Quenya-to-English Dictionary
Go HERE for English-to-Quenya Dictionary
This word-list, covering about one fifth of the published total,
is intended as a help to interpreting actual Quenya texts occurring
in the corpus. It also lists at least a good many of the stray words
scattered around in HoME and the other books. This list normally does
not include words found only in the Etymologies, as
they can easily be traced using the
Index provided on this web-site. The
early "Qenya" material from LT1 and LT2 and the "Qenya Lexicon" is
also excluded, as are the "Qenya" poems in MC:213-221 (including the
earlier versions of the Markirya poem) and the untranslated
fragment of a poem in Carpenter's biography. Concerning proper names,
I have tried to include all the ones occurring in LotR and the
Silmarillion, and otherwise been selective (read: inconsistent).
The central texts
are denoted thus:
FG -
"Frodo's Greeting", the famous elen síla lúmenn'
omentielvo in LotR1:I ch. 3.
Nam -
"Namárië", Galadriel's lament in LotR1:II ch. 8, starting
ai! laurië lantar lassi súrinen...
EO -
"Elendil's Oath", repeated by Aragorn at his coronation, given in
LotR3:VI ch. 5; starting Et Eärello Endorenna
utúlien...
CO -
"Círion's Oath" in UT:305, 317 (vanda sina termaruva
etc.)
Markirya -
"the Markirya poem" in its final version, as published in
MC:221-222.
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"SA" refers to the Silmarillion Appendix. A reference like
"SA:aglar" means that the Quenya word (in this case alcar,
alkar) is found under the entry aglar in this Appendix.
When the Quenya word is itself the head of the entry, the reference
is simply "SA". From this Appendix it is not always clear which words
are Quenya, which are primitive forms and which are Sindarin; in such
cases, the Quenya words are identified by means of other sources or
(with less certainty) by their style.
In the case of
names occurring in the Silmarillion, no other reference than "Silm"
is given, since such names can easily be located by using the
excellent index provided by Christopher Tolkien.
The spelling is
for the most part regularized; the spelling used in the sources is
sometimes indicated, e.g. Carmë
("Karmë") "art" (UT:459). While I usually
regularize k to c, a few names occurring in the main
text of the Silmarillion (such as Ekkaia,
Melkor) are left alone.
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a (1)
vocative particle "O" in a vanimar "O beautiful ones"
(LotR3:VI ch. 6, translated in Letters:308)
a or
á (2) imperative particle: a laita, laita te!
"[o] bless them, bless them!", á vala Manwë! "may
Manwë order it!", literally *"o rule Manwë!" (see
laita, vala for reference)
a (3)
"and", a variant of ar occurring in Fíriel's
Song (that also has ar; a seems to be used before
words in f-, but it is not known whether this idea is valid in
mature Quenya)
a- a prefix
occurring in the Markirya poem (Tolkien first used na-,
then changed it). It is prefixed to verbal stems following a word
that is the object of sense-verbs like "see" and "hear" and describes
what the object is doing, as in man cenuva lumbor
ahosta[?] (changed from na-hosta), "who shall see
the clouds gather?" (hosta = "gather").
acúna ("akúna") see
cúna
aha "rage",
also name of tengwa 11, earlier called harma (Appendix
E)
ahosta see
hosta
*ahya-
"change", only attested in the past tense: ahyanë
(PM:395)
ai!
interjection "Ah!", "Alas!" (Nam, RGEO:66)
aica "fell,
terrible, dire" (PM:347; according to PM:363 seldom applied to
evil things), in Aicanáro ("Aika-") "Sharp
Flame, Fell Fire", masc. name; Sindarized as Aegnor. (So in
SA:nár and PM:345; MR:323 has
Aicanár)
aimenal,
aimenel - see lirulin
aina
"holy", derived from Ainu. Adopted and adapted from Valarin.
(WJ:399, FS, SA)
Ainu "one
of the 'order' of the Valar and Maiar, made before Eä"; pl.
Ainur attested. Adopted and adapted from Valarin
(WJ:399). Ainulindalë "Music of the Ainur"
(SA:lin #2), the First History (WJ:406)
aiquen "if
anybody, whoever" (WJ:372)
airë
"holy", airetári or Airë Tári "holy
queen" (a title of Varda, PM:363), genitive aire-tário
"holy-queen's" (Nam, RGEO:67 - but according to PM:363,
airë is the noun "sanctity", while aira is the
adjective "holy")
aiwë
"small bird" (SA:lin #1); Aiwendil "Lover of Birds"
(UT:401)
aiya
"hail", as greeting (LotR2:IV ch. 9, see Letters:385 for
translation)
Alamanyar
name of the Elves who started on the march from Cuiviénen but
did not reach Aman; = Úmanyar (MR:163)
alcar
(so spelt in CO, otherwise "alkar") "glory, brilliance,
splendour" (WJ:369, CO); alcarinqua adj. "glorious"
(WJ:412); noun Alcarinquë, "The Glorious", name of
a star/planet (SA:aglar - there spelt "Alkarinquë", but the
Silmarillion Index has "Alcarinquë". The celestial body in
question seems to be Jupiter, MR:435). Also Alcarin "the
Glorious", title taken by Atanatar II of Gondor, also name of one of
the Kings of Númenor (Appendix A)
alda "tree"
(SA, Nam, RGEO:66, LR:41, SD:302), also name of tengwa 28
(Appendix E). Gen. pl. aldaron "of trees" in
Namárië. Etymology of alda, see
Letters:426. Place-name Aldalómë *"Tree-night" or
*"Tree-twilight" (LotR2:III ch. 4); masc. name Aldarion
masc. name, *"Son of (the) Trees", (Appendix A).
Aldaron a name of Oromë (Silm).
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 < *aldajâ), referring to one tree (the
White) only. The dual Aldu seems to occur also in
Aldudénië "Lament for the Two Trees" (a strange
form, since Quenya does not permit intervocalic d as in this
word.) (Silm)
Almaren the
first abode of the Valar in Arda, apparently related to
almarë "blessedness" (Silm, LR:357)
alqua
"swan" (SA, UT:265); Alqualondë "Swanhaven"
(Silm)
Altáriel "Galadriel", "maiden crowned with a
radiant garland" (SA:kal; Alatáriel is
Telerin)
aman
"blessed, free from evil". Adopted and adapted from Valarin.
(WJ:399) Place-name Aman the Blessed Realm, from the
stem mân- "good, blessed, unmarred"
(SA:mân). Adj. amanya "of Aman, *Amanian"
(WJ:411), nominal pl. Amanyar "those of Aman", Elves
dwelling there. Also fuller Amaneldi *"Aman-elves"
(WJ:373). Masc. name Amandil *"Aman-friend"
(Appendix A, SA:mân)
Amarië
(fem. name; perhaps derived from mára "good")
(Silm)
amaurëa "dawn, early day" (poetic word)
*ambalotsë "uprising-flower", referring to
"the flower or floreate device used as a crest fixed to point of a
tall [illegible word: ?archaic] helmet". Strangely, the word
is asterisked as unattested (WJ:319)
ambar 1.
"doom" (variant of umbar?) in Turambar
(SA:amarth); instrumental ambartanen "by doom" (Silm
ch. 21, UT:138). 2. (capitalized Ambar) "world".
Ambar-metta "the end of the world" (EO)
Ambaróna place-name; presumably a variant of
Ambarónë "uprising, sunrise, Orient" (LotR2:III
ch. 4; compare the Etymologies, entry
AM2)
Ambarto
*"upwards-exalted", mother-name (never used in narrative) of
Pityafinwë = Amrod (PM:353, 354)
Ambarussa
"top-russet", alternation of Umbarto, mother-name (never used
in narrative) of Telufinwë = Amras
(PM:353-354)
ambo
"hill", allative pl. ambonnar "upon hills" in Markirya
(ruxal' ambonnar "upon crumbling hills")
amilessë "mothername" (amil "mother" +
essë "name"), name given to the child by its mother,
sometimes with prophetic implications (amilessi tercenyë
"mother-names of insight" (MR:217)
amortala
"heaving", a participle occurring in Markirya, derived from an
(otherwise unattested) verb *amorta- "heave" (literally
"up-rise, rise up", cf. orta-; the prefix am- means
"up")
ampa
"hook", also name of tengwa 14 (Appendix E)
an "for"
(Nam, RGEO:66) - but an in the phrase es
sorni heruion an! "the Eagles of the Lords are at hand" (SD:290)
seems to denote motion towards (the speaker): the Eagles are
coming.
Anamo "of
doom" in Rithil-Anamo, q.v.
ananta "but
yet" (FS)
Anar "sun"
(SA:nár; UT:22 cf. 51); anar "a sun"
(Markirya); Anarinya "my Sun" (FS). See also
Úr-anar. In Anárion *"Sun-son" and
Anardil *"Sun-friend", masc. names (Appendix A).
Anarya second day of the Eldarin six-day week, dedicated to
the Sun (Appendix D) Anarríma name of a
constellation: *"Sun-border"??? (Silm; cf. LR:383, stem
RÎ)
anca "jaws"
(Appendix E, SA - despite what Christopher Tolkien says in this
entry, the Quenya word anca as such does NOT
appear in the Sindarin dragon-name Ancalagon, but its Sindarin
cognate anc does. See ÁNAK in the Etymologies.)
Also name of tengwa 15 (Appendix E). Despite its English
gloss, anca is a singular word (in Etym the gloss is indeed
"jaw", not "jaws").
ancalima
"most bright, brightest", sc. calima "bright" with a
superlative or intensive prefix (LotR2:IV ch. 9; see Letters:385
for translation). Fem. name Ancalimë fem. name,
*"Most Bright One", also masc. Ancalimon (Appendix
A).
anda "long"
(as adjective) in Andafangar "Longbeards", one of the tribes
of the Dwarves (= Khuzdul Sigin-tarâg and Sindarin
Anfangrim) (PM:320); andavë "long", as
adverb. (LotR3:VI ch. 4, translated in Letters:308)
ando
"gate", also name of tengwa 5 (Appendix E)
Andórë full form of Andor, "land
of gift", name of Númenor (SD:247)
andúnë "sunset, west, evening"
(Markirya, SA), also in Namárië:
Andúnë "West" (but the standard Quenya translation
of "west" is Númen) (Nam, RGEO:66) Cf.
andu- in Andúnië,
Andúril.
