rá (1) [changed by Tolkien from hrá], prep. "on behalf of", followed by dative: rá men or contracted rámen "for us, on our behalf" (VT43:27, 28, 33). As these examples indicate, independent dative pronouns may be (but do not have to be) directly suffixed to rá. Nouns would presumably not be suffixed like this, e.g. *rá Eldan "for an Elf, on behalf of an Elf".
Quenya
rá
noun. lion
rá
on behalf of
rá
lion
rá (2) noun "lion", stem #ráv- as in the pl. rávi (RAW). Compare rau.
rá
arm
rá (3) noun "arm" (LT2:335, there spelt râ; probably obsoleted by # 2 (and # 1) above. In Tolkien's later Quenya, "arm" is ranco)
rá
preposition. *for, on behalf of
rá†
noun. lion
lion
hrá
hrá
hrá, see rá
rámen
rámen
rámen, see rá
rámalócë
winged dragon
rámalócë ("k")noun "winged dragon" (LOK)
ránen
errant
ránen adj. "errant" (RAN; may be a misreading for *ránëa)
ránë
straying, wandering
ránë noun "straying, wandering" (RAN)
ratta
noun. track
A noun for a “track” appearing in a 1968 essay, which Tolkien described as follows:
> Both Quenya and Lindarin [Telerin] also possessed a word ratta, which might be a derivative (by lengthening the medial consonant, a frequent device in Primitive Eldarin) from either ✱rattha [from RATH “climb”] or ✱ratta from the stem RAT [“find a way”] and in senses seems to be a blend of both. It meant ‘a track’; though often applied to ways known to mountaineers, to passes in the mountains and the climbing ways to them, it was not confined to ascents. It could be used of tracks across a marshland, or trails (blazed or sometimes marked by guide-stones) in forests (NM/363).
Thus Q./T. ratta seems to have applied to any “track” through the wilderness (not necessarily one that climbs) as a derivative of √RAT “find a way”, as opposed to S. rath “(climbing) track or street” that was more influenced by √RATH “climb”; see that entry for discussion.
hrá
preposition. *for, on behalf of
rána
noun. Moon, (lit.) Wayward
Another name of the Moon (usually Q. Isil), translated as “Wayward” (S/99). This name is a derivative of the root √RAN “wander” (UT/242), with a primitive form ✶rānā (VT48/7).
Conceptual Development: The name ᴱQ. Rána appears as a name of the moon in the earliest Lost Tales (LT1/192), though at this early stage its precise meaning and etymology were unclear. In Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, ᴹQ. Rana appeared with a short a, with the translation “Wayward” (LR/240). The name also appeared with a short a in The Etymologies as a derivative of ᴹ√RAN “wander, stray” from primitive ᴹ✶Ranā (Ety/RAN). The long á was restored in Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s (MR/130).
In some later notes, Tolkien said that Rána was the name of the spirit of the Moon rather than the Moon itself (VT42/13). Elsewhere this spirit was named Tilion, so this was probably a transient idea. In the indexes of The Silmarillion and The Unfinished Tales, Christopher Tolkien translated Rána as “Wanderer”, but the source of that translation is unclear.
rac-
verb. to break
rácina
adjective. broken
An adjective glossed “broken” appearing in the Markirya poem of the 1960s (MC/223), apparently a passive participle of rac- “break”. A very similar plural adjective racine appeared in notes associated with Quendi and Eldar (Q&E) essay from 1959-60, an element in the term rakine tengwi for consonants without an associated vowel which Tolkien translated as “stripped or deprived signs”.
Conceptual Development: In versions of ᴱQ. Oilima Markirya poem around 1930, Tolkien used ᴱQ. rusta for “broken”, though in the same poem he translated its plural form ruste as “crumbling” (MC/214). In drafts of the 1930 poem he had ᴱQ. ranka for “broken” (PE16/77), perhaps an early manifestion of rácina. Compare also G. rag- “break asunder, burst” from the 1910s (GL/64).
ráma
noun. wing, wing; [ᴱQ.] arm
The Quenya word for “wing”, derived from the root ᴹ√RAM (PE17/63; Ety/RAM).
