ithil

noun. Moon

The usual name for the Moon in Sindarin, 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”: in The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien indicated Ithil was a “poetic name”. Compare this to S. Raun “Wanderer”, which is more descriptive of the nature of the body and hence closer to “Moon” (and “moon”).

Conceptual Development: The first precursor to this name seems to be G. Thilim “Moon” in an early list of names (PE14/13). This became G. {Thil >>} Sil “Rose of Silpion, Moon” (GL/67, 72) and G. {Thilmos >>} Silma in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/33, 67), both derivatives of the early root ᴱ√SILI as suggested by Christopher Tolkien (LT1A/Sil). The name Ithil first appeared in early versions of the tales of Númenor from the 1930s (LR/41).

raun

noun. Moon

A word for “moon”, equivalent of Q. Rána, attested in later writings only as the element -rawn in the archaic form S. †cýrawn “new-moon”, in modern speech cýron (VT48/7). Based on its use in this word, as well as in N. cúran “crescent moon” [ᴺS. cúron], it seems this is the ordinary word for “Moon” (or “moon”) as a celestial body, as opposed to S. Ithil which is the proper name of the moon, equivalent to English “Luna”. Raun is derived from primitive ✶rānā from the root √RAN “wander”, and hence originally meant something like “Wanderer”, though its Quenya equivalent is usually translated “Wayward”.

Conceptual Development: A very similar form G. Rân “the moon” appeared in Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/64), as well as ᴱN. rán “moon” in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s (PE13/152), though in this period its etymology is unclear. It appeared as N. Rhân “Moon” in The Etymologies of the 1930s, derived from the root ᴹ√RAN “wander, stray” (Ety/RAN), but in this period its Quenya equivalent was ᴹQ. Rana with short a. In later writings the Quenya form became Q. Rána, requiring a change to S. Raun since ancient ā became au in Sindarin.

ithil

noun. Moon

_n. Astron._Moon. Q. Isil. >> Anor, ithildin

morn

night

(i vorn) (darkness), pl. myrn (i myrn). Note: the word is also used as an adjective ”dark, black” (Letters:386).

minas ithil

place name. Tower of the (Rising) Moon

Original name of Minas Morgul, translated “Tower of the Rising Moon” (LotR/244), a combination of minas “tower” and Ithil “Moon” (SA/minas, sil).

Conceptual Development: When it first appeared in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, the name N. Minas Ithil was translated more literally as “Tower of the Moon” (TI/119).

cýron

noun. new-moon

A word appearing in notes from the late 1960s glossed “new-moon” and derived from primitive ✶keu̯rānā (VT48/7), where the ancient diphthong eu became ȳ in the initial syllable, while in the final syllable first ā became au and then au become o as usual in polysyllables, the last development made clear by the archaic form †cýrawn. As such, this word is basically a combination of S. cýr “renewed” and the suffixal form -ron of S. Raun “Moon”.

ithilbor

masculine name. *Moon-fist

Father of Saeros (UT/77), his name appears to be a combination of Ithil “moon” and the suffixal form -bor of paur “fist”. Given that his son was Nandorin, the name Ithilbor might be a Nandorin name as well.

ithildin

noun. magical alloy that glows in moonlight, (lit.) moon-star

The magic alloy from which the Moria-gate runes were made, a combination of S. Ithil “moon” and S. tîn “star” and hence “moon-star” (LotR/317; PE17/39, 66). In one place Tolkien considered the form ithildim (PE17/39). The term first appeared in Lord of the Rings drafts of the 1940s (TI/180).

ithilien

place name. Land of the Moon

Region of Gondor containing Minas Ithil (LotR/1115) translated “Land of the Moon” (RC/233). This name is a combination of Ithil “moon” and the plural form of the suffix -ian(d) “land” (SA/sil, PE17/42).

Conceptual Development: This name was already N. Ithilien when it first appeared in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s (TI/318, WR/133).

