azra

noun. sea

The Adûnaic word for “sea” (SD/429), appearing as azar in some early texts (SD/305). It is fully declined on SD/431.

pharaz

noun. sea

A draft word for “sea”, deleted and replaced with azar (SD/305), which later become azra. This word reappeared later with a different meaning: pharaz “gold”.

azrubêl

masculine name. Sea-lover, Friend of the Sea

The Adûnaic name of Q. Eärendil, having a similar meaning “Friend of the Sea” (SD/359). The first element is the objective form of azra “sea” and the second is an agental-formation for the verb stem bêl- (PM/373). An earlier version of this name, Azrabêl, predates Tolkien’s invention the objective case for Adûnaic (SD/359).

Conceptual Development: The first Adûnaic name given to this character was Pharazîr (SD/305).

azra-zâin

noun. sea-lands, maritime regions

A noun given as an example of a genitive compound (SD/429), translated “sea-lands, maritime regions” (SD/435) but literally meaning “✱lands of the sea”.

pharazîr

masculine name. *Sea-lover

The first version of the Adûnaic name of Q. Eärendil (SD/305), quickly rejected and replaced by Azrabêl, later Azrubêl. Its rejected elements have the same meaning as Azrubêl. Interestingly, the suffix -zîr “-lover” reappeared in the later names Aphanuzîr and Nimruzîr, though as derivations of zîr- instead of iri-. The word pharaz also reappeared later with the meaning “gold”.

azrē nai {phurusam >>} phurrusim akhās-ada

seas might-flow Chasm-into

The first draft of the 5th phrase of the Lament of Akallabêth (SD/311). Its has the same vocabulary as the final version except that it has nai “might” (an adverb?) instead of the prefix du. This nai is almost certainly a variant of Q. nai “maybe, be it that”.

The draft version has several other grammatical differences from later versions. The subject azrē “seas” seems to be a simple rather than subjective plural. Tolkien initially wrote phurusam for the verb and then changed to phurrusim “flow”, perhaps aorist and past tenses of the verb phurus-, respectively. Both conjugations have the plural verb suffix -m. The last phrase akhās-ada “into Chasm” is essentially identical to the final version, however.

sakal Reconstructed

noun. shore

This word is attested only in Sakalthôr, whose Quenya name is Falassion (UT/223). The first element of the Quenya name seems to be falassë “shore”, so the first element of his Adûnaic name probably has the same meaning, as suggested by several authors (AAD/22, AL/Adûnaic, EotAL/SAK’L).

gaear

noun. sea

A word for “sea” variously attested as gaear (PE17/027; PM/363; WJ/400), gaer (PE17/27; PE17/149), and aear (Let/386; RGEO/65) in later writings. Of these, I prefer gaear for purposes of Neo-Sindarin, reduced to gaer in compounds.

Possible Etymology: The presence or absence of the initial g- depends on whether the word’s root is √AY(AR) (as it appears in The Etymologies and some later writings) or √GAY(AR) (as it appears in other later writings). See the entry of the root √GAY(AR) for a discussion of this vacillation. Similarly, the form gaer appears primarily as an element in compounds, and can be explained as a reduced form of gaear in that context. For these reasons, this entry uses gaear as the ordinary Sindarin word for “sea”. This has the additional advantage of disambiguating it from the adjective gaer “dreadful”.

Conceptual Development: This word appeared as N. oer or oear “sea” in The Etymologies of the 1930s, reflecting the Noldorin sound change of ai to oe (Ety/AY). However name for the “Great Sea” was N. {Belegar >>} Belegaer in the narratives of this period (LR/19), and the name N. Rhûnaer “Eastern Sea” appeared in draft Lord of the Rings maps from 1943 (TI/307). The element N. oer did appear in the day-of-the-week name N. Aroeren “✱Sea-day” in drafts of The Lord of the Rings appendices, but this was revised to S. Oraeron (PM/130, 138).

aear

Sea

_n. _Sea, especially the Great (Western) Sea. Q. ear. nef aear, sí nef aearon lit. 'beyond the Sea, here beyond the Great Sea'. >> gaear, gaer

gaear

Sea

_n. _Sea, especially the Great (Western) Sea. Shorter form gaer. Q. ear. >> aear, gaer

gaer

Sea

_n._Sea, especially the Great (Western) Sea. Shorter form of gaear.Q. aire (obsolete). >> aear, gaear

aear

noun. sea

Tolkien changed this word several times, see gaear

aear

noun. sea

aer

noun. sea

Tolkien changed this word several times, see aear , gaear

gaear

noun. sea

gaer

noun. sea

gaer

noun. sea

Sea of Núrnen

Sea of Núrnen

Núrnen is glossed as "sad-water". Tolkien also suggested the form Nûrnen ("death, dead water"), and noted the related Sindarin word guru ("death"). The name is commonly understood to be Sindarin, consisting of the elements Nurn + nen ("water").

aerandir

masculine name. Sea-wanderer

A companion of Eärendil (S/248).

Conceptual Development: In Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, his name was given as N. Airandir (LR/324), changed to Aerandir in revisions from the 1950s-60s (WJ/246).

Possible Etymology: The second element of this name is very likely S. randir “wanderer” (SA/ran), but the meaning of the initial element is unclear. Christopher Tolkien translated this name as “Sea-wanderer” in The Silmarillion index (SI/Aerandir). If correct, the initial element is probably some form of S. gaear “sea”. This is problematic, since in J.R.R. Tolkien’s late writings this word usually (but not always) began with a g, which would have no reason to vanish in the initial position.