Conceptual Development: This word dates all the way back to the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, where ᴱQ. ráma “wing” was derived from the early root ᴱ√RAHA “stretch forward” (QL/78). The word appeared regularly in Tolkien’s writings with the gloss “wing”, though at one point in the 1920s it was glossed both “arm, wing” (PE16/137), and in the English-Qenya Dictionary of the 1920s it was given as the Qenya word meaning “arm”, but this was revised to ᴱQ. ranko (PE15/79). The use of ráma for “arm” was a brief and rejected idea, and in The Etymologies of the 1930s, ᴹQ. ráma “wing” was transferred to a new root ᴹ√RAM, while ᴹQ. ranko “arm” remained under ᴹ√RAK “stretch out” (Ety/RAK, RAM).
rámainen elvië
on wings like stars
The ninth line of the Markirya poem (MC/222). The first word is instrumental plural of ráma “wing” followed by the plural of the adjective elvëa “starlike” in agreement with the noun. The instumental is translated by the preposition “on” in the English text, but more typically means “with” or “by means of”.
Decomposition: Broken into its constituent elements, this phrase would be:
> ráma-i-nen elv-ië = “✱wing-(plural)-with starlike-(plural)”
ráman
noun. great ship for sailing on the Great Sea
A name for a “great ship for sailing on the Great Sea”, based on ráma “wing”.
rámannerte
noun. ship-ennead
rámar sisílala
the wings shining
rávëa
adjective. roaring
raita-
verb. to make network or lace; to catch in a net
A verb appearing as rea or raita in notes on The Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor from 1967-69, with glosses “make network or lace” and “catch in a net” as derivatives of the root √RAY “net, knit, contrive network or lace; involve in a network, enlace” (VT42/11). In a draft of this etymology appearing in Late Notes on Verb Structure (LVS) from 1969, the verb was simply glossed “to net” and the root was glossed “net; knit (contrive a network); catch, involve (in a net)”, while the verb’s present form †rea was marked as archaic beside modern[?] ráya, along with a strong past raine (PE22/159).
Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya I would use the easier-to-conjugate verb form raita with strong-past raine and (modernized) present raitea, and would assume rea was archaic. Compare its homonym raita- “smile” which has a half-strong past reante “smiled” (PE17/182).
rauro
noun. lion
The common Quenya word for “lion” (more literally “roarer”) appearing in the Outline of Phonology (OP2) from the 1950s, as opposed to archaic Q. †rá (PE19/99, 104); see that entry for further discussion of its conceptual development.
Rána
the wayward, the wanderer
Rána place-name "the Wayward, the Wanderer", a name of the moon (MR:198, MC:221, Silm); genitive Ráno in the phrase Ráno tië "the path of the Moon" (VT47:11). See also ceuran-, ránasta. According to one late source, Rána is not properly the Moon itself but is rather the "name of the spirit (Máya) that was said to abide in the Moon as its guardian" (VT42:13). The Etymologies gives Rana with a short vowel (RAN). In the pre-classical Tengwar system there presupposed, Rana was also the name of tengwa #25 (VT45:10), which letter Tolkien would later call Rómen instead.
Rása
the sea
Rása noun "the Sea" (LT2:347; rather ëar in Tolkien's later Quenya)
rac-
break
rac- ("k")vb. "break", past participle rácina ("k") "broken" in Markirya
racina
stripped, deprived
#racina adj. "stripped, deprived"; this adj. is only attested in the pl. (racinë ["k"]). Compare rácina under rac- above. Cf. #racina tengwë (only pl. racinë tengwi ("k") is attested) "stripped sign", "deprived sign"; in early Elvish analysis of Quenya the term for a consonant with no following vowel; the vowel was held to have disappeared or been omitted (VT39:6)
rau
lion
rau (pl. rávi) noun "lion" (LT1:260; the pl. of this "Qenya" form is valid in Tolkien's later Quenya as well, but the sg. he changed to rá, q.v.)
ráca
wolf
ráca ("k") noun "wolf" (DARÁK). Another word for "wolf" is narmo.
ráma
wing
ráma noun "wing", pl. rámar (RAM, Nam, RGEO:66, LT2:335); Markirya has both nominative pl. rámar "wings" and instrumental pl. rámainen *"with wings" (translated "on wings" by Tolkien); rámali "wings" in MC:213 would be a partitive pl. in LotR-style Quenya. Variant rámë in the names Eärrámë, Alquarámë, q.v.
rámavoitë
having wings
rámavoitë adj. "having wings" (LT2:335, Narqelion)
ránasta
lunar month
ránasta noun "lunar month" (Rána + asta, q.v.) (VT48:11)
ráta-
excel, surpass
ráta- vb. "excel, surpass" (PE17:147)
ráva
free, unfettered, uncontrolled, lawless
ráva (1) adj. "free, unfettered, uncontrolled, lawless" (PE17:78), "wild, untamed"_ (RAB). _In PE17:78, the gloss "wild" is given to the variant hráva instead.