Ithilien

noun. moon land

Ithil (“moon”) + end (commonly used suffix in the names of regions and countries)

Minas Ithil

noun. the tower of the moon

minas (“tower, fort”), Ithil (“the moon”)

ithildin

noun. star-moon (metal)

Ithil (“moon”) + tinu, tint (“spark, little star”)

ir ithil ammen eruchín

*when the Moon, for us, the Children of God

The first phrase of Lúthien’s Song (LB/354). Three translations of this phrase are:

• Patrick Wynne: “✱When the Moon, for us, the Children of Eru” (NTTLS/11)

• David Salo: “✱The Moon, [having watched] for us, the Children of Eru” (GS/211)

• Bertrand Bellet and Benjamin Babut: “✱When the Moon ... for us, Children of the One” (GTLC)

The first word ir is the most controversial in the poem. Wynne suggested that it might be a cognate of ᴹQ. íre “when” appearing in Fíriel’s Song from the 1930s (LR/72), but Salo suggested that it might be a variant form of the definite article i used before another i to avoid repetition (GS/211). In support of Salo, the form ir appeared as definite article in the Túrin Wrapper: ir Ellath “✱the Elves” (VT50/23), but elsewhere in the wrapper this was written in Ellath, and so ir there may only have been a slip. Furthermore, proper names like Ithil don’t generally need a definite article, as pointed out by Carl Hostetter (VT50/23, note #36). Absent further evidence, I am inclined to agree with Wynne in this case, but even this is quite speculative, since nearly two decades separate the poems.

The rest of the phrase is straightforward. The second word is Ithil “Moon”. The third word is ammen “for us”, the preposition an “for” assimilated to the pronoun men “us”. The last word is Eruchîn “Children of God”, appearing elsewhere as Eruhîn (Let/345, MR/330).

ithildin

noun. 'moon-star'

n. 'moon-star(light)'. Tolkien notes also that it "Should be ithildim" (PE17:39).

ithildin

'moon-star'

1b n. 'moon-star', the magic alloy starmoon. >> Ithil, tîn

cû

noun. bow, bow; [N.] arch, crescent; [G.] waxing or waning moon

orithil

noun. *Moon-day, Monday

Elfaron

noun. star-hunter (Moon)

êl (“star”) + faron (“hunter”)

orithil

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

cúron

noun. the crescent Moon

cýrawn

noun. new moon

cýron

noun. new moon

fân

noun. cloud (applied to clouds, floating as veils over the blue sky or the sun or moon, or resting on hills)

ithil

noun. the (full) Moon, lit. 'The Sheen'

tinnu

noun. *twilight, [N.] (starry) twilight, dusk, early night (without moon)

ithil

moon

1) Ithil (= ”the sheen”); 2) (apparently also used = ”month”) raun (pl. roen, idh roen), coll. pl. ronath. Cf. the ending -ron at the end of month-names. Raun is basically the adj. ”straying, wandering” used as a noun, hence identifying the Moon as ”the Wanderer”. The ”Noldorin” form rhân presupposes a different primitive form and may not correspond to S *rân as would normally be supposed.

raun

moon

(pl. roen, idh roen), coll. pl. ronath. Cf. the ending -ron at the end of month-names. Raun is basically the adj. ”straying, wandering” used as a noun, hence identifying the Moon as ”the Wanderer”. – The ”Noldorin” form rhân presupposes a different primitive form and may not correspond to S ✱rân as would normally be supposed.

ithil

moon

(= ”the sheen”)

paron

noun. full-moon

A neologism coined by Röandil in 2024-01-26 on the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), derived from ✱kwa-rānā. Compare cýron “new-moon”.

cúron

crescent moon

(i gúron, o chúron), pl. cúroen (i churoen). Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” cúran; compare the Sindarin month-names in -ron.

cúron

crescent moon

*cúron (i gúron, o chúron), pl. cúroen (i churoen). Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” cúran; compare the Sindarin month-names in -ron.

ithildin

moon-star

(”magic”metal that only mirrors starlight and moonlight) ithildin

ithildin

moon-star

(”magic”metal that only mirrors starlight and moonlight) ithildin.

cúron

noun. crescent moon

ithilgalad

3Gな%xな#2# noun. light of the moon, moonlight

ithilgalad

3Gな%xな#2# noun. light of the moon, moonlight

cýron

new moon

cýron (i gýron), pl. cýroen (i chýroen). Archaic *cýraun, spelt cýrawn in the source (VT48:7).

