Nienna noun (name of a Valië, related to nië = tear) (NEI)
Quenya
ni
me
ni
pronoun. me, I
Nienna
nienna
nindamos
place name. Nindamos
A large fishing settlement in southern Númenor (UT/168). The meaning of the name is unclear, and it could be Sindarin instead of Quenya.
niermë
niermë
niermë ??? (Narqelion)
nieliccilis
feminine name. Nieliccilis
nieninquë
Nieninquë
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.
nienna
feminine name. Lady of Pity and Mourning
One of the most powerful of the Valier, sister of Mandos and Lórien, whose name is glossed “Lady of Pity and Mourning” (S/28). The exact meaning of her name is unclear, but its initial element is probably be related to [ᴹQ.] nie “tear” (Ety/NEI).
Conceptual Development: In the earliest Lost Tales, her true name is ᴱQ. Fui and the name ᴱQ. Nienna is given as a sobriquet (LT1/66). Starting with Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, her name is given only as ᴹQ. Nienna (SM/79, LR/206). This name also appears in The Etymologies as a derivative of the root ᴹ√NEY (NEI̯) “tear” (Ety/NEI).
nindatalma
place name. Wetwang, Nindalf
ninquanéron
white shining
ninquanéron ("q")adj. "white shining" (MC:220; this is "Qenya")
ninquitáre
noun. whitening, whitewashing
Niélë
tear
Niélë fem. name (meaning unclear, cf. nië "tear"?), diminutive Nieliccilis ("k") noun "little Niéle" (MC:215; PE16:96). This may suggest that Niélë has the stem-form *Niéli-.
nin
to me, for me
nin pron. "to me, for me", dative of ni (FS, Nam). Sí man i yulma nin enquantuva? "Now who will refill the cup for me?" (Nam), nás mara nin *"it is good to me" = "I like it" (VT49:30), ecë nin carë sa* "it-is-open for me to do it" = "I can do it" (VT49:34). See also ninya**.
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.
nië
tear
nië noun "tear" (NEI, VT45:38, LT1:262, LT2:346); apparently níe in MC:221
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".
ninquelótë
proper name. White Blossom
A name for Telperion (S/38). It is a compound of ninquë “white” and lótë “flower” (SA/min, loth).
Conceptual Development: The name ᴹQ. Ninquelóte also appeared in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (LR/209) and Lord of the Rings drafts (SD/58).
nieninquë
noun. snowdrop, snowdrop, [ᴹQ.] (lit.) white tear
A word for “snowdrop”, perhaps a reference to that species of flower, appearing in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a combination of ᴹQ. nie “tear” and ᴹQ. ninqe “white”, so literally “white tear” (Ety/NEI, NIK-W). ᴱQ. nieninqe also appeared with the same form, meaning and etymology in the Qenya Lexicon and the Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa of the 1910s (QL/68; PME/68). In later writings, it appeared in adjectival form nieninquëa “like a snowdrop” in the 1950s version of the Nieninquë poem (PE16/96); the same form appeared in the version of the poem written around 1930, and its drafts (MC/215; PE16/90, 92). The word nieninquë likewise served as the title of that poem.
nieninquëa
adjective. like a snowdrop
nillë
noun. small [woman]
A diminutive form of nís “woman” given as nill- “small [woman]” in notes from 1968 (VT47/33).
Conceptual Development: An analogous diminutive form ᴱQ. qimelle “little woman” appeared in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s based on earlier ᴱQ. qin (qim-) “woman” (QL/77); this early word was also mentioned in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon (GL/45).
ninqui carcar yarra
the white rocks snarling
The sixteenth line of the Markirya poem (MC/222). The first word is the plural of the adjective ninquë “white” modifying the plural of the noun carca “rock”, followed by the infinitive (or short active-participle) of the verb yarra- “to snarl”, used adjectivally. Note that carca normally means “fang, tooth”, so its uses for “rocks” here may be poetic to describe sharp rocks, as suggested by Helge Fauskanger (AL/Markirya).
Decomposition: Broken into its constituent elements, this phrase would be:
> ninqu-i carca-r yarra = “✱white-(plural) rock-(plural) snarling”
Conceptual Development: In the first draft, noun was the plural of ondo “rock” (MC/222).
niqu-
verb. to be chill, cold, freeze (of weather), snow
A verb in the Quendi and Eldar essay from 1959-60 glossed “be chill, cold (of weather)” (WJ/417). It also appeared in some etymological notes from around 1959 as a derivative of the root √NIK(W) and with the glosses “to snow, it is chill, it freezes” (PE17/168). In this 1959 note Tolkien gave several inflected forms making it clear nicu- was an impersonal verb: nīqua “it is freezing”, nicune “it snowed, froze”.
Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I’d mostly use nicu- as an impersonal verb for cold weather: nique “it is cold, it is freezing”. For the freezing of water or similar substances, I’d use ᴺQ. hel-. For “to snow” I’d use ᴺQ. hris-, a modernization of archaic †hriz-.
niquessë
noun. frost-patterns; snowflake, ice-flake; (lit.) chill feather
niquis
noun. snowflake, ice-flake; petal (loose) of a white flower; frost-patterns, snowflake, ice-flake; petal (loose) of a white flower; frost-patterns, [ᴱQ.] snow
A noun in the Quendi and Eldar essay from 1959-60 glossed “frost-patterns” (WJ/417). It also appeared in some etymological notes from around 1959 with the stem forms niquiss- or niquits-, where it was derived from the root √NIK(W) (PE17/168). In those 1959 notes it was glossed “ice-flake or snowflake — also petal (loose) of a white flower”. In both documents, it had a variant form niquessë of similar meaning, where the second element was modified by association with quessë “feather”, thus literally “chill feather” (WJ/417; PE17/168).
Conceptual Development: The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had ᴱQ. niqis (niqiss-) “snow” under the early root ᴱ√NIQI “white” (QL/66).
Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I’d mostly use niquis(s-) for “snowflake” or “ice-flake”, and metaphorically for the loose petal of a white flower. I’d use the variant niquessë for “frost pattern” and more loosely for “snowflake”. For “frost” itself I’d use nixë. This is mainly to help differentiate these otherwise very similar words.
nisto
noun. large woman
An augmentative form of nís “woman” given as nisto “large woman” in notes from 1968 (VT47/33).
nityafinwë
masculine name. Little Finwë
The father name of Amrod (PM/353). It is a compound of the nitya “little” and the name of his grandfather Finwë.
Conceptual Development: Tolkien first wrote this name as Pityafinwë, but then changed the initial pitya >> nitya. He also wrote the short form of this name as Pityo, but this name was not revised (PM/365).
nixë
noun. frost; ice-flake or snow-flake
A noun in the Quendi and Eldar essay from 1959-60 glossed “frost” (WJ/417). It also appeared in some etymological notes from around 1959 as a variant of niquis “ice-flake or snowflake” under the root √NIK(W) (PE17/168).
Conceptual Development: The word for “frost” was ᴹQ. helor in the Declension of Nouns of the early 1930s and ᴹQ. helle in The Etymologies of the mid-to-late 1930s, both based on the short root ᴹ√KHEL “freeze” (Ety/KHEL). In The Etymologies Tolkien deleted this short root and its derivatives, retaining only longer ᴹ√KHELEK, and in later writings Tolkien seems to have decided “frost” was based on √NIK(W) instead.
Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I’d limit nixë to “frost” and use niquis for “snowflake” to help differentiate the two words.
Niellúnë
sirius
Niellúnë noun "Sirius" (a star), also Nierninwa (LT1:262)
Nierninwa
sirius
Nierninwa noun "Sirius" (a star), also Niellúnë (LT1:262)
nicu-
be chill, cold (of weather); to snow, it is cold, it freezes
nicu- ("k")vb. "be chill, cold (of weather); to snow, it is cold, it freezes" (WJ:417, PE17:168): 3rd sg. aorist niquë (q.v.) "it snows or freezes", present níqua "it is freezing", pa.t. nicunë "it snowed, froze" (PE17:168)
nienaitë
bleared
nienaitë adj."bleared" (MC:214), *"tearfully"??? (see cildë) (MC:221; this is "Qenya")
nieninquë
snowdrop
nieninquë ("q") noun "snowdrop", etymologically "white tear" (NIK-W, LT1:262, 266)
nieninquëa
snowdrop-like
nieninquëa ("q")adj. "snowdrop-like" (MC:215)
nier
honey-bee
nier noun "honey-bee" (LT1:262)
nierwes
hive
nierwes noun "hive" (LT1:262)
nihtil
little finger
[nihtil noun "little finger" (VT47:26)]
nilda
friendly, loving
nilda adj. "friendly, loving" (NIL/NDIL)
nildo
friend
nildo noun "friend" (apparently masc.; contrast nildë) (NIL/NDIL)
nildë
friend
nildë noun "friend" (fem.) (NIL/NDIL)
nillë
silver glint
nillë ("ñ") a star-imagine on Nur-menel (q.v.), from a stem ngil- noun "silver glint" (MR:388)
nilmo
friend
nilmo noun "friend" (apparently masc.) (NIL/NDIL)
nilmë
friendship
nilmë noun "friendship" (NIL/NDIL)
nimpa
drooping, ailing
nimpa adj. "drooping, ailing" (PE17:168)
nimpë
small; small & frail
*nimpë (nimpi*-) adj. "small; small & frail". The form is given as "nimpi" with the last vowel marked as short; this is probably the etymological form that would underlie Quenya nimpë. The word is said to mean "small" with "connotation of weakness". Also nípa** (VT48:18)
nincë
small
*nincë (ninci*-) ("k")adj. "small". The form is given as "ninki" with the last vowel marked as short; this is probably the etymological form that would underlie Quenya nincë. The word is said to mean "small" with "good senses"; contrast nípa**, *nimpë. (VT48:18)
nindë
slender
nindë adj. "slender" (NIN-DI, pointing to a stem-form nindi-). Not to be confused with *nindë as the likely pa.t. of the verb nir-, q.v.
