (LT2:337 - obsoleted by cirissë?)

coi

life

coi ("k")"life" (LT1:257; in Tolkien's later Quenya cuilë)

coivië

life

coivië _("k")_noun "life" (coivierya, *"his/her life", VT49:41, 42). In early material, the word is glossed "awakening" instead (LT1:257; in LotR-style Quenya cuivië, as in Cuiviénen)

coivë

noun. life

col-

bear, carry

#col- vb. "bear, carry", not attested by itself by suggested by colindo and colla, q.v.; also compare Tancol.

colba

noun. *womb

combë

gathering, assembly, assemblage, collection

combë ("k") noun "gathering, assembly, assemblage, collection". Also ocombë (PE17:158)

coron

globe, ball

coron (2) ("k") (corn-, as in dat. sg. cornen) noun "globe, ball" (KOR)

cuilë

life, being alive

cuilë ("k")noun "life, being alive" (KUY)

cuivië

noun. life

cára

noun. head

cén

soil, earth

cén (cem-) ("k")noun "soil, earth"; see cemen (KEM)

cúnë

crescent, bow

cúnë _("k")_noun "crescent, bow" (LT1:271). Cf. cú.

ecca

hole

ecca ("k")noun "hole", apparently associated with Sindarin torech "secret hole, lair" (PE17:188)

elwen

heart

elwen noun "heart" (LT1:255; rather hón or enda in LotR-style Quenya)

enda

heart

enda noun "heart", but not referring to the physical organ; it literally means "centre" (cf. endë) and refers to the fëa (soul) or sáma (mind) itself. (VT39:32)

er

one, alone

er cardinal "one, alone" (ERE, VT48:6, VT49:54), in an early source also adv. "only, but, still" (LT1:269); Eru er "one God" (VT44:17; er was here emended by Tolkien from erëa, which seems to be an adjectival form *"one, single".)

erëa

cardinal. one

erëa adj.? "one" or *"single", apparently an adjectival form (see er) (VT44:17)

esse

noun. name

esta-

verb. name

fána

white

fána, fánë (1) adj. "white" (Markirya - fánë as a sg. form in may be a misreading). Compare fanya.

fána

adjective. white, white; [ᴹQ.] cloud

@@@ as suggested by Helge Fauskanger, the form fánë “white” in the Markirya poem may be a slip or misreading

fánë

adjective. white

harin

marred

*harin adj. "marred" (PE17:150). The word is given as χarin*, where the initial Greek chi presumably represents [x]; in later [MET] pronunciation and spelling, this would become harin**.

histë

dusk

histë noun "dusk" (LT1:255)

horma

horde, host

horma noun "horde, host" (LT2:341)

hosta

large number

hosta noun "large number", verb hosta- "to collect" (KHOTH)

hróva

dark, dark brown

hróva adj. "dark, dark brown", used to refer to hair (PE17:154)

hyatsë

cleft, gash

hyatsë noun "cleft, gash" (SYAD), apparently changed by Tolkien from hyassë (VT46:16)

hísë

dusk

hísë (2) noun "dusk" (LT1:255). A "Qenya" form possibly obsoleted by #1 above.

hón

heart

hón noun "heart" (physical) (KHŌ-N); hon-maren "heart of the house", a fire (LR:63, 73; this is "Qenya" with genitive in -en, not -o as in LotR-style Quenya read *hon-maro?)

höa

adjective. big, large

@@@ used in NQNT

ita

very, extremely

ita, íta adv. 2) "very, extremely" (PE17:112). Like #1 above, this element emerged as part of Tolkiens efforts to explain the initial element of the name Idril (Q Itaril), so it is questionable if #1 and #2 were ever meant to coexist in the "same" version of Quenya.

kemen

earth

kemen noun "earth"; see cemen.