ráva
bank
ráva (2) noun "bank" (especially of a river) (RAMBĀ)
rávë
roaring noise
rávë noun "roaring noise" (Markirya)
rávëa
roaring
rávëa adj. "roaring" (Markirya)
rávë
noun. roaring noise
raica
crooked, bent, wrong
raica ("k") adj. "crooked, bent, wrong" (RÁYAK, VT39:7), pl. raicar in LR:47 (read perhaps *raicë in LotR-style Quenya)
ranco
arm
ranco ("k")noun "arm", stem *rancu- given the primitive form ¤ranku, hence also pl. ranqui ("q")(RAK)
rasta
cardinal. twelve
#rasta cardinal "twelve" (isolated from yurasta_ "24", two times 12; cf. the stem RÁSAT "twelve" listed in the Etymologies). See yunquë. (PE14:17)_
ránasta
noun. lunar month
ráta-
verb. to excel, surpass
raica
adjective. crooked, crooked, [ᴹQ.] bent, wrong
ráva
adjective. free, unfettered, uncontrolled, lawless
rauro
noun. lion
lion
ëarráman
noun. great ship for sailing on the Great Sea
Númerrámar
west-wings
Númerrámar noun "West-wings", name of a ship (Númen + rámar, note assimilation nr > rr) (UT:175)
ceuran-
new moon
ceuran- ("k") noun "new moon" (compare Rána "moon"). The word is cited with a final hyphen, as if some final element is missing, but Rána could very well be reduced to -ran at the end of a compound. (VT48:7)
hráva
wild
hráva adj. "wild" (PE17:78); see ráva #1.
léra
free
léra adj. noun "free", of persons (VT41:5)
aranya
free
aranya, also ranya, adj. "free". Another gloss was not certainly legible, but the editors suggest "uncontrolling" (VT46:10)
arauca
swift, rushing
arauca ("k")adj. "swift, rushing" (LT2:347). Compare arauco.
yurasta
cardinal. twelve
yurasta cardinal "24" (two times #rasta "twelve") (PE14:17)
rata
noun. path, track
rácumbar
noun. aconitum, wolfsbane, (lit.) wolf-doom
ránostar
noun. foster parent, (lit.) on behalf-parent
ráya-
verb. to devote, dedicate, (lit.) to make something be on somebody’s behalf
A neologism coined by Luinyelle posted on 2024-05-21 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), a ya-causative verb based on rá “✱on behalf of”, with weak past ráyane. For example: ráyan sina parma lyen “I dedicate this book to you”.
ráquen
noun. representative, ambassador
rámaitë
adjective. winged, having wings
-ina
general 'passive' participle
-ina ending for what Tolkien called "general 'passive' participle" (VT43:15); compare nótina "counted", rácina "broken", hastaina "marred" (q.v.). The stem-vowel is usually lengthened when the ending is added to the stem of a primary verb (as in the two first examples above), though the lengthening fails to occur (or is not denoted) in carina as the passive participle of car- "make, do" (VT43:15).
alarca
swift, rapid
alarca ("k")adj. "swift, rapid" (LAK2)
larca
swift, rapid
larca ("k")adj. "swift, rapid" (LAK2)
-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).
atarmë
for us
atarmë dative (?) pron. "for us" (VT44:18; Tolkien apparently considered dropping this curious form, which in another text was replaced by rá men, rámen; see rá #1)
fairë
free
fairë (4) adj. "free" (LT1:250) (rather léra, lerina or mirima in LotR-style Quenya)
me
we, us
me (1) 1st person pl. exclusive pronoun "we, us" (VT49:51; VT43:23, VT44:9). This pronoun preserves the original stem-form (VT49:50). Stressed mé (VT49:51). Cf. also mel-lumna "us-is-heavy", sc. *"is heavy for us" (LR:47, mel- is evidently an assimilated form of men "for us", dative of me; the form men is attested by itself, VT43:21). For me as object, cf. álamë** "do not [do something to] us", negative imperative particle with object pronoun suffixed (VT43:19: álamë tulya, "do not lead us"), ámen** "do [something for] us", imperative particle with dative pronoun suffixed (ámen apsenë "forgive us", VT43:12, 18). Dual exclusive met "we/us (two)" (Nam, VT49:51), "you and me" (VT47:11; the latter translation would make met an inclusive pronoun, though it is elsewhere suggested that it is rather exclusive: "him/her and me", corresponding to wet [q.v.] as the true inclusive dual form). Rá men or rámen "for us/on our behalf", see rá. Locative messë "on us", VT44:12 (also with prefix o, ó- ?"with" in the same source). See also ménë, ómë.
mirima
free
mirima adj. "free" (MIS). ("Free" is rather expressed as léra in Tolkiens later Quenya; mirima would be prone to confusion with mírima above.)
narmo
wolf
narmo ("ñ")noun "wolf" (ÑGAR(A)M; both the old form ñarmo = *ngarmo and the Third Age form narmo are given). Another word for "wolf" is ráca.