ninquiraitë
pallor
ninquiraitë ("kw")noun ?"pallor" (PE17:55). The word is cited as the cognate of Sindarin niphred "pallor, fear". The spelling in the source is "ninkwiraite", but the word cannot be intended as Old Sindarin (since kw had already become p in that language).
ninquissë
whiteness
ninquissë ("q")noun "whiteness" (NIK-W)
ninquita-
shine white
ninquita- ("q")vb. "shine white" (NIK-W)
ninquitá-
whiten
ninquitá- ("q")vb. "whiten" (NIK-W)
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.
ninwa
blue
ninwa adj. "blue" (LT1:262)
ninya
my
ninya _possessive pron _occurring in Fíriel's Song, evidently meaning "my"; see indo-ninya. It may be derived from the dative form nin "for me" by adding the adjectival ending -ya. Compare menya, q.v.
nion
bee
nion noun "bee" (GL:60)
niquetil
snowcap
niquetil ("q")noun "snowcap" (LT1:266). Compare níquetil in much later material.
niquis
frost-patterns; ice-flake or snowflake also petal (loose) of a white flower
niquis noun "frost-patterns; ice-flake or snowflake also petal (loose) of a white flower" (stem niquits- or niquiss-), also niquessë by association with quessë "feather" (WJ:417, PE17:168). In early "Qenya", the gloss was simply "snow" (LT1:266).
niquë
snow
niquë (2) ("q")noun "snow" (NIK-W)
niquë
it is cold, it freezes; it snows or freezes
niquë (1) vb. "it is cold, it freezes; it snows or freezes" (WJ:417, PE17:168), 3rd sg. of nicu-, q.v.
nir-
press, thrust, force (in a given direction)
nir- vb. "press, thrust, force (in a given direction)" ("Though applicable to the pressure of a person on others, by mind and 'will' as well as by physical strength, [this verb] could also be used of physical pressures exerted by inanimates.") Given as a 1st person aorist nirin (VT41:17). Pa.t. probably *nindë since the R of nir- was originally D (the base is given as NID; compare rer- pa.t. rendë from RED concerning the past tense)
nirmë
act of will, exercise of will
nirmë noun "an act of will, exercise of will" (VT39:30, VT41:6, PE17:168), "the act or action of níra" (VT41:17)
nirwa
bolster, cushion
nirwa (1) noun "bolster, cushion" (NID)
nirwa
scarred
[nirwa (2) adj. "scarred" (VT46:4)]
nirwë
scar
[nirwë noun "scar" (VT46:4)]
nisto
large woman
nisto noun "large woman" (compare nís) (VT45:33)
nitya
small
#nitya adj. "small" (VT48:15, PM:365)
nityë
little finger
[nityë noun, ephemeral word for "little finger", changed to nícë (VT48:15)
nixë
frost
nixë noun "frost" (WJ:417); previously described as a synonym of niquis "ice-flake or snowflake", q.v. (PE17:168)
ní
beneath, not touching, under
ní (3) prep. "beneath, not touching, under" (PE17:95)
ninquë
adjective. white; chill, cold; pallid
ninquita-
verb. to whiten, grow white, to whiten, grow white, [ᴹQ.] make white; to shine white
nir-
verb. to press, thrust, force (in a given direction), to press, thrust, force (in a given direction); *to impose (with allative)
@@@ Neo-Quenya sense “to impose” (along with allative) from Röandil in the “Neologism of the Day” series on the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS) on 2023-04-01
nihtil
noun. little [finger]
nillë
noun. silver glint; Valinorian imagines [images of real stars]
A rather obscure term given as {ille >>} ñille for the “Valinorian imagines”, false stars made in imitation of the real ones created by Varda along with the dome over Valinor (Nur-menel) which protected that land from the spies of Melkor (PE17/22; MR/388). Whether this idea survived as part of the Legendarium is unclear, but this word also happens to be the closest equivalent to S. gil or gail, the usual Sindarin word for “star”, both derived from the root √(Ñ)GIL.
nilmë
noun. love, concern for things other than self for their own sakes
nimpa
adjective. drooping, ailing
An adjective glossed “drooping, ailing” in notes probably from around 1959 based on the strengthened form of the root √(N)DIP “drooping” (PE17/168). For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would assume this word applies to those who currently feel weak or ill but may or may not be actually sick.
nimulë
noun. phantom, a seeming
niquë
noun. cold, cold; [ᴹQ.] snow
nirmë
noun. act of will, exercise of will
nis-
verb. *to smell sweetly
nitya
adjective. little
nicu-
verb. to be chill, cold, freeze (of weather), snow
ninda
adjective. wet
ninquinta-
verb. grow pale
ninquita-
verb. make pale, white
ninquita-
verb. grow white, whiten
nir-
verb. press, thrust, force
nissë
noun. woman
nixi
name. fish
ní
preposition. beneath, not touching, under
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".
taniquetil
place name. High White Peak
Tallest mountain in the world, where Manwë and Varda made their home (S/26). The name was adapted from its Valarin name of unknown meaning (PE17/168, 186), perhaps Val. Dahanigwishtilgūn (WJ/417). The Valarin name was altered to give it meaning as Quenya word. In Ancient Quenya, the name became ✶tār(a)-ninqui-tilte “High White Peak” (PE17/186). Taniquetil was thereafter interpreted as a compound of tar- (ta-) “high”, ninquë “white” (or niquë “cold, snow”) and tildë “point”, once its true origin was obscured.
Conceptual Development: This name dates back to the earliest Lost Tales (LT1/58), and ᴱQ. Taniqetil “Lofty Snowcap” appeared in the Qenya Lexicon, where it was a compound of ᴱQ. tá “high” and ᴱQ. niqetil “snow cap” (QL/66, 86; LT1A/Taniquetil). ᴹQ. Taniqetil “High White Horn” appeared in The Etymologies from the 1930s as a compound of ᴹ✶tāna “✱high” (Ety/TĀ), ᴹQ. ninqe “white” (Ety/NIK-W) and ᴹQ. tilde “horn” (Ety/TIL). The concept of the Valarin origin of this name did not emerge until the 1950-60s (PE17/168, 186; WJ/416-7).
In The Etymologies, Tolkien indicated that its (ᴹQ) genitive form was Taniqetilden (Ety/TIL, EtyAC/TIL), so that its stem form would be Taniqetild-, which was also its stem form in the Qenya Lexicon (QL/87). In the 1950s, Tolkien gave its ancient form as ✶tār(a)-ninqui-tilte (PE17/186), perhaps indicating a stem form of Taniquetilt-. Since the later stem form of this name is unclear, I have omitted it in this entry.
Nénimë
february
Nénimë noun second month of the year, "February" (Appendix D)
Yavannië
september
Yavannië noun, name of the ninth month of the year, "September" (Appendix D, SA:yávë)
inimeitë
female
inimeitë adj.? ?"female" (INI)
laiquaninwa
green-blue
laiquaninwa ("q")adj. *"green-blue"? (cf. ninwa) (Narqelion)
pinilya
small
pinilya adj. "small" (MC:220; this is "Qenya")
nindornë
noun. palm-tree
ninteccon
noun. chalk, (lit.) white writing rock
ninya ná cares
I need do it, (lit.) mine is to do it
@@@ modernization of MQ idiom to express “I need/should ...”, of form <possessive-pronoun> + ná + <infinitive> (or possibly gerund), more literally “mine is to do”. This is an alternative to mauya nin care (“it is compelled to me to do”) construction
nisquë
noun. incense, *(lit.) sweet smoke
A neologism for “incense” from Helge Fauskanger’s NQNT (NQNT), which seems to be a combination of nis- “sweet” + usquë “✱smoke”. In VQP (VQP), Tamas Ferencz instead coined ᴺQ. ussa based on the early root ᴱ√USU “✱burn” from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, but the actual form of this root was likely ✱ᴱ√ƷUÐU (e.g. its Gnomish form was gudh-) rendering ᴺQ. ussa “incense” dubious.
nienaitë
adjective. tearful
nier
noun. (honey) bee
nieres
noun. hive
nihta
noun. piece, bit (of indeterminate size)
nihta-
verb. to reduce, make small
nihtana
verb. reduced, minor
nimba
adjective. facing, confronting
nimba-
verb. to face, go forward
ninquelë
noun. pallor
ninquima
noun. frankincense
nirmunqua
adjective. willful
nirya-
verb. to lean against
nisilë
noun. fragrance, perfume
nista
noun. thrust, push, shove
nista-
verb. to perfume
@@@ Discord 2023-01-11
niswa
noun. censer
@@@ Discord 2023-01-11
nicë
adverb. little, a bit
nil-
verb. to love, have special concern/care/interest for
@@@ from Discord 2022-03-05
nimbë
noun. gloom, sadness
nisilëa
adjective. perfumed
niétë
noun. oozing, dripping, exuding
@@@ Discord 2023-02-24, < PE ✱negeiti
alanessë
noun. nicotiana, pipeweed, nicotiana, pipeweed, *tobacco
A Quenya word appearing in notes on Words, Phrases and Passages in the Lord of the Rings from the late 1950s or early 1960s as alenesse or alanesse “nicotiana, pipeweed [✱tobacco]”, assembled from ala- “plant, grow” and (primitive?) ✶nes- “sweet smelling” (PE17/100). I prefer alanesse as it is more compatible with the etymology Tolkien gave for S. galenas “pipeweed”.