Andúnië (apparently a variant form of
andúnë) (place-name, a city and port on the
western coast of Númenor, said to mean "sunset"). (Appendix
A, Silm, UT:166)
Andúril "Flame of the West", sword-name
(LotR1:II ch. 3)
Andustar
the "Westlands" of Númenor (UT:165)
anessë
"given (or added) name" (encompassing both epessi and
amilessi) (MR:217)
anga
"iron", also name of tengwa 7 (Appendix E, SA, PM:347),
masc. name Angamaitë "Iron-handed" (Letters:347),
Angaráto "Iron-champion", Sindarin Angrod
(SA:ar(a) ). Place-name Angamando "Iron-gaol", Sindarin
Angband (MR:350) Cf. also Angainor the chain
with which Melkor was bound (Silm)
anna
"gift", also name of tengwa 23 (Appendix E, SA); pl.
annar "gifts" in Fíriel's Song. Annatar
"Lord of Gifts, *Gift-lord", name assumed by Sauron when he tried to
seduce the Eldar in the Second Age (SA:tar)
anta-
"give". Several occurrences in FS: antalto "they
gave"; strangely, no past tense marker seems to be present (cf.
-lto for the ending); antar a pl. verb translated "they
gave", though in mature Quenya it would rather be the present tense
"give" (pl.); antaróta "he gave it"
(anta-ró-ta "gave-he-it"), another verb occurring in
Fíriel's Song, once again with no past tense marker.
Read something like *antanéros or
*antaneróta in mature Quenya? Also antáva
"will give", future tense of anta- "give"; read probably
*antuva in mature Quenya; similarly antaváro "he
will give" (LR:63) should rather be antuváro.
anto
"mouth", also name of tengwa 13 (Appendix E)
anwë
archaic past tense of auta-, q.v. (WJ:365)
apa-
"after", only attested as a prefix in apacenyë and
Apanónar, q.v. Variant ep- in
epessë.
apacenyë is translated "foresight" in MR:216;
yet the context and the form of the word itself clearly indicates
that it is actually the pl. form of an adjective *apacenya "of
foresight". The noun "foresight" is almost certainly *apacen;
cf. tercen "insight". (MR:216) The literal meaning of
*apacen is *"aftersight", sc. knowledge of that which comes
after. [Essi] apacenyë "[names] of foresight",
prophetic names given to a child by its mother (MR:216)
Apanónar "the After-born", an Elvish name of
Mortal Men as the Second-born of Ilúvatar (WJ:387)
aqua
"fully, completely, altogether, wholly" (WJ:392)
ar "and"
(SA, FS, Nam, RGEO:67, CO, LR:47, 56)
Ara-,
ar- a prefixed form of the stem Ara- "noble"
(PM:344). In Aracáno "high chieftain",
mothername (amilessë, q.v.) of Fingolfin (PM:360, cf.
344), Arafinwë "Finarfin" (MR:230)
Araman
"outside Aman", name of a region (SA:ar, mân)
aran
"king"; pl. arani (WJ:369); gen.pl. aranion "of
kings" in asëa aranion, q.v.; aranya *"my king"
(aran + nya) (UT:193). Aran Meletyalda
"king your mighty" = "your majesty" (WJ:369). In
arandil "king's friend, royalist" (Letters:386);
Arantar masc. name, *"King-Lord" (Appendix A);
Arandor "Kingsland" (UT:165). Other compounds
ingaran, Noldóran, Núaran,
q.v.
aranel
"princess" (UT:434)
Aranwë
*"Kingly Person", masc. name (Silm)
Aratan
*"Noble Adan", masc. name (Silm)
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)
aráto "champion, eminent man" (SA:ar(a)
)
Arciryas
masc. name (evidently derived from *arcirya "royal ship")
(Appendix A)
Arda "the
Realm", name of the Earth as the kingdom of Arda (Silm). It is
said that arda "meant any more or less bounded or defined
place, a region" (WJ:402 cf. 413), once translated "Earth"
(SD:246). Also name of tengwa 26 (Appendix E). Masc.
name Ardamírë "Jewel of the World"
(PM:348)
árë "day" (PM:127) or "sunlight"
(SA:arien). Also name of tengwa 31. 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)
Arfanyaras,
Arfanyarassë a "variant or close equivalent" of
Taniquetil (WJ:403)
Arien fem.
name, the Maia of the Sun (Silm); cf. árë
"sunlight"
Armenelos
City of the Kings in Númenor (ar-menel-os(to)
"royal-heaven-city"???)
Arnanórë, Arnanor "Arnor", Royal
Land (so arna = "royal"?) (Letters:428)
arquen "a
noble" (WJ:372)
arta
"exalted, lofty" (PM:354)
Artaher
(Artahér-) "noble lord", masc. name (Sindarin
Arothir) (PM:346)
Artamir
"Noble jewel", masc. name (Appendix A)
asar
(Vanyarin athar) "fixed time, festival". Adopted and adapted
from Valarin. (WJ:399)
asëa
aranion "kingsfoil, athelas"; lit. "asëa [foil?] of
kings", see aran (LotR3:V ch. 8)
*asta
"month", only pl. astar attested (Appendix D)
Astaldo
"the Valiant", a title of Tulkas (Silm)
Atalantë "the Downfallen", name of the sunken
Númenor (Akallabêth, SD:247, 310; also LR:47).
Variant atalantië "Downfall", said to be a normal
noun-formation in Quenya (Letters:347). Also common noun
atalantë "collapse, downfall", from which noun is derived
the adjective atalantëa "ruinous, downfallen", pl.
atalantië in Markirya (changed to sg.
atalantëa - this change does not make sense, since the
adjective undoubtedly modifies a plural noun). Verb
ataltanë "down-fell, fell down" (LR:47, SD:247), past
tense of atalta- "collapse, fall in" (LR:390; cf.
talta, q.v); variant atalantë "down-fell" in
LR:56
Atan pl.
Atani "the Second Folk", an Elvish name of Mortal Men, the
Second-born of Ilúvatar. Cf. also Núnatani
(WJ:386). Atanamir masc.name, *"Edain-jewel"?
(Appendix A). Atanatar masc. name, "Father of Men"
(Appendix A), also common noun atanatar, pl.
Atanatári, "Fathers of Men", a title that "properly
belonged only to the leaders and chieftains of the peoples at the
time of their entry into Beleriand" (PM:324, SA:atar)
atar
"father" (SA; WJ:402, UT:193); Atarinya "my father"
(LR:70). Diminutive Atarincë
("Atarinkë") "Little father", mother-name (never used in
narrative) of Curufinwë = Curufin (PM:353)
atendëa "double-middle", name of the two
enderi or middle-days that occurred in leap-years according to
the calendar of Imladris (Appendix D, first edition of
LotR)
atta "two"
(Letters:427); Attalyar "Bipeds" (sg. *Attalya)
= Petty-dwarves (from Sindarin Tad-dail) (WJ:389)
atto
"father", hypocoristic (LR:59, cf. the stem ATA in the
Etymologies)
au- a
verbal prefix "off, *away", as in auciri ("aukiri")
"cut off" (so as to get rid of or lose a portion); contrast
hóciri (WJ:365, 368)
Aulë
name of a Vala, adopted and adapted from Valarin (WJ:399);
Aulendur "Servant of Aulë", applied especially to those
persons, or families, among the Noldor who actually entered
Aulë's service and in return received instruction from him
(PM:366)
aurë
"sunlight, day" (SA:ur), locative auressë "in
(the) morning" in Markirya
Aurel (pl.
Aureldi) = Oarel, q.v. "Elf who departed from Beleriand
to Aman" (while the Sindar stayed there) (WJ:363)
auta- "go
away, leave" (leave the point of the speaker's thought); old "strong"
past tense anwë, usually replaced by
vánë, perfect avánië - but when
the meaning is purely physical "went away (to another place)", the
past tense oantë, perfect oantië was used.
Past participle vanwa "gone, lost, no longer to be had,
vanished, departed, dead, past and over" (WJ:365)
Auzeldi
Vanyarin form (and original form) of Aureldi
(WJ:374)
áva,
avá (the latter stressed on the final syllable)
"Don't!"; ávan "I won't" (also ván,
ványë); áva carë!
("kare") "don't do it!" (WJ:371)
ava- (1),
pa.t. avanë, not clearly glossed but apparently meaning
refuse or prohibit (WJ:370). Cf.
Avamanyar.
ava- (2)
prefix indicating something forbidden: avaquétima "not
to be said, that must not be said", avanyárima "not to
be told or related" (WJ:370)
Avallónë Haven and city on Tol
Eressëa. In the Akallabêth the city is said to be
so named because it is "of all cities the nearest to Valinor", but
the etymology is not further explained. Cf. the Etymologies,
LR:370 stem LONO.
Avamanyar
Elves that refused to go to Aman (= Avari) (WJ:370)
avánië, pl. avánier
perfect of auta-, q.v. (WJ:365)
avar
"recusant, one who refuses to act as advised or commanded"; pl.
Avari Elves that refused to join in the westward march to Aman
(WJ:371)
Avathar
name of the land between the southern Pelóri and the Sea,
where Ungoliant dwelt; said to be "not Elvish" in WJ:404 and must be
thought of as an adaption from Valarin; on the other hand, MR:284
states that it is "ancient Quenya" and offers the interpretation "The
Shadows". Whatever the case, it must have become *Avasar in
Exilic Quenya.
axan "law,
rule, commandment". Adopted and adapted from Valarin.
