Q. Meneldil m. “*Lover of the Heavens”

Q. Meneldil, m. “*Lover of the Heavens”

The 3rd king of Gondor (LotR/1038), his name was a compound of menel “the heavens” and -(n)dil “-friend” (PE17/152). Tolkien wrote that this name could be interpreted as “astronomer” (Let/386), meaning something like “one interested in the heavens as a matter of lore”.

References ✧ Let/386; LotRI; PE17/30, 152; PMI; SA/menel; SI; UTI; WRI

Elements

menel “the heavens, firmament, sky” ✧ PE17/30; PE17/152; SA/menel
-(n)dil “-friend, -lover; devotion, disinterested love” ✧ PE17/152 (dil)
meneldil “astronomer, *(lit.) lover of the heavens” ✧ Let/386