lómelindë
noun. nightingale, (lit.) dusk-singer
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)._
Tindómisel
noun. nightingale
PQ. nightingale
alenessë
nicotiana, pipeweed
alenessë, also alanessë, noun "nicotiana, pipeweed" (tobacco) (PE17:100)
huë
cardinal. nine
huë "Qenya" cardinal "nine" (in Tolkiens later Quenya nertë) (VT49:54)
ló
night, a night
ló (1) noun "night, a night" (DO3/DŌ, VT45:28)
mori
night
mori noun "night" (LT1:261, in Tolkien's later Quenya mórë, morë)
morilindë
nightingale
morilindë noun "nightingale" (MOR)
nertë
cardinal. nine
nertë cardinal "nine" (NÉTER, VT42:26, VT48:6); nertëa ordinal "ninth" (VT42:25)
neterquë
cardinal. nineteen
neterquë cardinal "nineteen" (VT48:21)
olma
cardinal. nine
olma cardinal "nine" (LT1:258; in Tolkien's later Quenya nertë)
olo
night
?olo (reading uncertain), possibly a synonym of ló #1, hence noun "night" (VT45:28)
tindómerel
noun. nightingale
TQ. nightingale
tindómizel
noun. nightingale
PQ. nightingale
lómë
noun. night, dimness, twilight, dusk, darkness, night, dimness, twilight, dusk, darkness, [ᴹQ.] night-time, shades of night, gloom; [ᴱQ.] shadow, cloud
nertë
cardinal. nine
nertëa
ordinal. ninth
neterquë
cardinal. nineteen
alenessë
noun. nicotiana, pipeweed
aranisquë
noun. frankincense
A neologism coined by Paul Strack in 2022 specifically for Eldamo, a combination of ar(a)- “noble, high” and nisquë “incense”, mirroring the etymology of frankincense itself (“frank” is Old French for “noble, true”). Helge Fauskanger instead used ᴺQ. ninquima in his NQNT (NQNT), but that seems to be ninquë “white” + ma (unprocessed frankincense is white), which I find unsatisfying etymologically.
huinë
noun. gloom, (unrelieved) darkness, deep shadow, night shade; dark (as a substance)
A word for “gloom” and “unrelieved darkness” such as a night without stars or moon (VT41/8), with an archaic form †fuinë [ɸuine] (PE19/71). In one place Tolkien said it is was used of darkness as an ethereal substance, the opposite of Q. linquë which was ethereal light (NM/279, 283). While light as a substance is an idea somewhat supported by reality (e.g. photons), darkness as a substance is necessarily poetic or mythic.
Conceptual Development: The earliest iteration of this word was ᴱQ. hui or fui “fog, dark, murk, night” from the early root ᴱ√ǶUẎU (QL/41), also appearing with the gloss “dark, murk” in the Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/41). It was equated to ᴱQ. Fui, the name of the Death-goddess Nienna (QL/40). In the Oilima Markirya from around 1930, the word hui was given the translation “evening” in the phrase hui oilima man kiluva “Who shall see the last evening?” (MC/214).
In The Etymologies of the 1930s it was ᴹQ. fuine, huine “deep shadow” under the root ᴹ√PHUY (Ety/PHUY), and in various iterations of the ᴹQ. Lament of Atalante of the 1930s and 40s, huine was glossed “shadow” (LR/47, 56; SD/246, 310). In the Outline of Phonetic Development (OP1) of the 1930s, it was glossed “deep shadow, nightshade”, with fuine being its normal form but huine being its form in the {Lindarin >>} Vanyarin dialect (PE19/31). However in the Outline of Phonetic Development (OP2) of the 1950s, Tolkien revised this so that huine was its normal Quenya form in all dialects, fuine being archaic and pronounced with a pure labial “f” [ɸ] rather than the later labio-dental “f” [f] (PE19/71).
In writings after this point, it usually as huine (VT41/8; SA/fuin), but in some notes from the late 1960s Tolkien considered making huine the Vanyarin form again, with fuine being the form in Noldorin Quenya (NM/279).
Neo-Quenya: I prefer the notion that [[q|[ɸu] became [hu]]] in all Quenya dialects before [[q|[ɸ] became [f]]], so I would use the form huine. I would use it with the sense “darkness, deep shadow” for a particularly lightless darkness, but only metaphorically or poetically for darkness as ethereal substance in and of itself, as I believe the Elves would have been well aware that darkness was actually the absense of light.
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.
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).
-n(yë)
suffix. I
-n
suffix. I
anessë
noun. given (or added) name, nickname, surname
-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).
lúnë
blue
lúnë (stem *lúni-, given the primitive form ¤lugni) adj. "blue" (LUG2, LT1:262; later sources rather give luinë, with pl. form luini_ in Namárië)_. According to VT45:29, lúnë in the Etymologies was changed by Tolkien from lúna.
nessa
young
nessa adj. "young" (NETH), alsoNessa as name of a Valië, the spouse of Tulkas (adopted and adapted from Valarin, or an archaic Elvish formation: WJ:404 vs. 416). Also called Indis, "bride" (NETH, NI1). The fem. name Nessanië (UT:210) would seem to incorporate Nessa's name; the second element could mean "tear" (nië), but since Nessa is not normally associated with sorrow, this #nië is perhaps rather a variant of ní "female" (compare Tintanië as a variant of Tintallë).
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.
illómëa
adjective. nightly
lómivehtë
noun. night life
mórilanta
noun. nightfall
neterquain
cardinal. ninety
neterquëa
ordinal. nineteenth
neterquëan
cardinal. ninety
súyel
noun. niece
tyetsë
noun. teat, *nipple
-stir
suffix. face
An element meaning “face” in the name Carnistir “Red-Face” (S. Caranthir), derived from primitive ✶stīrē (PM/353; VT41/10). Its form as an independent word would mostly likely be ✱síre (Classical Quenya þíre), but that would conflict with sírë “river” in spoken Quenya (Tarquesta). There are a number of other Quenya “face” words attested, such as cendelë, so it is probably safer to use one of these for purposes of Neo-Quenya.
nén
noun. water, water, [ᴱQ.] river
The word for “water”, a derivative of the root √NEN of the same meaning (PE17/52; Ety/NEN). Its stem form was nen- (Ety/NEN) and its primitive form was given as ✶nē̆n, the vowel length variation due to distinct subjective nēn versus objective/inflected nĕn- in ancient monosyllables (PE21/64).
Conceptual Development: This word first appeared in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with two senses: “river” and (archaic) “†water”. Tolkien indicated the two senses were based on distinct roots: ᴱ√NEŘE [NEÐE] and ᴱ√NENE respectively, with two distinct stem forms nend- and nēn (QL/64-65). The Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa also mentions the forms nen (nēn-) “water” versus nen(d-) “river” (PME/64-65). In the English-Qenya Dictionary of the mid-1920s Tolkien had both nēn “river” (PE15/76) and nēn “water” (PE15/78), but in the Early Qenya Grammar he had only nēn “water” (PE14/43, 72), also appearing as nen “water” in documents on The Valmaric Script from this period (PE14/110).
In the Declension of Nouns from the early 1930s, Tolkien had ᴹQ. nēn “water”, but in this document it had nēn- with long ē in its inflected forms as well (PE21/23). In The Etymologies of the 1930s, however, uninflected nén “water” had a stem form of nen- with short e (Ety/NEN), and the reasons for this variation was discussed in Primitive Quendian Structure: Final Consonants from 1936, the nominative/objective distinction noted above (PE21/64). This seems to be the paradigm Tolkien stuck with thereafter, as evidenced by S. nen “water” rather than ✱✱nîn.
nésa
noun. sister
A word for “sister” coined by Tolkien in notes on Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals from the late 1960s, based on the root √NETH of similar meaning (VT47/12, 14). It had a diminutive/affectionate variant nettë used as a play name for the fourth finger in several places in these notes (VT47/12; VT48/6), but I prefer to mainly use nettë for “(little) girl” in Neo-Quenya (VT47/10, 15, 33).
Conceptual Development: The Etymologies of the 1930s had ᴹQ. seler “sister” from the root ᴹ√THEL or THELES (Ety/THEL), and the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had ᴱQ. heresse “sister” from the early root ᴱ√HESE (QL/40). See those entries for discussion.
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/Nι). 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.
nísinen
place name. *Fragrant Water
A lake near Eldalondë “so named from the abundance of sweet-smelling shrubs and flowers that grew upon its banks” (UT/168). This name might be a compound of the verbal element nis- (“to smell sweetly”?) seen in nísima “fragrant” and the noun nén “water”, therefore meaning something like “✱Fragrant Water” (as suggested by Helge Fauskanger, QQ/Nísinen).
-lma
our
-lma pronominal ending "our", 1st person pl. exclusive (VT49:16), also attested (with the genitive ending -o that displaces final -a) in the word omentielmo "of our meeting" (nominative omentielma, PE17:58). Tolkien emended omentielmo to omentielvo in the Second Edition of LotR, reflecting a revision of the Quenya pronominal system (cf. VT49:38, 49, Letters:447). The cluster -lm- in the endings for inclusive "we/our" was altered to -lv- (VT43:14). In the revised system, -lma should apparently signify exclusive "our".
-lwa
our
-lwa, possessive pronominal ending, 1st person pl. inclusive "our" (VT49:16), later (in exilic Quenya) used in the form #-lva, genitive -lvo in omentielvo (see -lv-).
-ndil
friend
-ndil (also -dil) ending occurring in many names, like Amandil, Eärendil; it implies devotion or disinterested love and may be translated "friend" (SA:(noun)dil); this ending is "describing the attitude of one to a person, thing, course or occupation to which one is devoted for its own sake" (Letters:386). Compare -ndur. It is unclear whether the names derived with the ending -ndil are necessarily masculine, though we have no certain example of a woman's name in -ndil; the name Vardilmë (q.v.) may suggest that the corresponding feminine ending is -(n)dilmë.