cýron

new moon

(i gýron), pl. cýroen (i chýroen). Archaic ✱cýraun, spelt cýrawn in the source (VT48:7).

gil-

verb. to gleam, shine pale and silver (as of the moon [or stars])

ithildin

moon-star

tinnu

early night without a moon

tinnu (i dinnu, o thinnu) (dusk, twilight, starlit evening), pl. tinny (i thynny) if there is a pl.

tinnu

early night without a moon

tinnu (i dinnu, o thinnu) (dusk, twilight), pl. tinny (i thynny) if there is a pl.

tinnu

early night without a moon

(i dinnu, o thinnu) (dusk, twilight), pl. tinny (i thynny) if there is a pl.

tinnu

early night without a moon

(i dinnu, o thinnu) (dusk, twilight, starlit evening), pl. tinny (i thynny) if there is a pl.

anor

noun. Sun

The most common Sindarin name for the Sun derived from primitive ✶Anār, an augmented form of the root √NAR “fire” (PE17/38; Ety/ANÁR; SD/302-303, 306). The o is the result of ancient ā becoming au and then this au becoming o in polysyllables.

Conceptual Development: The term Anor was first mentioned in conjunction with early tales of Númenor (LR/41). It briefly appeared as N. {ánar >>} Anar “sun” in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the entry for ᴹ√NAR (Ety/NAR¹; EtyAC/NAR¹), but as Anor under ᴹ√ANÁR (Ety/ANÁR). In The Notion Club Papers of the 1940s it was Anor, archaic †Anaur (SD/302-303, 306) and it retained this form thereafter.

Ithilien

Ithilien

Ithilien is a Sindarin name meaning "land of the moon". It has been suggested that the name consists of the elements Ithil ("moon") + the affix end.

ithildin

Ithildin

In the legendarium, Gandalf translated ithildin as "starmoon". Tolkien stated that ithildin is a Sindarin name, meaning "moon-star(light"), "moonlight" or "starlight". The word contains the elements Ithil ("moon") + tin/tîn ("spark; star; twinkle of stars"). He noted that the correct Sindarin form should be ithildim.

tinnu

dusk

tinnu (i dinnu, o thinnu) (twilight, starlit evening, early night without a moon, starry twilight), pl. tinny (i thynny) if there is a pl.

tinnu

dusk

(i dinnu, o thinnu) (twilight, starlit evening, early night without a moon, starry twilight), pl. tinny (i thynny) if there is a pl.

gwain

new

1) #gwain (gwin-), lenited wain, pl. gwîn. Isolated from the month-name Narwain, ”new sun” (where #gwain appears in lenited form). The form gwîn ”young” listed in VT46:22 would have to be taken as a pl. form, if it is to be the cognate of Quenya vinya. 2) cîw (lenited gîw; no distinct pl. form) (fresh), 3) eden (begun again), pl. edin; 4) sain (sin-), lenited hain; pl. sîn;

gwain

new

(gwin-), lenited ’wain, pl. gwîn. Isolated from the month-name Narwain, ”new sun” (where #gwain appears in lenited form). The form gwîn ”young” listed in VT46:22 would have to be taken as a pl. form, if it is to be the cognate of Quenya vinya.

moth

noun. dusk

oraearon

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

oranor

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

orbelain

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

orgaladh

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

This day was formerly called orgaladhad in the Elvish calendar

orgaladhad

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

This day was renamed orgaladh in the Númenórean calendar

orgilion

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

ormenel

noun. fifth day of the week, Heavens' day

Anor

noun. sun

Anor

noun. Sun

_n. Astron._Sun. Q. anār/anăr. >> Ithil

aur

noun. day, sunlight, morning

calan

noun. day, period of actual daylight

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

cîr

adjective. renewed

cû

noun. arch, crescent

cû

noun. bow

cýr

adjective. renewed

esgal

noun. veil, screen, cover that hides

fân

noun. veil

glîn

noun. gleam, glint (usually of fine slender but bright shafts of light, particularly applied to light of eyes)

glînn

noun. gleam, glint (usually of fine slender but bright shafts of light, particularly applied to light of eyes)

gwain

adjective. new

penninor

noun. last day of the year

sain

adjective. new

Anor

sun

1) Anor (pl. Anoer if there is a pl.) Archaic Anaur (SD:306). 2) naur (mainly in compounds as nar-, -nor) (flame, fire), pl. noer, coll. pl. norath.

