or

over

or prep. "over" (CO); in early "Qenya", this preposition was also defined as "on, upon" (LT1:256, MC:216). Prefixed or- is translated "up" in ortil, q.v.

or

preposition. above, above, [ᴱQ.] upon; on

Oromë

the eldar now take the name to singify 'horn-blowing' or 'horn-blower', but to the valar it had no such meaning

Oromë noun name of a Vala, adopted and adapted from Valarin. Observes Pengolodh, "the Eldar now take the name to singify 'horn-blowing' or 'horn-blower', but to the Valar it had no such meaning" (WJ:400-401, cf. SA:rom and ROM, TÁWAR in Etym, VT14:5). Genitive Oromëo and possessive Oroméva in WJ:368. _._Loose compound Oromë róma "an Oromë horn", sc. "one of Orome's horns (if he had more than one)" (WJ:368). A deleted entry in the Etymologies cited the name as Orómë with a long middle vowel (VT45:15). Oromendil, masc. name *"Friend of Oromë" (UT:210)

orco

orc

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

orco

noun. Orc

This word was adapted from its Sindarin cognate orch, since the Noldor did not encounter orcs until they returned to Middle-earth (WJ/390). There are two attested plurals for this word, orqui and orcor. One possible scenario is that the word was at first treated as a u-stem noun by analogy with urco (urcu-), but later as the two words were disassociated, the declension of orco was regularized and treated as an ordinary vocalic noun.

This is the theory followed here, so that orcor is considered the regular plural and orqui archaic, probably active only in the First Age. If you use the orqui plural, you should also treat this as a u-stem noun (orcu-). @@@

ortírielyanna

Ortírielyanna

Tolkien’s translation of the Sub Tuum Praesidium prayer into Quenya, composed sometime in the 1950s (VT43/7), first published in the “Words of Joy (Part Two)” article in Vinyar Tengwar #44 (VT44/5). Tolkien did not provide an English translation of the prayer; following the editors of the “Words of Joy” article, I used a modern English translation of the prayer (VT44/5).

Further discussion can be found in the analysis of the individual phrases. My analysis largely follows that of the “Ortírielyanna” section (VT44/5-11) of the “Words of Joy” article.

ormal

proper name. Ormal

The southernmost of the two lamps that first lit the world (S/35). The meaning of this name is unclear.

Conceptual Development: In Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, the name of this lamp was ᴹQ. Ringil (LR/32). In the 1950s, Tolkien changed this to Hyaras and then Hyarantë (both probably from Q. hyar- “south”) before settling on Ormal (MR/7).

orontor

masculine name. Orontor

Father of Fíriel in Tolkien’s unfinished story “The Lost Road” from the 1930s (LR/62). The meaning of this name is unclear, but might contain oron “mountain”. The name reappeared in linguistic notes from the early 1950s (PE21/86).

Oromet

oromet

Oromet noun place-name of obscure meaning (Silm)

oronyë

oronyë

oronyë, pa.t. of orya-, q.v.

orqui

orqui

orqui ("q") pl. of orco, q.v. (ÓROK, LT2:336)

oromë

masculine name. Horn-Blowing

The Huntsman of the Valar, spouse of Vána (S/29). His Quenya name is derived from his name in Valarin: Val. Arǭmēz, of unknown meaning (WJ/400). Its initial vowel changed from A to O, probably by association with the Quenya root √ROM “noise of horns” (WJ/400). The Elves interpreted his name as meaning “Horn-Blowing” or “Sound of Horns” because of his use of the great horn Valaróma (WJ/400; PM/358; PE21/82, 85).

Conceptual Development: This name dates back to the earliest Lost Tales, when ᴱQ. Orome was derived from the root ᴱ√OŘO “dawn” or ᴱ√ORO “steepness, rising” (QL/70-1). In The Etymologies, the name ᴹQ. Orome was derived directly from the primitive root ᴹ√(O)ROM “loud noise, horn blast” (Ety/ORÓM, ROM), though in a deleted entry it was derived instead from ᴹ√GOROM, an extension of ᴹ√GOR “violence, impetus, haste” (EtyAC/GÓROM).

In a list of roots written around 1959-60, Tolkien gave Arǭmēz as the primitive form of Oromë (PE17/138), though the idea that this was his Valarin name did not appear until the Quendi and Eldar essay from the same period (WJ/400).

ornendur

noun. tree-keep, forester, woodsman

A word in 1959 notes Tolkien described as “a tree-keep, a forester, a ‘woodsman’, a man concerned with trees as we might say ‘professionally’ (NM/20)”. It was given as an example of the use of the suffix -(n)dur, and its initial element is ornë “tree”.

oromendil

masculine name. *Friend of Oromë

Second child of Nolondil, known only from a genealogy chart on UT/210. His name seems to be a compound of Oromë and -(n)dil “-friend”.

orome róma

an Orome horn

orto

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

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

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

oro

noun. mount, mountain, hill

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

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

oron

noun. mountain

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

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

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

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

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

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

oroman

noun. mountain dweller

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

ornë

noun. (tall) tree, (tall) tree, [ᴹQ.] high isolated tree

A word for a “(tall) tree” in Quenya, derived from primitive ✶ornē (Let/426; PE17/25, 50). This word can be compared to the more common alda “tree”. Talking about the primitive forms Tolkien said:

> ... ✱ornē “tree” originally and usually applied to the taller, straighter, and more slender trees, such as birches [as opposed to] ... stouter and more spreading trees, such as oaks and beeches, were called in C.E. galadā “great growth” (NM/349 and note #1).

I would use ornë in Quenya only for tall straight trees, and alda as either the general word for “tree”, or where applicable for broad and spreading trees.

Conceptual Development: The earliest precursor to this word seems to be ᴱQ. orond- “bush”, cognate to G. orn “tree” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/62). It became {orne >>} ᴱQ. orme “tree” in Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s (PE16/139) and then ᴹQ. orne “high isolated tree” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from ᴹ✶ÓR-NI “high tree” (Ety/ÓR-NI). It retained the form orne thereafter.

Orocarni

the red mountains

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

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)

ornë

tree

ornë noun "tree" _(Letters:308, SD:302: "when smaller and more slender like a birch or rowan", Etym stem ÓR-NI: "tree, high isolated tree"). For the etymology, see Letters:426; for (original) difference in meaning between ornë and alda, see alda. In ornemalin "tree-yellow"; see laurelindórenan lindelorendor... (LotR2:III ch. 4; cf. Letters:308), also as final element in malinornë "yellow-tree, mallorn" (q.v.) Masc. name Ornendil *"Tree-friend" (Appendix A)_, compound Ornelië "tree-folk" (Quenya name of the Galadhrim, the tree-people of Lórien) (TI:239).

oromar

high (lofty) dwelling, hall

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

orë

grain

orë (ori-) noun "grain" (QL:70)

oromar

noun. lofty hall, high-mansion, high (lofty) dwelling

A word appearing in its plural form oromardi, referring to the dwelling of Varda and Manwë on the slopes of mount Taniquetil from the Namárië poem (LotR/377). It is a combination of oro- “up, aloft” and mar(da) “dwelling” (PE17/63-64). Though not a proper name, I suspect this word was poetic and not in general use.

ornendil

masculine name. *Tree-friend

Eldest son of king Eldacar of Gondor, slain by Castamir the Usurper (LotR/1047). This name seems to be a compound ornë “(tall) tree” and the suffix -(n)dil “-friend, -lover”, making it a tree-name similar to that of his younger brother Aldamir “✱Tree Jewel”.

orocarni

place name. Red Mountains

A mountain range near Cuiviénen where the elves awoke, described as the “Mountains of the East” (S/49) and translated “Red Mountains” (MR/77). This name is a compound of the prefix oro- “mountain” and the plural of carnë “red” (SA/orod, caran).

Conceptual Development: As pointed out by Christopher Tolkien, the Orocarni as described in The Silmarillion correspond to a mountain range appearing on the earlier Ambarkanta maps, with the label the “Red Mountains” (SM/256, MR/77 notes §41).

orofarnë

proper name. Mountain Ash; Mountain-dwelling

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

oromet

place name. ?Hill at the End

A hill in western Númenor near Andúnië (S/269). The initial element of this name is most likely the prefix oro- “mountain, hill”, and its final element may be derived from the root √MET “end”, so perhaps the name means something like “✱Hill at the End”.

orrostar

place name. Eastlands

The eastern region of Númenor (UT/165), a combination of the prefix orro- of orró- “east” and the plural of the suffix -sta “land”.

orotinga

noun. mountain-top

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

ortírielyanna rucimmë, aina eruontari

we fly to thy patronage, O holy Mother of God

The first line of Ortírielyanna, Tolkien’s translation of the Sub Tuum Praesidium prayer. The first word Ortírielyanna “to thy patronage” is 2nd-person-polite (-lya “thy”) ablative (-nna “to”) form of ortírië “patronage”. The second word rucimmë “we fly” is the 1st-person-plural-exclusive inflection (-mmë “we”) of the verb ruc- “flee”. The third word is aina “holy” and the last word is Eruontari, a name of Mary as the genetrix (female begetter) of the Son of God.