-ndur
friend
-ndur (also -dur), ending in some names, like Eärendur; as noted by Christopher Tolkien in the Silmarillion Appendix it has much the same meaning as -ndil "friend"; yet -ndur properly means "servant of" (SA:(noun)dil), "as one serves a legitimate master: cf. Q. arandil king's friend, royalist, beside arandur 'king's servant, minister'. But these often coincide: e.g. Sam's relation to Frodo can be viewed either as in status -ndur, in spirit -ndil." (Letters:286)
Amillion
february
Amillion noun "February" (LT1:249; LotR-style Quenya has Nénimë)
Nur-menel
nur-menel
Nur-menel noun the lesser firmament, a great dome covering Valinor, made by Varda and full of star-imagines (see tinwë, nillë). It was a simulacrum of Tar-menel, the true firmament (MR:388)
Nyenna
nyenna
Nyenna noun alternative form of Nienna (LT1:262)
Valatári
vala-queen
Valatári noun "Vala-queen" (BAL; this entry of the Etymologies states that Vala has no feminine form except this compound, but Silm gives Valië as a feminine form). The word Valatári is apparently also the unchanged plural form, so used in this quote: "The Valatári were Varda, Yavanna, Nienna, Vana, Vaire, Este, Nessa, Uinen" (BAL; Tolkien later reclassified Uinen as a Maia, not a Valatári/Valië). Notice that the plural form of Valatar would apparently also be *Valatári.
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).]
alma
noun. flower
A word for “flower” derived from primitive ✶galmā in notes on flowers in the same bundle containing Definitive Linguistic Notes (DLN) from 1959 (PE17/153). Initially Tolkien said alma meant both “a blessed thing and a flower”, then said that Q. almë was “a blessed thing” and alba was “flower” (< √GAL-AB), before saying that alma was “flower”. Tolkien implied that alma was a usual or general word for “flower” in Quenya. These same notes also said the word alda < ✶galadā was used mainly of flowering trees. It seems in this instance Tolkien connected the root √GAL (normally just “grow, flourish”) specifically to flowers, giving it the gloss “bloom” along with other glosses like “grow, flourish, be vigorous”.
Neo-Quenya: Elsewhere alda was the general word for a “tree” and √GAL had no special connection to flowers. I think alma as a “flower” word was a transient idea. I would use lótë “flower” instead for purposes of Neo-Quenya, since it is much better established.
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.
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)_
calta-
verb. to kindle, to kindle, [ᴹQ.] (cause to) shine, light up, [ᴱQ.] set light to
This causative verb meaning “kindle, cause to shine” was based on the root √KAL “light; shine” and had a lengthy history in Tolkien’s Elvish languages. ᴱQ. kalta- “kindle, set light to” first appeared in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√KALA “shine golden” (QL/44), but in The Etymologies of the 1930s ᴹQ. kalta- was only glossed “shine” (Ety/KAL). However in the Quenya Verbal System of the 1940s kaltā́ was given as an example of causative verbs and glossed “cause to shine, light up, or kindle (lamp etc.)” (PE22/114). In Common Eldarin: Verb Structure from the early 1950s (primitive) kalta- was glossed “cause to shine, kindle” (PE22/156). This verb also appeared in Late Notes on Verb Structure (LVS) from 1969 as an element in the adjective Q. lacaltaima “not possible to be kindled”.
canwa
noun. face
A word appearing as kanwarya in one of the drafts of the Ambidexters Sentence, apparently a 3rd-sg possessive form meaning “✱his face” (VT49/6, 21). Patrick Wynne suggested it might be derived from √KAT “shape” as in katmā > kanwa, patterned after Latin “faciēs” which also originally meant “shape”. It seems the n in this word was revised, but what the change was intended to be is unclear. Tolkien eventually revised this word to cendelë, so canwa was probably abandoned.
cendelë
noun. face, face, *visage
A word for “face” in the Ambidexters Sentence of the late 1960s (VT49/8). Patrick Wynne suggested it is likely an abstract noun formation from the verb cenda- “watch, observe”, and hence similar in origin to English/French “visage” which likewise originated from a Latin verb meaning “to see” (VT49/21). Earlier “face” words ᴱQ. alma and ᴱQ. yéma have similar derivations, as pointed out by Patrick Wynne.
eldandil
masculine name. Elf-friend
fuine
noun. deep shadow
PQ. deep shadow, night shade
fuinë
deep shadow
fuinë noun "deep shadow" (PHUY; cf. "Qenya" fuin "night" in MC:221). According to VT41:8, fuinë is not a Quenya form at all, but Telerin for Quenya huinë (but unquestionably, fuinë is quoted as a Quenya form in certain earlier sources; cf. also Fuinur below - perhaps we may assume that fuinë was borrowed into Quenya from Telerin and thus came to co-exist with huinë?
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?)
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.
inya
female
inya (1) adj. "female" (INI)
laimë
shade
laimë noun "shade" (DAY; in an earlier version the gloss was "shadow (cast by an object or form)"; see VT45:8-9. Perhaps Tolkien transferred this meaning to lëo when giving laimë the more general meaning "shade".)
lantë
noun. fall
The word lasselanta “leaf-fall, autumn” (LotR/1107) indicate the form this word should be lanta, which is how it appears in The Etymologies. However, the alternate lassewinta (PM/376) seems to be formed with the infinitive of the verb winta- rather than a noun, so perhaps lasselanta is a similar formation from the verb lanta- “to fall”.
The form lantë, appearing in Noldolantë “Fall of the Noldor” (S/87), more strongly resembles other Quenya nouns, which more often end in -e rather than -a. The noun atalantë “collapse, downfall” is a similar formation from the related verb [ᴹQ.] atalta-, though it could also be the past formation “downfallen” of this TALAT-stem verb.
leper
noun. finger
The Quenya word for “finger” appearing in various notes on Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals from 1968, derived from the root √LEP “pick up” (VT47/10; VT48/5).
Conceptual Development: The Quenya “finger” words went through quite a few conceptual changes, but they were always based on the root √LEP. The earliest of these was ᴱQ. let (lept-) “finger” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√LEPE with plural form lepsi (QL/53). In Qenya word lists of the 1920s, however, this became ᴱQ. lepta “finger”, still with the plural lepsi (PE15/72; PE16/137).
The form was ᴹQ. let (leps-) in the Declension of Nouns of the early 1930s (PE21/19, 26), expanded to ᴹQ. lepse “finger” in The Etymologies written around 1937, based on the root ᴹ√LEPET of the same meaning (Ety/LEPET). This form demonstrated the 1930s sound change whereby pt became ps (PE19/44 note #44). Tolkien revised this sound change so that the result remained pt (PE19/44), and in 1940s drafts to The Lord of the Rings Tolkien used the word ᴹQ. rakkalepta “✱claw-fingered” in Treebeard’s description of orcs (SD/68), though in the published version this word only appeared in English.
In the Outline of Phonology from the 1950s (OP1) Tolkien considered restoring the sound change pt > ps (PE19/84 note #75), and Q. lepsë appeared in notes from the late 1950s or early 60s on the tree name S. lebethron, so named because “its leaves (like chestnut) [were] shaped like a fingered hand” (PE17/89). However, he again abandoned this, clarifying that the actual result of [[q|[pt] was a spirantal [ɸt]]] (spelled pt to represent the bilabial pronunciation), and that in Tarquesta pronunciation (Exhilic Quenya of the first age) the [ɸ] vocalized to [u̯] so that ✶lepta > leꝑta > Q. leu̯ta “finger” (PE19/84). Q. lepta appeared in several words in the 1960s: Q. leptafinya “clever-fingered” (PE17/17) and Q. Tyelpelepta “✱silver-fingered” (VT47/27).
In drafts of the 1968 notes on Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals, lepta reappeared as an independent word, but with the gloss “thumb” (VT47/27). In the final versions of these notes, however, Tolkien used leper for “finger”, as noted above.
Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would use leper for “finger”, but would retain lepta as an adjective meaning “fingered”, especially in compounds like [ᴹQ.] raccalepta “claw-fingered”.
lepincë
noun. little finger
A word for the “little finger” in notes on Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals from 1968, a combination of ✶lepe “finger” and the diminutive suffix ✶-inki, appearing first as lepinka and later as lepinke (VT47/10-11; VT48/5). The short form Q. {nitye >>} níke was also used for the “little finger” (VT48/5, 15).
Conceptual Development: In drafts of these notes, the word first appeared as Q. nihtil, a combination of √NIK “small” and Q. -til “point” (VT47/26).
lingwë
noun. fish
A word for “fish” appearing in its plural form lingwi “fish” in notes on The Lands and Beasts of Númenor from 1965 (NM/336) and appearing as ᴹQ. lingwe “fish” from primitive ᴹ✶liñwi under the root ᴹ√LIW in The Etymologies of the 1930s (Ety/LIW).
Conceptual Development: Tolkien had ᴱQ. ingwe “fish” under the early root ᴱ√IWI “fish” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s (QL/43), and this word was also mentioned in the Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/43). The word {engwe >>} ingwe appeared unglossed in Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s (PE16/145). ᴹQ. lingwe “fish” with initial l first emerged in The Etymologies of the 1930s, as noted above.
luinë
blue
luinë adj. "blue", pl. luini (PE17:66, VT48:23, 24, 28, Nam, RGEO:66). Common Eldarin luini- would also be the stem-form in Quenya (VT48:24). Compare luinincë. Apparently -luin in Illuin, the name of one of the Lamps of the Valar (q.v.), Helluin, name of the star Sirius, and Luinil, name of another blue-shining star (or planet). (SA; Luinil is tentatively identified with Neptune, MR:435). Cf. also menelluin "sky-blue", used as noun = "cornflower" (J.R.R. Tolkien: Artist & Illustrator p. 193).
lér
man
**lér noun "man" (NI1; hypothetical Q form of PQ dēr; the form actually used in Quenya was nér)
líco
noun. wax
A word for “wax” in notes associated with the versions of the Markirya poem from the 1960s (MC/223). It might be based on the root √LIK “glide, slide, slip, drip” from a different set of 1960s notes (NM/283).