lai

very

[lai adverbial particle "very" (VT45:8)]

lambelë

language

lambelë noun "Language" (especially with reference to phonology), *"phonetics" (VT39:15)

lanna

athwart

lanna prep. "athwart" (PE17:65)

lapsa-

to lick

lapsa- vb. "to lick" (frequentative) (LAB)

latta

hole, pit

latta (1) noun "hole, pit" (DAT/DANT, VT45:8)

lav-

verb. lick

linda

fair, beautiful

linda adj. "fair, beautiful" (of sound) (SLIN, LIND; VT45:27), "soft, gentle, light" (PE16:96), "beautiful, sweet, melodious of sound" (PE17:150); for Linda as a noun, see Lindar.

linqui

wet

linqui ("q")adj. "wet" (MC:216; Tolkien's later Quenya has linquë.)

linquë

wet

linquë ("q") (1) adj. "wet" _(LINKWI). In early "Qenya", this word was glossed "water" (LT1:262)_, and "wet" was linqui or liquin, q.v.

linya

pool

linya noun "pool" (LIN1)

liquin

wet

liquin ("q")adj. "wet" (LT1:262; Tolkien's later Quenya has linquë.)

liyúmë

host

liyúmë noun "host" (VT48:32)

liyúmë

noun. host

lumba

gloomy

lumba (2) adj. "gloomy" (PE17:72)

lumba

adjective. gloomy

A word for “gloomy” appearing in some Notes on Galadriel’s Song (NGS) from the late 1950s or early 1960s, an adjective form of lumbo “gloom” (PE17/72).

lumbë

gloom, shadow

lumbë noun "gloom, shadow" (LUM)

lá

athwart, over, across, beyond

lá (2) prep. "athwart, over, across, beyond" (PE17:65), also used in phrases of comparison, e.g. "A ná calima lá B", A is bright beyond (= brighter than) B (VT42:32).

látie

noun. openness

látië

openness

látië noun "openness" (VT39:23)

lé

way

lé (1) noun "way" = "method, manner" ("as in that is not As way"). Not to be confused with lé as a stressed form of le = plural "you"; Tolkien was himself dissatisfied with this clash (PE17:74).

lér

man

**lér noun "man" (NI1; hypothetical Q form of PQ dēr; the form actually used in Quenya was nér)

ló

night, a night

ló (1) noun "night, a night" (DO3/DŌ, VT45:28)

lóna

dark

?lóna (4) adj. "dark" (DO3/DŌ). If this is to be the cognate of "Noldorin"/Sindarin dûr, as the context seems to indicate, lóna is likely a misreading for *lóra in Tolkien's manuscript.

lóna

pool, mere

lóna (1) noun "pool, mere" (VT42:10). Variant of lón, lónë above?

lúmë

darkness

lúmë (2) noun "darkness" (one wonders if Tolkien confused lúmë "time, hour" and lómë "night") (Markirya)

lúrëa

dark, overcast

lúrëa adj. "dark, overcast" (LT1:259)

mahtar

warrior

mahtar noun "warrior" (MAK; original gloss "swordsman", VT45:32)

mailë

lust

mailë noun "lust" (MIL-IK)

mailëa

lustful

mailëa adj. "lustful" (MIL-IK)

mavar

shepherd

mavar noun "shepherd" (LT1:268, GL:58)

maxë

dough

maxë ("ks") noun "dough" (MASAG, VT45:32)

mehtar

noun. warrior

melehta

mighty

melehta adj. "mighty" (PE17:115), cf. meletya

meletya

mighty

#meletya adj. "mighty", isolated from meletyalda adjective with suffix "your mighty" = "your majesty" (see -lda; meletya = *"mighty"). In full Aran Meletyalda "king your mighty" = "your majesty" (WJ:369). Compare melehta.

meletya

adjective. mighty

men

way

men (2) noun "way" (SA) or "place, spot" (MEN)

milya

soft, gentle, weak

milya (1) adj. "soft, gentle, weak" (VT45:34)

milyar

noun. soft

soft [sonants]

min

cardinal. one

min numeral "one", also minë (VT45:34, VT48:6)

min

cardinal. one, one, [ᴱQ.] one (in a series), the first

minë

cardinal. one

minë numeral "one", also min (MINI, VT45:34)

miquelis

soft, sweet kiss

miquelis (miquelis(s)-) noun "soft, sweet kiss" (PE16:96)

mir

cardinal. one

mir (2) cardinal "one" (LT1:260; in LotR-style Quenya rather minë)