(WJ:399)
axo "bone",
pl. axor in Markirya
ázë see árë
áya
"awe" (PM:363)
caita
"lie", also present tense "lies". Sindanóriello caita
mornië "out of a grey land darkness lies". (Nam,
RGEO:67)
cal-
"shine", future tense caluva ("kaluva") "shall shine"
(UT:22 cf. 51)
Calacirya
"Light-cleft", Calacirya, the great ravine in the mountains of
Valinor, the passage leading from Valmar to the region where the
Teleri lived. Genitive Calaciryo in Namárië
(Nam, RGEO:67)
Calaciryan
("Kalakiryan") "the Cleft of Light", the pass in the
Pelóri, apparently a variant of Calacirya (WJ:403,
SA:kal-, kir-). Calaciryan, Calaciryandë, "the
region of Eldamar (Elvenhome) in and near the entrance to the
ravine, where the Light was brighter and the land more beautiful"
(RGEO:70)
Calaquendi
"Elves of the Light, Light-elves" (SA:kal-, SA:quen-/quet-,
WJ:361, WJ:373)
cálë ("kále") "light"
(Markirya)
calima see
ancalima
Calimehtar
masc.name, *"Bright Swordsman" (Appendix A)
Calimmacil
masc. name, *"Bright Sword" (for *Calimamacil?) (Appendix
A)
Calion,
Tar-Calion, the Quenya name of Ar-Pharazôn "the Golden";
Calion would seem to be connected to cálë
"light". (Silm)
calma
"lamp", also name of tengwa 3 (Appendix E)
Calmacil
masc. name, *"Light-sword" or possibly (if haplology of
*Calmamacil) *"Lamp-sword" (Appendix A)
calmatéma "k-series" (Appendix
E)
Canafinwë "strong-voiced or ?commanding
Finwë", masc. name; his Sindarin name was Maglor (see
Macalaurë). Short Quenya name Cáno.
(PM:352).
cáno
("káno") "commander", usually as the title of a lesser
chief, especially one acting as the deputy of one higher in rank
(PM:345, SA:káno; PM:362 indicates that
cáno originially meant "crier,
herald"); "ruler, governor, chieftain" (UT:400)
Masc. name Cáno, see Canafinwë
can- verb
"order" (give an order) or (with things as object) "demand"
(PM:361-362; only the stem KAN is there mentioned)
canwa
"announcement, order" (PM:362)
carca
"fang" (SA:carak-), pl. carcar ("karkar") in
Markirya, there translated "rocks", evidently referring to
sharp rocks.
car- "make,
do", stem carë ("kare") in the phrase
áva carë "don't do it" (WJ:371);
carir "form", aorist pl. in the phrase i carir quettar
"those who form words" (WJ:391). Past participle carna,
q.v. Some doubtful forms in Fíriel's Song: past tense
cárë ("káre") "made"; the form
carnë (LR:362) is probably to be preferred in mature
Quenya. Also *cárië with various suffixes:
cárier ("kárier") is translated "they
made"; actually it seems to be an augmentless perfect *"they have
made", "they" being simply the plural ending -r. The literal
meaning of cárielto ("kárielto") must
also be *"they made" (cf. -lto).
Carmë
("Karmë") "art" (UT:459)
carna
*"built, made" in Vincarna "newly-made" (MR:408).
Carna would seem to be the past participle of car-.
carnë
"red" (SA:caran), not to be confused with the past tense of
car-.
Carnil
("Karnil") name of a star (or planet), identified with Mars
(MR:435)
Carnimírië "Red-jewelled", the
rowan-tree in Quickbeam's song (LotR2:III ch. 4, SA:caran),
also translated "with adornment of red jewels" (Letters:224; where
the reading "carnemírie" occurs)
Carnistir
"red-face", masc. name, mother-name (never used in narrative) of
Morifinwë = Caranthir (PM:353)
Casar
("Kasar") "Dwarf", pl. Casari or Casári,
partitive plural Casalli. Adapted from Dwarvish
Khazâd. Casarrondo "Khazad-dûm" (WJ:388,
389)
Castamir
masc. name, "casta[?]-jewel" (Appendix A)
celumë
"stream", locative pl. celumessen ("kelumessen") in
Markirya (ëar-celumessen is translated "in the
flowing sea", lit. *"in the sea-streams").
Cemendur
masc. name, *"Earth-servant" (Appendix A)
cen-
("ken-") "see, behold", future tense cenuva ("kenuva")
"shall see" in Markirya. Also cen = noun "sight" as the
final element of some nouns (*apacen, tercen, q.v.)
centa
"communication, *enquiry, *essay"; Ósanwë-centa
"Communication of Thought", an appendix to Pengolodh's Lammas
or "Account of Tongues" (MR:415); cf. also essecenta,
q.v.
Cermië
seventh month of the year, "July" (Appendix D)
certa
"rune" (pl. certar given), adapted from Sindarin certh
(an inherited Quenya form of primitive *kirtê would have
been *cirtë). (WJ:396)
cilmë
"choosing" (isolated from Essecilmë "name-choosing",
q.v.) (MR:214); also in cilmessi ("kilmessi")
"self-names", literally names of personal choise (PM:339)
(cilmë + essi, hence *"choice-names")
cilya
"chasm", allative cilyanna ("kilyanna") "in-Chasm" (sc.
"into [the] chasm") (LR:47, 56). In MR:471, cilya is
defined as "cleft, gorge".
círa
("kíra") "sail", verb (apparently the continuative stem of
*cir-) (Markirya)
cirinci
("kírinki"), sg. *cirincë, a species of
birds, "no bigger than wrens, but all scarlet, with piping voices on
the edge of human hearing" (UT:169). Seems to incorporate the
diminutive ending -incë.
cirya
"(sharp-prowed) ship" (SA:kir-, where the word is misspelt
círya with a long
í; Christopher Tolkien probably confused
it with the first element of the Sindarin name
Círdan. It seems that
Círyon, the name of Isildur's son, is
likewise misspelt; read Ciryon as in the index
and the main text of the Silmarillion.) Also in Markirya.
In the Plotz letter, cirya is inflected for all cases except
plural possessive. Compounded in ciryaquen "shipman, sailor"
(WJ:372). Masc. names Ciryaher *"Ship-lord"
(Appendix A), Ciryandil *"Ship-friend" (Appendix
A), Ciryatan *"Ship-builder" (Appendix A);
Tar-Ciryatan, name of a Númenórean king, "King
Shipbuilder" (SA:kir-)
ciryamo
"mariner", nominative and genitive identical since the noun ends in
-o already: Indis i-Ciryamo "the Mariner's Wife"
(UT:8)
coa
("köa") "house"; coarya "his house"
(WJ:369); coacalina "light of the house" (a
metaphor for the soul [fëa] dwelling inside
the body [hroa]) (MR:250)
coimas
"life-bread" = Sindarin lembas (SA:cuivië,
PM:395); coimas Eldaron "the coimas of the Eldar"
(PM:395)
coirë
"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)
coirëa
"living", coirëa quenya "living speech"
(PM:399)
colindo
"bearer", in cormacolindor (q.v.)
colla
"borne, worn" (past participle of col- "bear"); also used as a
noun = "vestment, cloak" (MR:385). Variant form collo
"cloak" (SA:thin(d) ) in the name Sindicollo (q.v.),
sc. colla with a masculine ending.
coranar
"sun-round", solar year (Appendix D; pl.
coranári in PM:126)
corma
"ring" in cormacolindo "Ring-bearer", pl. cormacolindor
(LotR3:VI ch. 4, translated in Letters:308);
Cormarë "Ringday", a festival held on
Yavannië 30 in honour of Frodo (Appendix D)
Corollairë ("Korollairë") see
Coron Oiolairë
coron
"mound" (SA); Coron Oiolairë ("Koron"), the
"Mound of Eversummer" where the Two Trees grew. Also contracted
Corollairë (WJ:401)
cuivië
"awakening". In Cuiviénen, "Waters of Awakening"
(SA:cuivië, SA:nen)
culumalda a
kind of tree (SA:mal-)
Culúrien another name of Laurelin;
apparently derived from the stem KUL- "golden-red" (Silm;
LR:365)
cúna
("kúna") 1) adjective "bent, curved", from which is
derived 2) the verb cúna- "bend", occurring with
a- prefix (originally na-prefix) in Markirya.
Here cúna- is intransitive; we do not know whether it
can also be transitive "bend".
curu
"skill" in Curufin, Curufinwë, Curunir. (SA)
Curufinwë (so spelt in Silm;
"Kurufinwë" in PM) *"Skillful Finwë", a name of
Fëanor (PM:343); also the origin of the Sindarin name
Curufin; Fëanor named his favourite son after himself.
Short Quenya name Curvo. (PM:352)
Curumo
*"Cunning One", "Saruman" (UT:401)
Curvo see
Curufinwë
Curwë
("Kurwë") "technical skill and invention" (PM:360 cf.
344)
-dil see
-ndil
-dur see
-ndur
e
unidentified word in the sentence e man antaváro?
(LR:63), "what will he give indeed?" It may be an adverbial particle
"indeed"; on the other hand, one very early "Qenya" text may suggest
that it is the pronoun "he", though "he" is also expressed as the
ending -ro: *"He - what will he give?"
ëa
("eä") "is", in a more absolute sense (*"exists") than
the copula ná (CO); Eä "it is" or
"let it be", used as a noun for "All Creation", the universe
(WJ:402; Letters:284, footnote)
ëala
"being, spirit" (pl. ëalar is attested), spirits whose
natural state it is to exist without a physical body, like Balrogs
(MR:165)
ëar
"sea" (WJ:413; see Letters:386 for etymology), pl.
ëari "seas" (FS, LR:47); Eär "the
Great Sea", ablative Eärello "from the Great Sea", et
Eärello "out of the Great Sea" (EO). In names like
Eärendil "Sea-friend", Eärrámë
"Sea-wing" (SA), Eärendur masc. name,
*"Sea-servant"; in effect a variant of Eärendil
(Appendix A). Used ="(professional) mariner" (Letters:386)
Fem. name Eärwen "Sea-maiden" (Silm)
Eärnil
masc. name, contraction of Eärendil (Appendix
A)
Eärnur
masc.name, contraction of Eärendur (Appendix
A)
ecet
("eket") "short broad-bladed sword" (UT:284)
ehtelë
"issue of water, spring" (SA:kel-)
Ekkaia name
of the outer ocean: for *et-gaya? (Silm)
él
pl. éli "star" (poetic word) (WJ:362)
ela!