anor

sun

(pl. Anoer if there is a pl.) Archaic Anaur (SD:306).

aur

day

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

aur

day

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

bad

go

#bad- (i vâd, i medir), pa.t. bant. Isolated from trevad- ”traverse”.

bad

go

(i vâd, i medir), pa.t. bant. Isolated from trevad- ”traverse”.

calan

daytime

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

cîl

renewal

(i gîl; no distinct pl. form except with article: i chîl) (VT48:8)

cîr

renewed

clashes with the word for ”ship”.s

cîw

new

(lenited gîw; no distinct pl. form) (fresh)

cû

bow

(i gû, o chû) (arch, crescent), pl. cui (i chui)

cû

bow

1) (noun) cû (i gû, o chû) (arch, crescent), pl. cui (i chui), 2) (bow for shooting) peng (i beng, o pheng), pl. ping (i phing),

cû

arch

cû (i gû, o chû) (bow, crescent), pl. cui (i chui)

cû

arch

(i gû, o chû) (bow, crescent), pl. cui (i chui)

cû

crescent

cû (i gû, o chû) (arch, bow), pl. cui (i chui);

cû

crescent

(i gû, o chû) (arch, bow), pl. cui (i chui);

daw

nighttime

(i dhaw) (gloom), pl. doe (i noe), coll. pl. ?dawath or ?doath.

dúath

nightshade

(i dhúath) (dark shadow), pl. dúaith (i núaith).

dû

dusk

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

dû

night

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

eden

new

(begun again), pl. edin

edinor

anniversary day

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

eilian

rainbow

(pl. eiliain). Archaic elianw (so the coll. pl. may be eilianwath).

escal

veil

(noun) 1) escal (screen, cover that hides), pl. escail. Also spelt esgal (pl. esgail). 2) fân (cloud, manifested body of a Vala), construct fan, pl. fain

fuin

night, nightshade, dead of night

(gloom, darkness). No distinct pl. form.

gilgalad

starlight

1) gilgalad (i ngilgalad = i ñilgalad, o n**gilgalad, pl. gilgelaid (in gilgelaid = i ñgilgelaid) if there is a plural form. 2) gilith (also used = Quenya Ilmen, the region of stars) (i ngilith = i ñilith, o n**gilith) _These mutations presupposed that the root is Ñ, as in MR:388, rather than _ as in the Etymologies (LR:358).

gilgalad

starlight

(i ngilgalad = i ñilgalad, o n’gilgalad, pl. gilgelaid (in gilgelaid = i ñgilgelaid) if there is a plural form.

gilith

starlight

(also used = Quenya Ilmen, the region of stars) (i ngilith = i ñilith, o n’gilith) These mutations presupposed that the root is

gwathra

veil

(verb) gwathra- (i **wathra, in gwathrar**) (dim, obscure, overshadow)

heria

set vigorously out to do

(i cheria, i cheriar) (have an impulse, be compelled to do something, begin suddenly and vigorously) (VT45:22)

moth

dusk

1) moth (i voth), pl. myth (i myth). David Salo would read *môth with a long vowel. 2) dû (i dhû) (night, nightfall, late evening, darkness), pl. dui (i nui) (SD:302).

moth

dusk

(i voth), pl. myth (i myth). David Salo would read ✱môth with a long vowel.

naur

sun

(mainly in compounds as nar-, -nor) (flame, fire), pl. noer, coll. pl. norath.

peng

bow

(i beng, o pheng), pl. ping (i phing)

penia

set

penia- (i benia, i pheniar) (fix).

penia

set

(i benia, i pheniar) (fix).

sain

adjective. new

sain

new

(sin-), lenited hain; pl. sîn

seidia

set aside

(appropriate to special purpose or owner) (i heidia, i seidiar) (VT42:20).  

