Eldamo : Primitive Elvish : EL

√EL root. “lo, behold; star”

√EL root. “lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky”: ᴱ√ALA¹ “gaze‽”

Tolkien introduced ᴹ√EL as the basis for Elvish star-words in The Etymologies of the 1930s at the same time as he devised a new etymology for the words for “Elf” as the “Star-Folk” using an extended form of this root ᴹ√ELED (Ety/EL, ELED). The extended root √ELED seems to have survived at least up until around 1950, where it appear among list of examples of roots for Elvish tribal names, with deleted variant √EDEL (PE18/84). But later on the extended form seems to have fallen away, at least as the basis for Elf-words, being replaced in the Quendi and Eldar essay from 1959-60 by the root √DEL “walk, go, proceed, travel” and its Quenya-only variant √LED.

In the Quendi and Eldar essay, the words for “Elf” were recontextualized as a blend of the senses “star” and “departure”, referring to Elves both as the people of the stars and the specific group of the Eldar as those Elves who left for Aman (WJ/362-3). In these same notes Tolkien said that ele originated first as an interjection meaning “lo!, behold!”, as uttered when the Elves first beheld the stars (WJ/360). In this sense, it might have been a partial restoration of a (hypothetical) early root *ᴱ√ELE² used for various words of wonderment and “otherness” in the 1910s and 20s; see that entry for details.

References ✧ Let/281; PE17/67, 151-152; PM/340; RGEO/64-65; SA/êl; VT42/11; WJ/360, 362

Glosses

“basis of many star words” ✧ RGEO/64
“behold!” ✧ SA/êl (ele)
“lo!, behold!” ✧ WJ/360 (ELE)
“star” ✧ Let/281; PE17/151; PE17/152; RGEO/65; VT42/11

Variations

EL ✧ Let/281; PE17/67; PE17/151; PE17/152; PM/340; RGEO/64; RGEO/65; VT42/11; WJ/362
ele ✧ SA/êl; WJ/360

S. gil “spark, twinkle of light, star” is often used of the stars of heaven in place of older and more elevated el- “star” ✧ VT42/11