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

> ortírie-lya-nna ruci-mme, Aina Eru-ontari = “✱patronage-thy-to flee-we, Holy God-genetrix”.

Conceptual Development: The first word was initially written Ortírielyanne (with final e instead of a), but Wynne, Smith and Hostetter suggested this is probably a slip (VT44/5). The third word was initially written Aini >> Aina. Tolkien considered several different Quenya translations for “Mother of God”; ignoring incomplete forms, the development was Eruamillë >> Eruontarië >> Eruontari.

ornemalin

noun. [tree] bearing yellow flowers

A name for a tree “bearing yellow flowers” (PE17/80), appearing in the Entish description Lórien: Laurelindórenan lindelorendor malinornélion ornemalin (LotR/467). It is a compound of ornë “tree”, malin(a) “yellow” (Let/448, PE17/80), and may be another name for the malinornë (S. mallorn).

oron oiolossë

place name. Mount Everwhite

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

orya-

verb. *to raise

@@@ seems to be mostly a theoretical example to illustrate yā-causative, orta- is preferable in ordinary speach

Ormal

high-gold

Ormal noun, one of the Lamps of the Valar: *"High-Gold"??? (Silm)

Orrostar

eastlands

Orrostar place-name, the "Eastlands" of Númenor (UT:165)

orma

physical matter

orma noun "physical matter" (MR:218, 231, 471)

ormë

haste, violence, wrath

ormë (1) noun "haste, violence, wrath", "rushing" (GOR, KHOR)

ormë

summit, crest

ormë (2) noun "summit, crest" (LT1:256; this "Qenya" word is probably obsoleted by # 1 above)

orna

tall, high, lofty

orna adj. (2) "tall, high, lofty" (PE17:112, 186), also orwa

orna

hasty

orna adj. (1) "hasty" (GOR)

ornemalin

bearing yellow flowers

ornemalin adj. "bearing yellow flowers" (PE17:80); this is Entish-style Quenya. See laurelindórenan lindelorendor…

oro

mount, mountain

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

oro-

rise

oro- (2) vb. "rise" (LT1:256; Tolkien's later Quenya has orta-, but cf. oro #1)

orofarnë

mountain-dwelling

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

oromandin

wood-spirits

oromandin noun"wood-spirits" (MC:215; this is "Qenya")

oron

mountain

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

oronta

steep

oronta adj. "steep" (LT1:256)

orontë

sunrise

orontë, oronto noun "Sunrise" (LT1:264). Notice that in Tolkiens later Quenya, orontë is also the intransitive pa.t. ("rose") of the verb orta- "rise/raise" (q.v.)

orosta

ascension

orosta noun "ascension" (LT1:256)

orotinga

mountain-top

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

orro

ugh, alas! ow!

orro (also horro) "ugh, alas! ow!" (interjection "of horror, pain, disgust") (VT45:17)

orró-

uprising, sunrise, east

orró-, hró- "uprising, sunrise, east" (PE17:18), element underlying words like the following, and also hróna (q.v.)

orróna

eastern

orróna adj. "eastern" (PE17:18)

orta-

rise

orta- vb. "rise", also transitive "raise, lift up", pa.t. ortanë (Nam, RGEO:67, ORO; misreading "ortani" in Letters:426). According to PE17:63-64, this pa.t. form ortanë is only transitive ("raised"), whereas the intransitive pa.t. ("rose") is orontë. Cf. orya-.

ortil

up-point

ortil (ortill-, pl. ortilli given) noun "up-point", term used in children's play for "finger", the counterpart of nútil, q.v. (VT47:10)

orto

mountain-top

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

orto-

raise

orto- vb. "raise" (LT1:256; in Tolkien's later Quenya orta-)

ortírië

patronage

#ortírië noun "patronage", isolated from ortírielyanna "to thy patronage" (VT44:7). A verbal stem #ortir- "over-watch" (look after, care for, protect) seems implied.

orva

apple

orva noun "apple" (PE13:116)

orwa

tall, high, lofty

orwa adj. (2) "tall, high, lofty" (PE17:112, 186), also orna

orya-

rise

orya- vb. "rise" (intrasitive only, contrast orta-), pa.t. oronyë (PE17:64)

orta-

verb. raise

raise

or-

verb. to warn, urge, feel an urge/wish/desire

ora-

verb. to warn, urge, feel an urge/wish/desire

orta-

verb. to rise

orta-

verb. to raise, cause to rise, lift (up)

orya-

verb. to rise

orda

adjective. profound

ormo

noun. riser

oro-

prefix. up, aloft

orróna

adjective. eastern

orwa

adjective. high, lofty

oryandë

noun. arising

orë nin caritas

I feel an urge/wish/desire to do it

orë nin caritas nó namin alasaila

I would like / feel moved to do so but judge it unwise

orró-

prefix. uprising, sunrise, east

ortírië

noun. *patronage, (lit.) watching over (from above)

ora nin

it warns me

ortil

noun. up-point

orhal-

verb. exalt, raise up

orma

noun. (physical) matter

orna

adjective. high, lofty

oro

(high) above

orro

interjection. alas!

orta

verb. raise

orta/orya

verb. rise

ortaina

participle. raised

ortalima

adjective. able to be raised

ortare

noun. lifting up

ortea

adjective. rising, ascendant

oryande

noun. arising

róma oroméva

Orome’s horn

nordo

noun. oak

A word for “oak” in notes from the late 1950s or early 1960s (PE17/25), possibly introduced to avoid conflict with Norno “Dwarf” (WJ/388). Its Sindarin cognate was S. norð, indicating derivation from primitive ✱nordō. See the entry Q. norno for earlier forms of the word.

norno

noun. oak

A word appearing as norno “oak” in both The Etymologies of the 1930s and the Outline of Phonology (OP2) from the early 1950s derived from primitive ✶[[p|dor[o]no]] and the root ᴹ√DORON (PE19/80; Ety/DÓRON). The appearance of an initial n- is unusual, since generally [[aq|initial [d] became [l]]] in Ancient Quenya. But sometimes ancient [[aq|initial [d] assimilated to following nasal]] instead, as was the case with this word.

Conceptual Development: Variants of this word date all the way back to the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, which had ᴱQ. nor (norn-) “oak” and ᴱQ. norne “oak-tree” under the early root ᴱ√NOŘO [NDOÐO?] (QL/67). The form ᴱQ. norne “oak” was mentioned in Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s (PE16/140), but it became ᴹQ. norno in The Etymologies of the 1930s, as noted above.

Neo-Quenya: Tolkien introduced words Q. nordo and S. norð “oak” in notes from the late 1950s or early 1960s (PE17/25), possibly to avoid conflict with Norno “Dwarf” (WJ/388). I prefer the form norno “oak” as better-established and more etymologically interesting.

i eru i or ilyë mahalmar ëa

(the one/they) who; (that) which

i (2) relative pronoun "(the one/they) who; (that) which" (both article and relative pronoun in CO: i Eru i or ilyë mahalmar ëa: the One who is above all thrones", i hárar "(they) who are sitting"); cf. also the phrase i hamil mára "(that) which you deem good" (VT42:33). Notice that before a verb, i means "the one who", or, in the case of a plural verb, "those who"; e.g. i carir quettar ómainen "those who form words with voices" (WJ:391). According to VT47:21, i as a relative pronoun is the personal plural form (corresponding to the personal sg. ye and the impersonal sg. ya). This agrees with the example i carir..., but as is evident from the other examples listed above, Tolkien in certain texts also used i as a singular relative pronoun, both personal (Eru i...) and impersonal (i hamil). In the sense of a plural personal relative pronoun, i is also attested in the genitive (ion) and ablative (illon) cases, demonstrating that unlike the indeclinable article i, the relative pronoun i can receive case endings. Both are translated "from whom": ion / illon camnelyes "from whom you received it" (referring to several persons) (VT47:21).

ingor

noun. summit of a mountain

A word appearing in The Shibboleth of Fëanor from the late 1960s with the gloss “summit of a mountain”, given as a derivative of √ING (PM/340).

tarmacorto

place name. High Mountain Circle

An element of the name Q. i Tumbo Tarmacorto for the valley of Gondolin, meaning “High Mountain Circle” (NM/351). A possible etymology is that the first element is Q. tarma, normally “pillar” but used of a high mountain in Q. Meneltarma, and the second element is some derivative of √KOR “round”, perhaps an otherwise unattested word ✱Q. corto “circle”. This etymology was suggested to me on a Discord chat in 2021-11-09 by Röandil.