siniath

news

(tidings) (i siniath).

nîlu

noun. moon

A noun translated as “moon” and fully declined as an example of a Strong II noun (SD/431). It appears with both a short and long final -u, but Tolkien indicated that the form with long û is actually the personified form Nîlû “Man in the Moon” (SD/426), perhaps the Adûnaic name of Tilion. Tolkien also listed the “later forms Nil, Njūl” (SD/306), one of which may be the Westron word for “moon”, most likely Wes. nil. Andreas Moehn suggested (EotAL/NUL) that this noun may be related to nûlo/nûlu/nâlu, but given the evil connotations of these words (SD/306) and the different stem vowels, this seems unlikely to me.

nîlû

masculine name. (Man in the) Moon

The masculine personification of nîlu “the moon” (SD/426), perhaps the Adûnaic name for Q. Tilion.

ûrinîluwat

Sun and Moon

A phrase demonstrating a dual compound with two different elements. It contains the related pair ûri “sun” and nîlu “moon (SD/428).

ûriyat nîlô

sun and moon

An example of a dual phrase with two different words. The first word of the pair is declined as a dual. It contains the related pair ûri “sun” and nîlu “moon” (SD/428).

ûri

noun. sun

A noun translated “sun” (SD/306, 428). This word appears in the forms ûrê, ûri and ûrî, but Tolkien declared that the form with long î is actually the personified form Ûrî “Lady of the Sun” (SD/426), perhaps the Adûnaic name of Q. Arien. The form ûrê only appears once (SD/426), so ûri is probably to be preferred as the ordinary word for Sun, especially since it is a neuter noun, which ordinarily cannot end in a long -ê (SD/427). Tolkien lists the “later forms Uir, Ŷr” (SD/306), one of which may be the Westron word for “sun”, most likely Wes. uir. As suggested by several authors (AAD/24, EotAL/UR), ûri is probably derived from the Elvish root ᴹ√UR.

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)

ceuran

noun. new-moon

A word appearing in notes from the late 1960s glossed “new-moon” and derived from primitive ✶keu̯rānā (VT48/7), a combination of Q. ceura “renewed” and Q. Rána “Moon”.

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).

isildur

masculine name. *Servant of the Moon

The eldest son of Elendil from whom Aragorn was descended (LotR/1038). His name is a compound of Isil “Moon” and the suffix -(n)dur “servant” (SA/sil, Ety/NDŪ).

Conceptual Development: The earliest mention of this character named him ᴹQ. Árundil (SD/401). In Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, this name first appeared as (Noldorin?) Ithildor >> Isildor (RS/271), soon revised to ᴹQ. Isildur (RS/320). The name Isildur also appeared in a marginal note in The Etymologies from the 1930s (Ety/NDŪ).

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 Tilion, 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.

Narsilion

(the song) of the sun and moon

Narsilion (Þ) noun "(the song) of the Sun and Moon"; actually the stems of the words for Sun and Moon compounded (see Narsil above) and a plural genitive ending added (Silm)

Silmeráno

of silver moon

Silmeráno noun in genitive, "of silver moon" (MC:220; this is "Qenya")

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)

minga-ránar

in waning-moon

minga-ránar compound noun in pre-classical locative "in waning-moon" (locative -r) (MC:213; this is "Qenya")

narsilion

proper name. (Song) of the Sun and Moon

The tale of the creation of the Sun and the Moon, glossed “Song of the Sun and Moon” (S/99). Like the name Narsil, this name is probably a combination of the primitive roots √NAR and √THIL from which the words for the Sun and Moon were derived (Anar and Isil). The name is in the genitive plural (“of the”), but there is no element corresponding to “Song”, so a more accurate translation would simply be “Of the Sun and Moon”.

núta-

verb. to lower, to lower; [ᴹQ.] to set, sink (of Sun or Moon); [ᴱQ.] to stoop

A transitive (ta-causative) verb appearing as andúta or núta “lower” in Late Notes on Verb Structure (LVS) from 1969, as opposed to intransitive (ya-formative) núya- “descend” (PE22/156). It was clearly based on ✶ndūtā- “cause to sink”, which appeared in Common Eldarin: Verb Structure (EVS2) from the early 1950s (PE22/135).