"behold!" (directing sight to an actually visible object)
(WJ:362)
elda 1.
adj. "of the stars", 2. noun (Elda) = one of the people of the
Stars, high-elf (SA:êl, elen), chiefly in the pl
Eldar (WJ:362). Gen. pl. Eldaron (WJ:368,
PM:395, 402); dative pl. eldain "for elves",
for Eldar (FS); possessive sg. Eldava "Elf's"
(WJ:407); possessive pl. Eldaiva (WJ:368),
Eldaivë governing a plural word (WJ:369). The word
Eldar properly refers to the non-Avari Elves only. Compounds:
Eldalië "the Elven-folk" (often used vaguely to mean all
the race of Elves, though it properly did not include the Avari)
(WJ:374; possessive Eldaliéva in the
name Mindon Eldaliéva, q.v.),
Elda-lambë "the language of the Eldar" (WJ:368),
Eldamar "Elvenhome", according to MR:176 another name of
Tirion (see tir-). Eldameldor "Elf-lovers"
(WJ:412); Eldandil (pl. Eldandili in WJ:412)
"Elf-friend" (by the Edain confused with Elendil, properly
"Star-friend") (WJ:410); Eldanor "Elvenland", regions
of Valinor where the Elves dwelt and the stars could be seen
(MR:176)
Eldacar
masc. name, *"Elf-head"??? (Appendix A)
Eldarin
adjective derived from Elda (Silm)
Eldo
archaic variant of Elda, properly one of the "Marchers" from
Cuiviénen, but the word went out of use (WJ:362,
374)
Elemmírë *"Star-jewel" (elen +
míre, note assimilation nm > mm), name
of a star/planet (possibly Mercury, MR:435, where the spelling is
Elemmirë); also name of an Elf. (SA:mîr)
elen "star"
(SA:êl, elen); pl. eleni (occasionally in verse:
eldi) (WJ:362); gen. pl. elenion in the phrase
Elenion Ancalima "brightest of stars" (LotR2:IV ch. 9; see
Letters:385 for translation); allative elenna "starwards"
used as name of Númenor (Silm; see
Elenna); ablative pl. elenillor "from stars" in
Markirya. Adj. elenya *"stellar" (only defined
as an adjective referring to stars by Tolkien) (WJ:362)
elena adj.
"of the stars" (SA:êl, elen)
Elendë
regions of Valinor where the Elves dwelt and the stars could be seen
(MR:176)
Elendil
masc. name "Star-friend", "Lover or student of stars", applied
to those devoted to astronomical lore. However, when the Edain used
this name they intended it to mean "Elf-friend", confusing
elen "star" and elda "elf" (WJ:410). (This idea
that the name was misapplied seems to be late; Tolken earlier
interpreted the name as an ancient compound Eled +
ndil; see Letters:386.) Allative Elendilenna "to
Elendil" (PM:401); Elendil Vorondo genitive of
Elendil Voronda "Elendil the Steadfast" (CO) Pl.
Elendili the Númenórean Elf-friends
(Silm)
Elendur
masc. name, *"Star-servant", probably intended to mean
*"Elf-servant"; in effect a variant of Elendil (Appendix
A)
Elenna
"Starwards", a name of Númenor: Elenna-nórë
*"Starwards-land", "the land named Starwards", genitive
Elenna-nórëo in Cirion's Oath
Elentári "Star-queen", title of Varda
(SA:tar)
Elenwë
*"Star-person", masc. name (Silm)
elenya
*"stellar" (only defined as an adjective referring to stars by
Tolkien) (WJ:362). Elenya, name of the first day of the
Eldarin six-day week, dedicated to the stars (Appendix D).
Elerossë masc. name, "star foam", starlit
foam, Sindarin Elros (PM:348)
Elerrína "Crowned with Stars" (elen +
rína), a name of Taniquetil (Silm)
Elessar
"Elf-stone" (Elen + sar, actually *"Star-stone", cf.
Elendil concerning elen "star" being used to mean
"Elf") (LotR3:V ch. 8)
Ellairë alternative name of June, evidently
incorporating lairë "summer" (PM:135)
elvëa
"starlike, like stars", pl. elvië in Markirya
Elwë
masc. name, *"Star-person" (PM:340, WJ:369)
elyë
"even thou", emphatic 2. person sg. pronoun (Nam, RGEO:67)
en
unidentified word occurring twice in Fíriel's Song;
according to the most plausible theory it is an adverbial particle
denoting that the action of the following verb took place a long time
ago.
en- prefix
"re-, again-", in enquantuva "shall refill", entuluva,
"shall come again", Envinyatar "Renewer", envinyanta
"healed, *renewed", enyalië "to recall" (Nam, RGEO:67,
LotR3:V ch. 8, MR:405, UT:317)
*endëa
"middle" in atendëa, q.v.
enderi
"middle-days", (sg. *enderë) in the calendar of Imladris
three days inserted between the months (or seasons)
yávië and quellë (Appendix
D)
Endien
alternative name of "autumn" (PM:135)
Endor
"Middle-earth" (SA:dôr), also long fom
Endórë "Middle-earth" (Appendix E);
allative Endorenna "to Middle-earth" in EO.
enga "save"
(= except) (FS)
engwa
"sickly"; nominal pl. Engwar "the Sickly", Elvish name of
Mortal Men (Silm)
enquantuva
"shall refill" (Nam); see en-, quat-
enquië
Eldarin six-day week, pl. enquier (Appendix D)
envinyanta
"healed" (MR:405), pointing to a verbal stem
*envinyata- "heal", litereally "renew"; cf. Aragorn's title
Envinyatar "the Renewer" (LotR3:V ch. 8)
enwina
"old" (Markirya)
enyalië "to recall", "to commemorate"; dative
enyalien "for the re-calling", "[in order] to recall" in
Cirions's Oath
enyárë "in that day" (pointing to the
future) (FS)
Eönwë name of a Maia, evidently adopted
and adapted from Valarin (WJ:417)
epessë
"after-name", nickname, mostly given as a title of admiration or
honour (PM:339, UT:266)
equë
"say/says" or "said" (a tenseless pseudo-verb used to introduce
quotations or a "that"-construction); with affixes equen "said
I", eques "said he/she" (WJ:392, 415)
eques pl.
equessi "a saying, dictum, a quotation from someone's uttered
words, a current or proverbial dictum" (WJ:392); I Equessi
Rúmilo "the Sayings of Rúmil" (WJ:398)
Ercoirë alternative name of February
(PM:135)
erdë
"singularity", the person as a whole (MR:216)
Eressëa "lonely", often used by itself for
Tol Eressëa, the Lonely Isle (Silm)
erma
"physical matter" (MR:338, 470)
Erquellë alternative name of September
(PM:135)
Errívë alternative name of November
(PM:135)
Ertuilë alternative name of April
(PM:135)
Eru "the
One", God, a name reserved for the most solemn occasions
(WJ:402), genitive Eruo (MR:329). Compounds:
Eruhantalë "Thanksgiving to Eru", a
Númenórean festival (UT:166, 436), Eruhin
pl. Eruhíni "Children of Eru", Elves and Men
(WJ:403; SA:híni), Erukyermë "Prayer to
Eru", a Númenórean festival (UT:166, 436),
Erulaitalë "Praise of Eru", a Númenórean
festival (UT:166, 436), Erusén "the children of
God" (RGEO:74; this is a weird form with no plural ending. The
normal form seems to be Eruhíni.)
es
unidentified word in the phrase es sorni heruion an! "the
Eagles of the Lords are at hand" (SD:290); possibly an assimilated
form of en, that may function as a kind of deitic particle
here: *"Behold the Eagles..."
essë
"name", also later name of tengwa 31, originally called
árë (ázë). (Appendix E).
Pl. essi in PM:339 and MR:470. Essecarmë
"name-making" (MR:214, 470), Eldarin ceremony where the father
announces the name of his child. Essecenta (-"kenta")
*"Name-essay" (see centa) (MR:415) Essecilmë
"name-choosing", an Eldarin ceremony where a child named him- or
herself according to personal lámatyávë
(q.v.) (MR:214, 471)
Estë
"Repose" (WJ:403), only used as name of a Valië
(WJ:404)
estel
"trust, hope" (WJ:318, MR:320)
et "out" (+
ablative: "out of"); ettuler *"are coming forth"
(ettul- = et + tul-). (SD:290; read probably
*ettulir or continuative
*ettúlar in mature Quenya)
Etyangoldi
("Etyañgoldi") "Exiled Noldor" (WJ:374). Sg.
probably *Etyangol (*Etyangold-).
ezel,
ezella "green" (in Vanyarin Quenya only). Adopted and adapted
from Valarin. (WJ:399)
Ezellohar
"the Green Mound" where the Two Trees grew; adopted and adapted from
Valarin; also translated as Coron Oiolairë,
Corollairë (WJ:401)
faila
"fair-minded, just, generous" (PM:352)
fairë
(pl. fairi in Markirya) "phantom, disembodied spirit,
when seen as a pale shape"; also used = "spirit (in general)"
(MR:349)
falassë "shore, line of surf"
(SA:falas)
falasta-
"to foam", participle falastala "foaming, surging" in
Markirya
Falastur
masc. name, *"Shore-lord" (Appendix A)
falma
"(crested/foaming) wave"; partitive pl. allative falmalinnar
"on the foaming waves" in Namárië (Nam,
RGEO:67). In Falmari, a name of the Teleri, and
Mar-nu-Falmar, "Home/Land under Waves", a name of
Númenor after the Downfall. (SA:falas) Falmari
"wave-folk", a name of the Teleri (PM:386)
fana the
"veils" or "raiment" in which the Valar presented themselves
to physical eyes, the bodies in which they were self-incarnated,
usually in the shape of the bodies of Elves (and Men)
(RGEO:74)
fána, fánë "white"
(Markirya)
fanya
"(white) cloud" (FS); pl. fanyar in
Namárië (Nam, RGEO:67)
fanyarë "the skies" (not heaven or firmament -
the upper airs and clouds). Note that despite its English gloss,
fanyarë is a singular word and therefore takes a singular
adjective/participle, as in fanyarë rúcina "ruined
skies" in Markirya (see MC:220, note 8 for this
translation)
fárëa "enough";
ufárëa "not enough" (FS)
farnë
"dwelling", in orofarnë
Fayanáro archaic form of
Fëanáro (PM:343)
fëa
"spirit" (pl. fëar attested, MR:363). The Incarnates are
said to live by necessary union of hroa (body) and
fëa (WJ:405). In Fëanor
(Quenya-Sindarin hybrid for pure Quenya Fëanáro
"Spirit of Fire"), Fëantúri "Masters of Spirits",
name of Mandos and Lórien (SA)
Fëanáro "Spirit of Fire", Fëanor
(SA:nár)
Fëanturi "Masters of Spirits", name of the two
Valar Mandos and Lórien (SA:tur)
fifíru- is evidently the frequentative (see
sisíla-) form of fir-; according to MC:223 it
means "slowly fade away"; participle fifírula in
Markirya (translated "fading")
finda
"having hair, -haired" (PM:340)
Findaráto *"Hair-champion", Sindarized as
Finrod (SA:ar(a) )
findë
"hair" (especially of the head) (PM:340), "a tress or plait of
hair" (PM:345)
Findecáno ("-káno")
*"Hair-commander"; Sindarized as Fingon (PM:344)
findessë "a head of hair, a person's hair as a
whole" (PM:345)
finë
"a hair" (PM:340)
Finwë
masc. name, apparently displaying the frequent ending -wë
suffixed to a stem normally having to do with hair, but the name is
obscure (see Tolkien's discussion in PM:340-341)
fir- "die,
fade"; cf. fifíru-; fírë "expire";
augmentless perfect fírië, translated "she has
breathed forth" (but no explicit element meaning "she" seems
to be present) (MR:250, 470)
Fíriel "She that sighed" or "She that died",
later name of Míriel (MR:250)
Fírima pl. Fírimar "those apt
to die", "mortals", an Elvish name of Mortal Men (WJ:387)
fírimoin "for men", a dative pl. of
Fírimor, "mortals, Men", occurring in
Fíriel's Song. Tolkien later changed
Fírimor to Fírimar, so the dative would
probably be *fírimain in mature Quenya.