Conceptual Development: The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had ᴱQ. neite as cognate to G. nith “wax”, both derived from primitive ᴱ✶nēgittĕ (GL/60).
lís
noun. honey, honey, *sugar, sweetener
A word for “honey” in Definitive Linguistic Notes (DLN) from 1959 given as lîs and derived from the root √(G)LIS (PE17/154); the usual representation of a long vowel in Quenya would be ✱lís. In DLN Tolkien said that it sometimes appeared as līr- in inflections with the usual change of intervocalic s to r, but that its usual stem form was liss-. Indeed, in The Etymologies of the 1930s this word was ᴹQ. lis “honey” under the root ᴹ√LIS of the same meaning, and its stem form was also liss- as indicated by its [ᴹQ.] genitive lissen (Ety/LIS). Tolkien originally gave the base noun as lisse in The Etymologies, but this was deleted and replaced by lis (EtyAC/LIS). In The Etymologies its Noldorin cognate was N. glî.
Conceptual Development: A likely precursor to this word was ᴱQ. ile “honey” in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s, cognate to ᴱN. glí “honey” (GL/59).
Neo-Quenya: Since there are other honey-words in Quenya like Q. nehtë, I would use lís (liss-) for sweeteners in general, including both honey and sugar.
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...
lótë
flower
lótë noun "flower", mostly applied to larger single flowers (LOT(H), LT1:259, VT42:18). (The shorter form -lot occurs in compounds, e.g. fúmellot, q.v.) In the names Ninquelóte *"White-flower" (= Nimloth), Vingilótë "Foam-flower", the name of Eärendil's ship (SA:loth), also in Lótessë fifth month of the year, "May" (Appendix D). See also olótë, lotsë.
lúmë
darkness
lúmë (2) noun "darkness" (one wonders if Tolkien confused lúmë "time, hour" and lómë "night") (Markirya)
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”.
meldo
friend, lover
meldo noun "friend, lover". _(VT45:34, quoting a deleted entry in the Etymologies, but cf. the pl. #_meldor in Eldameldor "Elf-lovers", WJ:412) **Meldonya *"my friend" (VT49:38, 40). It may be that meldo is the distinctly masculine form, corresponding to feminine #meldë** (q.v.)
meldë
friend
#meldë noun "friend", feminine (meldenya "my friend" in the Elaine inscription [VT49:40], Tolkien referring to Elaine Griffiths). Compare meldo.
menya
our
menya (pl. menyë is attested) possessive pron. "our", 1st person pl. exclusive independent possessive pronoun (VT43:19, 35). Evidently derived from the dative form men "for us" by adding the adjectival ending -ya. Compare ninya, q.v.
mor
darkness
mor noun "darkness" (Letters:308; probably just an Elvish "element" rather than a complete word; Namárië has mornië for "darkness")
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)
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).
nectë
honey
nectë noun "honey" (LT1:262; Tolkien's later Quenya has lis; otherwise, nectë would have had to become nehtë_, a form appearing in the Etymologies with the meaning "honeycomb" [VT45:38]. However, this word clashes with _nehtë "angle" or "spearhead, gore, wedge, narrow promontory" from later sources [PE17:55, UT:282].)
nendë
noun. lake, lake, [ᴹQ.] pool
A word for “lake” (PE17/52) or “pool” (Ety/NEN), derived from the root √NEN “water”.
Conceptual Development: This word appeared in both The Etymologies of the 1930s (Ety/NEN) and notes on Words, Phrases and Passages from the Lord of the Rings from the late 1950s or early 1960s (PE17/37) with the same basic meaning and derivation.
nettë
girl, daughter
nettë (stem *netti-, given the primitive form listed in VT47:17) noun "girl, daughter" (but also "sister", see below), also used as a play-name of the "fourth finger" or "fourth toe" (VT47:10, VT48:6), in two-hand play also used for the numeral "nine" (nettë is conceived as being related to nertë, q.v.) Nettë is also defined as "sister" or "girl approaching the adult" (VT47:16, VT49:25), "girl/daughter" (VT47:15-16); it may be that "sister" was Tolkien's final decision on the meaning (VT48:4, 22) - The related word nésa seems like a less ambiguous translation of "sister".
né
was
né vb. "was"; see ná #1. Also used as interjection "yes" when the meaning is "it was so, it was as you say/ask" (VT49:31). Pl. nér "were", dual nét (VT49:30). Nésë "he was" (VT49:29), though Tolkien elsewhere stated that né did not "take any inflection of person" (VT49:31), pronominal endings rather being added to ane- (the form anes *he was" is attested). Anda né "long ago" (VT49:31).
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)
níca
small
níca ("k")adj. "small". The word is said to mean "small" with "good senses"; contrast nípa, *nimpë. (VT47:26, VT48:18)
nína
woman
#nína (gen.pl. nínaron attested) noun "woman" (VT43:31; this word, as well as some other experimental forms listed in the same source, seem ephemeral: several sources agree that the Quenya word for "woman" is nís, nis [q.v.])
nípa
small; small & frail
nípa adj. "small; small & frail". The word is said to mean "small" with "connotation of weakness". Also *nimpë (VT48:18)
níquetil
snow peak
níquetil noun "snow peak" (PE17:168), stem probably *níquetild-, cf. Taniquetil, q.v.
nísimaldar
place name. Fragrant Trees
onórë
sister
onórë noun "sister" (of blood-kin) (THEL/THELES, NŌ; both of these entries in the Etymologies as reproduced in LR have the reading "onóne", but the "Old Noldorin" cognate wanúre listed in the entry THEL/THELES seems to indicate that the Quenya word should be onórë; the letters n and r are easily confused in Tolkien's handwriting. There is no clear evidence for a feminine ending -në in Quenya, but -rë is relatively well attested; cf. for instance ontarë.) A later source gives the word for "sister" as nésa instead.
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)
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).
senwa
usual
senwa, also senya, adj. "usual" (VT49:22, 35). Notice that *senya* may conceivably also function as a genitive pronoun "his, her", derived from sen as the dative form of se #1 (compare ninya, menya**).
sil-
shine
sil- vb. "shine" (white), present tense síla "shines, is shining" (FG); aorist silë, pl. silir (RS:324), frequentative sisíla- (Markirya comments), future tense siluva (VT49:38), dual future siluvat (VT49:44, 45)
tindómerel
daughter of twilight
tindómerel (also capitalized Tindómerel) fem. name "daughter of twilight", a kenning (poetic name) of the nightingale; = Sindarin Tinúviel. (TIN, SEL-D, SA:tin; "Tindómrl" in mirrored Tengwar in VT47:37 would seem to be an incomplete annotation of the same word). The form Tindómiel (UT:210) could well be an alternative Quenya equivalent of Tinúviel, and it is possibly to be preferred because the status of the ending -rel "daughter" is uncertain (it was to represent older -zel, -sel corresponding to the independent word seldë, but Tolkien changed the meaning of this word from "daughter" to "child", and since the word for "child" appears as hína in later texts, it may be that seldë and the corresponding ending -rel were dropped altogether).
tinwë
spark
tinwë noun "spark" (gloss misquoted as "sparkle" in the Etymologies as printed in LR, see VT46:19), also "star"; pl. tinwi "sparks", properly used of the star-imagines on Nur-menel (q.v.). Cf. nillë. (TIN, MR:388) In early "Qenya", tinwë was simply glossed "star" (LT1:269, cf. MC:214). In one late source, the meaning of tinwë is given as "spark", and it is said that this word (like Sindarin gil) was used of the stars of heaven "in place of the older and more elevated el, elen- stem" (VT42:11).
tompë
noun. [unglossed], *pulse, beat
@@@ Neo-meaning “✱pulse, beat” suggested by Röandil on 2023-04-20
ul-
verb. to rain
An impersonal verb for “rain” attested only in its future form uluva “it is going to rain, it will rain” (PE22/167). Its aorist form is probably ✱ule “[it] rains”, its past form probably ✱úle “[it] rained”, and its perfect ✱úlie “[it] has rained”; as an impersonal verb, no explicit subject is required in Quenya. It is clearly derived from the root √UL “pour (out), flow” (WJ/400; PE17/168) and it seems that its primitive form originally meant “pour” (PE22/133), but elsewhere Tolkien gave the Quenya verb for “pour, flow” as ulya- (Ety/ULU).
Conceptual Development: In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, the verb for “it rains” was (3rd-singular) ᴱQ. uqin from the early root ᴱ√UQU “wet” (QL/98). This verb reappeared as uqe or úqe “it rains” in the Early Qenya Grammar of the 1920s, having become an impersonal verb (PE14/56, 85). Another impersonal verb for “to rain” appeared in Quenya Verbal System of the 1940s: ᴹQ. kelya “(it) sends running down = it rains” from the root √KEL (PE22/114). The form uluva mentioned above appeared in Late Notes on Verbs from 1969 (PE22/167).
Neo-Eldarin: Based on attested forms I would limit ul- for “rain” as an impersonal verb only, and for “pour” would use ulya-. Interestingly, the Noldorin word for “rain” is eil [ᴺS. uil] from ᴹ✶ulyā-, so I think Quenya and Sindarin/Noldorin made different choices for which ancient verb became impersonal “rain”.
ulca
adjective. dark
dark, gloomy, sinister
undómë
twilight
undómë noun "twilight", usually of the time near evening, not near dawn (that is tindómë)
vinya
pale blue
vinya (2) < windya adj. "pale blue" (WIN/WIND)(It is uncertain whether Tolkien rejected this word or not; in any case, vinya is only attested with the meaning "young, new" in his later Quenya.)