Conceptual Development: In earlier documents this verb had intransitive meanings, such as ᴱQ. nūta- “stoop, sink” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√NUHU “bow, bend down; stoop, sink” (QL/68), and ᴹQ. núta- “set, sink (of Sun or Moon)” in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√NDŪ “go down, sink, set (of Sun, etc.)” (Ety/NDŪ). In the Quenya Verbal System (QVS) from 1948, Tolkien revised intransitive {núta} “come down” to ᴹQ. unta (PE22/125 note #136); see that entry for discussion.

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would limit the verb núta- to transitive “lower = ✱cause to sink or go down”. I would use núya- “descend” and [ᴹQ.] unta- “✱sink, stoop” for the intransitive senses.

silda-ránar

in gleaming-moon

silda-ránar noun in locative "in gleaming-moon" (locative -r) (MC:213; this is "Qenya"; cf. sildë)

vírin

magic glassy substance of great lucency used in fashioning the moon. used of things of great and pure transparency.

vírin noun "a magic glassy substance of great lucency used in fashioning the Moon. Used of things of great and pure transparency." (LT2:339)

isilmë ilcalassë

in the moon gleaming

The seventeenth line of the Markirya poem (MC/222). The first word is isilmë “moonlight” followed by the active-participle (“-ing”) of the verb ilca- “to gleam” with the locative suffix -ssë (“in”), which modifies the entire phrase, as suggested by Helge Fauskanger (AL/Markirya).

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

> isilmë ilca-la-ssë = “✱moonlight gleam-ing-in”

isilmë lantalassë

in the moon falling

The ninteenth line of the Markirya poem (MC/222). The first word is isilmë “moonlight” followed by the active-participle (“-ing”) of the verb lanta- “to fall” with the locative suffix -ssë (“in”), which modifies the entire phrase, as suggested by Helge Fauskanger (AL/Markirya).

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

> isilmë lanta-la-ssë = “✱moonlight fall-ing-in”

isilmë pícalassë

in the moon waning

The eighteenth line of the Markirya poem (MC/222). The first word is isilmë “moonlight” followed by the active-participle (“-ing”) of the verb pic- or píca- “to wane” with the locative suffix -ssë (“in”), which modifies the entire phrase, as suggested by Helge Fauskanger (AL/Markirya).

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

> isilmë píca-la-ssë = “✱moonlight wan-ing-in”

isilya

noun. *Monday, Moon-day

ranalinquë

proper name. *Moon-grass

imbi menel cemenyë menë ráno tië

between Heaven and Earth goes the path of the Moon

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).

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).

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).

quaran

noun. full-moon

A neologism coined by Röandil in 2024-01-26 on the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), derived from ✱kwa-rānā. Compare ceuran “new-moon”.

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

Rána

the wayward, the wanderer

Rána place-name "the Wayward, the Wanderer", a name of the moon (MR:198, MC:221, Silm); genitive Ráno in the phrase Ráno tië "the path of the Moon" (VT47:11). See also ceuran-, ránasta. According to one late source, Rána is not properly the Moon itself but is rather the "name of the spirit (Máya) that was said to abide in the Moon as its guardian" (VT42:13). The Etymologies gives Rana with a short vowel (RAN). In the pre-classical Tengwar system there presupposed, Rana was also the name of tengwa #25 (VT45:10), which letter Tolkien would later call Rómen instead.

