walien

place name. land of the brown men, tropics

Name for the tropics appearing only in the Qenya Lexicon from the 1910s (QL/103), where it was derived from the root ᴱ√GWALA.

warda

adjective. dead

An adjective for “dead” from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√GWṚÐṚ “die” (QL/104), given as a cognate to G. gwarth “dead (only of persons)” in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon (GL/44).

wasta-

verb. to dwell

A verb in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s appearing as wastar “I dwell” under the early root ᴱ√ẆAÐA of the same meaning (QL/102).

wanwavoisi

collective name. Manwë and Varda

A collective name for Manwe and Varda in early Valar name lists (LT1A/Súlimo). As suggested by Christopher Tolkien, its first element is likely related to wanwa “great gale”, but the meaning of its second element is unclear.

wal(i)na

adjective. brown

waliemba

adjective. tropical

wanwa

noun. great gale

wanwavoite

adjective. windy

wara-

verb. to rub

warda-

verb. to rule

wasto

noun. village

wá

noun. wind

waiwe

noun. seamew

wassale

noun. rustling

wasse

noun. wing

laiwa

adjective. pale

yanwa

noun. goose

sovalwaris

noun. February

aksa

noun. waterfall

A word for “waterfall” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, derived from the root ᴱ√ASAKA (QL/29). It also appeared in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon as a cognate of G. acha of the same meaning (GL/17).

lusta

noun. warm water

A noun for “warm water” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√LUSU “warm, bathe” (QL/57).

nenuvar

collective name. Water [Fay]

Name for a type of Water Fay in Tolkien’s “Creatures of the Earth” from the 1910s (PE14/10). It might be related to nénuvar “pool of lilies”.

ninda

noun. water, river

A word in the Early Noldorin Dictionary from the 1920s given as a cognate of ᴱN. nenn “water, river” (PE13/164). The reason why the vowel was i rather than e isn’t clear; compare to earlier ᴱQ. nen(d-) “river, water” from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s (QL/65-66) and the root √NEN “water” from the 1930s and later.

ossa

noun. wall and moat

A word for “wall & moat” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√OSO (QL/71). In the contemporaneous Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa it was hosse “wall & moat” instead (PME/71).

palaswin

noun. wave-crest

A word for “wave-crest” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, derived from ᴱ√Palas (QL/72). It has a stem form palaswing-, so was perhaps ᴱ√Palas + ᴱQ. winge “foam”.

qára

noun. watch, ward

A noun in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s glossed “watch, ward” derived from the early root ᴱ√QARA “care for, guard, watch (over)” (QL/76).

uswevanda

place name. Way of Escape

Qenya cognate of G. Bad Uthwen in early name lists (PE13/102, 103, 105), first appearing as (rejected) Van Uswea. It is a combination of uswe “escape” and van “way”.

van

noun. way, path

A word in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s attested only in its stem form vand- “way, path” under the early root ᴱ√VAHA having to do with departure (QL/99). Its uninflected form was probably ✱van, as in ᴱQ. Vansamírin “Road of the Feast of Double Mirth” (LT1A/Qalvanda). It also had a longer form vanda seen in some names like ᴱQ. Qalvanda “Road of Death” (LT1/213) and ᴱQ. Uswevanda or Uswevandë “Way of Escape” (PE13/102; PE15/21).

ailinon

noun. water lily

A word for “water lily” in the Qenya Lexicon and Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa of the 1910s, an elaboration of ᴱQ. ailin “lake, pool” (QL/29; PME/29).

allume

noun. washing

A noun for “washing” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√ALU “cleanse, dress” (QL/30).

aïlior

collective name. Water [Fay]

Name for a type of Water Fay in Tolkien’s “Creatures of the Earth” from the 1910s (PE14/10). Its etymology is unclear.

capalini

collective name. Water [Fay]

Name for a type of Water Fay in Tolkien’s “Creatures of the Earth” from the 1910s (PE14/10). Its etymology is unclear.

ektelarni

collective name. Water [Fay]

Name for a type of Water Fay in Tolkien’s “Creatures of the Earth” from the 1910s (PE14/10). Its etymology is unclear, but its initial element might be related to ektele “fountain”.

linqea

adjective. watery

A word in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s glossed “watery”, an adjectival form of ᴱQ. linqe “water” (QL/54).

nendo

noun. water mead

A noun given as ᴱQ. nendo “water mead” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the root ᴱ√NEŘE [NEÐE] (QL/66). It was also mentioned in the Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa with the same form and gloss (PME/66). In the Qenya Lexicon, Tolkien indicated it might instead be derived from the root ᴱ√NESE, though how is not entirely clear.