Hyarastorni

south

Hyarastorni place-name, region in Númenor, apparently including hyar- "south" and perhaps orni "trees" (UT:210)

amorta-

heave

#amorta- vb. "heave" (literally "up-rise, rise up", cf. orta-; the prefix am- means "up"). Only attested as a participleamortala "heaving" in Markirya.

hormë

urgency

hormë noun "urgency" (confused with ormë "rushing") (KHOR; originally glossed "encouragement, comfort", VT45:22)

horro

ugh, alas! ow!

horro (also orro) interjection "ugh, alas! ow!" (said to be an interjection "of horror, pain, disgust") (VT45:17)

ingor

summit of a mountain

ingor noun "summit of a mountain" (PM:340); cf. orotinga.

malinornë

yellow-tree

malinornë noun "yellow-tree" (malina + ornë), fictional species of tree (Sindarin mallorn; in Quenya also called maldornë) (PE17:50). Cf. malinornélion "of yellow-trees"; see laurelindórenan lindelorendor... (LotR2:III ch. 4; cf. Letters:308). Malinornélion is partitive pl. genitive of malinornë (UT:167, normal pl. malinorni, UT:168).

nordo

oak

nordo noun "oak" (PE17:25), possibly replacing norno (q.v.) in a pre-LotR source.

norno

oak

norno (1) noun "oak" (DÓRON); a later source has nordo (PE17:25)

hela

or

hela conj. "or", apparently an ephemeral form, replaced by hya (VT49:14-15). The editor theorizes that hela literally meant "other than" (VT49:15)

hya

or

hya conj. "or" or noun "other thing" (VT49:14)

var

or

var (1) conj. "or" (QL:100). In Tolkiens later Quenya, the word hya appears for "or". A phrase involving a double var…var may mean "either…or" in one early (untranslated) text, according to Christopher Gilsons interpretation (PE15:32, 39)

hya

conjunction. or

orofarnë

Orofarnë

In a letter, Tolkien explained that orofarne means "mountain-dwelling" in High-elven (Quenya). In another manuscript he glossed Orofarnë as "mountain ash", consisting of the Quenya elements oro- ("hill") + farnë?/pharne ("any growing thing or plant"). Editors Carl F. Hostetter and Patrick H. Wynne have made a connection between the Qenya word farne ("foliage"; a derivative of the root PHAS-, also appearing under the rejected root PHARAN-) and the name Orofarnë.

ornendil

Ornendil

Ornendil means "Friend of the Trees" in Quenya (from orne = "tree" and -ndil = "friend, devoted to").

oromendil

Oromendil

Oromendil means "Devoted to Oromë" in Quenya (from -dil = "friend, lover, devoted to").

orómë

Oromë

The name Oromë is said to be derived from his Valarin name Arōmēz. His name is translated as "Horn-blowing" and "Sound of Horns". Araw ([ˈaraʊ]) was the Sindarin form of the name of the Oromë. Tauron was an epithet used by the Sindar for Oromë. In the Valaquenta, Tauron is translated as "Lord of Forests". Another translation is "The Forester". The language, to which the name pertains, remains non-explicit in Tolkien's texts:

orohalla

adjective. superior

tyellë

noun. grade, order, step (in a stairway or ladder), grade, step (in a stairway or ladder), order

A word appearing in its plural form tyeller “grades” in The Lord of the Rings Appendix E as applied to the rows of the tengwar chart (LotR/1118). In notes on Words, Phrases and Passages from the Lord of the Rings from the late 1950s or early 1960s Tolkien said its proper meaning was “grade, order” (PE17/122), but in notes from the late 1960s Tolkien said it meant “grade, also a step in a stairway, ladder”, and was derived from the root √KJEL “go down slowly, especially go down by degrees” (PE17/157).

cauma

protection or shelter natural or otherwise, sc. against sun, or rain, or wind or against darts; shield

cauma ("k")noun "protection or shelter natural or otherwise, sc. against sun, or rain, or wind or against darts; shield" (PE17:108)

ecces-

to find out, bring out by examining, or eyeing[?]

ecces- ("k") (þ) vb. "to find out, bring out by examining, or eyeing[?]" (PE17:156). Pa.t. probably *eccensë; compare ces-.

sarto

trusty follower, loyal companion (member of comitatus of a lord, or prince)

sarto noun "trusty follower, loyal companion (member of comitatus of a lord, or prince)", also satar (PE17:183)

satar

trusty follower, loyal companion (member of comitatus of a lord, or prince)

satar noun "trusty follower, loyal companion (member of comitatus of a lord, or prince)", often in form sarto (PE17:183)

ó-

used in words describing the meeting, junction, or union of two things or persons, or of two groups thought of as units

ó- (usually reduced to o- when unstressed) a prefix "used in words describing the meeting, junction, or union of two things or persons, or of two groups thought of as units". In omentië, onóna, ónoni, q.v. _(WJ:367, PE17:191; in the Etymologies, stem WŌ, the prefix _o-, ó- is simply defined as "together".) In VT43:29 is found a table showing how pronominal endings can be added to the preposition ó-; the resulting forms are onyë or óni "with me", ómë "with us" [also in VT43:36, where "us" is said to be exclusive], ólyë or ólë "with you" (olyë only sg. "you", whereas ólë can be either sg. or pl.), ósë "with him/her", ótë *"with them" (of animates where "them" refers to non-persons, óta [or shortened ót] is used, though the conceptual validity of ta as a pl. pronoun is questionable), ósa (or shortened ós) "with it". (Two additional forms, ótar and ótari, presumably mean "with them" of inanimate things; see VT49:56 for a possible second attestation of tar as the word for plural inanimate "they".) However, Tolkien's later decision to the effect that ó- refers to two parties only may throw doubt upon the conceptual validity of some of these forms, where at least three persons would be implied (like ótë "with them", where one person is "with" two or more others though Tolkien indicates that two groups may also be involved where the preposition ó- is used). The explicit statement in WJ:367 that the prepostion o (variant of ó) did not exist independently in Quenya is however difficult to get around, so instead using the preposition ó/o (with or without endings) for "with", writers may rather use as, the form appearing in the last version of Tolkien's Quenya Hail Mary (also attested with a pronominal suffix: aselyë "with you").

orolanda

noun. upland, plateau

A neologism coined by Tamas Ferencz for a plateau or upland, a combination of Q. or “above” and ᴹQ. landa “plain”, but I cannot determine where it was first introduced.

orvincë

 noun. little apple, pommel

Compound consisting of orva "apple" [PE13/116] and -ince diminutive ending [UT/195].

orsa

adjective. upper, above

@@@ Discord 2022-05-23 cf. G. ortha “upper”

ortosta

noun. mountain range

@@@ Discord 2022-04-01

orvamir

noun. chrysoprase, (lit.) apple-jewel

A neologism for “chrysoprase” coined by Helge Fauskanger for his NQNT (NQNT), a combination of [ᴱQ.] orva “apple” and mírë “jewel”.

oranar

noun. noon, (lit.) above Sun

ortirmo

noun. overseer

ortur-

verb. to overpower, conquer, prevail

orda-

verb. to threaten

orendë

noun. (nuclear) family

ori

noun. grain, seed

oricon

noun. heather

orina

adjective. risen

oroparmen

noun. high school, university

orosta

noun. ascension

orpano

noun. ridgepole

orva

noun. apple

oryat

noun. badger

an

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

tar-

affix. high, high; [ᴹQ.] king or queen (in compounds)

vá caris i

he is not to do it (now or ever); in any case (whatever may be said, desired, or may occur to the contrary) he is not to do this

nyárula

adjective. apt to talk, or relate

telumehtar

proper name. Orion, (lit.) Warrior of the Sky

The name of the constellation Orion (LotR/1113). The initial element of this name is telumë “roof, canopy” = “sky” (WJ/411). The second element might be mehtar “warrior” (a possible late variant of ᴹQ. mahtar; see QQ/mehtar), but I think it could instead be ohtar “warrior”.

Conceptual Development: In the earliest Lost Tales, this name appeared as ᴱQ. Telimektar “Swordsman of Heaven”, the son of Tulkas who would become Orion (LT1/101, 200). At this stage, the first element of this name was ᴱQ. telimbo “canopy; sky” (QL/90). Christopher Tolkien suggested its second element may be an otherwise unattested ᴱQ. mektar derived from the root ᴱ√MAKA “slay” (LT1A/Telimektar), but I think it is likelier that the second element was the attested ᴱQ. ektar “swordsman” (QL/35).

In The Etymologies from the 1930s, this name appeared as ᴹQ. Telumehtar “Warrior of the Sky” (Ety/TEL). At this stage, its initial element was ᴹQ. telume “dome of heaven”, and its final element might be ᴹQ. mahtar “warrior” from ᴹ√MAK “sword; fight (with a sword), cleave” (Ety/MAK), though it could have been just a remnant of the Early Qenya form of the name.

The later meaning of the root √MAK shifted so that it meant either “cut, hew with a sharp edge” (VT39/11) or “forge metal” (VT41/10). The form mahtar “warrior” does not appear in later writing; it seems to have been replaced by macar “swordsman; †forger” (VT39/11, VT41/10). In later writings, the word for “warrior” seems to be ohtar (UT/282), which might be the second element in the later form of this name. However, it may be that Tolkien simply copied forward the older name without working out (or writing down) a proper etymology for it.