Derivatives

⇒ ^ᴺ√ELEK “different, strange; other”
- > ᴺS. ^elch “else, something else”
- > ᴺS. eleg “other, else”
  - ⇒ ᴺS. ^elegren “different, strange”
⇒ ^ᴺ√ELEM “wonder, marvel”
- > ᴺQ. !elma “wonder, miracle”
- > ᴺQ. !elma- “to marvel at, admire”
- > ᴺQ. elmenda “wonder, wonderment”
  - ⇒ ᴺQ. !elmendëa “wonderful”
- > ᴺS. ^elva- “to marvel at, admire”
- > ᴺS. elvain “wondrous, marvelous, wonderful; ⚠️wonder(ful thing), marvel”
- > ᴺS. elven “wonder, wonderment”
> ✶ēl “star” ✧ WJ/360
- ⇒ ✶eledā “star-folk, of the stars” ✧ WJ/360
  - > Q. Elda “Elf, (lit.) one of the Star-folk” ✧ Let/281; PE17/141; SA/êl; WJ/362; WJ/364; WJ/364
    - ⇒ ᴺQ. ^eldafindë “maidenhair fern, (lit.) elf tress”
    - ⇒ Q. Amaneldi “*Elves of Aman”
      - ⇒ Q. Úmaneldi “*Elves not of Aman”
    - ⇒ Q. Eldacar “Elfhelm”
    - ⇒ Q. Elda-lambë “Language of the Eldar” ✧ WJ/369
    - ⇒ Q. Eldalië “People of the Elves, Elven-folk” ✧ WJ/374
      - ⇒ Q. Mindon Eldaliéva “Lofty Tower of the Eldalië” ✧ SI/Mindon Eldaliéva
    - ⇒ Q. Eldalondë “Haven of the Eldar”
    - ⇒ Q. Eldalótë “Elven-flower” ✧ PM/346
    - ⇒ Q. Eldamar “Elvenhome”
    - ⇒ Q. Eldameldor “Elf-friends, Elf-lovers”
    - ⇒ Q. Eldandil “Elf-friend”
    - ⇒ Q. Eldanna “*Elf-wards” ✧ UTI/Eldanna
    - ⇒ Q. Eldanor “Elvenland”
    - ⇒ Q. Eldanyárë “History of the Elves”
    - ⇒ Q. Eldarin “of the Eldar; Elvish (language)”
      - ⇒ 4 compounds
    - ⇒ Q. Eldarion “*Son of the Eldar”
    - ⇒ Q. Eldavehtë “a habitation, haunt or place occupied by Eldar” ✧ PE17/189
    - ⇒ Q. Elendil “Elf-friend, Star-lover”
      - ⇒ 5 compounds
    - ⇒ Q. Hecel “Elf who stayed in Beleriand”
      - ⇒ Q. Hecelmar “*Home of the Hecel” ✧ WJ/365
    - ⇒ Q. Oärel “Elf who left Middle-earth for Aman”
    - ⇒ Q. Pereldar “Half-elven”
    - ⇒ Q. Sindel “Grey-elf”
    - ⇒ Q. Tareldar “High-elves” ✧ SI/Eldar
    - ⇒ Q. vanimelda “beautiful and beloved, elven-fair” ✧ PE17/56; PE17/57
      - ⇒ Q. Vanimeldë
    - > S. †Ell “Elf” ✧ PE17/141
      - ⇒ [see above]
  - ⇒ Q. Elendil “Elf-friend, Star-lover” ✧ Let/386
    - ⇒ 5 compounds
  - > S. †Eledh “Elf” ✧ Let/281; Let/281; PE17/140; PE17/141; PE17/142
    - ⇒ 5 compounds
  - > S. †Ell “Elf” ✧ PE17/141; WJ/363
    - ⇒ S. Aranel
    - ⇒ S. Aredhel² “Noble Elf” ✧ PE17/141
    - ⇒ S. Dúnedhel “West-Elf” ✧ PE17/141
    - ⇒ S. Elladan “Elf-man” ✧ Let/281
    - > S. Elleth “Elf-maid” ✧ PE17/141; PE17/141; PE17/152; WJ/363
      - ⇒ S. Haudh-en-Ellas ✧ PE17/97
      - ⇒ S. Haudh-en-Elleth “Mound of the Elf-maid” ✧ PE17/141; S/216; UTI/Haudh-en-Elleth
    - > S. Ellon “Elf-man” ✧ PE17/141; PE17/141; WJ/363
    - ⇒ S. Elrohir “Elf-knight” ✧ Let/281
    - ⇒ S. Elrond “Star-dome” ✧ Let/281
      - ⇒ S. Elrenniel “Arwen; *(lit.) Elrond-daughter”
      - ⇒ S. Elrondhel
    - ⇒ S. Elros “Star-foam” ✧ Let/281
    - ⇒ S. Elvellyn “Elf-friends, Elf-lovers” ✧ WJ/412
    - ⇒ S. †Glinnel “*Singer-elf”
    - ⇒ S. Laegel
    - ⇒ S. Lindel “Nando”
    - ⇒ S. Miniel “Vanyar”
  - > T. Ella “Elf” ✧ WJ/362
    - ⇒ T. Ellálië “Elvenfolk” ✧ WJ/375
- ⇒ ✶elen-barathī “star-queen” ✧ PE17/66
  - > S. Elbereth “Queen of Stars, (lit.) Star-queen” ✧ MR/387; PE17/22
- > Q. †él “star” ✧ WJ/362
  - ⇒ 10 compounds
- > T. él “star” ✧ WJ/362
> ✶el-ā “lo!, look!, see!” ✧ WJ/360
- > Q. ela “behold!” ✧ WJ/362
- > S. elo “behold!” ✧ WJ/362
- > T. ela “behold!” ✧ WJ/362
> ✶eledā “star-folk, of the stars” ✧ Let/281
- > Q. Elda “Elf, (lit.) one of the Star-folk” ✧ Let/281; PE17/141; SA/êl; WJ/362; WJ/364; WJ/364
  - ⇒ ᴺQ. ^eldafindë “maidenhair fern, (lit.) elf tress”
  - ⇒ Q. Amaneldi “*Elves of Aman”
    - ⇒ Q. Úmaneldi “*Elves not of Aman”
  - ⇒ Q. Eldacar “Elfhelm”
  - ⇒ Q. Elda-lambë “Language of the Eldar” ✧ WJ/369
  - ⇒ Q. Eldalië “People of the Elves, Elven-folk” ✧ WJ/374