missë

wet, damp, rain

[missë] adj.ornoun "wet, damp, rain" (VT45:35)

miste

noun. drizzle

drizzle

mixa

wet

mixa ("ks")adj. "wet" (MISK); later sources have néna, nenya

mul-

grind

mul- vb. "grind", pa.t. múle (QL:63)

mundo

bull

mundo (1) noun "bull" (Letters:422)

mussë

soft

mussë adj. "soft" (VT:39:17), also used as a noun (perhaps primarily in the pl. form mussi) with the same meaning as mussë tengwi, see below. (VT39:17)

mussë

adjective. soft

má

noun. hand

hand

má

hand

má noun "hand" (MA3, LT2:339, Narqelion, VT39:10, [VT45:30], VT47:6, 18, 19); the dual "a pair of hands" is attested both by itself as mát (VT47:6) and with a pronominal suffix as máryat "his/her (pair of) hands" (see -rya, -t) (Nam, RGEO:67). The nominative plural form was only máli, not **már (VT47:6), though plurals in -r may occur in some of the cases, as indicated by the pl. allative mannar "into hands" (FS). Mánta "their hand", dual mántat "their hands" (two hands each) (PE17:161). Cf. also the compounds mátengwië "language of the hands" (VT47:9) and Lungumá "Heavyhand" (VT47:19); also compare the adj. -maitë "-handed". See also málimë.

má

noun. hand

málimë

wrist

málimë (stem *málimi-, given primitive form ¤mā-limi) noun "wrist", literally "hand-link" (má + #limë). (VT47:6)

máma

sheep

máma noun "sheep" (WJ:395)

mára

adjective. good

mólome

noun. hard work, burden

na

to, towards

na (2) prep. "to, towards", possibly obsoleted by #1 above; for clarity writers may use the synonym ana instead (NĀ1). Originally, Tolkien glossed na as "at, by, near"; the new meaning entered together with the synonyms an, ana (VT45:36).

nairea

adjective. sorrowful

nassë

person, an individual

nassë (1) "a person, an individual" (VT49:30). Also translated "true-being" (pl. nasser is attested), the inner "true" being of a person. With a pronominal suffix in the form nassentar "their true-being" (PE17:175, cf. -nta #2), in the source referring to the "true" spiritual nature of the Valar, as hidden within their visible shapes. The word nassentar would seem to be plural, *"their true-beings". Not to be confused with the verb nassë/násë "he/she is"; see ná #1.

nendë

pool

nendë (1) noun "pool" (NEN), "lake" (PE17:52)

nenya

wet

nenya adj. "wet" (PE17:52), also néna, q.v. Nenya as the name of a Ring of Power seems to imply *"(thing) related to water", since this Ring was associated with that element (SA:nen).

nenya

adjective. wet

ninda

adjective. wet

ninquë

white, chill, cold, palid

ninquë adj. "white, chill, cold, palid" (WJ:417, SA:nim, PE17:168, NIK-W - spelt "ninqe" in Etym and in LT1:266, MC:213, MC:220, GL:60), pl. ninqui in Markirya. Compounded in Ninquelótë noun "White-Flower" (SA:nim), = Sindarin Nimloth, the White Tree of Númenor; ninqueruvissë ("q") "white-horse-on" _(MC:216; this is "Qenya", read _ninqueroccossë or *ninquiroccossë in LotR-style Quenya). Normally ninquë would be expected to have the stem-form ninqui-, given the primitive form ¤ninkwi; Ninquelótë rather than *Ninquilótë must be seen as an analogical form.

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

nonda

hand, especially in [?clutching]

nonda noun "hand, especially in [?clutching]" (VT47:23; Tolkien's gloss was not certainly legible)

nulla

dark, dusky, obscure

nulla adj. "dark, dusky, obscure" (NDUL), "secret" (DUL). See also VT45:11.

numbë

root, foundation

[numbë noun "root, foundation", also núvë (VT45:38)]

néna

wet

néna adj. "wet" (PE17:167). Cf. nenya, mixa.

néna

adjective. wet

nér

noun. man

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".