Neo-Quenya: I think this word might be salvaged as ᴺQ. nendo “water mead, ✱watered plain” for purposes of Neo-Quenya but reimagined as a derivative of √NEN “water”. This can replace ᴹQ. nanda of the same meaning from The Etymologies (Ety/NAD), since in later writings the various Q. nand- forms were exclusively used with the sense “valley”.

paláva

adjective. wandering

An adjective appearing as ᴱQ. palāva “wandering” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s based on ᴱQ. palava- “to stray, wander” (QL/71).

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would update this to ᴺQ. ranyaila “wandering”, the active participle of the 1930s verb [ᴹQ.] ranya- “stray, ✱wander”.

solme

noun. wave

A noun for “wave” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, derived from the root ᴱ√SOLO (QL/85). It was also mentioned in the Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/85).

sovalle

noun. washing, bathing

A word appearing as ᴱQ. sovasta or sovalle “washing, bathing” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, a noun form of ᴱQ. sovo- “wash” (QL/86).

Neo-Quenya: I retain ᴺQ. sov- “wash” for purposes of Neo-Quenya, so I would retain ᴺQ. sovallë “washing, bathing” as well.

aurin

adjective. warm

cuiviénen

place name. Water of Awakening

falmar

noun. wave (as it breaks), foamcrest

koivie-néni

place name. Waters of Awakening

linqe

noun/adjective. water, stream; flowing, wet

minga

adjective. waning

mordo

noun. warrior, hero

neite

noun. wax

ohta

noun. war

qaina

adjective. wailing

tiris

noun. watch, vigil, ward

urdolwen

proper name. Wand of Death

Qenya cognate of G. Gurtholfin (S. Gurthang) in the Gnomish Lexicon from the 1910s (GL/43). It first appeared as (rejected) ordolwen. It is a combination of urdu “death” and olwe(n) “branch”.

hosse

noun. wall and moat

hosta

noun. walled tower

hostar

noun. walled tower

kondor

noun. warrior

kor

noun. war

kosomoko

masculine name. War-hate

Qenya cognate of G. Gothmog, a combination of the roots ᴱ√GOÞO “strive” and ᴱ√MOKO “hate” (QL/48, 62; PE13/105). It also appeared as Kosmoko, Kos(o)mot and Kormot, in the latter cases with the final k becoming t.

lúsina

adjective. warm, glowing (of things); affectionate, hearty (of people)

ohtar

noun. warrior

ohta·karo

noun. warlike deed, hostile unfriendly act(ion)

otoke

noun. wailing, beating of breasts

otokotta

noun. wailing, beating of breasts

qárele

noun. watchfulness, anxiety

sovasta

noun. washing, bathing

tirisse

noun. watch, vigil, ward

vat

noun. wares

alatya-

verb. to shield, ward off, protect

A verb appearing as ᴱQ. alatya- in the Early Noldorin Dictionary of the 1920s, derived from primitive ᴱ✶alakya- and cognate to ᴱN. elaig- “to shield, ward off, protect” (PE13/158). It is followed by two forms altíne and alantye which Tolkien seems to indicate are aor[ist], but actually appear to be weak and half-strong past forms respectively. It also had a past participle alantya, equivalent to G. alanc.