    - ⇒ Q. Mindon Eldaliéva “Lofty Tower of the Eldalië” ✧ SI/Mindon Eldaliéva
  - ⇒ Q. Eldalondë “Haven of the Eldar”
  - ⇒ Q. Eldalótë “Elven-flower” ✧ PM/346
  - ⇒ Q. Eldamar “Elvenhome”
  - ⇒ Q. Eldameldor “Elf-friends, Elf-lovers”
  - ⇒ Q. Eldandil “Elf-friend”
  - ⇒ Q. Eldanna “*Elf-wards” ✧ UTI/Eldanna
  - ⇒ Q. Eldanor “Elvenland”
  - ⇒ Q. Eldanyárë “History of the Elves”
  - ⇒ Q. Eldarin “of the Eldar; Elvish (language)”
    - ⇒ 4 compounds
  - ⇒ Q. Eldarion “*Son of the Eldar”
  - ⇒ Q. Eldavehtë “a habitation, haunt or place occupied by Eldar” ✧ PE17/189
  - ⇒ Q. Elendil “Elf-friend, Star-lover”
    - ⇒ 5 compounds
  - ⇒ Q. Hecel “Elf who stayed in Beleriand”
    - ⇒ Q. Hecelmar “*Home of the Hecel” ✧ WJ/365
  - ⇒ Q. Oärel “Elf who left Middle-earth for Aman”
  - ⇒ Q. Pereldar “Half-elven”
  - ⇒ Q. Sindel “Grey-elf”
  - ⇒ Q. Tareldar “High-elves” ✧ SI/Eldar
  - ⇒ Q. vanimelda “beautiful and beloved, elven-fair” ✧ PE17/56; PE17/57
    - ⇒ Q. Vanimeldë
  - > S. †Ell “Elf” ✧ PE17/141
    - ⇒ [see above]
- ⇒ Q. Elendil “Elf-friend, Star-lover” ✧ Let/386
  - ⇒ 5 compounds
- > S. †Eledh “Elf” ✧ Let/281; Let/281; PE17/140; PE17/141; PE17/142
  - ⇒ 5 compounds
- > S. †Ell “Elf” ✧ PE17/141; WJ/363
  - ⇒ S. Aranel
  - ⇒ S. Aredhel² “Noble Elf” ✧ PE17/141
  - ⇒ S. Dúnedhel “West-Elf” ✧ PE17/141
  - ⇒ S. Elladan “Elf-man” ✧ Let/281
  - > S. Elleth “Elf-maid” ✧ PE17/141; PE17/141; PE17/152; WJ/363
    - ⇒ S. Haudh-en-Ellas ✧ PE17/97
    - ⇒ S. Haudh-en-Elleth “Mound of the Elf-maid” ✧ PE17/141; S/216; UTI/Haudh-en-Elleth
  - > S. Ellon “Elf-man” ✧ PE17/141; PE17/141; WJ/363
  - ⇒ S. Elrohir “Elf-knight” ✧ Let/281
  - ⇒ S. Elrond “Star-dome” ✧ Let/281
    - ⇒ S. Elrenniel “Arwen; *(lit.) Elrond-daughter”
    - ⇒ S. Elrondhel
  - ⇒ S. Elros “Star-foam” ✧ Let/281
  - ⇒ S. Elvellyn “Elf-friends, Elf-lovers” ✧ WJ/412
  - ⇒ S. †Glinnel “*Singer-elf”
  - ⇒ S. Laegel
  - ⇒ S. Lindel “Nando”
  - ⇒ S. Miniel “Vanyar”
- > T. Ella “Elf” ✧ WJ/362
  - ⇒ T. Ellálië “Elvenfolk” ✧ WJ/375
> ✶elen “star” ✧ Let/281; PE17/67; VT42/11; WJ/360
- > ✶elenā “connected with or concerning the stars” ✧ PE17/139; PE17/139; WJ/360
  - > Q. Elda “Elf, (lit.) one of the Star-folk” ✧ PE17/139; PE17/152
    - ⇒ ᴺQ. ^eldafindë “maidenhair fern, (lit.) elf tress”
    - ⇒ Q. Amaneldi “*Elves of Aman”
      - ⇒ Q. Úmaneldi “*Elves not of Aman”
    - ⇒ Q. Eldacar “Elfhelm”
    - ⇒ Q. Elda-lambë “Language of the Eldar” ✧ WJ/369
    - ⇒ Q. Eldalië “People of the Elves, Elven-folk” ✧ WJ/374
      - ⇒ Q. Mindon Eldaliéva “Lofty Tower of the Eldalië” ✧ SI/Mindon Eldaliéva
    - ⇒ Q. Eldalondë “Haven of the Eldar”
    - ⇒ Q. Eldalótë “Elven-flower” ✧ PM/346
    - ⇒ Q. Eldamar “Elvenhome”
    - ⇒ Q. Eldameldor “Elf-friends, Elf-lovers”
    - ⇒ Q. Eldandil “Elf-friend”
    - ⇒ Q. Eldanna “*Elf-wards” ✧ UTI/Eldanna
    - ⇒ Q. Eldanor “Elvenland”
    - ⇒ Q. Eldanyárë “History of the Elves”
    - ⇒ Q. Eldarin “of the Eldar; Elvish (language)”
      - ⇒ 4 compounds
    - ⇒ Q. Eldarion “*Son of the Eldar”
    - ⇒ Q. Eldavehtë “a habitation, haunt or place occupied by Eldar” ✧ PE17/189
    - ⇒ Q. Elendil “Elf-friend, Star-lover”
      - ⇒ 5 compounds
    - ⇒ Q. Hecel “Elf who stayed in Beleriand”
      - ⇒ Q. Hecelmar “*Home of the Hecel” ✧ WJ/365
    - ⇒ Q. Oärel “Elf who left Middle-earth for Aman”
    - ⇒ Q. Pereldar “Half-elven”
    - ⇒ Q. Sindel “Grey-elf”
    - ⇒ Q. Tareldar “High-elves” ✧ SI/Eldar
    - ⇒ Q. vanimelda “beautiful and beloved, elven-fair” ✧ PE17/56; PE17/57
      - ⇒ Q. Vanimeldë
    - > S. †Ell “Elf” ✧ PE17/141
      - ⇒ S. Aranel
      - ⇒ S. Aredhel² “Noble Elf” ✧ PE17/141
      - ⇒ S. Dúnedhel “West-Elf” ✧ PE17/141
      - ⇒ S. Elladan “Elf-man” ✧ Let/281
      - > S. Elleth “Elf-maid” ✧ PE17/141; PE17/141; PE17/152; WJ/363
        