Tilion

the horned

Tilion masc. name, "the Horned", name of a Maia, steersman of the Moon _(SA:til; according to the Etymologies, stem TIL, _Tilion is a name of the "man in the Moon")

cú

arch, crescent

cú ("k")noun "arch, crescent" (KU3); "crescent Moon" (LT1:271; the long vowel was denoted by a circumflex rather than an accent in the early "Qenya" lexicon). In Sindarin, the same word can be used for a "bow" as used to shoot arrows (but possibly this is only quinga in Quenya).

fanya

(white) cloud

fanya noun "(white) cloud" (translated "sky" in FS); pl. fanyar in Namárië(Nam, RGEO:67). ). Used "only of white clouds, sunlit or moonlit, or clouds gilded or silvered at the edges by light behind them", not "of storm clouds or cloud canopies shutting out the light" (PE17:174). Cf. lumbo, q.v. According to VT46:15, fanya was originally given as an adjective "white" in the Etymologies; the printed version in LR wrongly implies that fanya and fána both mean "cloud", whereas actually the first was at this stage meant to be an adjective "white" whereas fána is both noun "cloud" and adj. "white". However, Namárië and later emendations to the entry SPAN in Etym indicate that Tolkien would later think of fanya as a noun "cloud", perhaps giving it the same double meaning as fána: noun "cloud" as well as adjective "white". According to PE17:26, fanya was originally an adjectival form "white and shining" that was however often used as a noun "applied to various things, notably to white clouds lit by sun or moon". In Namárië, the word is used poetically with reference to the hands of Varda (she lifted her hands ve fanyar "like clouds").

lanta-mindon

fallen-towers

lanta-mindon Qenya pl. noun "fallen-towers"; inflected compound lanta-ránar "in falling-moon" (with pre-classical locative -r) (MC:214; these forms are "Qenya")

men-

verb. 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.

núta-

verb. set, sink

núta- vb. "set, sink" (of Sun or Moon) (NDŪ). In early "Qenya", the word was glossed "stoop, sink" (LT1:263)

anar

noun. Sun

Anar is the most common Quenya name for the Sun and was derived from primitive ✶Anār, an augmented form of the root √NAR “fire” (Let/425; PE17/38; Ety/ANÁR; SD/302, 306). In the uninflected form the long vowel shortens as usual in final syllables, but its stem form is probably Anár- as with the name Anárion (LotR/1044) and the plural coranári of coranar “sun-round” (PM/126). When suffixes with consonant clusters are added, however, the á shortens such as with Anarinya “my Sun” (LR/72).

Conceptual Development: This term appeared in Silmarillion drafts of the 1930s with the gloss “Heart of Flame” (LR/240) and as ᴹQ. Anar “sun” in The Etymologies of the 1930s, already with the derivation given above (Ety/ANÁR, NAR¹).

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.)

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)

Calaventë

sun

Calaventë _("k")_noun "Sun" (LT1:254)

Calavénë

sun

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

Ilma

starlight

Ilma noun "starlight" (GIL)

Ilmarë

starlight

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

Silpion

silpion

Silpion, a name of the Elder of the Two Trees of Valinor (Telperion, the White Tree). (Silm, SIL, SÍLIP, BAL, ROS1, LR:385) In the pre-classical Tengwar system presupposed in the Etymologies, the name Silpion is also applied to tengwa #29, which letter Tolkien would later call silmë instead.

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).]

andúta-

verb. to lower

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.

caw-

verb. bow

#caw- vb. "bow" ("k")(1st pers aorist cawin "I bow") (LT1:257; cf. cauca, cauco). In Tolkien's later Quenya, a verbal stem with w in this position does not seem to fit the general phonology well; intervocalic w would become v. We should perhaps read *cav*- whereever the second consonant of the root follows a vowel, but the nasal-infixed past tense could be canwë with the original quality of the consonant preserved. (Compare such a past tense form as anwë, q.v.) However, Tolkiens later verb luhta**- may be preferred for intransitive "bow".

cuv-

verb. bow

cúnë

crescent, bow

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

fanwa

veil, screen

fanwa noun "veil, screen" (PE17:176, 180)

halya-

verb. veil, conceal, screen from light

halya- vb. "veil, conceal, screen from light" (SKAL1, VT46:13) Tolkien noted that "√SKAL applied to more opaque things that cut off light and cast shadows over other things" (PE17:184), contrasting it with √SPAN, the rejected stem of fanta-, q.v.

histë

dusk

histë noun "dusk" (LT1:255)

hísë

dusk

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

lelya-

verb. 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-

verb. 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.

luhta-

verb. to bow

luhta- (2) vb. "to bow" (VT47:35); this intransitive verb can be distinguished from luhta- "enchant" above, since #1 is transitive and will always have a direct object, something #2 never has.