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would retain ᴺQ. alatya- in the limited sense “to ward off, shield [against]” (always an active defense). For “protect” (including passive defense) I would use the later verb [ᴹQ.] varya-. Perhaps alatya- is derived from √ALAK “rushing” with ✱alakyā- originally having the sense “cause to rush (away)”. Given this, I would use a weak past ✱alatyane “warded off” for this verb, and make the thing defended against the direct object with the thing defended in the dative: alatyanelme orcor i oston “we warded off orcs from the city = we shielded the city from orcs”.

allu-

verb. to wash

A verb for “wash” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with variants allu, alnu-, both under the early root ᴱ√ALU “cleanse, dress” (QL/30).

qíva

adjective. awake

An adjective appearing as ᴱQ. Qîva “awake” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s derived from the early root ᴱ√QIV; Tolkien noted it was sometimes confused with ᴱQ. koiva “lively, living” (GL/29).

Neo-Quenya: I would adapt this word as ᴺQ. cuiva “awake” using the later root √KUY.

sovo-

verb. to wash

A verb appearing as ᴱQ. sovo- “wash” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s derived from the early root ᴱ√SOVO or ᴱ√SOW̯O “wash” (QL/86).

Neo-Quenya: In some Neo-Quenya writings (including earlier versions of this lexicon), ᴺQ. sov- is used as the neologism for “wash”. However, in 2024 the word Q. hwal- “wash” was published in PE23, and this is now preferable to sov- for this meaning. I am currently retaining sov- as a neologism for “✱bathe” instead, but may revisit this in future versions of this lexicon.

lutto-

verb. to swill, wash

A verb appearing as {lutta- >>} lutto- “swill, wash” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√LUTU, but Tolkien ultimately rejected this verb (QL/57).

mange

noun. lack, want, shortage

A word in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s glossed “lack, want, shortage” under the early root ᴱ√MANGA “lacking” (QL/59).

ramba-

verb. to walk

A verb glossed “walk” in Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s (PE16/132).

solto-

verb. to wave, heave, surge (up and down)

A verb in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s appearing as ᴱQ. solto- “wave, heave, surge (up and down)”, a derivative of the root ᴱ√SOLO (QL/39).

Neo-Quenya: I think this word can be salvaged as ᴺQ. solta- as a derivative of the later root ᴹ√SOL, as suggested in ABNW (ABNW) from the early 2000s.

tanta-

verb. to dance (tr.), dandle, wave

A verb in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s glossed “dance (tr.), dandle, wave”, derived from the early root ᴱ√TṆTṆ having to do with bouncing things (QL/94). In the same entry there was a separate verb tanta- “bounce, bound, rebound” (QL/93). The two verbs had distinct past forms: tante “bounced” vs. tantane “dandled”, and seem to be intransitive and transitive respectively. In the English-Qenya Dictionary of the 1920s it was given as a verb meaning “dance” (PE15/71).

aure

noun. sunlight, sunshine, gold light, warmth

ehtar

noun. swordsman, warrior; sword

falma

noun. foam, wave

nen

noun. river, water

ner

noun. man, husband; warrior

olwe(n)

noun. branch, wand, stick

palava-

verb. to stray, wander

tiri-

verb. to watch; to keep, guard, preserve; to look at, gaze at, observe

winge

noun. (blowing) foam, spindrift, froth, scud, spray; wave

alnu-

verb. to wash

leuke

adjective. sick, ill; pallid, wan

qívie

noun. awakening

solor

noun. surf, surge; wavebreak, coast

vasse

noun. wing

A word for “wing” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√VASA (QL/100). A similar word ’wasse appeared under the early root ᴱ√GWASA (QL/103). The word vasse “wing” also appeared in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon (GL/22) and again in Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s (PE16/137), but not thereafter.

vasta

noun. road

A noun in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s glossed “road” under the early root ᴱ√VAHA having to do with travel and going away (QL/99).

auro

noun. sun

A noun appearing in Early Noldorin Word-lists as {ūru >>} auro, cognate of ᴱN. úr “sun”, and derived from {✶ourǝ >>} ✶ourū̆ (PE13/155). Elsewhere Q. Úr(in) was a name for the Sun from the 1910s up through the 1950s, but Tolkien eventually changed this to Vása (MR/198).

herendo

noun. brother

A word for “brother” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with numerous variants: herendo or herēro, hestaner, and hesta(noi)nu, all based on the early root ᴱ√HESE that was the basis for “brother” and “sister” words (QL/40). Of these Tolkien said herendo/herēro was the “ordinary word”, and herendo appeared in the Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/40).