Taimondo

orion

Taimondo, also Taimordo masc. name "Orion" (LT1:268; Orion is rather called Telumehtar or Menelmacar in Tolkien's later Quenya)

heren istarion

proper name. Order of Wizards

The Quenya name of the Order of Wizards to which Gandalf and Saruman belonged (UT/388). It is a compound of heren “order” and the genitive plural of Istar “Wizard”.

Telimbectar

orion

Telimbectar ("k") noun,name of constellation:"Orion", lit. "Swordsman of Heaven". Also Telimectar ("k"). (LT1:268; in Tolkien's later Quenya Telumehtar, q.v. The combination ct is not found in LotR-style Quenya.)

Telimectar

orion

Telimectar ("k")noun, name of constellation,"Orion", lit. "Swordsman of Heaven". Also Telimbectar ("k"). (LT1:268; in Tolkien's later Quenya Telumehtar)

culuina

orange

culuina ("k") (1) adj. "orange" (colour not fruit) (KUL)

culuma

orange

culuma ("k")noun "orange" (fruit not colour)(KUL)

heren

order

heren (1) noun "order"; Heren Istarion "Order of Wizards" (UT:388)

urco

orc

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

heren

noun. order, order, *association

-ëa

suffix. ordinal suffix

olla

over

olla prep "over" (= beyond, of things passed over, as in "I went over a river" or "they went over the hill") (PE17:65)

rassë

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

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

námo

masculine name. Judge, Ordainer

Vala of fate and keeper of the Houses of the Dead, spouse of Vairë, usually referred to by the name of his realm Mandos (S/28). His name is variously translated as “Judgement” (MR/150), “Judge” (WJ/402) or “Ordainer” (PE21/85). It is probably a translation of his (unknown) Valarin name (WJ/402).

Possible Etymology: The final element of this name is probably the agental suffix -mo, as with the name Irmo. Its initial element is most likely related to namna “statute” (MR/258) and the noun/verb pair námië “judgement” and nam- “to judge” (VT41/13).

If the sense “Ordainer” is the most accurate translation, the initial element of Námo may instead be the verb ná- “to be”. Along these lines, the word námo is elsewhere given as a general word for an unspecified person, probably originally meaning “being” (PM/340).

As the translation of a Valarin name, Námo may be related to the element Anamo in the name †Rithil-Anamo “Doom Ring”, a translation of Valarin Māχananaškād (WJ/401), elsewhere adapted phonetically into Quenya as Q. Máhanaxar (S/38). This supports the possibility that nam- “judge” is the basis for the name Námo.

Conceptual Development: In the earliest Lost Tales, his true name was ᴱQ. Vê (LT1/66, QL/58). Only the name ᴹQ. Mandos appeared in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, both as his true name and the name of his hall, though he was also known by the sobriquet ᴹQ. Nurufantur (LR/205). In Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s, his true name re-emerged, first as Núr, soon changed to Námo (MR/150).

In some notes from the late 1960s, Tolkien considered revising this name to Návo, along with a new verb for “judge”: nav- (PE22/154 note #53). This change did not appear in the narratives, but does lend weight to the idea that Námo is related to nam-.

amba

more

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

ambë

more

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

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.

can-

command, order

*can*- (2) vb. "command, order" (give an order) or (with things as object) "demand" _(PM:361-362; where various derivatives of the stem KAN- are listed; the verb _can_- is not directly cited, but seems implied by the statement "in Quenya the sense command had become the usual one". The undefined verb _canya**- listed elsewhere [PE17:113] may also be taken as the actual verbal derivative that Tolkien here refers to.)

menelmacar

proper name. Swordsman of the Sky

A name of the constellation Orion, also called Telumehtar (LotR/1038). This name is a compound of menel “the heavens” and macar “swordsman”, and was translated “Swordsman of the Sky” (MR/71).

Conceptual Development: In the Early Quenya from the 1920s, another name for Orion was ᴱQ. Taimordo (QL/62), though in the narratives he appeared as ᴱQ. Telimektar (LT1/101), precursor to Q. Telumehtar. In the Quendi and Eldar essay from 1959-60, there is a variant form of this name: Q. Menelmacil “✱Sword of the Sky”.

Ambarónë

uprising, sunrise, orient

Ambarónë noun "uprising, sunrise, Orient" (AM2)

arta

fort, fortress

arta (2) noun "fort, fortress" (GARAT under 3AR)

auta-

invent, originate, devise

auta- (2) vb. "invent, originate, devise" (GAWA/GOWO) This could be obsoleted by # 1 above; on the other hand, the verbs would be quite distinct in the past tense, where auta- #2 would likely have the straightforward form *autanë.

canwa

announcement, order

canwa (1) noun "announcement, order" (PM:362)

entë

moreover, further, furthermore, what is more

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

enwa

tomorrow

enwa adv. "tomorrow" (QL:34)

lil

more

lil adverbial particle "more" (PE14:80)

minassë

fort, city, with a citadel and central watch-tower

minassë noun "fort, city, with a citadel and central watch-tower" (VT42:24)

ostirion

fort

ostirion noun "fort" (TI:423)

rassë

horn

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

romba

horn, trumpet

romba noun "horn, trumpet" (ROM)

róma

horn

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

tarca

horn

tarca ("k")noun "horn" (TARÁK)

taru

horn

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

ten

for

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

turu-

master, defeat, have victory over

turu- (1) vb. "master, defeat, have victory over" (PE17:113, not clearly said to be Quenya, but the Q name Turucundo "Victory-prince" is listed immediately afterwards). Compare tur-; cf. also *turúna.

canwa

noun. announcement, order

róma

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

ambë

adverb. more

entan

noun. tomorrow

amba

more

ambarónë

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

urco

noun. bogey, orc

enar

adverb. tomorrow

ecar

conjunction. or

herca

conjunction. or

órë

noun. heart (inner mind); warning, caution, (pre)monition, heart (inner mind), *conscience; warning, caution, (pre)monition

The meaning of the Quenya word órë is quite subtle, and does not have a direct equivalent in English. In The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien translated the word as “heart (inner mind)” (LotR/1123), but elsewhere he said that this was a poor translation of the word (VT41/11; NM/220). Tolkien wrote a lengthy essay on the nature of this word, first published in the year 2000 (VT41/11-19) and again in 2021 (NM/219-225). In this essay Tolkien described it as the source of wisdom and moral impulses that informed one’s judgement, so perhaps the closest English equivalent is “conscience”. This is still not quite right, however, since the órë could be the source of negative impulses as well, particularly among Men (VT41/13; NM/223). Furthermore, divine powers such as the Valar could sometimes (but not always) communicate subtly through one’s órë (VT41/15). Galadriel was described as having a particularly noble and generous órë (PM/337).

This word could also be used with the sense “warning, caution” (VT41/15) or even “premonition” (VT41/13). It seems that the órë and its urges was viewed as almost external to the mind itself, as indicated by the phrase órenya quetë nin “my heart tells me” = “I feel compelled to ...”, not unlike the pop-cultural “shoulder angel and devil” whispering into your ear. Tolkien said that in Quenya this word was associated with the sense of √OR “rise” and its urges were seen as rising up within the spirit (VT41/13). Compare this to the words for ordinary feelings, such as fëafelmë “✱(lit.) spirit-impulse”.

The word órë was also the name of tengwa #21 used for a weak and untrilled medial r (LotR/1123), many of which originated from primitive intervocalic [z] or [d]. There is no sign that órë ever had such a consonant medially, however, and it seems this name was chosen simply because it had a medial r.

Conceptual Development: There is no clear precursor to this word in Tolkien’s earlier writings, except perhaps ᴹQ. hóre “impulse” (Ety/KHOR).

-ima

fair

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

-ië

suffix. is

-ië (3) "is", -ier "are", stative verb suffix occurring in Fíriel's Song: númessier "they are in the west", meldielto "they are...beloved", talantië "he is fallen", márië "it is good" (< *númessë "in the west", melda "beloved", *talanta "fallen"); future tense -iéva in hostainiéva "will be gathered" (< *hostaina "gathered"). Compare ye "is", yéva "will be", verbs that also occur in Fíriel's Song. This suffix is probably not valid in LotR-style Quenya: -ië is an infinitival or gerundial ending in CO, for ye "is" Namárië has ná, and the phrase "lost is" is vanwa ná, not *vanwië.