The Noldorin form of this name was Airandir. In The Etymologies, the Noldorin word for “sea” was N. oer (Ety/AY). Noldorin [oe] sometimes appeared as [ai] in names from earlier narratives. For example, compare (ᴱN.) Aiglir Angrin “Iron Mountains” from the 1920s and early 1930s (SM/220) to [N.] oeglir “range of mountain peaks” in The Etymologies (Ety/AYAK), and later still (S.) aeglir “line of peaks” (RC/11). Perhaps Tolkien originally intended this element to mean “sea”, updating it phonetically ([[n|[ai] revised to [ae]]]) in later Silmarillion revisions without considering a change in meaning.

Absent any further evidence, “Sea-wanderer” remains the best available translation.

gaerdil

masculine name. *Sea-lover

Sindarin equivalent of Eärendil, also appearing as Gaerdil(i)on and Gaerennil (PE17/19, 27), and with an apparent feminine variant Gaerdilnir (PE17/19). This name contains gaer “sea” and the suffix -dil “friend, lover”.

tirith aear

place name. Sea-ward Tower

A tower in Dol Amroth mentioned in the preface to the Adventures of Tom Bombadil (TR/192), glossed “Sea-ward Tower”. It is a combination of tirith “watch” and the (lenited) form of gaear “sea”, so perhaps a more literal translation would be “Sea Watch”.

Aerandir

noun. sea-wanderer

aer, aear (“sea”) + randír (“wanderer, pilgrim”)

oraeron

noun. Sea-day, *Thursday

aearon

noun. great sea, ocean

Tolkien changed this word several times, see gaearon

gaearon

noun. great sea, ocean

gaeron

noun. great sea, ocean

seron aearon

Sea-lover

hadhu

noun. seat, seat, *chair

A word appearing as haðw “seat” in Late Notes on Verb Structure from 1969 derived from primitive ✶khadmā (PE22/148). In more typical Sindarin orthography it would be hadhu. Based on earlier versions of this word, it may mean “✱chair” as well (see below).

Conceptual Development: The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had G. dorn “seat” (GL/19), clearly based on the early root ᴱ√ÐORO “sit” (QL/85). In Early Noldorin Word-lists this became ᴱN. {hód >>} haud “seat” (PE13/147).

A draft entry to The Etymologies of the 1930s had N. hand “seat” and N. hanw “chair” derived from the root ᴹ√KHAD (EtyAC/KHAM). Tolkien updated this root form to ᴹ√KHAM “sit” with a noun form N. ham or hanw, with a hard-to-read gloss that was probably “?chair” (Ety/KHAM; EtyAC/KHAM). Tolkien then created yet another root ᴹ√KHAM “call to, summon”, saying that “KHAM sit (replacing KHAD, cancelled)”, so apparently the root for “sit” reverted back to KHAD. This is supported by the 1969 “seat” word haðw seen above.

ethuil

noun. season of spring

firith

noun. season of fading

gaeruil

noun. seaweed

iavas

noun. season of autumn

laer

noun. season of summer

lasbelin

noun. season of autumn

hadhwa-

verb. to seat

echuir

noun. a season, the beginning of spring

hadhma-

verb. to seat

hadhwa

verb. to seat

rhîw

noun. winter season

aear

sea

aear (ocean); pl. aeair. The shorter form aer (for N oer) is maybe best avoided since it can be confused with aer "holy", unless the latter is actually a lenited form of gaer. Forms with g-, representing an alternative concept of the word for ”sea”: gaear (i **aear) (ocean), pl. gaeair (i ngaeair = i ñaeair) (PM:363), also gaer (i **aer, no distinct pl. form except with article: i ngaer = i ñaer), but homophones of the latter mean "reddish, copper-coloured, ruddy" and also "dreadful, awful, fearful; holy".

aear

sea

(ocean); pl. aeair. The shorter form aer (for N oer) is maybe best avoided since it can be confused with aer "holy", unless the latter is actually a lenited form of gaer. Forms with g-, representing an alternative concept of the word for ”sea”: gaear (i ’aear) (ocean), pl. gaeair (i ngaeair = i ñaeair) (PM:363), also gaer (i ’aer, no distinct pl. form except with article: i ngaer = i ñaer), but homophones of the latter mean "reddish, copper-coloured, ruddy" and also "dreadful, awful, fearful; holy".

limlug

noun. fish-dragon, sea-serpent

limlug

sea serpent

limlug (”fish-dragon”), pl. limlyg

limlug

sea serpent

limlug (”fish-dragon”), pl. limlyg

limlug

sea serpent

(”fish-dragon”), pl. limlyg

falas

noun. beach, shore, strand, surf(line)

A well-established word for “beach” or “shore”, derived from the root √PHAL “foam, splash” (PE17/62, 73).

Conceptual Development: In the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s this word appeared as G. falos “sea-marge, surf, coast, line; margin, fringe, edge” (GL/33), but it was G. falas “beach” in the contemporaneous Name-list to The Fall of Gondolin (PE15/24) as well as in names from this period such as G. Falas-a-’Wilb “Beach of Peace” and G. Falathron = “Ossë”. It appeared as N. falas “beach, shore” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from the extended form ᴹ√PHÁLAS of the root ᴹ√PHAL “foam” (Ety/PHAL). Similar derivations appeared in Tolkien’s later writings well (PE17/62, 73).

aearon

ocean

_n. _ocean. Augmentative form of _aear _Sea. Q. earon, airon. nef aear, sí nef aearon lit. 'beyond the Sea, here beyond the Great Sea'. >> aear

gaeruil

noun. seaweed

lóran

noun. seasonal year, (lit.) growth-cycle

echuir

stirring, season of

. No distinct pl. form.

echuir

season of stirring

echuir. No distinct pl. form.

echuir

season of stirring

. No distinct pl. form.

firith

season of fading

(no distinct pl. form).

firith

season of fading

firith (no distinct pl. form).