Firya pl.
Firyar "Mortals", an Elvish name of Mortal Men
(WJ:387)
Formen
"north" (SA:men), also name of tengwa 10 (Appendix E).
In Formenos "Northern Fortress" (SA:formen)
Forostar
the "Northlands" of Númenor (UT:165)
Fuinur
(misprint "Fuinar" in the Silmarillion Index) masc. name,
evidently derived from fuinë "shadow" (Silm; cf. the
stem PHUY in the Etymologies)
hácala ("hákala") "yawning", a
participle occurring in the Markirya poem, derived from an
(otherwise unattested) verb *háca- "yawn".
haiya "far"
(SD:247)
halla
"tall" (Appendix E, footnote)
hantalë "thanksgiving", isolated from
Eruhantalë (UT:166)
*har- or
hára- "sit", pl. hárar in Cirion's
Oath (i hárar "those who sit, those who are
sitting")
haranyë last year of a century in the
Númenórean calendar (Appendix D)
harma
"treasure", also name of tengwa 11, later called aha
(Appendix E)
heca!
("heka!") "be gone! stand aside!", also with pronominal
suffixes hecat sg. and hecal pl. (WJ:364)
Hecel
("Hekel") (pl. Heceldi, WJ:371) = hecil, but
reformed to match Oarel, especially applied to the Eldar left
in Beleriand. Helcelmar and Heceldamar *"Land of
Forsaken Elves", the name used by the loremasters of Aman for
Beleriand. (WJ:365)
hecil
("hekil") (masc. hecilo, fem. hecilë) "one
lost or forsaken by friends, waif, outcast, outlaw"
(WJ:365)
hehta-
(pa.t. hehtanë) "put aside, leave out, exclude, abandon,
forsake"
helca
("helka") "icy, icecold". In Helcar, the Inland Sea in
the north-east of Middle-earth, and Helcaraxë, the
Grinding Ice between Araman and Middle-earth (SA)
hequa
"leaving aside, not counting, excluding, except" (WJ:365)
heren
"order"; Heren Istarion "Order of Wizards" (UT:388)
Herendil
*"Fortune-friend" = Eadwine, Audoin (LR:52, 56, cf.
the Etymologies, stem KHER-)
heru
(hér-) "lord" (PM:210); Letters:283 gives
hér (heru). In names like Herumor *"Black
Lord" and Herunúmen "Lord of the West"
(SA:heru); heruion evidently a gen.pl. of heru
"lord": *"of the lords" (SD:290); herunúmen
"Lord-of-West" (LR:47), title of Manwë
hérincë ("hérinkë")
*"little lady" (UT:195). Concerning the diminutive ending, cf.
Atarincë, cirinci.
Hildor "the
Followers", an Elvish name of Mortal Men as the Second-born of
Ilúvatar (WJ:387); hildin "for men"
(Hildor, the Followers), a dative pl. occurring in
Fíriel's Song. Cf. hildinyar "my heirs",
evidently *hildë, hildo "follower, heir" +
-inya "my" + -r plural ending (EO)
Hildórien the land where Men first awoke, like the
Elves did at Cuiviénen (Silm)
hína
"child", also hina used in the vocative to a (young) child
(also hinya "my child" for hinanya) (WJ:403).
Pl. híni (surprisingly not **hínar) in
Híni Ilúvataro "Children of Ilúvatar"
(Silmarillion Index). In compounds -hin pl.
-híni (as in Eruhíni, "Children of Eru",
SA:híni)
hir-
"find", future tense hiruva in Namárië
(hiruvalyë "thou shalt find") (Nam, RGEO:67);
Hirilondë "Haven-finder", name of a ship
(UT:192)
hísië "mist" (Nam,
SA:hîth)
Hísilómë "Hithlum"
(SA:hîth)
Hísimë eleventh month of the year,
"November" (Appendix D, SA:hîth)
hlapu-
"blow; fly or stream in the wind", participle hlápula
"blowing" in Markirya
hlar-
"hear", future tense hlaruva "shall hear" in
Markirya
hlókë "snake, serpent", later
lókë (SA:lok-)
hloni
"sounds" (sg. *hlonë?) (WJ:394)
hloníti
tengwi "phonetic signs" (so *hlonítë =
"phonetic") (WJ:395)
hó-
verbal prefix; "away, from, from among", the point of view being
outside the thing, place, or group in thought (WJ:368)
hóciri "cut off" (cut of a required portion,
so as to have it or use it) (WJ:365, 368)
hon-maren
"heart of the house", a fire (LR:63, 73; this is "Qenya" with
genitive in -en, not -o as
in mature Quenya)
hondo-ninya
"my heart", changed to indo-ninya (FS, earlier
version)
hosta
"gather, collect, assemble" (Markirya);
hostainiéva "will be gathered", future tense of the
stative verb *hostainië, derived from *hostaina
"gathered", past participle of hosta- "gather". Such stative
verbs are probably not valid in mature Quenya; see -ië.
(FS)
Hravani
"the Wild" (sg. *hravan), name of non-Edain Men
(WJ:219)
hrávë "flesh" (MR:349)
hresta
"shore, beach", ablative hrestallo *"from (the) shore" in
Markirya
hrívë "winter", in the calendar of
Imladris a precisely defined period of 72 days, but also used without
any exact definition (Appendix D)
hroa
(sometimes "hröa") "body" (changed by Tolkien from
hrondo, in turn changed from hrón). Pl.
hroar is attested (MR:304). In MR:330, Tolkien notes
that hroa is "roughly but not exactly equivalent to 'body' "
(as opposed to "soul"). The Incarnates live by necessary union
of hroa (body) and fëa (soul) (WJ:405).
hróta "dwelling underground, artificial cave
or rockhewn hall" (PM:365)
huinë
"gloom, darkness" (SA:fuin), also used for "shadow" = Sauron
(LR:56). With prefix nu- "under" and allative
ending -nna in nuhuinenna (SD:246); also
unuhuinë "under-shadow" (LR:47).
hwermë
"gesture-code" (WJ:395)
hwesta
"breeze", also name of tengwa 12 (Appendix E); hwesta
sindarinwa "Grey-elven hw", name of tengwa 34 (Appendix
E)
hyarmen,
Hyarmen "south" (SA, SA:men), also name of tengwa 33
(Appendix E). In Hyarmendacil masc.name, "South-victor"
(Appendix A), apparently also in Hyarmentir (name of a
mountain; the element -tir means "watch[ing point]".) (SA)
Hyarnustar "the Southwestlands" of Númenor;
Hyarrostar the "Southeastlands" (UT:165)
hyóla "trump" (SD:419)
i "the",
indeclinable definite article (Nam, RGEO:67,
Markirya, WJ:369, WJ:398; directly prefixed
i- in i-mar [FS] and
i-Ciryamo [UT:8], with no hyphen in
icilyanna = i cilyanna in
SD:247). Also relative pronoun: i "the one/they who" (both
article and relative pronoun in Cirion's Oath: i Eru i or
ilyë mahalmar ëa: the One who is above
all thrones", i hárar "they who are sitting").
Before a verb, i means "the one(s) who, the one who, those
who": i carir quettar ómainen "those who form words
with voices" (WJ:391).
-ië
(1) infinitive (or gerundial) ending, attested in
enyalië, q.v. (CO)
-ië
(2) "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 mature Quenya: -ië is an
infinitival or gerundial ending in Cirion's Oath, for
ye "is" we here find ná, and the phrase "lost
is" is vanwa ná, not *vanwië.
ilca-
"gleam (white)", participle ilcala with pl. allative ending
ilcalannar ("ilkalannar") in Markirya (axor
ilcalannar "on bones gleaming")
Illuin name
of one of the Lamps of the Valar; apparently incorporating the
element luin "blue" (Silm)
ilm- stem
appearing in Ilmen, the region above the air where the stars
are, Ilmarë, name of a Maia, and Ilmarin "mansion
of the high airs", the dwelling of Manwë and Varda upon
Oiolossë (SA)
ilqua
("ilqa") "all" (FS)
Ilquainen
("ilqainen") a word occurring in Fíriel's Song,
translated "to all". It would appear to be ilqua "all" with a
dative pl. ending, but in mature Quenya -inen is the ending
for instrumental pl. (FS)
ilquen
"everybody" (WJ:372)
Ilu "(the)
world" (FS, LR:47, 56)
Ilúvatar "All-father", God (FS);
Ilúvatáren "of Ilúvatar"; in the "Qenya"
of Fíriel's Song, LR:47 and SD:246, the
genitive ending is -en instead of -o as in mature
Quenya. Contrast the genitive Ilúvataro in the phrase
Híni Ilúvataro "Children of Ilúvatar" in
the Silmarillion Index.
ilúvë "allness, the all". In
Ilúvatar "All-father". (SA; WJ:402, MR:471)
ilya "all"
(LR:47, 56; SD:310), ilyë before a plural noun,
"all" being inflected like an adjective (Nam, RGEO:67):
ilyë tier "all paths" (Namárië),
ilyë mahalmar "all thrones" (Cirion's Oath)
-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", as in úquétima
"unspeakable" (from quet- "speak"; note that the stem-vowel is
lengthened in the derivatives where -ima means "-able").