-o

of goodness

-o (1) genitive ending, as in Altariello, Oromëo, Elenna-nórëo, Rithil-Anamo, Rúmilo, Lestanórëo, neldëo, omentielvo, sindiëo, Valinórëo, veryanwesto, q.v. In words ending in -a, the genitive ending replaces this final vowel, hence atto, Ráno, Vardo, vorondo as the genitive forms of atta, Rána, Varda, voronda (q.v.) Following a noun in -ië, the ending can have the longer form -no, e.g. *máriéno "of goodness" (PE17:59, but contrast sindiëo "of greyness" in PE17:72). Where the word ends in -o already, the genitive is not distinct in form, e.g. ciryamo (q.v.) = "mariner" or "mariners". Pl. -ion and -ron, q.v.; dual -to (but possibly -uo in the case of nouns that have nominative dual forms in -u rather than -t). The Quenya genitive describes source, origin or former ownership rather than current ownership (which is rather covered by the possessive-adjectival case in -va). The ending -o may also take on an ablativic sense, "from", as in Oiolossëo "from (Mount) Oiolossë" (Nam), sio "hence" (VT49:18). In some of Tolkiens earlier material, the genitive ending was -n rather than -o, cf. such a revision as Yénië Valinóren "Annals of Valinor" becoming Yénië Valinórëo (MR:200).

-yë

conjunction. and

-yë (4) conj. "and" as a suffix added to the second of a pair, as Menel Cemenyë "Heaven and Earth" (VT47:30, 31, VT49:25). Other "pairs" are mentioned as examples but not actually translated into Quenya by Tolkien: Sun and Moon (*Anar Isilyë), Land and Sea (*Nór Eäryë), fire and water (*nárë nenyë, or *úr nenyë).

Mairon

the admirable

Mairon, masc. name "the Admirable" (cf. adj. maira), said to be the original name of Sauron, changed when he was suborned by Melkor, "but he continued to call himself Mairon the Admirable, or Tar-mairon King Excellent, until after the downfall of Númenor" (PE17:183). Since Sauron had joined Melkor before the Elves came to Valinor and developed the Quenya language, we are perhaps to understand that Mairon is a translation by sense of Saurons original Valarin name, though Sauron himself may seem to have used the Elvish form in Middle-earth and on Númenor.

Vala

power, god, angelic power

Vala (1) noun "Power, God, angelic power", pl. Valar or Vali (BAL, Appendix E, LT2:348), described as "angelic governors" or "angelic guardians" (Letters:354, 407). The Valar are a group of immensely powerful spirits guarding the world on behalf of its Creator; they are sometimes called Gods (as when Valacirca, q.v., is translated "Sickle of the Gods"), but this is strictly wrong according to Christian terminology: the Valar were created beings. The noun vala is also the name of tengwa #22 (Appendix E). Genitive plural Valion "of the Valar" (FS, MR:18); this form shows the pl. Vali, (irregular) alternative to Valar (the straightforward gen. pl. Valaron is also attested, PE17:175). Pl. allative valannar *"to/on the Valar" (LR:47, 56; SD:246). Feminine form Valië (Silm), in Tolkiens earlier material also Valdë; his early writings also list Valon or Valmo (q.v.) as specifically masc. forms. The gender-specific forms are not obligatory; thus in PE17:22 Varda is called a Vala (not a Valië), likewise Yavanna in PE17:93. Vala is properly or originally a verb "has power" (sc. over the matter of Eä, the universe), also used as a noun "a Power" _(WJ:403). The verb vala- "rule, order", exclusively used with reference to the Valar, is only attested in the sentences á vala Manwë! "may Manwë order it!" and Valar valuvar "the will of the Valar will be done" (WJ:404). However, Tolkien did not originally intend the word Valar to signify "powers"; in his early conception it apparently meant "the happy ones", cf. valto, vald- (LT2:348)_. For various compounds including the word Vala(r), see below.

aiya

hail

aiya interjection "hail", as greeting (LotR2:IV ch. 9, see Letters:385 for translation), or a call "for help and attention" (PE17:89), "only addressed to great or holy persons as the Valar, or to Earendil" (PE17:149). Variant aia (VT43:28)

ala

hail, blessed be (thou)

[ala (6) (also alar! or alla!) interjection "hail, blessed be (thou)". (VT45:5,14)]

alassë

hail

[alassë (2) interjection "hail" or "bless", evidently a synonym of the greeting alar!, q.v. (VT45:26)]

alda

tree

alda noun "tree" (GALAD, GÁLAD, SA, Nam, RGEO:66, LR:41, SD:302, LT1:249, LT2:340, VT39:7), also name of tengwa #28 (Appendix E). Pl. aldar in Narqelion; gen. pl. aldaron "of trees" in Namárië. Etymology of alda, see Letters:426 and UT:266-7. The latter source states that primitive ¤galadā, whence Quenya alda, originally applied to stouter and more spreading trees such as oaks or beeches, while straighter and more slender trees such as birches were called ¤ornē, Quenya ornë - but this distinction was not always observed in Quenya, and it seems that alda became the general word. According to PE17:25, primitive galada (sic) referred to "a plant (large) and was a general term". Place-name Aldalómë ""tree-night" or "tree-shade-night" (LotR2:III ch. 4, translated in PE17:82); Aldarion masc. name, *"Son of (the) Trees" (Appendix A), Tar-Aldarion a Númenorean King (UT:210). Aldaron a name of Oromë (Silm); aldinga "tree-top" (VT47:28), aldarembina (pl. aldarembinë attested) adj. "tree-tangled", the cognate of Sindarin galadhremmin**(PM:17:26).Aldúya fourth day of the Eldarin six-day week, dedicated to the Trees (Appendix D). The word seems to include Aldu, a dual form referring to the Two Trees. The Númenóreans altered the name to Aldëa (presumably < aldajā), referring to one tree (the White) only. The dual Aldu seems to occur also in Aldudénië** "Lament for the Two Trees" (a strange word, since Quenya does not permit intervocalic d as in this word perhaps the Vanyarin dialect of Quenya did) (Silm)

alla!

hail, blessed be (thou)

[alla! (also alar! or ala) interjection "hail, blessed be (thou)". (VT45:5, 14)] PE17:146 cites alla "hail, welcome" as a variant (occurring within the imaginary world) of aiya.

ama

up

ama adv.? element not glossed, evidently meaning "up" like the prefix am-, or an alternative form of amba (UNU)

and

and

a (2) conj. "and", a variant of ar occurring in Fíriel's Song (that also has ar; a seems to be used before words in f-, but contrast ar formenna "and northwards" in a late text, VT49:26). According to PE17:41, "Old Quenya" could have the conjunction a (as a variant of ar) before n, ñ, m, h, hy, hw (f is not mentioned), PE17:71 adding ty, ny, hr, hl, ñ, l, r, þ, s. See ar #1. It may be that the a or the sentence nornë a lintieryanen "he ran with his speed" (i.e. as quickly as he could) is to be understood as this conjunction, if the literal meaning is "he ran and [did so] with his speed" (PE17:58).

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.

ar

and

ar (1) conj. "and" (AR2, SA, FS, Nam, RGEO:67, CO, LR:47, 56, MC:216, VT43:31, VT44:10, 34; see VT47:31 for etymology, cf. also VT49:25, 40). The older form of the conjunction was az (PE17:41). Ar is often assimilated to al, as before l, s (PE17:41, 71), but "in written Quenya ar was usually written in all cases" (PE17:71). In one case, Tolkien altered the phrase ar larmar "and raiments" to al larmar; the former may then be seen as representing the spelling, whereas the latter represents the pronunciation(PE17:175). More complex schemes of assimilation are suggested to have existed in "Old Quenya", the conjunction varying between ar, a and as depending on the following consonant (PE17:41, 71). An alternative longer form of the conjunction, arë, is said to occur "occasionally in Tolkien's later writings" (VT43:31, cf. VT48:14). In the Etymologies, the word for "and" was first written as ar(a) (VT45:6). In one source, Tolkien notes that Quenya used ar "as preposition beside, next, or as adverb = and" (PE17:145); compare ara.