matsile

noun. bear

A word appearing only as an element in the name ᴱQ. Oromatsile “Great Bear” from Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s (PE13/149). It was a cognate of ᴱN. magli “bear” = “honey-eater”, and hence composed of the same elements: ᴱQ. mata- “eat” and ᴱQ. ile “honey”, where the s appeared because ti became tsi in Early Qenya, so that matile > matsile.

qá

noun. duck

An (onomatopoeic?) noun appearing as ᴱQ. qā “a duck” in Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s derived from the early root ᴱ√QAHA (QL/76). It was also mentioned in the Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/76). Later iterations of this onomatopoeia may be seen in primitive ✶kawāk “crow” (WJ/395) and ✶kāwāk “frog” (VT47/36), producing Q. quáco and Q. quácë respectively.

Neo-Quenya: I’d adapt this word as ᴺQ. quá “duck” for purposes of Neo-Quenya.

qámea

adjective. sick

A word appearing as qāmea “sick” in Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, an adjective form of ᴱQ. qáme “sickness, nausea” (QL/76).

Neo-Quenya: Since ᴹQ. qáme “sickness” appears in Tolkien’s later writings (Ety/KWAM), I would retain ᴺQ. quámëa for purposes of Neo-Quenya, but given the meaning of its noun form I would assume its primary meaning is “✱nauseous”, as opposed to generally sick which would be [ᴺQ.] hlaiwa.

súlime

noun. wind

A noun for “wind” in Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√SUHYU “air, breath, exhale, puff” and connected to the name ᴱQ. Súlimo (QL/86). Later on, Q. Súlimë was used as the name of March (LotR/1110), whereas Q. Súlimo became “Breather” (PE21/85), a combination of Q. súlë (†þúlë) “breath” + Q. mo “person”.

masto

noun. village

ava-

verb. to depart

e-

verb. to be

ektar

noun. swordsman

falmo

noun. foam

fan

noun. dog

huan

noun. dog

@@@ reflects older sw- > hu-

liqin(a)

adjective. wet

lossa

adjective. white

mailina

adjective. beautiful

mata-

verb. to eat

máwe

noun. gull, seamew

ninqe

adjective. white

osta

noun. homestead

ostar

noun. township

rosta-

verb. *to rise

The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had a verb ᴱQ. rōna- “arise, rise, ascend” under the early root ᴱ√RŌ [or ᴱ√ROHO], an inverted variant of ᴱ√ORO (QL/80). It had unusual past forms roa or roi. A similar verb ᴱQ. rosta- appeared in the Early Noldorin Dictionary of the 1920s, equivalent to the ᴱN. rhosta- or amrosta- under the entry ᴱN. amrost “rising” (PE13/159). All later (and many earlier) Quenya verbs for “rise” seem to be based on √OR, such as orya- or orta-, though hints of the inverted root can be seen in later writings with occasional irregular past forms like ronte (PE22/115).

rána

noun. Moon

urdu

noun. death

vanesse

noun. beauty

vasa

noun. juice

vassale

noun. rustling

vea

noun. sea

welwe

noun. spring

ahúra

noun. Sun

An early Qenya word for the Sun appearing in a word list from the 1920s (PE15/77). Its etymology is obscure.

ailin

noun. shore

A word for “shore” in the ᴱQ. Oilima Markirya poem and its draft of the late 1920s (MC/213, 221), in one place given an archaic form aile and a translation “beach” (PE16/75). In the version of the Markirya poem from the 1960s, this word became Q. hresta (MC/221-222), whereas Q. ailin itself usually meant “lake” in later writings.

ala

noun. wing

alkar

noun. shield

amillion

noun. February

arqilis

noun. desert

A word given in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s glossed “desert”, apparently a noun formation from ᴱQ. arqa “arid, parched, dry” (QL/32).

ekte

noun. sword

enqe

preposition. without

faika

adjective. free

faire

adjective. free

heru-

verb. to rule

heréro

noun. brother

hestaner

noun. brother

hestanoinu

noun. brother

hestanu

noun. brother

hetl

noun. bond

A word glossed “bond” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√HEPE “bind” (QL/40).