"X-ima" may mean "apt to X", as in Fírimar "mortals",
literally "those apt to die" (WJ:387)
Imbar "the
Habitation, = Earth," also "the principal part of Arda" (= the Solar
System) (MR:337, also WJ:419 note 29)
imbë
"between" (Nam, RGEO:67)
ímen
a word occurring in Fíriel's Song, translated "in them"
(ar ilqua ímen "and all [that is] in them"). Probably
not valid in mature Quenya.
in a
strange particle occurring in the phrase i-coimas in-Eldaron
"the coimas [lembas] of the Eldar" in PM:403. It looks like the
Sindarin plural article, but in Quenya i is both sg. and pl.
"the", and the word Eldar does not normally take any article
at all. The alternative reading i-coimas Eldaron (PM:395) is
probably to be preferred.
-in dative
pl. ending, seen in eldain, fírimoin, q.v.
indil
"lily", or other large single flower. Adopted and adapted from
Valarin. (WJ:399)
indis
"wife" (UT:8)
indo
"heart"; indo-ninya a word occurring in
Fíriel's Song, translated "my heart". Read
*indonya in mature Quenya?
-inen
instrumental pl. ending. In ómainen (WJ:391)
inga "top,
highest point" (PM:340)
ingaran
"high-king" (PM:340)
Ingolë
"Science/Philosophy" as a whole (PM:360; WJ:383 has
ingolë ["iñgole"] "lore")
ingólemo "one with very great knowledge, a
'wizard' ", applied only to great sages of the Eldar in Valinor, like
Rúmil (PM:360)
ingolmo
"loremaster" (WJ:383)
ingor
"summit of a mountain" (PM:340)
Ingwë
masc. name, "chief". (PM:340). Pl. Ingwer "Chieftains",
what the Vanyar called themselves. Ingwë Ingweron "chief
of the chieftains", proper title of Ingwë as high king
(PM:340)
-inqua
adjectival ending, seen in alcarinqua "glorious"
(WJ:412) from alcar "glory". Etymologically,
-inqua means "-full", like "glory-full" in this case.
inwisti
"mind-mood" (changed by Tolkien from inwaldi) (MR:216,
471)
-ion
genitive pl. ending in elenion, Istarion,
Silmarillion.
írë "when" (relative, not
question-word) (FS)
írima "lovely, beautiful", also pl.
írimar; in the "Qenya" of Fíriel's Song,
adjectives in -a form their plurals in -ar instead of
-ë as in mature Quenya.
Írissë fem. name (PM:345)
Irmo
"Desirer", name of a Vala; normally called Lórien,
properly the place where he dwells (WJ:402)
Isil "Moon"
(FS; SA:sil, Appendix E, SD:302); Isildur (masc.name.,
*"Moon-servant") (SA:sil, Appendix A); isilmë
"moonlight", occurring in Markirya; free translation "the
moon" in MC:215 (isilmë ilcalassë, lit. "moonlight
gleaming-in" = "in the moon gleaming"); Isilya third day of
the Eldarin six-day week, dedicated to the Moon (Appendix
D)
-issë
a feminine ending, as in Írissë
(PM:345)
Istar pl.
Istari "Wizard"; Heren Istarion "Order of Wizards"
(UT:388)
ita-
"sparkle" (SA:ril, PM:363)
íta
"a flash" (PM:363)
itila
"twinkling, glinting"
Itaril,
Itarillë, Itarildë fem. name, Sindarized as
Idril (PM:346, 348; SA:ril)
-iva
(-ivë) plural possessive ending in Eldaiva,
Eldaivë (WJ:369)
kelvar (sg.
*kelva) "animals, living things that move" (Silm)
kemen
"earth", referring to the earth as a flat floor beneath menel,
the heavens (SA). Kementári "Earth-queen", title
of Yavanna. (SA:tar)
kyermë
*"prayer", isolated from Erukyermë (UT:166)
-l reduced
pronominal affix of the 2. person, "you" (pl.). See heca!
(WJ:364)
laica
"green" (but all other sources give laiqua)
(Letters:283)
Laiquendi
"Green-elves", not much used (translated from Sindarin Laegil,
Laegelrim) (WJ:385, SA:quen-/quet-)
lairë
"summer" (Letters:283), in the calendar of Imladris a
precisely defined period of 72 days, but also used without any exact
definition (Appendix D) Oiolairë "Eversummer"; see
Coron Oiolairë. Lairelossë *"Summer-snow",
name of a tree (UT:167), perhaps with white flowers.
laita
"bless, praise": a laita, laita te! Andavë laituvalmet! ...
Cormacolindor, a laita tárienna "bless them, bless them!
Long shall we bless them! ... [The] Ring-bearers, praise [them] to
[the] height!" (lait[a]-uva-lme-t
"bless-shall-we-them) (LotR3:VI ch. 4, translated in
Letters:308) Verbal noun laitalë "praising", isolated
from Erulaitalë (UT:166, 436)
lala-
"laugh" (PM:359 - does this obsolete lala-
"deny" in the Etymologies, stem
LA?)
Lalwendë (also short Lalwen) "Laughing
Maiden", fem. name (PM:343)
laman (pl.
lamni or lamani) "animal" (usually applied to
four-footed beasts, and never to reptiles and birds)
(WJ:416)
lámatyávë (pl.
lámatyáver attested) "sound-taste"
(láma + tyávë), individual pleasure
in the sounds and forms of words (MR:215, 471)
lamba
"tongue" (physical tongue, while lambë = "language")
(WJ:394)
lambë
"tongue, language" (the usual word for 'language' in non-technical
use) (WJ:368, 394), also name of tengwa 27 (Appendix
E); Lambë Valarinwa "Valarin tongue" (WJ:397);
Lambengolmor "Loremasters of Tongues", a school founded by
Fëanor (WJ:396)
lanta-
"fall", lantar present tense pl. (Nam, RGEO:66);
lantaner "fell" (pl.) (SD:246); lantier "they
fell", a plural past tense of lanta- "fall" occurring in
LR:47; read lantaner in mature Quenya, as in SD:246. Also sg.
lantië "fell" (LR:56); read *lantanë?
Participle lantala "falling" (with locative ending:
lantalassë) in Markirya. Noun lantë
"fall" in Noldolantë, q.v.
lár
"league", a linear measure, 5000 rangar (q.v.). A ranga
was approximately 38 inches, so a lár was "5277
yards, two feet and four inches [ca. 4826 m], supposing the
equivalence to be exact" - close enough to our league of 5280 yards
to justify this translation. The basic meaning of lár
is "pause"; in marches a brief halt was made for each league.
(UT:285)
lassë
"leaf", pl. lassi (Nam, RGEO:66,
Letters:283); gen. lassëo "of a leaf", gen. pl.
lassion "of leaves" (earlier lassio) (WJ:407);
lasselanta, lasse-lanta "leaf-fall", used (as was
quellë) for the latter part of autumn and the beginning
of winter (Appendix D, Letters:428); hence Lasselanta
alternative name of October (PM:135). Cf. also
lassemista "leaf-grey" (LotR2:III ch. 4, translated in
Letters:224), lassewinta a variant of lasselanta
(PM:376). See also lillassëa.
laurë
"gold", but of golden light and colour, not of the metal. In
Laurelin, name of the Golden Tree of Valinor. (SA,
Letters:308), Laurenandë "Gold-valley" =
Lórien (UT:253) and laurinquë name of a
tree, possibly "Gold-full one" (UT:168). Derived adjective
laurëa "golden, like gold", pl. laurië
(Nam, RGEO:66).
Laurelindórinan "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).
lav-
"lick", pa.t. lávë in undulávë,
see undu (Nam)
lavaralda
(changed from lavarin) some kind of tree (alda)
(LR:57)
-lda "your"
(sg.), possessive suffix attested only in the phrase Arwen
vanimalda "Arwen your beauty", sc. "O beautiful Arwen", and in
meletyalda "your majesty" (WJ:369) Arwen
vanimalda was changed to Arwen vanimelda in the second
edition of LotR, so Tolkien may have decided to re-interpret the
phrase as *"Arwen, beautiful Elf (Elda)". The ending for "your"
appear as -lya elsewhere; -lda may be used in vocatives
only. (LotR1:II ch. 6)
lelya "go,
proceed (in any direction), travel", pa.t. lendë
(WJ:362)
lendë
"left, went" (pa.t. of lelya- "go") (FS, LR:47, SD:310,
WJ:362)
lenémë "with leave" (+ gen: "with leave
of") (SD:246)
Lenwë
the leader of the Nandor (Nandorin Denweg, primitive
*Denwego) (WJ:412)
lestanen
"in measure", a word occurring in Fíriel's Song,
apparently the instrumental form of a noun *lesta "measure",
not otherwise attested.
Lestanórë "Doriath", gen.
Lestanórëo (WJ:369)
leuca
"snake" (Appendix E)
-li
partitive pl. ending; genitive -lion in
vanimálion, allative -linnar in
falmalinnar, q.v.
líco
("líko") "wax" (Markirya comments, MC:223)
lícuma ("líkuma") "taper,
candle"
lië
"people" in Eldalië (q.v.); possessive
liéva in Mindon Eldaliéva (q.v.)
lillassëa "having many leaves", pl.
lillassië in Markirya (ve tauri
lillassië, lit. *"like many-leaved forests", is translated
"like leaves of forests" in MC:215)
lin,
lind- "a musical sound" (Letters:308)
Lindar
"Singers", what the Teleri called themselves (WJ:380, MR:349,
UT:253)
lindë
"singing, song" (SA:gond); lindelorendor
"music-dream-land"; see laurelindórenan
lindelorendor... (LotR2:III ch. 4, cf. Letters:308)
Lindi What
the Green-elves called themselves; also used in Exilic Quenya
(WJ:385)
Lindon,
Lindónë "Lindon", place-name (WJ:385)
Lindórië fem. name, perhaps *"She that
arises in beauty" (compare Melkor "He that arises in Might")
(Silm)
-linnar see
-li
*linta
"swift", pl. lintë (Nam, RGEO:66)
-lion see
-li
lírë "song", instrumental
lírinen "in [the] song" or *"by [the] song" (Nam,
RGEO:67)
lirulin
"lark" (MR:238, 262), changed from aimenel,
aimenal
lissë
"sweet" (Nam, RGEO:66)
-llo
ablative ending, "from" or "out of", e.g. sindanóriello
"out of a grey land", Rómello "from the East",
Mardello *"from Earth" (FS)
*-lma
pronominal ending "our", attested (with the genitive ending -o
that displaces final -a) in the word omentielmo "of our
meeting". This "our" is plural inclusive. Frodo (it seems) improperly
used it in the greeting "a star shines on the hour of our meeting":
Since he and the Elf he was speaking to constituted only two persons,
he should have used the dual inclusive instead. The correct
form omentielvo occurs in some of the manuscripts of the Red
Book. See Letters:447.