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)

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").

farnë

dwelling

#farnë (2) noun "dwelling", in orofarnë (as translated in Letters:224, but in other notes of Tolkiens the word was interpreted "any growing thing or plant", PE17:83)

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.

lanca

sharp edge (not of tools); sudden end

lanca ("k")noun "sharp edge (not of tools); sudden end" _("as e.g. a cliff-edge, or the clean edge of things made by hand or built, also used in transferred senses, as in kuivie-lankasse, literally 'on the brink of life', of a perilous situation in which one is likely to fall into death" VT42:8)_

lerta-

can

lerta- vb. "can" in the sense "be free to do", being under no restraint (physical or other). Lertan quetë "I can speak (because I am free to do so, there being no obstacle of promise, secrecy, or duty)". Where the absence of a physical restraint is considered, this verb can be used in much the same sense as pol- (VT41:6)

mar

earth

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

ná

is

ná (1) vb. "is" (am). (Nam, RGEO:67). This is the copula used to join adjectives, nouns or pronouns "in statements (or wishes) asserting (or desiring) a thing to have certain quality, or to be the same as another" (VT49:28). Also in impersonal constructions: ringa ná "it is cold" (VT49:23). The copula may however be omitted "where the meaning is clear" without it (VT49:9). Ná is also used as an interjection "yes" or "it is so" (VT49:28). Short na in airë [] na, "[] is holy" (VT43:14; some subject can evidently be inserted in the place of [].) Short na also functions as imperative: alcar mi tarmenel na Erun "glory in high heaven be to God" (VT44:32/34), also na airë "be holy" (VT43:14); also cf. nai "be it that" (see nai #1). The imperative participle á may be prefixed (á na, PE17:58). However, VT49:28 cites ná as the imperative form. Pl. nar or nár "are" (PE15:36, VT49:27, 9, 30); dual nát (VT49:30). With pronominal endings: nányë/nanyë "I am", nalyë or natyë "you (sg.) are" (polite and familiar, respectively), nás "it is", násë "(s)he is", nalmë "we are" (VT49:27, 30). Some forms listed in VT49:27 are perhaps to be taken as representing the aorist: nain, naityë, nailyë (1st person sg, and 2nd person familiar/polite, respectively); does a following na represent the aorist with no pronominal ending? However, the forms nanyë, nalyë, ná, nassë, nalme, nar (changed from nár) are elsewhere said to be "aorist", without the extra vowel i (e.g. nalyë rather than nailyë); also notice that *"(s)he is" is here nassë rather than násë (VT49:30).Pa.t. nánë or né "was", pl. náner/nér and dual nét "were" (VT49:6, 9, 10, 27, 28, 30, 36). According to VT49:31, né "was" cannot receive pronominal endings (though nésë "he was" is attested elsewhere, VT49:28-29), and such endings are rather added to the form ane-, e.g. anen "I was", anel "you were", anes "(s)he/it was" (VT49:28-29). Future tense nauva "will be" (VT42:34, VT49:19, 27; another version however gives the future tense as uva, VT49:30). Nauva with a pronominal ending occurs in tanomë nauvan "I will be there" (VT49:19), this example indicating that forms of the verb ná may also be used to indicate position. Perfect anaië "has been" (VT49:27, first written as anáyë). Infinitive (or gerund) návë "being", PE17:68. See also nai #1.

oio

endless period

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

os

house, cottage

os (ost-) noun "house, cottage" (LT2:336; hardly valid in LotR-style Quenya writers may use coa or már)

parma

book

parma noun "book", also name of tengwa #2 (PAR, Appendix E). In early "Qenya", the gloss was "skin, bark, parchment, book, writings" (LT2:346); Tolkien later revisited the idea that parma basically is a noun "peel" and refers to bark or skin (as primitive writing materials, PE17:86): "peel, applied to bark or skin, hence "book", bark (literally skinning, peeling off), parchment, book; a book (or written document of some size")" (PE17:123). In the meantimeTolkien had associated the word with a root PAR meaning "compose, put together" (LR:380); the word loiparë "mistake in writing" (q.v.) may also suggest that the root PAR at one point was to mean "write", so that a parma was a "written thing". Instrumental form parmanen "with a book" or "by means of a book" (PE17:91, 180), parmastanna "on your book" (with the endings -sta dual "your", -nna allative) (VT49:47), parmahentië noun "book reading" (PE17:77). Other compounds: parmalambë noun "book-language" = Q[u]enya (PAR), #parma-resta noun "book-fair", attested with the endings -lya "thy" and the allative ending -nna (parma-restalyanna *"upon your book-fair") (VT49:38, 39). Parma as the name of the tengwa letter for P occurs compunded in parmatéma noun "p-series", labials, the second column of the Tengwar system (Appendix E).

pá

on

pá, pa (1) prep. "on" with reference to contact of surfaces, especially vertical surface (in the sense in which a picture hangs on a wall); also used = "touching, as regards, concerning" (VT44:26). Another variant gives pá (and apa) with the meaning "on (above but touching)". (2) Variants of apa "after" (VT44:36), which preposition is in one source also ascribed the first meaning here discussed. For Neo-Quenya purposes, pá and pa may be used for "on" or "concerning", whereas apa is used for "after" (see entries for apa #1 and #2), or pa may also be seen as a shorter form of apa "after", as in the phrase yéni pa yéni *"years upon years" (VT44:36)

rotto

cave, tunnel

rotto noun "cave, tunnel" (VT46:12), "a small grot or tunnel" (PM:365)

rómen

east

rómen, Rómen noun "east" (RŌ, MEN, SA:men), "uprising, sunrise, east" (SA:rómen); also name of tengwa #25 (Appendix E). Possessive form rómenwa (PE17:59).Variant hrómen, PE17:18. Rómenna, a place in the eastern part of Númenor, is simply the allative "eastward" (SA:rómen), cf. also rómenna in LR:47, 56. Ablative Rómello "from the East" or "[to one] from the East", hence Tolkien's translation "to those from the East" in his rendering of Namárië (Nam, RGEO:67, PE17:59; Romello with a short o in VT49:32). Masc. name Rómendacil "East-victor" (Appendix A; cf. Letters:425). Masc. name Rómestámo, Róme(n)star "East-helper" (PM:384, 391; probably ?Rómenstar must always become Rómestar, but Tolkien cited the form as Róme(n)star to indicate the connection with rómen "east")

sairon

wizard

sairon noun "wizard" (SAY); according to LT2:337 and GL:29, Sairon is also the Quenya (or Qenya) name of Dairon (Daeron).

se

he, she, it

se (1) pron. "he, she, it" also object "him, her, it", 3rd person sg. Used "of living things including plants" (VT49:37; the corresponding inaimate pronoun is sa). The pronoun comes directly from se as the original stem-form (VT49:50). Stressed form sé, VT49:51, attested in object position in melin sé "I love him" (VT49:21). Ósë "with him/her", VT43:29; see ó-. Long dative/allative sena "[to/for] him" or "at him", VT49:14, allative senna "to him/her" (VT49:45, 46). Compare the reflexive pronoun insë *"himself, herself".

tyellë

grade

tyellë noun "grade" (pl. tyeller is attested) (Appendix E), "grade, order; a step in a stairway, [or in a] ladder" (PE17:122, 157)

vanya

fair

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

yo

and

yo conj. "and", "often used between _two _items (of any part of speech) that were by nature or custom clearly associated, like the names of spouses (Manwë yo Varda), or "sword and sheath" (*macil yo vainë*), "bow and arrows" (quinga yo pilindi), or groups like "Elves and Men" (Eldar yo Fírimor but contrast eldain a fírimoin [dative forms] in FS, where Tolkien joins the words with a, seemingly simply a variant of the common conjunction ar). In one source, yo is apparently a preposition "with" (yo hildinyar* = "with my heirs", SD:56).

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).

nostarenca

adjective. orphaned, (lit.) parent-less

A neologism for an “orphan” coined by Helge Fauskanger for his NQNT (NQNT), a combination of nostar “parent” and -enca “-less”, so literally “parent-less”.

carpando

noun. orator

celuva

adjective. original

pahtando

noun. orator

partalë

noun. order, orderliness, organization

celu

noun. source, origin

alafasta

adjective. tidy, orderly

enar

noun. tomorrow

panwë

noun. arrangement, plan; structure, ordering; (musical) theme

parta-

verb. to arrange, compose, order

pepella-

verb. to circulate, orbit

sitina

adjective. habitual, customary, accustomed, usual, ordinary, common

alda

noun. tree, tree, [ᴱQ.] branch

The basic Quenya word for “tree” (LotR/1113), derived from primitive ✶galadā and very well attested. This word dates all the way back to the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s where ᴱQ. alda “tree” appeared under the early root ᴱ√ALA “spread” (QL/29). Tolkien seems to have switched its derivation to ✱galadā in The Etymologies of the 1930s, where ᴹQ. alda “tree” appeared under the root ᴹ√GALAD of the same meaning (Ety/GALAD). See also ornë “(tall) tree” for a discussion of another similar word.

Conceptual Development: There were a few instances where the word alda had a different meaning. In Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s, alda was glossed “branch” (PE16/139). In notes from 1959 Tolkien said “✱galadā, originally only large flourishing plant, as tree, and especially one that flowered, Q alda, S galað; the general word for ‘tree’ was Q orne ‘upstanding plant’ (PE17/153)”. But in its numerous appearance elsewhere, alda was simply a general word for “tree”.

ambaróna

place name. Eastern (Land)

An older name of Fangorn forest (LotR/469), translated “Eastern (Land)” (PE17/82). It is an adjectival form of ambarónë “dawn”, so it meant “of the dawn, Eastern” (PE17/82), much as andúnë “sunset” was also used for “West”. The sense of “land” in the name was understood rather than explicit (PE17/91). Perhaps this name referred to the fact that Fangorn was far to the east of the forests of Beleriand, which the Ents also visited (LotR/469).

eldandil

masculine name. Elf-friend

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

ingwë

masculine name. Chief

Lord of the first tribe of the Elves and the high king of Elvenkind (S/52, 62). His name is ancient and its original meaning is unclear, but it is sometimes translated as “Chief”, and is interpreted as a combination of the root √ING “first, foremost” and the suffix -wë common in ancient names (PM/340).