firith

season of fading

firith (no distinct pl. form)

half

seashell

half (i chalf, o chalf), pl. helf (i chelf), coll. pl. halvath

half

seashell

(i chalf, o chalf), pl. helf (i chelf), coll. pl. halvath

hannen

adjective. seated

iavas

season of autumn

iavas, pl. iavais, coll. pl. iavassath, also lasbelin (”leaf-withering”), no distinct pl. form. Coll. pl. lasbeliniath.

iavas

season of autumn

pl. iavais, coll. pl. iavassath, also lasbelin (”leaf-withering”), no distinct pl. form. Coll. pl. lasbeliniath.

laer

season of summer

laer (no distinct pl. form). Note: a homophone means ”song”.

laer

season of summer

(no distinct pl. form). Note:  a homophone means ”song”.**

uil

seaweed

uil (no distinct pl. form). Also aeruil. No distinct pl. form. (In ”Noldorin” oeruil.)

uil

seaweed

(no distinct pl. form). Also aeruil. No distinct pl. form. (In ”Noldorin” oeruil.)

cesta-

verb. to seek, search for, look for

ceth-

verb. to examine, search, interrogate

cesta-

ziF1`C= verb. to seek, search for

Sindarin cognate of the Quenya word cesta-.

Phonetic Developments:
ketʰta- > kesta-, cesta-

gaearon

ocean

_n. _ocean. Augmentative form of _gaear _Sea. Q. earon, airon. >> gaear

Aerandir

Aerandir

Aerandir is Sindarin, meaning "Sea-wanderer" (aer + randir). The name for the character appearing in an early manuscript was Airandir, a form later rejected by Tolkien.

aear

ocean

aear (sea), pl. aeair.

aear

ocean

(sea), pl. aeair.

gaear

ocean

gaear (i **aear) (sea), pl. gaeair (i ngaeair** = i ñaeair).

gaear

ocean

(i ’aear) (sea), pl. gaeair (i ngaeair = i ñaeair).

limlug

fish-dragon

limlug (sea serpent), pl. limlyg

limlug

fish-dragon

limlug (sea serpent), pl. limlyg. FISH-WATCHER, see KINGFISHER

falas

shore, foaming shore

(pl. felais) (beach, coast, strand, line of surf; the word was especially used of the western seaboard of Beleriand) (VT42:15). Adj.

falas

surf, line of

(pl. felais) (beach, shore, coast, strand, foaming shore; the word was especially used of the western seaboard of Beleriand). (VT42:15)

aew

noun. (small) bird

aewen

adjective. of birds

anwar

noun. awe

anwar

noun. awe

belegaer

noun. ocean

_ n. _ocean.

falathren

noun/adjective. of the shore

falathren

noun/adjective. Shore-language (one of the names for Common Speech)

gaer

ocean

_ n. _ocean.

gaeron

noun. ocean

_ n. _ocean.

gwael

noun. gull

gwen

noun. maiden

_n. _maiden. Q. wendē. >> gwend, gweneth

gwend

noun. maiden

_n. _maiden. Q. wendē. >> gwen, gweneth

gwend

noun. maiden, maiden, *young woman

A word for “maiden” or “✱young woman”, frequently appearing as suffixal -wen as an element in female names, derived from the root √WEN(ED) (PE17/191; Ety/WEN).

Conceptual Development: In the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, the word G. gwin meant “woman, female” and G. {gwen >>} gwennin was “girl” (GL/45). The former was derived from the root ᴱ√giu̯i which had to do with pregnancy, but the latter was derived from {ᴱ√gw̯ene >>} ᴱ√gu̯eđe. In the contemporaneous Qenya Lexicon {ᴱ√WENE >>} ᴱ√GWENE was the basis of words like ᴱQ. ’wen(di) “maiden” (QL/103). In the Gnomish Lexicon Slips it seems G. gwin was also reassigned to the root ᴱ√(G)WENE [ᴱ√u̯enĭ-], derived from ᴱ✶u̯einā́, though possibly shifted or blended in meaning with an adjectival sense “womanly” (PE13/113).

In the Early Noldorin Grammar of the 1920s, Tolkien had ᴱN. uin “woman” (PE13/123), a form that also appeared with this gloss in contemporaneous Early Noldorin Word-lists as a replacement for deleted {gwind, gwinn} (PE13/146, 155). In The Etymologies of the 1930s, Tolkien had N. gwend, gwenn “maiden” under the root ᴹ√WEN(ED) which he said was “often found in feminine names” (Ety/WEN). He noted that “since the [suffixed names] show no -d even in archaic spelling, they probably contain a form wen-”. Tolkien seems to have stuck with these forms thereafter.

Neo-Sindarin: For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I would use this word for a young woman or adolescent girl, especially prior to marriage, but for female children I would use neth.

maew

noun. gull

A noun for “gull” first appearing as N. maew in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from the root ᴹ√MIW “whine” (Ety/MIW). It appeared in later notes as an archaic genitive plural maewion in the phrase S. †glim maewion “(the) voices of gulls” (PE17/97). Its class plural mewrim seems to have appeared in S. Ras Mewrim “✱Cape of the Gulls”, an alternate name for S. Bar-in-Mŷl “Home of the Gulls” (WJ/190). If so, the vowel e would be the result of the sound change whereby ae sometimes became e in polysyllables.

mŷl

noun. gull

mŷl

noun. gull

A word for “gull” in the name S. Bar-in-Mŷl “Home of the Gulls” (WJ/379); its singular and plural forms would be the same. It might be derived from ✱miulē < ᴹ√MIW “whine”, the basis for other “gull” words, since iu became ȳ in Sindarin. I’d recommend using the better attested S. maew “gull” for purposes of Neo-Sindarin.