-lmë
pronominal ending for inclusive "we", sc. "we" including the person
that is spoken to. Exemplified in laituvalmet "we shall bless
them" (lait-uva-lme-t "bless-shall-we-them") (LotR3:VI ch.
4, translated in Letters:308)
loa
literally "growth", used of a solar year (= coranar) when
seasonal changes are considered (Appendix D; in PM:126
loa is translated "time of growth". Pl.
loar, or "löar", in MR:426)
loc-
("lok-") "bend, loop". (May be a primitive stem rather than
Quenya.) (SA)
loëndë *"year-middle", the middle (183rd)
day of the year, inserted between the months of
Nárië and Cermië (June and July) in
the Númenórean calendar and the Steward's Reckoning
(Appendix D)
loico
"corpse, dead body"; loicolícuma "corpse-candle" in
Markirya
lókë "snake, serpent", older
hlókë (SA:lok-)
lómë "dusk". In Lómion
"Child of Twilight [dusk]", the Quenya name Aredhel secretly gave to
Maeglin (SA). Otherwise lómë is usually
defined as "night" (Letters:308, LR:41, SD:302, SA:dú),
cf. lómelindë pl. lómelindi
"nightingale" (SA:dú, LR:41; SD:302, MR:172). Derived
adjective *lómëa "gloomy" in
Lómëanor "Gloomyland"; see
Taurelilómëa-tumbalemorna...
londë
"land-locked haven". In Alqualondë "Swan-haven".
(SA)
lor "dream"
(Letters:308; probably just an Elvish "element" rather than a
complete word)
Lórellin name of the lake where the
Valië Estë sleeps; apparently meaning *"Dream-lake"
(Silm)
Lórien (from lor-) name of a Vala,
properly the place where he dwells, while his real name is
Irmo (WJ:402)
lossë
"snow, snow-white" (SA:los)
lótë "flower". In the names
Ninquelóte *"White-flower" (= Nimloth),
Vingilótë "Foam-flower", the name of
Eärendil's ship (SA:loth), also in
Lótessë fifth month of the year, "May"
(Appendix D)
-lto
"they", pronominal suffix occurring in Fíriel's Song
(meldielto "they are beloved" and cárielto "they
made"), also in LT1:114: tulielto "they have come". Probably
not valid in mature Quenya (replaced by -ntë?)
luin
"blue", pl. luini (Nam, RGEO:66). In
Helluin, name of the star Sirius, and Luinil, name of
another blue-shining star (or planet). (SA; Luinil is tentatively
identified with Neptune, MR:435)
Lumbar name
of a star (or planet), tentatively identified with Saturn
(MR:435), evidently connected to lumbo,
lumbulë (Silm)
lumbo
"cloud", pl. lumbor in Markirya
lumbulë "(heavy) shadow" (Nam,
RGEO:67)
lúmë (1) "darkness" (one wonders if
Tolkien confused lúmë "time, hour" and
lómë "night") (Markirya)
lúmë (2) "hour", allative
lúmenna "upon the hour", elided lúmenn'
in the greeting elen síla lúmenn' omentielvo
because the next word begins with a similar vowel. The complete form
lúmenna omentielvo is found in WJ:367 and
Letters:424.
lumna "is
heavy", a stative verb (LR:47, SD:310; cf.
lumna- "to lie heavy" in the Etymologies,
stem DUB-)
lúva
"bow" (Appendix E)
*-lva
pronominal ending, "our", of two persons where one addresses the
other (Letters:447). Only attested in the genitive -lvo
in the word omentielvo (see -lma). For this reason it
has been argued that the ending may actually be *-lwa, since
there is some evidence that wo would change to vo in
Quenya and the w of *-lwa could be derived from the
dual ending -u. (FG)
-lya
pronominal suffix "thy, your" in tielyanna "upon your path"
(UT:22 cf. 51)
-lyë
2. person sg. ending: "thou", hiruvalyë "thou shalt find"
(Nam, RGEO:67)
má
"hand", dual *mát "a pair of hands" attested with a
pronominal suffix: máryat "his/her (pair of) hands"
(see -rya, -t) (Nam, RGEO:67), pl.
allative mannar "into hands" (FS). Cf.
-maitë "-handed".
Macalaurë ("Makalaurë"), masc.
name, the mother-name (never used in narrative) of
Canafinwë = Maglor (PM:353); his Sindarin name is
seen to be based on his mother-name.
macar
"swordsman", in Menelmacar (see menel)
mahalma
"throne", nominative pl. mahalmar "thrones" and locative pl.
mahalmassen in Cirion's Oath. Adopted and adapted from
Valarin. (WJ:399)
Máhan (pl. Máhani attested in
WJ:402), one of the eight chiefs of the Valar (Adopted and adapted
from Valarin, but usually translated as Aratar)
Máhanaxar the "Doom Ring" of Aman; adopted and adapted
from Valarin. (WJ:399)
Maia pl.
Maiar "the Beautiful" (MR:49), the lesser (= non-Vala)
Ainur that entered Eä. Variant Máyar in PM:363,
364 (is this to be understood as an older form?)
maica
("maika") "sharp, piercing" (SA:maeg)
-maitë
"handed" in Angamaitë, morimaitë,
Telemmaitë, q.v.
Maitimo
"well-shaped one", mother-name (never used in narrative) of
Nelyafinwë = Maedhros (PM:353)
maiwë
"gull", pl. maiwi in Markirya
malina
"yellow" (Letters:308); Malinalda *"Yellow-tree", a
name of Laurelin (SA:mal-; evidently malina +
alda). The translation "Tree of Gold" in the Silmarillion
Index is free; malina means "yellow", not "gold(en)". Cf.
malinornélion "of yellow-trees"; see
laurelindórenan lindelorendor... (LotR2:III ch. 4;
cf. Letters:308). Malinornélion is partitive pl.
genitive of malinornë "mallorn" (UT:167, normal pl.
malinorni, UT:168).
mallë
pl. maller "road" (LR:47, 56; SD:310)
malta
"gold", also name of tengwa 18 (Appendix E)
máma
"sheep" (WJ:395)
mamil
"mother" (UT:191)
man "who"
(Nam, RGEO:67, FS, LR:59, Markirya) cf. PM:357
note 18, where a reference is made to the Eldarin interrogative
element ma, man). However, man is translated
"what" in LR:59. Either Tolkien later adjusted the meaning of the
word, or it covers both "who" and "what".
Man-ië? "What is it?" (LR:59; the
stative-verb suffix -ië is hardly valid in
mature Quenya)
mána
"blessed" (FS)
mana a word
translated "what is" in the sentence mana i-coimas Eldaron[?]
"what is the coimas (lembas) of the Eldar?" (PM:395, a
variant reading in PM:402) Either it is *ma "what" +
ná "is", or mana may itself be a unitary word
"what", and there is not really any word meaning "is" in the
sentence.
mando
"custody, safe keeping" (MR:350) or "prison, duress" (in
Mandos) (SA:band)
Mandos
(Mandost-) "Castle of Custody" (the approximate meaning,
according to MR:350) Used as the name of a Vala, properly the place
where he dwells (the Halls of Mandos), while his real name is
Námo (WJ:402)
manen "how"
(PM:395)
mannar
"into (the) hands", allative pl. of má. (FS)
Manwë
"Blessed Being" (Letters:283), adopted from Valarin
Mânawenûz; names ending in -wë were
already frequent in Quenya (WJ:399). Cf. Mánwen,
Mánwë the oldest Quenya forms of
Manwë, closer to the Valarin form (WJ:399).
Lower-case manwë in LR:56.
maquet-
*"ask", only attested in the past tense: maquentë
(PM:403)
mar
"earth", ablative Mardello "from earth" (FS). May be
more or less identical with már "home, house" (of
persons or peoples; in names like Val(i)mar, Vinyamar,
Mar-nu-Falmar, Mardil) (SA:bar)
mar-
"abide, be settled or fixed" (UT:317); maruvan "I will abide"
(mar-uva-n "abide-will-I") (EO)
*mardë
"hall"; only pl. mardi is attested (Nam,
RGEO:66)
Mar-nu-Falmar "Home under Waves", name of the
sunken Númenor (Silm)
Mardil
masc. name, "(one) devoted to the house", sc. of the kings
(Appendix A; interpreted in Letters:386)
márië "it is good" (FS; from
mára "good"; the stative-verb suffix
-ië is hardly valid in mature
Quenya)
massánië "breadgiver", used as a title
of the highest woman among any Elvish people, since she had the
keeping and gift of the coimas (lembas). Also simply
translated "Lady" (PM:404)
masta
"bread" (PM:404)
*mbelekôro is mentioned as "the oldest Q
form" of Melkor; this is obviously a form that belongs to
Common Eldarin rather than Quenya as we know it; note that it is
asterisked as unattested (WJ:402)
me "us";
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); dual met "us (two)"
melánë "I love", a doubtful word
in mature Quenya; read perhaps *mélanyë
(LR:70)
Melcor
(so spelt in MR:362) see Melkor
meldielto
"they are beloved" (sc.
meld[a]-ië-lto "beloved-are-they" -
both the stative verb ending -ië "is/are" and the ending
-lto "they" may be obsolete in mature Quenya) (FS)
meletyalda
"your mighty" = "your majesty" (see -lda; meletya =
*"mighty"). In full Aran Meletyalda "king your mighty"
(WJ:369)
Melko
"Mighty One", name of the rebellious Vala, usually called
Melkor (FS; MR:350 confirms that the form
Melko is still valid in mature Quenya)
Melkor
(spelt Melcor in MR:362), the rebellious
Vala, the devil of the Silmarillion mythos. Older form
Melkórë "Mighty-rising" (hence the interpretation
"He that arises in power"). Oldest form *mbelekôro
(WJ:402). Melkorohíni "Children of Melkor", Orcs
("but the wiser say: nay, the slaves of Melkor; but not his children,
for Melkor had no children") (MR:416)
men (1)
"way" (SA)
men (2)
"who", evidently a misreading or miswriting for man
(MC:221, in Markirya)
ménë "on us" (SD:310)
Menel
"heavens" (Markirya, SA), "the apparent dome in the sky"
(MR:387). In names like Meneldil *"Heaven-friend" =
astronomer (Appendix A; Letters:386), Meneldur masc.
name, *"Heaven-servant" (Appendix A); Menelmacar
"Swordsman of the Sky", the Orion constellation (also called
Telumehtar, Appendix E, first footnote); the older name was
Menelmacil *"Heaven-sword" (WJ:411); Meneltarma
"Pillar of Heaven", name of the great mountain of Númenor
(SA:tar). Menelya fifth day of the Eldarin six-day
week, dedicated to the heavens (Appendix D)
met "us
(two)", including the dual ending -t. Me (LR:56)
evidently means "we".