hista-

verb. to fade

hoiye

noun. foam

A noun in Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s glossed “foam” (PE16/136). Its etymology is unclear.

húro

noun. storm

indo

noun. house

A word for “house” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√IŘI [IÐI] “dwell” (QL/43). It also appeared in the contemporaneous Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/43).

irya

noun. wish

kale

noun. day

kana

adjective. young

kie

noun. path

kosar

noun. soldier

laivar

noun. ocean

A word glossed “ocean” in notes associated with drafts of the Oilima Markirya from around 1930 (PE16/77). This word did not appear in the final version of the poem. Its etymology is unclear, but Gilson, Welden and Hostetter suggest it might be connected to ᴱQ. laiqa “green”, a colour used to describe the ocean in some drafts of the poem (PE16/78).

lunde tiqilindea

proper name. February

A name for the month of February in the Qenya Lexicon from the 1910s (QL/56), a combination of lunde “month” and tiqilindea “thawing”.

lá

noun. day

mahtar

noun. soldier

makillar

noun. swordsman

malin(d)

adjective. yellow

malina

adjective. yellow

masta

noun. bread

mat-

verb. to eat

mána

adjective. dead

An adjective for “dead” in the Early Qenya Grammar of the 1920s based on the verb ᴱQ. maka- “die” (PE14/58).

nara

noun. strife

narka

adjective. dead

An adjective for “dead” implied by the stative formation narkea “is dead” in Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s (PE16/140), perhaps connected to some precursor of √NDAK “slay”.

nemba

noun. thread

A noun for “thread” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s derived from the early root ᴱ√NEME having to do with sewing (QL/65).

nenda

adjective. wet

nyéna-

verb. to lament

níva

adjective. pale

orme

noun. tree

orne

noun. tree

oro-

verb. to rise

pal-

verb. to shake

A verb attested in Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s in a last of rhymes in -alle, with a past for palle “shook” (PE16/143). It might be based on a later variant of the early root ᴱ√PAPA “✱tremble” (PE16/143).

Neo-Quenya: Helge Fauskanger use this as the verb for “to shake” in his NQNT (NQNT), but I prefer [ᴱQ.] quas- as a more distinctive verb for “shake”; see that entry for discussion.

palastor

noun. surf

A word for “surf” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, derived from ᴱ√Palas (QL/72).

panyara

adjective. ?setting

An untranslated word in one of the drafts of the ᴱQ. Oilima Markirya poem (PE16/72), possibly related to [ᴹQ.] panya- “set, fix” from the 1930s and meaning something like “✱setting” as suggested by the Gilson, Welden, and Hostetter (PE16/73).

pilna

noun. arrow

pulqe

noun. juice

qalna

adjective. dead

qalume

noun. death

ruella

noun. village

sindi

noun. river

A noun in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s glossed “river” derived from the root ᴱ√SIŘI [SIÐI] (QL/84). The same word appeared in the contemporaneous Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/84).

siri-

verb. flow

solosse

noun. surf, surge

sári

proper name. Sun

A name for the Sun in the earliest Lost Tales (LT1/186), probably a derivative of the root ᴱ√SAH(Y)A “be hot” as suggested by Christopher Tolkien (LT1A/Sári).

taimavar

masculine name. Shepherd of the Sky

Older name for Taimordo appearing in the Qenya and Gnomish Lexicons from the 1910s (QL/62, 88; GL/29, 58), a compound of taime “sky” and mavar(do) “shepherd”.

tirin

place name. Tower

Name of Ingil’s tower in the earliest Lost Tales (LT2/5), it is simply tirin “tower” used as a name (LT1A/Kortirion).

tuilére

noun. Spring

uilosse

noun. foam

A (rejected) noun in Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s glossed “foam” (PE16/139). Its etymology is unclear.

va-

prefix. together

vaiya

noun. seamew

vanwe

noun. wind

vanéni

noun. beauty

vá

noun. wind

welme

noun. spring

yunga

noun. twin

ó-

verb. to be

úqa

adjective. wet