Conceptual Development: In the earliest Lost Tales, this character was first named ᴱQ. Ing, but this was soon changed to ᴱQ. Inwe (LT1/22). The form become ᴹQ. Ingwe in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (SM/13, LR/214), and the derivation for Ingwë discussed above had already emerged in The Etymologies (Ety/ING, WEG).

quendil

masculine name. Elf-friend

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

-va

from

-va possessive ending, presumably related to the preposition va "from". In Eldaliéva, Ingoldova, miruvóreva, Oroméva, rómeva, Valinóreva (q.v. for references), Follondiéva, Hyallondiéva (see under turmen for references). Following a consonant, the ending instead appears as -wa (andamacilwa "of the long sword", PE17:147, rómenwa *"of the East", PE17:59). Pl. -vë when governing a plural word (from archaic -vai) (WJ:407), but it seems that -va was used throughout in late Exilic Quenya (cf. miruvóreva governing the plural word yuldar in Namárië). Pl. -iva (-ivë*), dual -twa, partitive pl. -líva**.

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.)

Ambaróna

eastern (land)

Ambaróna place-name "Eastern (land)", possibly basically an adjectival form Ambarónë "uprising, sunrise, Orient" _(LotR2:III ch. 4; PE17:82, compare the Etymologies, entry AM2)_

Ingwë

chief

Ingwë masc. name, "chief", name of the "prince of Elves" _(PM:340, ING, WEG, VT45:18). Pl. Ingwer "Chieftains", what the Vanyar called themselves (so in PM:340, but in PM:332 the plural has the more regular form Ingwi). Ingwë Ingweron "chief of the chieftains", proper title of Ingwë as high king (PM:340)_. In the Etymologies, Ingwë is also said to be the name of a symbol used in writing: a short carrier with an i-tehta above it, denoting short i (VT45:18).

Istar

wizard

Istar noun "Wizard", used of Gandalf, Saruman, Radagast etc. Pl. Istari is attested. Gen. pl. in the phrase Heren Istarion "Order of Wizards" (UT:388). "The istari are translated wizards because of the connexion of wizard with wise and so with witting and knowing" (Letters:207); by this translation Tolkien tries to reproduce the relationship between Quenya istar and ista- #1, 2.

Laurelindórinan

valley of singing gold

Laurelindórinan noun "Valley of Singing Gold", an earlier name of Laurenandë (Lórien) (UT:253); laurelindórenan lindelorendor malinornélion ornemalin *"Goldenlight-music-land-valley music-dream-land of yellow-trees tree-yellow", Quenya elements agglutinated in Entish fashion; this supposedly means something like "the valley where the trees in a golden light sing musically, a land of music and dreams; there are yellow trees there, it is a tree-yellow land" (LotR2:III ch. 4, translated in Letters:308). The last word ornemalin is defined in as "bearing yellow flowers" in PE17:80.

Námo

judge

Námo (1) noun "Judge", name of a Vala, normally called Mandos, properly the place where he dwells (WJ:402)

Ringil

ringil

Ringil noun, name of one of the great Lamps (pillared on ice), apparently contains ringë (RINGI). The name was later abandoned, as Tolkien decided to call the great Lamps Illuin and Ormal.

Túna

hill, mound

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

aiqualin

tall

aiqualin ("q")adj. "tall", plural form (???) (MC:216; this is "Qenya" - but cf. aiqua above.)

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).]

ambaron

g.sg. ambarónen

ambaron (ambarón- as in "g.sg. ambarónen", in LotR-style Quenya this would be a dative singular) noun "uprising, sunrise, Orient" (AM2). - In the Etymologies as printed in LR, the form ambaron also appears in the entry MBAR, but according to VT45:33 this is an error for ambaren, apparently intended as the genitive singular of ambar (in LotR-style Quenya it would rather be the dative singular).

ambo

hill, rising ground

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

amu-

raise

amu- vb. "raise" (LT2:335; LotR-style Quenya has orta-)

anarórë

sunrise

anarórë noun "sunrise" (ORO)

apa

on

apa (2) prep. denoting "on" with reference to contact of surfaces, especially vertical surface (in the sense in which a picture hangs on a wall). Apa is said to have this meaning in various Tolkien manuscripts (VT44:26), but apa is also used for "after" (see apa #1 above), and the two were probably never meant to coexist in a single variant of Quenya. The clash may be avoided by consistently using the variants pá, pa (q.v.) mentioned by Tolkien in the sense of apa #2. Another variant gives apa, pá "on (above but touching)" (VT49:18).

arata

high, lofty, noble

arata adj. "high, lofty, noble" (PE17:49, 186). Also used as a a noun with nominal pl. form Aratar "the Supreme", the chief Valar, translation of the foreign word Máhani adopted and adapted from Valarin (WJ:402). Aratarya "her sublimity"; Varda Aratarya "Varda the lofty, Varda in her sublimity" (WJ:369). In one source, Aratar is translated as a singular: "High One" (PE17:186)

arë

and

arë conj. "and", longer form of ar, q.v. (VT43:31)

az

and

az, archaic form of the conjunction ar "and"; see ar #1.

cemi

earth, soil, land

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

culuina

of gold

[culuina ("k") (2) (misread as **culuinn_ in the Etymologies as printed in LR; see VT45:24)] adj. "of gold" (KUL; this word was struck out, and _culuina became the adjective "orange" instead.)

felya

cave

felya noun "cave" (PHÉLEG), "mine, boring, tunnel, underground dwel[ling]" (PE17:118)

ham-

judge

#ham- (2) vb. "judge", attested in the aorist form hamil "you judge". (VT42:33; notice the pronominal ending -l "you". See nemë. The verb #ham- with the meaning "judge" may seem to be an ephemeral form in Tolkien's conception.)

hrómen

east

hrómen noun "east", variant of the more common Rómen, q.v. (PE17:18)

hyarmen

south

hyarmen, Hyarmen noun "south" (SA, SA:men, KHYAR), literally "lefthand-direction" (VT49:12), since the Elves named the directions as they were to a person facing the Blessed Realm in the West Also name of tengwa #33 (Appendix E). In Hyarmendacil masc.name, "South-victor" (Appendix A), apparently also in the place-name Hyarmentir (name of a mountain; the element -tir means *"watch[ing point]".) (SA) Hyarnustar "the Southwestlands" of Númenor; Hyarrostar the "Southeastlands" (UT:165)

indo

house

indo (2) noun "house" (LT2:343), probably obsoleted by #1 above (in Tolkiens later Quenya, the word for "house" appears as coa).

isima

imagination

isima (þ?) noun "imagination" (if a variant of síma, q.v.; the form isima as such is not clearly glossed) (VT49:16)

linda

fair, beautiful

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

ló

from

ló, lo (2) prep. "from", also used = "by" introducing the agent after a passive construction: nahtana ló Turin *"slain by Túrin" (VT49:24). A similar and possibly identical form is mentioned in the Etymologies as being somehow related to the ablative ending -llo, but is not there clearly defined (VT45:28). At one point, Tolkien suggested that lo rather than the ending -llo was used with proper names (lo Manwë rather than Manwello for "from Manwë"), but this seems to have been a short-lived idea (VT49:24).

nam-

judge

#nam- vb. "judge", attested in the 1st person aorist: namin "I judge" (VT41:13). Compare Námo.

nav-

judge

#nav- vb. "judge" (cited in the form navë, apparently the 3rd person aorist). Also given with pronominal suffixes: navin *"I judge" (Tolkien's free translation: "I think"), navilwë "we judge" (VT42:33, 4, VT48:11)

nem-

judge

[#nem- vb. "judge", attested as endingless aorist nemë, changed by Tolkien to hamë and finally to navë "in all but one case" (Bill Welden). Forms like námo "judge" and namna "statute" point rather to #nam- (q.v.) as a verb "to judge" (VT42:34); the verb namin "I judge" is even listed in Etym.]

nwalca

cruel

nwalca ("k")adj. "cruel" (ÑGWAL; this must represent earlier *ñwalca = *ngwalca; these forms are not given in Etym, but compare nwalmë_ below. In Tengwar writing, the initial NW would be represented by the letter nwalmë.)_

nútil

under-point

nútil (nútill-, pl. nútilli given) noun "under-point", term used in children's play for "toe" (the counterpart of ortil, q.v.) (VT47:10)

ruc-

fly (to)

#ruc- (2) vb. "fly (to)", in the phrase ortírielyanna rucimmë, "to thy patronage we fly" (VT44:7). If this is really the same verb as ruc- #1 above, it would indicate that ruc- combined with the allative case implies flying in horror to some refuge (denoted by the allative noun).