Metelairë alternative name of August
(PM:135)
Meterrívë alternative name of January
(PM:135)
métima "last" (Markirya), in Markirya
also twice métim', since the following words
(auressë, andúnë) begin in an
a.
metta
"end"; Ambar-metta "world-end, the end of the world"
(EO); mettarë *"end-day" = New Years' Eve in the
Númenórean calendar and the Steward's Reckoning, not
belonging to any month (Appendix D)
mí
"in the" (Nam, RGEO:66; CO gives mi; the
correct forms should evidenly be mi = "in" and
mí = mi i "in the")
Minalcar
masc. name, *"First-glory"??? (Appendix A)
Minardil
masc.name *"minar[?]-friend". Perhaps minar is to be
understood as a variant of minas (s being voiced to
z by contact with the voiced plosive that follows, and then
regularly becoming r); if so, the name means *"Tower-friend"
(Appendix A)
Minastan
masc.name, *"Tower-maker" (Appendix A)
Minastir
masc. name, *"Tower-watcher" (Appendix A)
mindon
"(great, lofty) tower", allative pl. mindoninnar in
Markirya, changed to the contracted form mindonnar. Cf.
also Mindon Eldaliéva "Lofty Tower of the Eldalië"
(Silm)
Minnónar "First-born", Elves (as contrasted
to Apanónar, the After-born, Men). Sg.
*Minnóna (WJ:403)
Mindolluin
*"Blue Tower" (mindon + luin), name of a mountain.
(Christopher Tolkien translates the name as "Towering Blue-head" in
the Silmarillion Index, but this seems to be based on the
questionable assumption that it includes the Sindarin element
dol "head, hill". Unless this translation is given in his
father's papers, the name is better explained as a Quenya
compound.)
minya
"first" (see Minyatur); Minyar "Firsts", the original
name of the Vanyar (or rather the direct Quenya descendant of the
original Primitive Quendian name) (WJ:380)
Minyatur
"First-ruler"; Tar-Minyatur "High First-ruler", title of Elros
as the first King of Númenor (SA:minas, PM:348,
SA:tur)
mírë "jewel" (SA:mîr). Cf.
Elemmírë; short form -mir in
Tar-Atanamir. (SA:mîr)
Míriel *"Jewel-woman" (Silm),
genitive Míriello (see namna)
miruvor,
full form miruvórë "meed", "a special wine or
cordial"; possessive miruvóreva "of meed"
(Nam, RGEO:66; WJ:399)
mirroanwi
"incarnates, those (spirits) 'put into flesh' " (MR:350)
mista
"grey"; see lassemista
Mittalmar
the "Midlands" of Númenor (UT:165)
-mmë
pronominal ending, exclusive "we", seen in vammë "we
won't" (WJ:371)
-mo ending
frequent in names and titles, sometimes with an agental significance
(WJ:400)
mor
"darkness" (Letters:308; probably just an Elvish "element" rather
than a complete word; Namárië has
mornië for "darkness")
morë
"dark, darkness" (Letters:282); morimaitë
"black-handed" (LotR3:VI ch. 6). Moriquendi "Dark
Elves" (SA:mor, WJ:373). Moringotto "Black Foe",
Sindarin Morgoth. The oldest form is said to have been
Moriñgotho (MR:194). Morion "the dark
one", a title of Morgoth (FS). Morifinwë "dark
Finwë", masc. name; he was called Caranthir in Sindarin.
Short Quenya name Moryo. (PM:353)
morna
"dark, black" in tumbalemorna (Letters:282); pl.
mornë in Markirya (the first version
of this poem had "green rocks", MC:215, changed to ondolisse
mornë "upon dark rocks" in the final version; see MC:220,
note 8)
mornië
"darkness" (Nam, RGEO:67)
Morquendi
"Dark-elves" (WJ:361)
Moryo see
Morifinwë
mundo
"bull" (Letters:422)
-n (1)
dative ending, in nin, enyalien
-n (2) or
-nye pronominal ending, 1. person sg. "I".
Utúlien "I am come" (EO)
-n (3) a
plural sign used in some of the cases (WJ:407)
ná
"is" (Nam, RGEO:67). See also nai.
na- a
prefix occurring in the Markirya poem, changed to a-,
q.v.
nahamna
untranslated word occurring in LR:47 (= nucumna "humbled" in
SD:246, cf. SD:290, end of note 59)
Nahar the
name of Oromë's horse, adopted and adapted from Valarin
(WJ:401)
nai "be it
that", used with a future tense-verb to express a wish. The
translation "maybe" in Tolkien's rendering of
Namárië is somewhat misleading; he used "be it
that" in the interlinear translation in RGEO:67. Nai
hiruvalyë Valimar! Nai elyë hiruva! *"May thou find
Valimar. May even thou find it!" (Nam). Nai tiruvantes
"be it that they will guard it" > "may they guard it"
(CO)
Naira
"Heart of Flame", a name of the Sun (MR:198)
Ñaltariel true Quenya form of
Galadriel; the form actually used was Altariel,
Quenyarized from Telerin Alatáriel(lë).
(PM:347)
namárië "farewell" (Nam,
RGEO:67)
Námo
(1) "Judge", name of a Vala, normally called Mandos, properly
the place where he dwells (WJ:402), (2) námo "a
person, somebody" (PM:340)
namna
"statute"; Namna Finwë Míriello "the Statute of
Finwë and Míriel" (MR:258)
nan "but"
(FS)
nandë
"valley" in Laurenandë (UT:253); also nan,
nand- "valley" (Letters:308); Nan-Tasarion "Vale
of Willows" (LotR2:III ch. 4)
Nandor name
of the Green-elves (Laiquendi); the original word
*ndandô implied "one who goes back on his word or
decision", since the Nandor left the March from Cuiviénen to
Aman. Adj. Nandorin. (WJ:412)
Nárië sixth month of the year, "June"
(Appendix D)
Narmacil
masc. name, *"Flame-sword" (Appendix A)
Narquelië tenth month of the year, "October"
(Appendix D); the word seems to mean "Fire-waning",
"Sun-waning". Compare narquelion ("narqelion") "Fading"
in Fíriel's Song.
Narsil the
sword of Elendil, compound of the stems seen in Anar "Sun" and
Isil "Moon"; see Letters:425 for etymology
Narsilion
"(the song) of the Sun and Moon"; actually the stems of the words for
Sun and Moon compounded (see Narsil above) and a plural
genitive ending added (Silm)
Narvinyë first month of the year, "January".
The word seems to mean "New Fire/Sun". (Appendix D)
Narya name
of the Red Ring, the Ring of Fire; apparently an adjective meaning
something like "Fiery (One)" (SA:nár)
nasar "red"
(in Vanyarin Quenya only). Adopted and adapted from Valarin.
(WJ:399)
nauca
("nauka") adjective especially applied to things that though
in themselves full-grown were smaller or shorter than their kind, and
were hard, twisted or ill-shapen (WJ:413)
Nauco
("Nauko") "Dwarf"; Naucalië (not
*Naucolië) the "Dwarf-people" as a whole. From
nauca. See also Picinaucor (WJ:388)
Návarot "Nogrod" (< Novrod), Hollowbold,
a dwelling of the Dwarves (WJ:389)
-ndil (also
-dil) ending in many names, like Amandil,
Eärendil; it implies devotion or disinterested love and
may be translated "friend" (SA:(n)dil); this ending is
"describing the attitude of one to a person, thing, course or
occupation to which one is devoted for its own sake"
(Letters:386)
-ndor
"land" in compounds (Letters:308, UT:253)
-ndur (also
-dur) ending in some names, like Eärendur; as
noted by Christopher Tolkien in the Silmarillion Appendix it has much
the same meaning as -ndil "friend"; yet -ndur properly
means "servant of" (SA:(n)dil), "as one serves a legitimate
master: cf. Q. arandil king's friend, royalist, beside
arandur 'king's servant, minister'. But these often coincide:
e.g. Sam's relation to Frodo can be viewed either as in status
-ndur, in spirit -ndil." (Letters:286)
néca
"pale, vague, faint, dim to see", pl. nécë
("néke") in Markirya
nehta
"spearhead", isolated from nernehta, q.v.
nehtë
any formation or projection tapering to a point: a spearhead, gore,
wedge, narrow promontory (UT:282)
neldë
"three" (SA:neldor)
nelya
"third" in Nelyar "Thirds", the original name of the Teleri
(or rather the direct Quenya descendant of the original Primitive
Quendian name) (WJ:380); Nelyafinwë "Finwë
third" (after the original Finwë and Curufinwë =
Fëanor), masc. name; he was called Maedhros in Sindarin.
Short Quenya name Nelyo. (PM:352)
Nelyo see
Nelyafinwë under nelya
Nénar name of a star (or planet), evidently
derived from nén "water" (Silm), tentatively
identified with Uranus (MR:435)
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