Quenya 

ungwë

spider's web

ungwë noun "spider's web", also name of tengwa #8 (Appendix E), or, in the pre-classical Tengwar system presupposed in the Etymologies, tengwa #20 which letter Tolkien would later call nwalmë (VT46:20). The word as such was defined as "gloom" in the Etymologies(UÑG), while in early "Qenya" it meant "spider" ("especially Ungwë the Gloomweaver" = Ungoliant) (LT1:271)

ungwë

noun. spider’s web, spider’s web; [ᴱQ.] spider; [ᴹQ.] gloom

A word for “spider’s web” appearing in The Lord of the Rings Appendix E, the name of tengwa #8 [x] (LotR/1122).

Conceptual Development: In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, ᴱQ. ungwe was a word for “spider” under the early root ᴱ√GUŊU (QL/98). However, in The Etymologies of the 1930s, ᴹQ. ungwe was glossed “gloom” under the root ᴹ√UÑG (Ety/UÑG) in keeping with the 1930s translation of the name ᴹQ. Ungoliante = “Gloomweaver” (LR/230) where the second element ᴹQ. liante meant “spider” (Ety/SLIG). In notes on The Feanorian Alphabet from the 1940s ungwe was also glossed “(spider) gloom” (PE22/51). In Tolkien’s later writings he said √ungu- was again the basis for “spider words” (PE22/160), which explains the new translation in The Lord of the Rings appendices.

Derivations

  • UÑG “spider”

Variations

  • ungwe ✧ LotR/1122; PE17/104
Quenya [LotR/1122; PE17/104] Group: Eldamo. Published by

unqualë

agony, death

unqualë ("q")noun "agony, death" (KWAL, VT45:36). See anqualë. In the pre-classical Tengwar system presupposed in the Etymologies, unqualë was the name of letter #8 (VT45:18), which tengwa Tolkien would later call ungwë instead changing its Quenya value from nqu to ngw.

lumbë

gloom, shadow

lumbë noun "gloom, shadow" (LUM)

liantë

spider

liantë (1) noun "spider" (SLIG), in earlier sources ascribed other meanings:(2)liantë "tendril" (LT1:271) and (3) "vine" (PE14:55, cf. liantassë elsewhere)

qualmë

agony, death

qualmë ("q")noun "agony, death" (KWAL, LT1:264)

anqualë

agony, death

anqualë noun "agony, death" (form Tolkien seems to have intended as a replacement for unqualë of similar meaning, VT45:24, 36)

umaqualë

agony, death

[?umaqualë] ("q"), possibly a synonym of anqualë/unqualë, hence noun "agony, death" (VT45:24)

yaru

gloom, blight

yaru noun "gloom, blight" (GL:37)