peleth

noun. fading, withering

rhîw

noun. winter

Teler

teler

(member of the Third Clan of the Elves) 1) Teler (i Deler), pl. Telir (i Thelir) or coll. pl. Tellerrim (PM:385). See REAR. 2) glinnel (i **linnel), pl. glinnil** (in glinnil), coll. pl. glinnellath.

aew

bird

(small bird) 1) aew. No distinct pl. form. 2) fileg, pl. filig; the form filigod appears as an alternative singular. or

aew

bird

. No distinct pl. form.

aewen

of birds

pl. aewin.

anwar

awe

anwar (pl. enwair if there is a pl.)

anwar

awe

(pl. enwair if there is a pl.)

cuen

small gull

(i guen, o chuen) (petrel), pl. ?cuin (?i chuin) (VT45:24)

cuen

small gull

cuen (i guen, o chuen) (petrel), pl. ?cuin (?i chuin) (VT45:24).

emlinn

yellowhammer

(= "yellow singer"); no distinct pl. form. Also emelin, no distinct pl. form; coll. pl. emelinnath. Adj.

falathren

of the shore

(pl. felethrin)

falf

foam

(breaker), pl. felf, coll. pl. falvath

faltha

foam

(i faltha, i falthar)

faur

shore

(beach), pl. foer, coll. pl. forath (VT46:15)

fileg

bird

pl. filig; the form filigod appears as an alternative singular.

gaearon

great ocean

(i ‘Aearon), pl. Gaearyn (i Ngaearyn = i Ñaearyn) if there is a pl.

gwael

gull

(i ’wael), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwael)

gwend

maiden

gwend (i **wend, construct gwen) (friendship), pl. gwind (in gwind), coll. pl. gwennath**. Note: a homophone means ”bond, friendship”.

gwend

maiden

(i ’wend, construct gwen) (friendship), pl. gwind (in gwind), coll. pl. gwennath. Note: a homophone means ”bond, friendship”.

gwing

foam

(i ’wing) (spindrift, spume, spray blown off wave-tops), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwing)

habad

shore

(i chabad, o chabad), pl. hebaid (i chebaid). Archaic pl. hebeid (LR:386).

m

gull

ŷl (i vŷl, construct myl), no distinct pl. form except with article (i mŷl).

maew

gull

1) maew (i vaew), no distinct pl. except with article (i maew), coll. pl. maewrim; 2) gwael (i **wael), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwael), 3) mŷl (i vŷl, construct myl), no distinct pl. form except with article (i mŷl**).

maew

gull

(i vaew), no distinct pl. except with article (i maew), coll. pl. maewrim

paen

small gull

(i baen, o phaen) (petrel), no distinct pl. form except with article (i phaen). Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” poen, VT45:24.

paen

small gull

1) *paen (i baen, o phaen) (petrel), no distinct pl. form except with article (i phaen). Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” poen, VT45:24. 2) cuen (i guen, o chuen) (petrel), pl. ?cuin (?i chuin) (VT45:24)

pelin

fading

(noun) 3) *pelin (i belin) (withering), no distinct pl. form except with article (i phelin), 2) #peleth (i beleth, o pheleth) (withering), pl. pelith (i phelith). Isolated from the name of the month Narbeleth.

pelin

fading

(i belin) (withering), no distinct pl. form except with article (i phelin), 2) #peleth (i beleth, o pheleth) (withering), pl. pelith (i phelith). Isolated from the name of the month Narbeleth.

rhast

shore

(?i thrast or ?i rast – the lenition product of rh is uncertain), pl. rhaist (?idh raist).

rhîw

winter

rhîw (?i thrîw or ?i rîw the lenition product of rh- is uncertain); no distinct pl. form except with article (?idh rîw)

rhîw

winter

(?i thrîw or ?i rîw – *the lenition product of rh- is uncertain*); no distinct pl. form except with article (?idh rîw)

ross

foam

(construct ros) (rain, dew, spray [of fall or fountain]), pl. ryss (idh ryss) (Letters:282). Note: homophones mean ”reddish, russet, copper-coloured, red-haired” and also ”polished metal, glitter”

talaf

ground

talaf (i dalaf, o thalaf) (floor), pl. telaif (i thelaif); coll. pl. talavath. The ”Noldorin” plural form listed in LR:390 s.v.

talaf

ground

(i dalaf, o thalaf) (floor), pl. telaif (i thelaif); coll. pl. talavath. The ”Noldorin” plural form listed in LR:390 s.v.

wen

maiden

, see MAIDEN. The final element -wen in names means ”girl, maiden, virgin”.

airë

noun. sea

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

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

airë

sea

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

váya

sea

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

vëa

sea

vëa (3) noun "sea" (MC:213, 214, 216; possibly obsoleted by #1 and #2 above, though some argue that the initial element of the late names Vëantur and Vëandur [q.v.] could be vëa #3 rather than #2 (it can hardly be #1) . In any case, the normal word for "sea" in LotR-style Quenya seems to be ëar.) Inflected vëan "sea" (MC:220), vëar "in sea" (a "Qenya" locative in -r, MC:213), vëassë "on sea" (MC:220). Cf. also vëaciryo.

ëar

sea

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

airen

noun. sea

eälótë

proper name. *Sea Flower

A variant Quenya name of Eäredil’s ship appearing in only place (PM/143); the ship was usually called Vingilótë. This name is probably a compound of ëar “sea” and lótë “flower”.

eämbar

proper name. Sea-dwelling

The ship that the sea-loving Tar-Aldarion built to be his home (UT/176). This name may be a compound of ëar “sea” and -m(b)ár “home”.

eärendil

masculine name. Lover of the Sea

The great mariner who took the Silmaril of Beren to Valinórë, thereby instigating the Valar’s liberation of Beleriand and the final defeat of Morgoth (S/246). His name was a compound of ëar “sea” and the suffix -(n)dil “-friend, -lover” (SA/ëar, (n)dil).