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...

lúva

bow, bight; bend, bow, curve

lúva noun "bow, bight; bend, bow, curve" (Appendix E, PE17:122, 168). The reference is to a "bow" as part of written characters and other uses, but "not for shooting" (a bow used to shoot arrows is called quinga, possibly also cú if the latter term is used as in Sindarin).

quinga

bow

quinga ("q")noun "bow" (for shooting) (KWIG, LT1:256)

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).

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".

sinya

new

sinya adj. "new" (SI)

usque

noun. dusk

dusk

usque

noun. dusk, twilight

vanya-

verb. 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.

vasar

veil

vasar (þ) noun "veil" (VT42:10, the word was "not in daily use", VT42:9). Older form waþar.

winya

new, fresh, young

winya (1) adj. "new, fresh, young" _(VT45:16; though the entry including this form was struck out in the Etymologies, _vinya "new" is a valid word in Tolkien's later Quenya, and it is meant to represent older winya. Compare winyamo, q.v.)

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)

úr(in)

proper name. Sun

A late remnant of earlier names for the Sun: ᴱQ. Ûr and ᴹQ. Úrin. In Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s, this name was changed from Úrin >> Naira >> Vása (MR/198), but the form Úr(in) occasionally appeared in some later writings (PE17/148, MR/377). This name was a derivative of the root √UR “heat, be hot” (PE17/148).

Conceptual Development: In the earliest Lost Tales, this name was ᴱQ. Ûr, Ur or Úri “Sun”, but literally meaning “Fire” (LT1/187, QL/98). The name became ᴹQ. Úrin in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (LR/240). It was rejected in The Etymologies along with the root form ᴹ√UR, but reappeared sometimes in later writing as noted above.

úri

sun

úri noun "sun" (MC:214, 221; this is "Qenya"); genitive úrio "sun's" (MC:216)

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.

ithil

noun. Moon

rhân

noun. Moon

cúran

noun. crescent moon

A word appearing in The Etymologies of the 1930s as N. cûran “crescent moon”, a combination of N. cû “crescent” and N. Rhân “moon” < ᴹ✶Ranā (Ety/KUƷ, RAN). In The Etymologies as published in The Lost Road, Christopher Tolkien gave the form as cúran, but according to Carl Hostetter and Patrick Wynne the actual form was cûran (EtyAC/KUƷ).

Neo-Sindarin: If adapted to Neo-Sindarin, this word would probably become ᴺS. cúron, analogous to S. cýron “new-moon” (VT48/7), with S. Raun < ✱rānā reduced to -ron as usual in polysyllables.

arithil

noun. *Moon-day

ithildin

noun. *moon-star

ithilien

place name. *Moon Lands

minas ithil

place name. Tower of the Moon

cúran

noun. the crescent Moon

ithil

noun. the (full) Moon, lit. 'The Sheen'

tindu

noun. dusk, twilight, early night (without Moon)

tinnu

noun. dusk, twilight, early night (without Moon)

tinnu

noun. (starry) twilight, dusk, early night (without moon)

ar-

prefix. day

Anor

noun. sun

anaur

noun. Sun

anor

noun. Sun

aur

noun. day, sunlight, morning

cû

noun. arch, crescent

cû

noun. bow

eden

adjective. new, begun again

gil-galad

masculine name. Starlight

gilgalad

noun. starlight

peng

noun. bow (for shooting)

penninar

noun. last day of the year

sein

adjective. new

sein

adjective. new

tindu

noun. starry twilight

tinnu

noun. starry twilight

rānā

noun. moon

keu̯rānā

noun. new-moon

anār

noun. Sun

tindōmi

noun. *twilight

us(u)kwē

noun. dusk

ciuran

noun. new-moon

lú

noun. bow

cogn

noun. bow

Primitive form given as kuȜnâ, derived from KUȜ "bow" (LR:365); it is probable that ku3nâ was originally an adjective "bow-shaped", since -nâ is predominantly an adjectival ending. As for Ȝ (spirant g) becoming a plosive g, compare garma.