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.])

nór

land

nór noun "land" (stem nor-, PE17:106) this is land as opposed to water and sea (nor in Letters:308). Cf. nórë.

nóre

noun. land

nórë

land

nórë noun "land" (associated with a particular people) (WJ:413), "country, land, dwelling-place, region where certain people live, race, clan" (NŌ, NDOR, BAL), also used = "race, tribe, people" (SA:dôr, PE17:169; however, the normal word for "people" is lië). Early "Qenya" hasnórë "native land, nation, family, country" (in compounds -nor) (LT1:272)

núla

dark, occult, mysterious

núla ("ñ")adj. "dark, occult, mysterious" (PE17:125)

núlë

black arts, secrecy

núlë ("ñ")noun "black arts, secrecy" (PE17:125)

núvë

root, foundation

[núvë noun "root, foundation", also numbë (VT45:38)]

ocombë

gathering, assembly, assemblage, collection

ocombë ("k") noun "gathering, assembly, assemblage, collection". Also combë (PE17:158)

ohtar

warrior, soldier

ohtar noun "warrior, soldier" (UT:282)

ohtar

masculine name. Warrior

The squire of Isildur (LotR/243, UT/272). This name is simply the word ohtar “warrior” used as a name. Since it is a name out of legend, this name might have originally been the man’s title instead of his name, with his true name now lost (UT/282, note #17).

ohtar

noun. warrior

olo

night

?olo (reading uncertain), possibly a synonym of ló #1, hence noun "night" (VT45:28)

panda

enclosure

panda noun "enclosure" (PAD)

pempë

lip

#pempë noun "lip" (attested only in pl. pempi, PE17:126); cf. pé.

polda

big

polda adj. "big" (PE17:115), "strong, burly" (POL/POLOD)

polda

adjective. big, big; [ᴹQ.] strong, burly; [ᴱQ.] mighty, powerful

quendë

elf

quendë noun "Elf", the little-used analogical sg. of Quendi, q.v. (KWEN(ED), WJ:361)

rin

dew

rin noun "dew" (LT1:265; rather rossë in LotR-style Quenya)

romba

horn, trumpet

romba noun "horn, trumpet" (ROM)

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).

róma

noun. horn, horn; [ᴹQ.] loud sound, trumpet-sound, *blare

saiwa

hot

saiwa adj. "hot" (LT1:248, 255, 265); rather lauca in Tolkien's later Quenya

sanca

cleft, split

sanca (þ) ("k") noun? (or adj, or both?) "cleft, split" (STAK)

sancë

hateful

sancë ("k")adj. "hateful" (LT2:341)

sanda

name

[sanda, sandë] (þ) (2) noun "name" (VT46:16)

sanya

name

[sanya] (þ) (2) noun ?"name" (reading of gloss uncertain, VT46:16)

sesta-

to liken, compare

sesta- vb. "to liken, compare" (QL:82)

silma

silver, shining white

silma adj. "silver, shining white" (SIL), "crystal (white)" (PE17:23)

sulca

root

sulca ("k") noun "root" (especially as edible) (SÚLUK)

sulp-

lick

sulp- vb. "lick" (LT1:266; rather lav- in Tolkien's later Quenya)

taracu-

ox

taracu- ("k") noun "ox" (LT2:347, GL:69). Tolkien apparently invented the word mundo for his later form of Quenya.

tarca

horn

tarca ("k")noun "horn" (TARÁK)

tarminas

noun. great towering building (fort/city/castle), tower

taru

horn

taru noun "horn" (LT2:337, 347; Tolkien's later Quenya has tarca)

tarucco

bull

tarucco ("k") noun "bull" (also tarunco) ("k") (LT2:347; Tolkien's later Quenya has mundo)

tarunco

bull

tarunco ("k") noun "bull" (also tarucco) ("k") (LT2:347; Tolkien's later Quenya has mundo)

taura

mighty, masterful

taura adj. "mighty, masterful" (TUR, PE17:115), "very mighty, vast, of unmeasured might or size" (VT39:10). Cf. túrëa.