Conceptual Development: This was one of the oldest and most important names in Tolkien’s legendarium. Tolkien admitted that the name was inspired by the Anglo-Saxon word éarendel “ray of light” (Let/150, 385). In fact, the first form of this name in the Lost Tales was ᴱQ. Earendel (LT1/13), often spelt Earendl in Tolkien’s early linguistic notes (QL/34, PE13/99). At this stage the name seems to derive from ᴱQ. earen (earend-) “eagle, eyrie” (QL/34), though the “dialectical form” Yarendl was archaically used for “mariner” (QL/105).

The name remained ᴹQ. Earendel in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (LR/326) and up through Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s (RS/215, TI/99, WR/223 note #29). The name’s association with the Sea did not emerge until Tolkien wrote the (unfinished) “Notion Club Papers” story in the mid-1940s, at which point its form changed to ᴹQ. Earendil (SM/237, 241) and so remained thereafter.

eärrámë

proper name. Sea-wing

The ship of Tuor and Idril on which they sailed West to Valinor (S/245). Its name is a compound of ëar “sea” and ráma “wing”.

Conceptual Development: This name dates back to the earliest Lost Tales, where it first appeared as ᴱQ. Alqaráme “Swanwing”, revised to ᴱQ. Earáme with one “r”, translated “Eaglepinion” (LT2/254). The latter name was derived from ᴱQ. ea(r) “eagle” (GL/51), much like the contemporaneous name ᴱQ. Earendel.

The name remained Earáme “Eagle’s Pinion” or “Eagle’s Wing” through Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (SM/149, 308; LR/143), but was sometimes changed to ᴹQ. Earráme “Sea-wing” (SM/155). It also appeared as Earrámë “Sea-wing” in The Etymologies (Ety/AY, RAM), as well as in the versions of The Silmarillion after that point.

eärwen

feminine name. *Sea-maiden

The daughter of Olwë and wife of Finarfin (S/60). Her name is a probably compound of ëar “sea” and the suffixal form -wen of vendë “maiden”.

ëar

noun. sea, great sea, sea, great sea, [ᴹQ.] open sea; water

The most common Quenya word for “sea”, derived from the root √GAYAR (or sometimes √AYAR), where the vowel combination was the result of the frequent Quenya sound change whereby aya &gt; ëa.

Conceptual Development: As an element in the name ᴱQ. Earendel, this word first appeared as ᴱQ. ea or ᴱQ. earen “eagle” (QL/34). But by the 1940s Tolkien changed the form and meaning of this name to ᴹQ. Earendil “Friend of the Sea” (SD/237), and the word ᴹQ. ear “sea” appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a derivative of ᴹ√AYAR (Ety/AY). In The Notion Club Papers of the 1940s it had the form eare and the gloss “open sea” (SD/241, 305). The first appearance of the “sea” meaning of this word seems to be in a word-list associated with the Ambarkanta “Shape of the World” from the early 1930s, where ear had the glosses “water, sea” (SM/241), though in later writings only “sea” remained.

Teler

sea-elf

Teler noun "sea-elf", pl. Teleri, general (partitive) pl. Telelli, the third tribe of the Eldar (TELES (MIS) ), also called Lindar.Teleri means "those at the end of the line, the hindmost", (WJ:382 cf. 371), derived from the stem tel- "finish, end, be last" (SA:tel-). The Lindar were so called because they lagged behind on the march from Cuiviénen. In early "Qenya", Teler, also Telellë, was defined "little elf" (LT1:267), but this is hardly a valid gloss in Tolkien's later Quenya.

falmar

sea-spirit, nymph

falmar, falmarin (falmarind- or simply falmarin- as in pl. falmarindi [or falmarini]) noun "sea-spirit, nymph" (PHAL/PHÁLAS)

falmari

collective name. Sea-elves, (lit.) Wave-folk

A name for the Teleri as Elves of the sea (S/53). It is an elaboration on falma “wave” (SA/falas) and its literal meaning is “Wave-folk” (PM/386).

Conceptual Development: Earlier Quenya words connecting the third tribe of Elves to the sea include ᴱQ. Solosimpe “Shore Piper” (LT1/50; QL/35, 85), ᴹQ. Solonyeldi “✱Surf Singers” (Ety/NYEL, SOL) and ᴹQ. Falanyel “✱Beach Singer” (Ety/PHAL).

haloisi

the sea (in storm)

haloisi noun "the sea (in storm)", cf. haloitë (LT1:254)

lingwilócë

fish-dragon, sea-serpent

lingwilócë ("k")noun "fish-dragon, sea-serpent" (LOK)

váya

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

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

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

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

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

eärenya

noun. Sea-day, *Thursday

hanwa

noun. seat, seat, *chair

A noun in Late Notes on Verb Structure (LVS) written in 1969, given as hanw̃a “seat” and derived from primitive ✶khadmā where dm became nm [χanmā] and then nw (PE22/148). Early iterations of this word also meant “chair”, so this word may have that meaning as well.

Conceptual Development: The earliest “seat” words were ᴱQ. sōra {“seat, throne” >>} “seat” and ᴱQ. sonda “seat, chair” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√SOŘO [SOÐO] (QL/85-86). Tolkien revised the root to ᴱ√SORO (ÐORO) after which the form sonda was deleted. In the contemporaneous Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa Tolkien had only ᴱQ. sonda “seat” (PME/86).