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).

tenta-

point to, point out; indicate; direct toward, be directed toward

tenta- vb. "point to, point out; indicate; direct toward, be directed toward" (VT49:22-24). Compare hententa-, leptenta-, q.v. When constructed with a direct object, the verb may mean "go forth towards". In our examples, tenta is constructed with an allative (tentanë numenna "pointed westward", VT49:23; this may be the normal construction when the meaning is "point"). Pa.t. tentanë is attested (also with ending -s: tentanes "it pointed", VT49:26); there is also an alternative strong pa.t. form tenantë (VT49:22-23). Other examples of such double past tense forms (e.g. orta-) would suggest that the form tentanë is transitive ("pointed to/out, directed towards, went forth towards"), while tenantë is intransitive ("was directed towards"). Tolkien also considered the pa.t. form tentë, but emended it.

tillë

tip, point

tillë (pl. tilli given) noun "tip, point", used with reference to fingers and toes (VT47:10, 26); compare ortil, nútil, q.v.

tá

high

tá 2) adj. "high" (LT1:264; there spelt tâ. This is hardly a valid word in Tolkien's later Quenya, but cf. tára "lofty".)

tára

lofty

tára (1) adj. "lofty". (SA:tar, LT1:264, TĀ/TA3 (AYAK, TÁWAR), VT45:6), "tall, high" (WJ:417). Compare antara. Adverb táro in an early "Qenya" text (VT27:20, 26). The adj. tára is not to be confused with the continuative form of the verb #tar- "stand".

va

from

va prep. "from" (VT43:20; prefixed in the form var- in var-úra "from evil", VT43:24). In VT49:24, va, au and o are quoted as variants of the stem awa "away from".

ára

dawn

ára noun "dawn" (AR1). According to VT45:6, ára is also the name of the long vowel carrier of the Tengwar system; it would be the first letter of the word ára if spelt in Tengwar.

órë

rising

órë (2) noun "rising", anarórë "sunrise" (ORO). Cf. early "Qenya" órë "the dawn, Sunrise, East" (LT1:264). See under Melkor concerning the final element of Melkórë.

úyë

is

úyë vb., a form occurring in Fíriel's Song (cf. VT46:22), apparently ye "is" with the negative prefix ú-, hence "is not" (úyë sérë indo-ninya símen, translated "my hearth resteth not here", literally evidently *"[there] is not rest [for] my heart here")

#turco

chief

#turco (1) noun "chief" (isolated from Turcomund "chief bull", Letters:423). Turco, masc. name, see Turcafinwë.

-ro

he

-ro pronominal ending "he", in antaváro, q.v. In Tolkiens later Quenya, the ending -s covers both "he", "she" and "it".

Ambalar

east

Ambalar noun "East" (MC:221; this is "Qenya")

Harmen

south

[Harmen] noun "south" (MEN)(Changed to hyarmen.)

Rómë

east

Rómë noun "east", variant of Rómen (PE17:59). Possessive romeva (read rómeva?), genitive rómeö (Ibid.)

aha

rage

aha noun "rage", also name of tengwa #11, earlier called harma (Appendix E)

aia

hail

aia interjection "hail", variant of aiya (VT43:28)

aiqua

steep

aiqua("q")adj. "steep" (AYAK). Not to be confused with the pronoun *aiqua "if anything, whatever" that post-Tolkien writers have extrapolated from aiquen (q.v.) on the basis of such pairs as ilquen vs. ilqua (q.v.)

alar!

hail, blessed be (thou)

[alar! (also ala and alla!) interjection "hail, blessed be (thou)". (VT45:5,14, 26)]

alima

fair, good

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

alya

fair, good

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

am-

up

am- (1) prefix "up" (AM2)

amaurëa

dawn, early day

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

amba

up, upwards

amba 1) adv. "up, upwards" (AM2, PE17:157). Apparently also ama (UNU).

amu

up, upwards

amu adv. "up, upwards" (LT2:335; in Tolkien's later Quenya amba)

amun

hill

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

amuntë

sunrise

amuntë noun "sunrise" (LT2:335; Tolkien's later Quenya has anarórë)

ar

and

o (1) conj. "and", occurring solely in SD:246; all other sources give ar.

curuvar

wizard

curuvar _("k")_noun "wizard" (LT1:269 but Gandalf, Saruman etc. were istari)

erdë

seed, germ

erdë (1) noun "seed, germ" (ERÉD, VT45:12)

erma

physical matter

erma noun "physical matter" (MR:338, 470)

essë

he

essë (2) pron? "he" (and also "she, it"?), possible emphatic 3rd sg. emphatic pronoun, attested in the sentence essë úpa nas "he is dumb" (PE17:126)

felco

cave, mine, underground dwelling

felco noun "cave, mine, underground dwelling" (PE17:118); also felca, felehta

halla

tall

halla (1) adj. "tall" (Appendix E, footnote)

ho

from

ho prep. "from" (3O); cf. hó-

hróna

eastern

hróna adj. "eastern" (PE17:18), apparently a variant of róna, q.v. (itself not clearly glossed).

héra

chief, principal

héra adj. "chief, principal" (KHER)

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?)

inga

top, highest point

inga (1) noun "top, highest point" (PM:340), "only applied to shapes pointing upwards...[it] referred primarily to position and could be used of tops relatively broad". Compounded in the nouns aldinga "tree-top" (alda + inga) (VT47:28), ingaran "high-king" (PM:340)

intyalë

imagination

intyalë noun "imagination" (INK/INIK, VT49:33)

kemen

earth

kemen noun "earth"; see cemen.

marda

dwelling

marda noun "dwelling" (PE17:107)

nausë

imagination

nausë (Þ) noun "imagination" (NOWO, VT49:33)

parma

noun. book

book, writing, composition

pol-

can

pol- (1) vb. "can" = have physical power and ability, as in polin quetë "I can speak (because mouth and tongue are free)". Cf. ista-, lerta- as verbs "can" with somewhat different shades of meaning. (VT41:6, PE17:181)

rotelë

cave

rotelë noun "cave" (LT2:347)

rómenya

eastern

rómenya adj. "eastern" (RŌ)

róna

east

róna adj.? "east" (RŌ). Compare hróna.

tel

roof

tel noun "roof" (LT1:268). Rather tópa in Tolkiens later Quenya.

telimbo

canopy, sky

telimbo noun "canopy, sky" (LT1:268)

tunda

tall

tunda adj. "tall" (TUN)

tundo

hill, mound

tundo noun "hill, mound" (TUN)

tussa

bush

tussa noun "bush" (TUS)

tána

high, lofty, noble

tána (meaning unclear, probably adj. "high, lofty, noble") (TĀ/TA3). Compare tára.

tárië

height

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

tópa

roof

tópa noun "roof" (TOP)

tópa-

roof

tópa- vb. "roof" (TOP)

umbo

hill, lump, clump, mass

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

ursa

rage

ursa (þ) noun "rage" (PE17:188)

vanë

fair

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

ye

is

ye (2) copula "is" (FS, VT46:22); both earlier and later sources rather point to ná (q.v.) as the copula "is", so ye may have been an experiment Tolkien later abandoned. Future tense yéva, q.v.

úpa

dumb

úpa adj. "dumb" (i.e. unable to speak) (PE17:126)

ar

conjunction. and, and; [ᴱQ., ᴹQ.] but

turco

noun. chief

vanë

adjective. fair, fair, [ᴱQ.] lovely

halla

adjective. tall

tárië

noun. height

helexë

noun. hail

A neologism for “hail” coined by Helge Fauskanger for his NQNT (NQNT) derived from the root √KHELEK, likely modeled after caraxë < √KARAK.

ingëa

adjective. top

@@@ Discord 2022-05-23

arata

high, lofty, noble

arata adj. "high, lofty, noble" (PE17:49, 186). Also used as a a noun with nominal pl. form Aratar "the Supreme", the chief Valar, translation of the foreign word Máhani adopted and adapted from Valarin (WJ:402). Aratarya "her sublimity"; Varda Aratarya "Varda the lofty, Varda in her sublimity" (WJ:369). In one source, Aratar is translated as a singular: "High One" (PE17:186)

am-

prefix. up, up, [ᴱQ.] upwards

námo

noun. judge

lanotoitë

adjective. innumerable

nútil

noun. under-point

ursa

noun. rage

aha

noun. rage

amba

adverb. up(wards)

erma

noun. (physical) matter

eärenya

noun. Sea-day, *Thursday

o

preposition. from

ro-

prefix. uprising, sunrise, east

tyelca

adjective. hasty, hasty; [ᴹQ.] agile, swift

vala-

verb. to have [divine] power

órenya quetë nin

my heart tells me

maltaina

adjective. of gold

nostarë

noun. birthday

rel-

verb. to sow

tyulya-

verb. to rise

órenya quéta nin

my heart is saying to me

aia

interjection. hail

alda

noun. tree

amba

adverb. up

ambona

noun. hill

halda

adjective. tall, tall; [ᴱQ.] wide, broad

halda

adjective. high, tall

hró-

prefix. east

hróme(n)

noun. east

lanotoite

adjective. innumerable

naicea

adjective. cruel

nav-

verb. judge

róme

noun. east

róna

adjective. east