-lmë
we
-lmë 1st person pl. pronominal ending: "we" (VT49:38; 51 carilmë *"we do", VT49:16). It was originally intended to be inclusive "we" (VT49:48), including the person(s) spoken to, but by 1965 Tolkien made this the ending for exclusive "we" instead (cf. the changed definition of the corresponding possessive ending -lma, see above). _(VT49:38) Exemplified in laituvalmet "we shall bless them" (lait-uva-lme-t "bless-shall-we-them") (the meaning apparently changed from inclusive to exclusive "we", VT49:55), see also nalmë under ná# 1. (LotR3:VI ch. 4, translated in Letters:308_)
-mmë
we
-mmë "we", 1st person dual exclusive pronominal ending: "I and one other" (compare the inclusive dual form -ngwë or -nquë). First written -immë in one source (VT49:57). Carimmë, "the two of us do" (VT49:16, cf. VT43:6). At an earlier conceptual stage, the ending was already exclusive, but plural rather than dual: vammë "we won't" (WJ:371), firuvammë "we will die" (VT43:34), etemmë ?"out of us" (VT43:36); see also VT49:48, 49, 55. Also compare the corresponding emphatic pronoun emmë (q.v.). The ending -lmë replaced -mmë in its former (plural exclusive) sense. In some early material, -mmë was apparently used as an ending for plural inclusive "we" (VT49:55).
-ngwë
we
-ngwë "we", 1st person dual inclusive pronominal ending: "thou and I" (compare the exclusive dual form -mmë). Caringwë, "the two of us do" (VT49:16). One source lists the ending as "-inke > -inque" instead (VT49:51, 53, 57; "inke" was apparently Old Quenya). In an earlier pronoun table reproduced in VT49:48, the ending -ngwë is listed as an alternative to -lmë, which Tolkien at the time used as the plural inclusive ending (a later revision made it plural exclusive).
emmë
we
emmë (2) pron. "we", emphatic pronoun; dative emmen (VT43:12, 20). In the source this pronoun is intended as the 1st person plural exclusive; later Tolkien changed the corresponding pronominal ending from -mmë to -lmë, and the plural emphatic pronoun would likewise change from emmë to *elmë. Since the ending -mmë was redefined as a dualexclusive pronoun, the form emmë may still be valid as such, as a dual emphatic pronoun "we" = "(s)he and I".
harma
wolf
[harma (2) noun "wolf" (3ARAM). The gloss "hound" was inserted, but then deleted (VT45:17)]
lehta
free, released
lehta (2) adj. "free, released" (VT39:17); #lehta tengwë "free element, released element", a term for "vowel" (only pl. lehta tengwi [ñ] is attested; we would rather expect *lehtë tengwi with the pl. form of the adjective) (VT39:17)
ngwin
for us
ngwin dative pronoun ?"for us" _(VT21:6-7, 10, VT44:36). _Apparently belonging to the 1st person pl. It would be pronounced *nwin* at the end of the Third Age, but since Tolkien in another source implies that the 1st pl. exclusive base ñwe had the "independent" stem we- in Quenya (VT48:10), we must assume that the dative pronoun should rather be wen**, or in Exilic Quenya *ven. The form ngwin may reflect another conceptual phase when Tolkien meant the nasal element of ñwe to be preserved in Quenya as well. The vowel i rather than e is difficult to account for if the base is to be (ñ)we. In VT49:55, Carl F. Hosttetter suggests that ngwen rather than ngwin may actually be the correct reading of Tolkiens manuscript.
tier
path
tier is, besides the pl. form of tië "path" above, an ephemeral word for "so", abandoned by Tolkien in favour of tambë (VT43:17)
yunquë
cardinal. twelve
yunquë ("q") cardinal "twelve" (VT47:41, VT48:4, 6, 9; VT49:57; also compare the stem yunuk(w)-_ cited in VT42:24, 31). This word appears already in an early source (PE14:82)_. Some sources point to #rasta, q.v., as another word for "twelve". However, available post-LotR sources indicate that Tolkien intended yunquë as the regular Quenya word for "twelve".