In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien had ᴹQ. handa “chair” under the root ᴹ√KHAD, but Tolkien revised the root to ᴹ√KHAM “sit” and the Quenya form to ᴹQ. hamma “chair” (Ety/KHAM; EtyAC/KHAM). Tolkien then introduced a new root ᴹ√KHAM “call to, summon”, saying that “KHAM sit (replacing KHAD, cancelled)”, so apparently the root for “sit” reverted back to KHAD. This is supported by the 1969 “seat” word hanwa seen above.

sonda

seat

sonda noun "seat" (QL:85)

falassë

noun. (wave-beaten) shore, seashore, line of surf, (wave-beaten) shore, seashore, line of surf; [ᴹQ.] beach

A word for “(wave-beaten) shore” (VT42/15; PE17/135), or “seashore, surfline” (PE17/62), derived from the root √PHAL “foam” (PE17/62).

Conceptual Development: This word first appeared as ᴱQ. falas (falass-) “shore, beach” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s as a derivative of the root ᴱ√FALA (QL/37). It appeared with the gloss “beach” and variants falas and falasse in the contemporaneous Name-list to the Fall of Gondolin (PE15/24) and as falasse “beach” in Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s (PE16/138). ᴹQ. falasse “beach” reappeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived the root ᴹ√PHAL “foam” (Ety/PHAL) and similar derivatives appeared in Tolkien’s later writings as noted above.

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would reserve this word for its later meaning “(sea)shore” and “surfline”, and for the beach itself I would use the word Q. hresta.

ces-

to search (for something), to examine (something) in order to find (something)

ces- (Þ) ("k"), "to search (for something), to examine (something) in order to find (something)"; the root meaning is given as "enquire of, question, examine" (something). Cesë parma "to look in a book" (for a passage or information required); here the aorist stem cesë is used as infinitive. Notice that ces- here takes a simple direct object parma (not locative *parmassë, despite the translation). Past tense cense (Þ) given, replacing the phonologically expected form centë (also cited). (PE17:156)

cesta-

to seek, search for

cesta- ("k") vb. "to seek, search for" (PE17:156)

ollo

cliff, seaward precipice

ollo (1) noun "cliff, seaward precipice" (also oldō - is this to be understood as the older form?) (LT1:252)

saca-

pursue, look for, search

saca- ("k") (1) vb. "pursue, look for, search" (QL:81; pa.t. sácë.)

serindë

noun. broideress, needlewoman, *seamstress

A sobriquet of Míriel, mother of Fëanor, variously glossed “broideress” (MR/257) and “needlewoman” (PM/333). It seems likely this word could also be used of an ordinary seamstress, a feminine agental form of the otherwise unattested verb ser- [þ] “✱to sew”. The root √THER or √SER “sew” appeared in notes from 1957, with Tolkien’s preference being the first of these because of its similarity to √TER “pierce” (PE17/33).

ces-

verb. to search, examine (in order to find something)

cesta-

verb. to seek, search for

airon

noun. ocean

An (archaic) word for “ocean”, an augmentative form of airë mentioned in a couple of later notes (PE17/27, 149). A more modern form is ëaron.

Conceptual Development: The form ᴹQ. airen appeared in parenthesis beside ᴹQ. aire “sea” in The Etymologies of the 1930s (Ety/AY). Helge Fauskanger suggested that it might be a genitive form (QQ/airë), but in notes on The Feanorian Alphabet from the 1930s, aire “sea” >> airen (PE22/23 note #70), suggesting it is an alternate (augmentative?) form. If so, it is probably a precursor to airon.

ëarra

noun. seal, sea lion

@@@ Discord 2023-01-29

-wen

maiden

-wen "maiden" as suffix, a frequent ending in feminine names like Eärwen "Sea-maiden" (SA:wen). Early "Qenya" also has -wen, feminine patronymic "daughter of" (LT1:271, 273), but the patronymic ending seems to be -iel "-daughter" in Tolkien's later Quenya.

Vëandur

vigorous servant

Vëandur, masc. name (PM:191), either "Vigorous servant" or "Sea-servant" (= mariner; compare ëarendur, etymologically very similar if the Qenya form vëa "sea" was maintained in later Quenya). See vëa #1 and 2 and compare Vëantur.

Vëantur

vigorous lord

Vëantur, masc. name (UT:171), either "Vigorous lord" or "Sea-lord" (see vëa #1 and 2; those who prefer the translation *"Sea-lord" see this name as evidence that Tolkien maintained the Qenya noun vëa "sea" in later Quenya). Compare Vëandur.

lihtaina

adjective. sealed

A neologism for “sealed” coined by Helge Fauskanger for his NQNT (NQNT), the passive participle of ᴺQ. lihta- “to seal”.

lihta

noun. seal

A neologism for “seal” coined by Helge Fauskanger for his NQNT (NQNT), based on líco “wax”.

cesië

noun. search

löacasta

noun. season, (lit.) year-quarter

löasta

noun. season, (lit.) year-part

lihta-

verb. to seal

A neologism for “to seal” coined by Helge Fauskanger for his NQNT (NQNT), a verb form of the neologism ᴺQ. lihta “seal” which was based on líco “wax”.

maiwë

noun. gull

A noun for “gull” appearing in its plural form maiwi in the Q. Markirya poem of the 1960s (MC/222). In The Etymologies of the 1930s, ᴹQ. maiwe “gull” was derived from the root ᴹ√MIW “whine” (Ety/MIW).

Conceptual Development: In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s the word was ᴱQ. māwe (māwi-) “gull” under the early root ᴱ√MAWA “cry, bleat” (QL/60), also mentioned in the Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/60). In Early Qenya Word-lists from the 1920s Tolkien instead had vaiya or {maiwe >>} waiwe “seamew” (PE16/138), but in the version of the ᴱQ. Oilima Markirya poem from circa 1930, Tolkien used maiwe in its nominative plural form maiwin “gulls” (MC/213).

uilë

long trailing plant

uilë noun "long trailing plant", especially "seaweed" (UY)

Eämbar

Eämbar

"Sea Home" in Quenya (from eär = "sea" and bar = "home").