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)
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).
Lindissë
woman
Lindissë fem.name, perhaps lin- (root of words having to do with song/music) + (n)dissë "woman" (see nís). (UT:210)
Nísimaldar
fragrant trees
Nísimaldar noun "Fragrant trees", a region in Númenor (UT:167; evidently #nísima "fragrant", attested here only, + aldar "trees").
Nísinen
fragrance-water
Nísinen noun *"Fragrance-water", a lake in Númenor (UT:168)
nes-
sweet smelling
nes- ?verb/?root "sweet smelling" (PE17:100); cf. Nísimaldar
nícë
little finger
nícë "little finger" (VT48:5, 15), also lepincë
níra
will
níra noun "will" (as a potential or faculty) (VT39:30, VT41:6, 17, PE17:168)
nírë
tear
nírë noun "tear" (NEI)
nísima
fragrant
#nísima adj. "fragrant", isolated from Nísimaldar, q.v.
nítë
moist, dewy
nítë (stem *níti-, given the primitive form ¤neiti) adj. "moist, dewy" (NEI, VT45:38)
nívë
pale
nívë adj."pale" (MC:213; this is "Qenya" Tolkien's later Quenya has néca)
nírë
noun. force
nívë
noun. face
níta-
verb. to weep, cry [tears]
@@@ NQNT uses níta-
cúma
noun. [unglossed]
finca
noun. [unglossed]
hir-
verb. to find
ista-
verb. to know
luinë
adjective. blue
nehtë
noun. honey, honey; [ᴹQ.] honeycomb
A noun for “honey” appearing in 1970 green-ink revisions to the Outline of Phonology (OP2) derived from ✶negdē “exudation” based on the root √NEG “ooze, drip” (PE19/91). It was a later iteration of ᴹQ. nehte “honeycomb” in The Etymologies of the 1930s which had essentially the same derivation (EtyAC/NEG). This in turn was a later form of ᴱQ. nekte “honey” from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s derived from the early root ᴱ√NEHE having to do with bees and honey (QL/65).
Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I’d use this word only for “honey”. For “honeycomb” I’d use ᴺQ. nehtelë inspired by ᴱQ. nektele “honeycomb” (QL/65)
nenda
adjective. wet
ná-
verb. to be, to be, [ᴱQ.] exist
níca
adjective. little, small
nícë
noun. little finger
nípa
adjective. small (usually with connotation of weakness)
níra
noun. will (as a potential or faculty), individual will (in potential)
nísima
adjective. fragrant
pityafinwë
masculine name. Little Finwë
si
this
sina
adjective. this
tindómerel
feminine name. Daughter of Twilight
The Quenya name of Tinúviel (SA/tin, PE19/73). Since she was a Sindarin elf, this name is largely theoretical, as a development from the same primitive form: ✶Tindōmiselde. This name is a compound of tindómë and a suffixal form -rel of seldë “daughter”. In a couple places, Tolkien used this name to illustrated the development of primitive intervocalic ✶[s] into Quenya [r] (PE19/33, 73).
Conceptual Development: The earliest “Qenya” name for Tinúviel was ᴹQ. Tinúviel in linguistic notes from the early 1930s; it was declined in various noun cases, and was clearly intended to be a purely Qenya name rather than an adaptation of the Noldorin Tinúviel (PE21/35). The name ᴹQ. Tindómerel appeared in The Etymologies from the mid-1930s, where it already had the derivation described above (Ety/SEL-D, TIN). In some notes on Quenya phonology from the 1930s, this name appeared as Tindómirel with a medial i (PE19/33), but in a revision of those notes from the 1950s it was reverted back to Tindómerel (PE19/73). It appeared as (Tindómrl) in some examples of left-handed tengwar writing from the 1960s (VT47/37); Tolkien probably neglected to add the vowel diacritics in this case.
um(ba)-
prefix. [unglossed]
vínë
noun. youth, youth, *childhood
ussa
noun. incense
-mma
our
-mma "our", 1st person dual exlusive possessive ending: *"my and one others" (VT49:16). At an earlier conceptual phase, Tolkien apparently intended the same ending to be plural inclusive "our" (VT49:55, RS:324), cf. Mélamarimma "Our Home" (q.v.) In the latter word, Tolkien slips in i as a connecting vowel before this ending; elsewhere he used e, as in Átaremma "our Father" (see atar).
-ngwa
our
-ngwa "our", 1st person dual inclusive possessive pronominal ending: *"thy and my", corresponding to the ending -ngwë for dual inclusive "we" (VT49:16)
-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.
-nya
my
-nya pronominal suffix, 1st person sg. possessive, "my" (VT49:16, 38, 48), e.g. tatanya "my daddy" (UT:191, VT48:17), meldonya "my [male] friend" (VT49:38), meldenya "my [female] friend" (Elaine inscription), omentienya "my meeting" (PE17:68), tyenya "my tye" (tye being an intimate form of "you"), used = "dear kinsman" (VT49:51, 56). This ending seems to prefer i as its connecting vowel where one is needed, cf. Anarinya "my sun" in LR:72, so also in hildinyar "my heirs". It was previously theorized by some that a final -ë would also be changed to -i- before -nya, but the example órenya "my heart [órë]" indicates that this is not the case (VT41:11).
-nya
suffix. my
-ser
friend
-ser noun "friend" (SER)
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.)
Illuin
blue
Illuin place-name, name of one of the Lamps of the Valar; apparently incorporating the element luin "blue" (Silm): hence *"all-blue"?
Ilweran
rainbow
Ilweran, Ilweranta noun "rainbow" (GL:74) (The Etymologies gives helyanwë.)
Nénar
water
Nénar noun name of a star (or planet), evidently derived from nén "water" (Silm), tentatively identified with Uranus (MR:435)
Tindómiel
daughter of twilight
Tindómiel, fem. name (UT:210), probably *"daughter of twilight" (tindómë + -iel) and thus the equivalent of Sindarin Tinúviel. Compare tindómerel.
Uinen
water
Uinen (Uinend-, as in dative Uinenden) fem. name, used of a Maia, spouse of Ossë (UY, NEN). Adopted and adapted from Valarin (WJ:404), though it is also said that it contains -nen "water" (SA:nen); the latter explanation may be folk etymology. In the Etymologies, the name is derived from the same stem (UY) as uilë "long trailing plant, especially seaweed".
acca
too
acca ("k")adv. "too" (= excessively, as in "too big") (PE13:108)
accal(a)-
verb. shine
shine (suddenly and) brilliantly, blaze
ailo
lake, pool
ailo noun "lake, pool" (LT2:339; Tolkien's later Quenya has ailin)
alba
noun. flower
alma
flower
alma (2) "flower" (PE17:153), said to be the "usual Quenya word" or "general Quenya word" (i.e. for flower), but its coexistence with #1 is problematic. Compare lós, lótë, lotsë, indil.
amya-
verb. [unglossed]
ane-
was
#ane-, form of copula "was" when pronominal endings follow: anen "I was", anel "you were", anes "(s)he/it was" (VT49:28, 29); see ná #1.
anessë
given (or added) name
anessë noun "given (or added) name" (encompassing both epessi and amilessi) (MR:217)
anta
face
anta (2) noun "face" (ANA1, VT45:5). Cf. cendelë.
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.
arra
adjective. [unglossed]
cairë
?. [unglossed]
cal-
shine
#cal- vb. "shine", future tense caluva ("k") "shall shine" _(UT:22 cf. 51). Compare also early "Qenya" cala- ("k")"shine" (LT1:254)_. It is possible that the verbal stem should have a final -a in later Quenya as well, since this vowel would not appear in the future tense caluva (compare valuvar as the pl. future tense of vala-, WJ:404).
calta-
shine
calta- ("k")vb. "shine" (KAL)
canwa
face
#canwa (2) noun "face", isolated from canwarya ("k") *"his face", evidently an ephemeral form Tolkien abandoned in favour of cendelë, q.v. (VT49:21; see VT49:34 regarding uncertainties as to the manuscript reading)
casar
noun. Dwarf
caurë
fear
caurë _("k")_noun "fear" (LT1:257)
celu
stream
celu _("k")_noun "stream" (LT1:257; rather celumë in LotR-style Quenya)
celumë
stream, flow
celumë ("k")noun "stream, flow" (KEL, LT1:257); locative pl. celumessen ("k") in Markirya (ëar-celumessen is translated "in the flowing sea", lit. *"in sea-streams").
cendelë
face
cendelë noun "face" (VT49:21)
cendë
point
cendë noun "point" (PE16:96)
cendë
noun. point
cinta
small
cinta adj. "small" (PE17:157)
cinta
adjective. small
conta-
verb. [unglossed]
cumna
empty
cumna ("k")adj. "empty" (KUM)
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)
engë
was
engë vb. "was", "existed", past tense of ëa, q.v. (VT43:38, VT49:29)
fauta-
to snow
fauta- vb. *"to snow" (actually glossed fauta = "it snows") (GL:35)
felca
adjective. [unglossed]
felehta-
verb. [unglossed], *to excavate, tunnel, mine
An untranslated form appearing in Notes on Names (NN) from 1957 derived from the root √PHELEG/PHELEK (PE17/118), possibly a verb derived from ✱phelektā- or ✱phelegtā-. The derivatives of this root had to do with mines and tunnels, so perhaps this verb meant “✱to excavate, tunnel, mine”.