telempë

silver

telempë noun "silver" (LT1:268; in Tolkien's later Quenya telpë, which is actually also found in early "Qenya")

telepta

silver

telepta adj. "silver" (as adj.: silvery) (LT2:347), used as noun in the phrase mi telepta of someone clad "in silver", where the context (involving other colour-words) shows that this adj. describes something of silver colour(PE17:71). Compare telemna, telepsa, telpina.

ten

for

ten (2) conj. "for", in Fíriel's Song; apparently replaced by an in LotR-style Quenya.

tengwelë

language

tengwelë noun "Language" (in all its aspects), a general word for the grouping and composing of tengwi (linguistic "signs", phonemes) into a linguistic system (VT39:16)

tengwesta

noun. grammar

grammar

tengwestië

language

tengwestië noun "Language" as abstract or phenomenon (WJ:394)

tengwië

language

#tengwië noun "language" in the compound mátengwië "language of the hands" (VT47:9). Compare tengwë, tengwesta.

tindómerel

noun. nightingale

TQ. nightingale

tindómizel

noun. nightingale

PQ. nightingale

tul-

come

tul- vb. "come" (WJ:368), 1st pers. aorist tulin "I come" (TUL), 3rd pers. sg. tulis "(s)he comes" (VT49:19), perfect utúlië "has come" (utúlien "I am come", EO), utúlie'n aurë "Day has come" (the function of the 'n is unclear; it may be a variant of the article "the", hence literally "the Day has come"). Past tense túlë "came" in LR:47 and SD:246, though an alternative form *tullë has also been theorized. Túlë in VT43:14 seems to be an abnormal aorist stem, later abandoned; tula in the same source would be an imperative. Prefixed future tense entuluva "shall come again" in the Silmarillion, future tuluva also in the phrase aranielya na tuluva* "may thy kingdom come" (VT44:32/34), literally apparently "thy kingdom, be-it-that (it) will come". In early "Qenya" we have the perfects tulielto "they have come" (LT1:114, 270, VT49:57) and tulier "have come", pl., in the phrase I·Eldar tulier "the Eldar have come"(LT1:114, 270). Read probably utúlieltë, Eldar utúlier** in LotR-style Quenya.

tul-

verb. come

tyalië

sport, play, game

tyalië noun "sport, play, game" (TYAL, LT1:260)

tyar-

cause

tyar- vb. "cause" (KYAR)

tyar-

verb. cause

tárië

height

tárië noun "height", allative tárienna "to [the] height" (LotR3:VI ch. 4, translated in Letters:308)

tárië

noun. height

ulca

adjective. dark

dark, gloomy, sinister

umbo

hill, lump, clump, mass

umbo, umbon noun "hill, lump, clump, mass" (PE17:93)

urco

orc

urco ("k"), stem *urcu- and pl. urqui, noun: an old word used in the lore of the Blessed Realm for anything that caused fear to the Elves during the March; by the Exiled Noldor the word was recognized as the cognate of Sindarin orch and used to mean "Orc". The Sindarin-influenced form orco was also used. (WJ:390)

usque

noun. dusk

dusk

usque

noun. dusk, twilight

valwistë

noun. change of mind

vand-

way, path

vand- noun "way, path" (LT1:264; a final vowel would seem to be required, but in Tolkien's later Quenya, the words tië or mallë are to be preferred)

vanya

fair

vanya (1) adj. "fair" (FS), "beautiful" (BAN), a word referring to beauty that is "due to lack of fault, or blemish" (PE17:150), hence Arda Vanya as an alternative to Arda Alahasta for "Arda Unmarred" (ibid., compare MR:254). Nominal pl. Vanyar "the Fair", the first clan of the Eldar; the original meaning of this stem was "pale, light-coloured, not brown or dark" (WJ:382, 383, stem given as WAN), "properly = white complexion and blonde hair" (PE17:154, stem given as GWAN); stems BAN vs. WAN discussed, see PE17:150.

vanya-

go, depart, disappear

vanya- (2) vb. "go, depart, disappear", pa.t. vannë (WAN). The verb auta- may have replaced this word in Tolkien's later conception.

vanë

fair

vanë adj. "fair" (LT1:272; in Tolkien's later Quenya rather vanya)