áya

noun. awe

Hesin

winter

Hesin noun "winter" (LT1:255; LotR-style Quenya has hrívë instead)

Serindë

broideress

Serindë (þ) fem. name; "Broideress" (Silm) or "Needlewoman" (PM:333). Original form Therindë, q.v.

Telellë

little elf

Telellë noun "little elf" (also Teler); the Telelli are said to be "young Elves of all clans who dwelt in Kôr to perfect their arts of singing and poetry" (LT1:267; see Teler)

Yelin

winter

Yelin noun "winter" (LT1:260; LotR-style Quenya has hrívë, and Yelin was probably obsoleted together with the adjective yelwa_ "cold", that appears with a different meaning in the Etymologies)._

ailinë

shore, beach

#ailinë (nominative uncertain) noun "shore, beach" (in Tolkien's later Quenya rather hresta). Only attested in inflected forms: sg. ablative ailinello "shore-from" (MC:213), sg. locative ailinisse "on shore" (MC:221), pl. locative ailissen "on beaches" (for *ailinissen?) (MC:221)

airon

ocean

airon noun "ocean" (PE17:27). Also ëaron, q.v.

coirë

stirring

coirë noun "stirring", in the calendar of Imladris a precisely defined period of 54 days (Appendix D), but translated "the first day of Spring" in the Silmarillion Appendix (SA:cuivië). Early "Qenya" has coirë ("k")"life" (LT1:257; in Tolkien's later Quenya, the word for "life" is cuilë or coivië; however, cf. the adj. coirëa from a late source).

falas

shore, beach

falas (falass-), falassë noun "shore, beach" (LT1:253, LT2:339); falassë "shore, line of surf" (SA:falas), "shore especially one exposed to great waves and breakers" (VT42:15), "beach" (PHAL/PHÁLAS); Falassë Númëa place-name "Western Surf" (LT1:253), Andafalassë "Langstrand" (PE17:135)

falasta-

to foam

falasta- vb. "to foam", participle falastala "foaming, surging" in Markirya

histanë

fading

histanë pre-classical participle? "fading" (MC:213; this is "Qenya")

hresta

shore, beach

hresta noun "shore, beach", ablative hrestallo *"from (the) shore" in Markirya

hríve

noun. winter

hrívë

winter

hrívë noun "winter", in the calendar of Imladris a precisely defined period of 72 days, but also used without any exact definition (Appendix D). Yá hrívë tenë, ringa ná "when winter comes (arrives, is with us), it is cold" (VT49:23; Tolkien changed tenë to menë, p. 24). The word Hrívion, heading a section of the poem The Trees of Kortirion that has to do with the "fading time", would seem to be related (LT1:42)

hrívë

noun. winter

maiwë

gull

maiwë noun "gull" (MIW), pl. maiwi in _Markirya. Cf. also the "Qenya" pl. maiwin "gulls" (MC:213)_

quellë

fading

quellë noun "fading", in the calendar of Imladris a precisely defined period of 54 days, but also used without any exact definition, for the latter part of autumn and the beginning of winter (Appendix D)

roita-

pursue

roita- vb. "pursue" (ROY1)

solor

surf

solor noun "surf" (SOL); solor, solossë noun "surf, surge" (LT1:266)

solossë

surf, surge

solossë noun "surf, surge" (LT1:266); also solor

vendë

maiden

vendë < wendë noun "maiden" (WEN/WENED, VT45:16), "virgin" (in Tolkien's translations of Catholic prayers where the reference is to Mary; see VT44:10, 18). The form Véndë in VT44:10 seems abnormal; normally Quenya does not have a long vowel in front of a consonant cluster.

waya

noun. ocean

wendë

noun. maiden

wilin

bird

wilin noun "bird" (LT1:273; if this "Qenya" word is to be used in LotR-style Quenya, it must not be confused with the 1st pers. aorist of the verb wil-.)

áya

awe

áya noun "awe" (PM:363)

ëaron

ocean

ëaron noun "ocean" (PE17:27), also airon. Cf. ëar.

aico

noun. cliff

taldëa

adjective. bottom

@@@ Discord 2022-05-23 < taldajā

varassë

noun. cliff

A neologism coined by Paul Strack in 2018 specifically for Eldamo, the Quenya equivalent of S. brass. You may use this form if you prefer words based only on roots from Tolkien’s later writing, but I think ᴱQ. aiko “cliff” remains viable for Neo-Quenya writing if modernized to the form ᴺQ. aico.

oer

noun. sea

aer

noun. sea

oear

noun. sea

oear

noun. sea

oer

noun. sea

cuen

noun. small gull, petrel, sea-bird

A noun appearing as cuen “small gull, petrel” in The Etymologies of the 1930s, a loan word from Ilk. cwên of the same meaning, derived from the primitive root ᴹ√KWǢ (EtyAC/KWǢ). Its Noldorin form N. poen had fallen out of use. It also appeared with the form cuén “a sea-bird” in notes on The Feanorian Alphabet from the 1930s, again as a loan word from Ilkorin (PE22/32).

Neo-Sindarin: Since Ilkorin was no longer a part of Tolkien’s system of Elvish languages in the 1950s and 60s, this word is somewhat questionable, but I think it is worth retaining, reimagined as a loan word from a different language (probably a dialect of Nandorin).

lhimlug

noun. fish-dragon, sea-serpent

A noun appearing as N. lhimlug “fish-dragon, sea-serpent” in The Etymologies of the 1930s, a combination of N. lhim “fish” and N. lhûg “dragon” (Ety/LOK).