fimbë
slender
*fimbë (stem fimbi-) adj. "slender" (PE17:23)
fimbë
adjective. slender, slender, *thin
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
fáwë
snow
fáwë vb. "snow" (GL:35; rather lossë in Tolkien's later Quenya)
helda
friendly, having love (for)
[helda (2) adj. "friendly, having love (for)" (VT46:3)]
heldo
friend
[heldo, also helmo, fem. heldë, noun "friend" (VT46:3)]
helmë
friendship
[helmë noun "friendship" (VT46:3)]
helyanwë
rainbow
helyanwë noun "rainbow", lit. "sky-bridge" (3EL)
hendas
?. [unglossed]
heri
lady
heri noun "lady" (KHER, LT1:272)
heri
noun. lady
hindo
noun. [unglossed]
hindë
noun. [unglossed]
histë
dusk
histë noun "dusk" (LT1:255)
holdë
noun. [unglossed]
hriz-
to snow
#hriz- vb. "to snow", impersonal, given in the form hríza "it is snowing". Normally z would turn to r in Exilic Quenya, but since two r's close to one another were disliked, it may be that hriz- became *hris- instead (compare razë "sticks out" becoming rasë instead of **rarë, PE19:73) Past tense hrinsë (with s from the original root SRIS) and another form which the editor tentatively reads as hrissë (the development ns > ss is regular). (PE17:168)
hriz-
verb. to snow
In notes written around 1959, Tolkien experimented with various roots for impersonal “snow” verbs, first giving the aorist form of a derived verb Q. hrisya “it snows” < hriþya from the root √SRITH, then the present tense form of a basic verb Q. hríza “it is snowing” from the root √SRIS (PE17/168).
Neo-Quenya: The basic verb form †hriz- is likely archaic, since z usually became r in Quenya’s phonetic development. In this case, though, I suspect the medial z dissimilated back to s after the hr, since Quenya disliked repeated r’s (PE19/73-74). This occurred, for example, with the verb ras- “stick out” < †raz- < √RAS.
Thus, I would use modern Quenya hrise “[it] snows”, hrinse “[it] snowed”, ihrísie “[it] has snowed”. Since this is an impersonal verbs, no explicit subject is required.
hróva
dark, dark brown
hróva adj. "dark, dark brown", used to refer to hair (PE17:154)
huinë
deep shadow
huinë noun "deep shadow" (PHUY), "gloom" (VT41:8), "gloom, darkness" (SA:fuin), also used for "shadow" = Sauron (LR:56). Possessive (adjectival) form huinéva in the name Taurë Huinéva, q.v. In earlier sources, huinë is quoted as a variant of fuinë, but according to VT41:8, huinë is the proper Quenya form and fuinë is Telerin.With prefix nu- "under" and allative ending -nna in nuhuinenna (SD:246); also unuhuinë "under-shadow" (LR:47).
háro
?. [unglossed]
hísë
dusk
hísë (2) noun "dusk" (LT1:255). A "Qenya" form possibly obsoleted by #1 above.
ilin
pale blue
ilin adj. "pale blue" (GLINDI)
iluquinga
rainbow
iluquinga ("q") noun "rainbow" (LT2:348)
indu-
verb. will, do on purpose
insil
noun. flower
TQ. flower, lily
inya
small
inya (2) adj. "small" (LT1:256; this "Qenya" word may be obsoleted by # 1 above)
inyë
i, too
inyë emphatic independent 1st person sg. pronoun, "I" with emphasis, translated "I, too" in LR:61 (and, according to one reading of Tolkiens manuscript, in VT49:49).
inyë
pronoun. I (emphatic)
isca
pale
isca ("k") adj."pale" (LT1:256)
laisi
youth, vigour, new life
laisi, laito noun "youth, vigour, new life" (LT1:267; rather vië or nésë, nessë in Tolkien's later Quenya)
lanta
fall
lanta (1) noun "a fall" (DAT/DANT (TALÁT) ), also lantë.
lanta-
fall
lanta- (2) "fall" (DAT/DANT (TALÁT), Narqelion, VT45:26, VT49:54); lantar aorist tense pl. (Nam, RGEO:66); pl. pa.t. lantaner "fell" (pl.) (SD:246); lantier "they fell", a plural past tense of lanta- "fall" occurring in LR:47; read probably lantaner in LotR-style Quenya, as in SD:246. Also sg. lantië "fell" (LR:56); read likewise *lantanë? (The forms in -ier, -ië seem to be properly perfects.) Future tense lantuva, VT49:47. Participle lantala "falling" (with locative ending: lantalassë) in Markirya.
lantar
fall
-r plural ending used on verbs with a plural subject (VT49:48, 50, 51), e.g. lantar "fall" in Namárië (with the plural subject lassi "leaves"), or unduláver as the pl. form of undulávë "licked down, covered" (PE17:72). The ending is sometimes missing where we might expect it; for instance, the verb tarnë "stood" has multiple subjects and yet does not appear as *tarner in PE17:71.
lantë
fall
#lantë (1) noun "fall" in Noldolantë, q.v. Also lanta.
leper
finger
leper (pl. leperi given) noun "finger" (VT44:16, VT47:10, 14, 24, VT48:5; an older source gives the word for "finger" as lepsë, q.v.)
lepinca
little finger
lepinca ("k")noun "little finger" (VT47:10); variant lepincë (VT47:26, VT48:5)
lepinca
noun. little finger
lepincë
little finger
lepincë ("k")noun "little finger" (VT47:26, VT48:5); variant lepinca (VT47:10). According to VT48:15, 18, lepincë is derived from older lepinki; if so the Quenya form should have the stem lepinci-.
lepsë
finger
lepsë noun "finger" (LEP/LEPET; see leper). According to VT45:27, Tolkien derived lepsë from primitive ¤lepti; if so, lepsë should have the stem-form *lepsi-. However, Tolkien struck out the ancestral form lepti, so we cannot be sure whether this idea was maintained or not. In later sources, the word for "finger" appears as leper.
leuta
noun. finger
limbë
quick, swift
limbë (1) adj. (stem limbi-, given primitive form ¤lĭmbĭ) "quick, swift" (PE17:18)
lingi-
verb. [unglossed]
lingwë
fish
lingwë (stem *lingwi-, given the primitive form ¤liñwi) noun "fish" (LIW)
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.)
lossë
snow
lossë (1) noun "snow" or adj. "snow-white" (SA:los, MC:213, VT42:18); losselië noun"white people" (MC:216, PE16:96)
lossëa
snow-white
lossëa adj. "snow-white" (so in VT42:18; this would be an adjective derived from lossë "snow", but elsewhere, Tolkien implies that lossë itself can also be used as an adjective "snow-white"; see lossë #1 above)
luina
pale
[luina] adj. "pale" (VT45:30)
lumbë
gloom, shadow
lumbë noun "gloom, shadow" (LUM)
lélë
noun. will
lëo
shade, shadow cast by any object
lëo noun "shade, shadow cast by any object" (DAY)
líco
wax
líco ("k")noun "wax" (Markirya comments, MC:223). The related noun lícuma "candle" suggests that líco has the stem-form lícu-.
lómin
shade, shadow
lómin noun "shade, shadow" (LT1:255)
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?
lós
flower
lós (þ?) noun "flower" (PE17:26). If this is to be the cognate of Sindarin loth, as the source suggests, the older Quenya form would be *lóþ.
lóte
noun. flower
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).
lúrëa
dark, overcast
lúrëa adj. "dark, overcast" (LT1:259)
maitya
?. [unglossed]
mala-
hurt, pain
mala- vb. "hurt, pain" (QL:63)
malsa
?. [unglossed]
manyel
female
[manyel noun "female" (PE17:190)]
marya
pale, fallow, fawn
marya adj. "pale, fallow, fawn" (MAD)
melu
honey
#melu noun "honey", isolated from melumatya, q.v. (PE17:68)
melu
noun. honey
A word for “honey” appearing only in the compound Q. melumatya “honey-eating” in notes from 1967 (PE17/68).
melya-
verb. [unglossed], *to be in love
mendë
will
#mendë noun "will", only attested in mendelya "thy will" (VT43:15)
mentë
point, end
mentë noun "point, end" (MET)
mintë
small
mintë adj. "small" (VT45:35)
missë
wet, damp, rain
[missë] adj.ornoun "wet, damp, rain" (VT45:35)
mitsa
small
mitsa adj. "small" (VT45:35) Another synonym from the same source, mitra, looks unusual for a Quenya word (because of the medial cluster tr)
mitta
piece
mitta (3) noun "piece" (VT45:81)
mixa
wet
mixa ("ks")adj. "wet" (MISK); later sources have néna, nenya
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).
morqua
black
morqua adj. "black" (LT1:261; rather morna in LotR-style Quenya)
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.
morĭ
adjective. dark
PQ. dark
málo
noun. friend
friend, comrade
málo
friend
málo noun "friend" (MEL, VT49:22)
móri
dark
móri adj. "dark" (MC:221; this is "Qenya"; in Tolkien's later Quenya mórë, morë)
nahta-
verb. hurt
hurt, injure, wound
naicelëa
painful
naicelëa ("k")adj. "painful" (NÁYAK); changed by Tolkien from naiquelëa ("q")(VT45:37)
nairea
adjective. sorrowful
nauco
noun. dwarf
naucon
noun. Dwarf
naue
?. [unglossed]
nehte
noun. honey
honey
nehtë
honeycomb
nehtë (2) noun "honeycomb" (VT45:38)
neitë
wax
neitë noun "wax" (GL:60; rather líco in Tolkien's later Quenya. The status of the diphthong ei is uncertain; in the LotR appendices, Tolkien did not list ei among the Quenya diphthongs, so perhaps the word neitë from an early source is conceptually obsolete also in terms of phonology.)