        ⇒ S. Haudh-en-Ellas ✧ PE17/97
        
        ⇒ S. Haudh-en-Elleth “Mound of the Elf-maid” ✧ PE17/141; S/216; UTI/Haudh-en-Elleth
      - > S. Ellon “Elf-man” ✧ PE17/141; PE17/141; WJ/363
      - ⇒ S. Elrohir “Elf-knight” ✧ Let/281
      - ⇒ S. Elrond “Star-dome” ✧ Let/281
        
        ⇒ S. Elrenniel “Arwen; *(lit.) Elrond-daughter”
        
        ⇒ S. Elrondhel
      - ⇒ S. Elros “Star-foam” ✧ Let/281
      - ⇒ S. Elvellyn “Elf-friends, Elf-lovers” ✧ WJ/412
      - ⇒ S. †Glinnel “*Singer-elf”
      - ⇒ S. Laegel
      - ⇒ S. Lindel “Nando”
      - ⇒ S. Miniel “Vanyar”
  - > Q. elenya “adjective referring to the stars, *of the stars, stellar” ✧ WJ/362
    - ⇒ Q. Elenya “Saturday, *Star-day”
  - > S. †Eledh “Elf” ✧ PE17/139; WJ/363; WJ/363
    - ⇒ 5 compounds
  - > T. **elna “*of stars” ✧ WJ/362
- ⇒ ✶elen-barathī “star-queen” ✧ MR/387
  - > S. Elbereth “Queen of Stars, (lit.) Star-queen” ✧ MR/387; PE17/22
- > Q. elen “star” ✧ PE17/67; PE17/151; WJ/362
  - ⇒ 32 compounds
- ⇒ Q. Elentári “Queen of the Stars, Star-queen” ✧ PE17/22
- > S. †êl “star” ✧ PE17/67; PE17/139; PE22/150; WJ/363
  - ⇒ 15 compounds
- ⇒ S. Elbereth “Queen of Stars, (lit.) Star-queen” ✧ PE17/22; PE17/23
- > T. †elen “star” ✧ WJ/362
⇒ ✶Elmō “Venus”
⇒ √MENEL “heavens, firmament”
- > ✶menel “heaven, sky”
  - > Q. menel “the heavens, firmament, sky”
    - ⇒ 17 compounds
  - > S. menel “the heavens, firmament, region of the stars”
    - ⇒ 9 compounds
> Q. †él “star” ✧ PM/340
- ⇒ 10 compounds
> Q. elen “star” ✧ PE17/151; PM/340; RGEO/65; SA/êl
- ⇒ 32 compounds
⇒ Q. Elwë ✧ PM/340
> S. †êl “star” ✧ Let/281; RGEO/65; SA/êl
- ⇒ 15 compounds
⇒ S. menel “the heavens, firmament, region of the stars” ✧ RGEO/64
- ⇒ 9 compounds