Neo-Sindarin: Since the unvoicing of initial liquids did not occur in Sindarin, many people adapt this word as ᴺS. limlug for purposes of Neo-Sindarin, as suggested in HSD (HSD).

aroeren

noun. Sea-day

airandir

masculine name. Sea-wanderer

uil

noun. seaweed

The Etymologies of the 1930s had N. uil “seaweed” under the root ᴹ√UY, along with a longer form N. oeruil “seaweed” where the initial element was N. oer “sea” (Ety/UY).

oeruil

noun. seaweed

The Etymologies of the 1930s had N. uil “seaweed” under the root ᴹ√UY, along with a longer form N. oeruil “seaweed” where the initial element was N. oer “sea” (Ety/UY).

Neo-Sindarin: In Tolkien’s later writings, the word for “sea” was typically gaear (or gaer in compounds), so I would update the longer form to ᴺS. gaeruil for purposes of Neo-Sindarin, as suggested in HSD (HSD).

half

noun. seashell

A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “seashell” derived from primitive ᴹ✶syalmā under the root ᴹ√SYAL (Ety/SYAL).

half

noun. seashell

hand

noun. seat

lhasbelin

noun. season of autumn

oeruil

noun. seaweed

uil

noun. seaweed

poen

noun. small gull, petrel

A noun for “small gull, petrel” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from ᴹ✶kwǣnē under the root ᴹ√KWǢ, but it fell out of use and was replaced by N. cuen, a loan-word from Ilkorin (EtyAC/KWǢ).

aew

noun. (small) bird

emelin

noun. yellow bird, "yellow hammer"

emlin

noun. yellow bird, "yellow hammer"

emmelin

noun. yellow bird, "yellow hammer"

esgar

noun. shore

falathren

noun/adjective. of the shore

falathren

noun/adjective. Shore-language (one of the names for Common Speech)

fileg

noun. small bird

filigod

noun. small bird

gwend

noun. maiden

gwenn

noun. maiden

gwenn

noun. maiden

maew

noun. gull

maew

noun. gull

pelin

noun. fading, withering

rhíw

noun. winter

talaf

noun. ground, floor

ay(ar)

root. sea

gay(ar)

root. awe, dread; astound, make aghast; sea

In Tolkien’s later writings, the root for Elvish “sea” words seems to be √GAY(AR) or √AY(AR). The first hints of this root may be words from the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s: G. ail/ᴱQ. ailo “lake, pool” and G. ailion/ᴱQ. ailin “lake” (GL/17), perhaps indicating a (hypothetical) early root ✱ᴱ√AYA(LA) “lake”. The last of these Early Qenya words also appeared in the contemporaneous Qenya Lexicon, but Tolkien gave its root only as “?” (QL/29). This early root might also be the basis for 1920s ᴱQ. ailin “shore” which appeared in the Oilima Markirya poem (MC/213).

The word ᴹQ. ailin “pool, lake” reappeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from the root ᴹ√AY, with its Noldorin form N. oel reflecting Noldorin rather than Gnomish phonology (Ety/AY). This root had an extended form ᴹ√AYAR “sea” from which Tolkien derived ᴹQ. ear and N. oer of the same meaning; among other things this extended root was the basis for a new etymology for the name ᴹQ. Earendil as “Friend of the Sea” used from the 1940s and forward (SD/241, 305); in earlier writings ᴱQ. Earendel was connected to ᴱQ. earen “(young) eagle” (QL/34).

The root √AY(AR) “sea” continued to appear in Tolkien’s later writings, for example in the second version of Tengwesta Qenderinwa from around 1950 (TQ2: PE18/97). However, Tolkien also considered alternate derivations of “sea” words from a new root √GAY(AR), for example changing √AY(AR) >> √GAY(AR) in etymological notes written between the 1st and 2nd editions of The Lord of the Rings (PE17/27). As opposed to √AY(AR) which meant simply “sea”, Tolkien also glossed √GAY(AR) as “astound, make aghast” (WJ/400) or “awe, dread” (PM/363) and it was the basis for other words such as S. gaer “awful, fearful” (WJ/400) as well as S. goe “terror, great fear”, Q. aica “fell, terrible, dire” and Q. aira “holy, sanctified” (PM/363). In this sense √GAYA may have been a replacement or a variant of √AYA(N) “blessed”.

Tolkien seems to have been unable to make up his mind between these two derivations, as reflected in an ongoing vacillation between S. gaear (PE17/27; PM/363; WJ/400) and aear (Let/386; RGEO/65) as the Sindarin word for “sea”. This word appeared in The Lord of the Rings in the phrase nef aear, sí nef aearon “here beyond the Sea, beyond the wide and sundering Sea”, but that does not resolve the question as the word in this phrase seems to be lenited, and hence would lose its initial g (if any). This vacillation continued late into Tolkien’s life: in the published corpus Tolkien derived “sea” words from √AYAR “sea” in a letter from 1967 (Let/386) and √GAYA “awe, dread” in The Shibboleth of Fëanor written in 1968 (PE/363).

Neo-Eldarin: For purposes of Neo-Eldarin writing, I think it is best to use √GAY(AR) as the form for this root, though admittedly this does create problems for the etymologies of Q. ailin and S. ael “lake” (these would need to lean more heavily on their second ancient element: √LIN “pool”). It is not clear whether Tolkien always intended √GAY(AR) “awe, dread” and √AYA(N) “blessed” to coexist, though he did at least some of the time (for example on PE17/149). For purposes of Neo-Eldarin writing, I think it is best to assume they did coexist, with √AYA serving as the basis for “holy” words like Q. aira/S. aer “holy” and Q. Ainu, whereas √GAYA could serve as the basis for “awe, dread” words like Q. aica “fell, terrible, dire” and S. goe “terror, great fear”. Q. ëar/S. gaear “sea” would fall into the second group as a thing inspiring awe.

gayār

noun. sea, the terrifier

khadmā

noun. seat

airō

noun. ocean