nendë
pool
nendë (1) noun "pool" (NEN), "lake" (PE17:52)
nengwë
nose
nengwë (stem *nengwi-, given the primitive form ¤neñ-wi) noun "nose", pl. nengwi given (NEÑ-WI)
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
nessë
youth
nessë noun "youth"; also nésë (NETH)
nor-
prefix. fear
norno
noun. Dwarf
nulla
dark, dusky, obscure
nulla adj. "dark, dusky, obscure" (NDUL), "secret" (DUL). See also VT45:11.
nuxo
petty dwarf
nuxo noun "Petty dwarf" (PE17:45; the spellings "nukso" and "nuxo" both occur in the source). Elsewhere the Petty-dwarves are called Picinaucor or Pitya-naucor, q.v.
nuxo
noun. Petty dwarf
nyellë
bell
nyellë noun "bell" (NYEL). In the pre-classical Tengwar system presupposed in the Etymologies, nyellë was also the name of tengwa #21 with overposed dots to indicate "following y", the whole symbol having the value ny (VT46:7)
nyenyë
weeping
nyenyë noun "weeping" (LT1:262)
nyérë
grief
nyérë noun "grief" (LT1:261), "sorrow" (GL:60)
nánë
was
nánë vb. "was", náner "were"; see ná #1
né
verb. was
was
né
was
né vb. in pa.t. "was"; see ná #1.
néca
pale, vague, faint, dim to see
néca ("k") adj "pale, vague, faint, dim to see", pl. nécë ("k") in Markirya
nén
water
nén (nen-) noun "water" (NEN).
néna
wet
néna adj. "wet" (PE17:167). Cf. nenya, mixa.
néna
adjective. wet
nér
noun. man
nésa
sister
nésa (Þ) noun "sister" (VT47:14); this form from a late source possibly replaces earlier seler and onórë, q.v.
nésë
youth
nésë (Þ) noun "youth", also nessë (NETH). Not to be confused with nésë "he was"; see ná #1.
nëa
once, at one time
nëa (1) "once, at one time" (in the past) (VT49:31). Also néya.
nílë
noun. a special concern with or love for
níma
noun. phantom, a seeming
níre
noun. force
níríte
adjective. forceful, exerting thrust or pressure, driving
nírítë
adjective. forceful, exerting great thrust or pressure, driving
núla
dark, occult, mysterious
núla ("ñ")adj. "dark, occult, mysterious" (PE17:125)
olos
snow, fallen snow
†olos (2) noun "snow, fallen snow" (prob. oloss-, cf. the longer form olossë below; this form should be preferred since olos also = "dream, vision") (GOLOS)
olossë
snow, fallen snow
†olossë noun "snow, fallen snow" (GOLÓS, LOT[H])
ompa
forward
ompa adv. "forward" (VT49:12), also póna
osellë
sister, [female] associate
osellë (þ) noun "sister, [female] associate" (THEL/THELES, WŌ). Cf. otorno.
pia
little
pia adj. "little" (PE17:115); variants picina ("k"), pincë ("k"), pitya
pia
adjective. little
picina
adjective. little
pincë
adjective. little
pirya
juice, syrup
pirya noun "juice, syrup" (PIS)
pitya
little
#pitya adj. "little" in Pityafinwë, Pitya-naucor
póna
forward
póna adv. "forward" (VT49:12), also ompa
póna
adverb. forward
quendil
masculine name. Elf-friend
quimellë
lady
quimellë noun "lady" (GL:45)
rama-
to shout
rama- vb. "to shout" (LT1:259)
rambë
shout
rambë noun "a shout" (LT1:259)
ringa
cold
ringa adj. "cold" (Markirya); the Etymologies gives ringë (RINGI), but it seems that ringa is to be preferred (cf. Ringarë below). Yá hrívë tenë, ringa ná "when winter comes, it is cold" (VT49:23). According to VT46:11, Tolkien originally used the form ringa in Etym as well; later he would restore it. - In early "Qenya", ringa is glossed "damp, cold, chilly" (LT1:265)
ringa
adjective. cold, cold, [ᴱQ.] chilly; damp
ringë
cold
ringë adj. "cold", also ringa (which form is to be preferred; cf. Ringarë in LotR). In the Etymologies as printed in LR, ringë is also given as a noun "cold pool or lake (in mountains)", but according to VT46:11 this noun should read ringwë. (RINGI)
sal-
verb. [unglossed]
seler
sister
seler (þ) (sell-, as in pl. selli) noun "sister" (THEL/THELES). In a later source, the word nésa (q.v.) appears instead, leaving the conceptual status of seler uncertain.
senya
adjective. usual, usual, *common, typical
@@@ the sense “common” suggested by Tamas Ferencz
sermo
friend
sermo noun "friend" (evidently masc., since sermë is stated to be fem.) (SER)
sermë
friend
sermë noun "friend" (fem.) (SER)
seron
friend
seron noun "friend" (SER)
sina
this
sina demonstrative "this" (following its noun in our sole example: vanda sina "this oath"). (CO, VT49:18; in the latter source, sina _is called an adjective). _This word would, like Sindarin hen, be derived from primitive ¤sĭnā (VT49:34). Cf. sin #1.
sondo
friend
[sondo noun "friend" (VT46:15)]
sáva
juice
sáva noun "juice" (SAB)
sélo
?. [unglossed]
sóla
?. [unglossed]
tecil
pen
tecil ("k")noun "pen" (TEK, PM:318, VT47:8)
tecil
noun. pen
ten
for
ten (2) conj. "for", in Fíriel's Song; apparently replaced by an in LotR-style Quenya.
teren
slender
teren, terenë adj. "slender" (TER/TERES)
thar-
verb. [unglossed]
thosso
fear
†thosso (þossë) noun "fear" in Old Quenya (PE17:87, there spelt with the letter þ, not the digraph th)
tilma
noun. point
titta
little, tiny
titta adj. "little, tiny" (TIT)
tomba
noun. [unglossed]
ulo
noun. rain
ulo
noun. rain
A noun for “rain” in Late Notes on Verbs from 1969 given as {ulla >>} ulo in the phrase ulo úva “rain (unwelcome) is coming”, clearly related to the impersonal verb ul- “to rain” appearing in its future form on the same page: uluva “it will rain” (PE22/167).
Conceptual Development: In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, the noun for “rain” was ᴱQ. úqil, likewise related to the contemporaneous verb ᴱQ. uqin “it rains” (QL/98).
umba
swarm
umba noun "swarm" (VT48:32)
umba
noun. swarm
umbacarin
noun. [unglossed]
usque
noun. dusk
dusk
usque
noun. dusk, twilight
vinya
young
vinya (1) adj. "young" (VT46:22, VT47:26, PE17:191) or "new" (cf. compounds Vinyamar, Vinyarië below; cf. also winya "new, fresh, young" in a deleted entry in the Etymologies, VT45:16; there the word was first written as vinya.) Vinya "the Young", original name of the isle of Númenor among its own people (SD:332).
vinyarë
noun. youth, youth, *young adulthood
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.
vínë
youth
vínë noun "youth" (probably as abstract) (VT47:26, PE17:191)
vírië
youth
vírië noun "youth" (as abstract) (VT46:22)
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)
wet
wet
wet, see we #2
windya
pale blue
windya > vinya adj. "pale blue" (WIN/WIND)(It is uncertain whether Tolkien rejected this word or not; in any case, vinya means "new" in his later versions of Quenya.)
windë
pale blue
[windë > vindë adj. "pale blue" (VT45:16)]
yam-
shout
yam- or yama- vb. "shout" (PE16:134, yamin, *"I shout", QL:105), pa.t. yámë (QL:105)
yaru
gloom, blight
yaru noun "gloom, blight" (GL:37)
yelda
friendly, dear as friend
[yelda] adj. "friendly, dear as friend" (YEL, struck out)
yelmë
friendship
[yelmë] (2) noun (not glossed; the etymology may suggest *"friendship") (YEL, struck out)
yelwa
cold
yelwa (2) adj. "cold" (LT1:260 this "Qenya" word is apparently obsoleted by # 1 above. In LotR-style Quenya, the regular term for "cold" seems to be ringa.)
yualë
twilight
yualë noun "twilight" (KAL). Also yúcalë. Cf. yúyal.
yú
adverb. too
yúcalë
twilight
yúcalë ("k")noun "twilight" (KAL, VT45:13). Also yualë.
yúyal
twilight
yúyal noun "twilight" (PE17:169); cf. yualë, yúcalë, q.v.
yúyal
noun. twilight
éna
?. [unglossed]
ñor
fear
[ñor noun? prefix? "fear" (PE17:172)]
úpa-
verb. [unglossed]
úyalë
noun. twilight
þossë
noun. fear
þúna
?. [unglossed]
Nísimaldar
Nísimaldar
The name means 'Fragrant Trees', and it was so called because of the great variety of rare and beautiful trees that grew there.
hollë
noun. shout
hris-
verb. to snow
hyámen
noun. front
lemba
adjective. sad
nehtelë
noun. honeycomb
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”.
nyenyë
noun. weeping
nyérë
noun. grief
pentë
noun. front
pil-
verb. to steal
sossë
noun. fear
séya-
verb. to seem
ni (1) 1st person sg. pron. "I" (according to PE17:68 also "me" as object), with long vowel (ní) when stressed (VT49:51), cf. ní nauva next to nauvan for "I will be" (VT49:19), the former wording emphasizing the pronoun. The pronoun ni represents the original stem-form (VT49:50). Dative nin "for me, to me" (Arct, Nam, RGEO:67, VT41:11/15). Compare the reflexive pronoun imni, imnë "myself" and the emphatic pronoun inyë, q.v. The ancient element ni is said to have implied, originally, "this by me, of my [?concern]" (VT49:37)