atar
preposition. *for
ñúr
noun. wolf
A neologism for “wolf” coined by Elaran posted on 2025-03-07 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), derived from primitive ✶ñgūr in notes from the early 1950s (PE21/82). This derivation is perfectly viable, but I personally think we already have enough “wolf” words from Tolkien, and would stick with existing words like [ᴹQ.] nauro.
linta
adjective. swift
-lwë
we
-lwë, later -lvë, pronominal ending "we" (VT49:51), 1st person pl. inclusive ending, occurring in the verbs carilwë "we do" (VT49:16) and navilwë (see #nav-). The ending became -lvë in later, Exilic Quenya (VT49:51). See -lv-.
arya-
verb. to excel
cauca
crooked
cauca _("k")_adj. "crooked" (LT1:257; cf. #caw-)
hwarin
crooked
hwarin adj. "crooked" (SKWAR)
laustanë
roaring
laustanë adj.? participle? "roaring" (MC:213; this is "Qenya")
lenta
adjective. free
lerina
free
lerina adj. "free" of things: not guarded, reserved, made fast, or "owned" (VT41:5)
linta
swift
linta adj. "swift"; pl. lintë attested (PE17:63. Nam, RGEO:66) Cf. lintië.
londa
path
[londa noun "path"], changed by Tolkien to londë noun "road (in sea)" (VT45:28)
merca
wild, untamed
[merca ("k")adj. "wild, untamed" (MERÉK, VT45:34)] Compare verca.
nauro
noun. wolf
wolf, werewolf of Morgoth
rempa
crooked, hooked
rempa adj. "crooked, hooked" (REP)
rindë
adjective. swift
rusta
broken
rusta adj.? "broken" (MC:214; this is "Qenya")
rëa-
verb. to make network or lace
tië
path, course, line, direction, way
tië noun "path, course, line, direction, way" (TE3, VT47:11); pl. tier in Namárië(Nam, RGEO:67); tielyanna "upon your path" (UT:22 cf. 51; tie-lya-nna "path-your-upon")
tyelca
swift, agile
tyelca ("k")adj. "swift, agile" (KYELEK), "hasty" (PM:353)
ve
we
ve (2) pron. "we", 1st person pl. inclusive (corresponding to exclusive me), derived from an original stem-form we (VT49:50, PE17:130). Variant vi, q.v. Stressed wé, later vé (VT49:51). Dative (*wéna >) véna, VT49:14. Dual wet*, later vet "the two of us" (inclusive; cf. exclusive met) (VT49:51). Also compare the dative form ngwin or ngwen (q.v.), but this would apparently be wen > ven** according to Tolkiens later ideas.
verca
wild
verca ("k")adj. "wild" (BERÉK)
vi
we
vi pron. "we", 1st person inclusive (PE17:130), variant of ve #2.
véna
for us
véna pron. "for us", (long) dative form of ve # 2, q.v.
we
we
we, wé, see ve #2
yuncë
cardinal. twelve
yuncë ("k") cardinal "twelve", before it was altered to yunquë under the influence of minquë "eleven" (according to VT48:7, 8). The form yuncë is asterisked by Tolkien. Compare encë under enquë.
yunquë
cardinal. twelve
ó
the sea
†Ó noun "the sea" (poetic word, hardly valid in Tolkien's later Quenya) (LT1:263, there spelt Ô)
An archaic word for “lion” mentioned in the Outline of Phonology (OP2) from the 1950s, versus more common Q. rauro (PE19/99, 104).
Conceptual Development: This word has a lengthy history in Tolkien’s conception of Elvish, dating all the way back to ᴱQ. rau “lion” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, a derivative of the early root ᴱ√RAVA (QL/79). In the Declension of Nouns from the early 1930s, Tolkien had rú “lion” (PE21/40). It appeared in The Etymologies from later in the 1930s as ᴹQ. rá “lion” derived from primitive ᴹ✶rāu [rāw] under the root ᴹ√RAW, with plural form rávi (Ety/RAW).
In the Outline of Phonetic Development (OP1) from the 1940s Tolkien had (unglossed) rāva < rāwa (PE19/62), but in Notes for Qenya Declensions from this same period Tolkien had (unglossed) rāu < rắwă (PE21/69). The last clear mention in currently published materials is in the Outline of Phonology (OP2) from the 1950s, as discussed above.