Old Elvish Lexicon

Note that when a word with verbal and nominal inflection has the verbal form semantically joined with the nominal (e.g. ‘tie (with) rope’), the nominal form is normally omitted in usage unless emphasis is intended. It is as it were zero-incorporated.

  • = the final vowel is omitted if the next word begins with a vowel, diphtong, or w.

Animacy is indicated for nouns. Otherwise the noun is inanimate.

Word classes as indicated roughly correspond to the class the free root would belong to in English. However, in Old Elvish adjectives do not form a separate class as such and most roots can carry both nominal and verbal inflection.

Note adj-noun compounds are left-headed (‘rootbitter’) while noun-noun compounds are right-headed (‘firestone’).

Romanization key:

  • long vowels and consonants doubled

  • ɪ: î

  • ɑ: â

  • ɛ: ê

  • ɔ: ô

  • ə: ë

  • æ: ae

  • ʃ: sh

  • θ: th

  • ð: dh

  • j: y

Lexicon:

ae n an water; pond, lake

ail adj big, large; much, a lot

v enlarge êsail

ar part in order to

ath v dwell, reside, live in

n dwelling, living place, house, home athil

aul v jump, leap, pounce

aum v wish, desire, hope

n wish, desire, hope

aunn v eat

aus v face, stand/be opposite; oppose, gainsay, contest; rebel

n an face

auva adj bitter

n bitterroot (Elvish edible plant) vaiauva

aawan n an hair (on head)

âm (pl. êm) n thing, object (also placeholder object)

ânn v stand, stay

n an leg (pl. ênn)

n an dog siilânnil (‘little four-legs’)

âz n an eye (pl. êz)

ael v know, understand, comprehend (PE *aell)

n fact; truth; reality; essence

n knowledge, understanding ællar

deôn num two (replaces proto-Elvish ‘zul’)

n an twin

din v affix, stick

e conj and, also

epë n an lower arm

eril num six

eyan num eleven

eun n bone (PE: *eeln)

n skeleton eumnôn

eus num one

adj single, alone

gala n snow

Gae n an fish (generic)

n fish trap/net dunGae

Gwethë prep to, for

Gwinë n an navel

Gwôn n/adj gold

hal v run, chase, hunt

n an wolf haxalo (‘runs + intens. + hab. impf.’)

hon(ë) * det all, every

idhe v come (to), arrive (at), reach

il n place (placeholder)

ilë n an nose (P*E hilên)

in v smell (trans.) (PE *hiln)

v stink êsin

inti prep with

iri num three

iril num eight

iriyan num thirteen

ixrath adv yesterday

înd v sleep

n sleep

v nap indôn

n nap indôn, indil

kal n an head (pl. kol)

n skull ikal

kawa n copper

kii v shoot, release (bow)

n bow

koleen v take, remove

kôlla n an ear (pl. kella)

kôm n an neck

lau v (elf) woman, wife

lîmma n an hand (pl. lumma)

lîn n an elf (generic term, not gendered)

llath v laugh

mael n an leaf; page; scroll

mêsh n/adj iron (tool)

mi v move; walk, go

v move (trans.), push êsmi

missalôn nan music (lit: ‘state of being moved’)

mizâl n axe

nath n/adj silver

n an moon nathail (‘big silver’)

n an month nathais

n an cat nathailêz (‘mooneyes’)

oon v see, observe

n sight, view

ônd n stone, rock

phaella nan horse

pha det here

phenn n feather

qal v say, speak; recite; sing

n an language, speech (abstr.); song

n an epic, legend, myth (‘cycle’) qalmôn

n an bird qalo (‘sings + hab. impf.’)

qaann n horn

adj hard

qwar v cut

âqwar v chop (into pieces) (thing-cut)

rath v burn (act.) (stat. uses reflex.)

n an fire

n in flint, pyriterathônd (firestone)

rila num five

rilyan num fifteen

roa v bleed, drain (act.) (stat. uses reflex.)

n an blood

sâsh v tie, bind

n rope

zusâsh v tie together (smth. to another th.)

sêth v pull (out), draw out

siil num four

siilyan num fourteen

siiril num nine

sulîs n self; person; nature, essence; character

shae n bark; book (PE *ssae)

shar n mountain

sheth v drink (PE *seth)

n drink

shil n an tongue

tissaa n an knee

t h ul v get, receive, obtain

n gift

thâm (pl. thêm) nan dwarf

thaer pron who, what (pl. thaeri)

und n tooth (pl. ônd)

us nan foot (pl. ôs)

van v shine, gleam, glitter

n light, sheen

n an sun vavano (‘shines intensely+hab. impf.’)

n an day vavas

vai n an root, tuber; origin

vaa n an mouth; (fig.) opening

wai n an upper arm

wela n tree

yana num ten

yanyana num twenty

yilth v speed, hasten

n speed

adj/adv fast yilthin

zeu n an ant

zul v split, divide

zuril num seven

zuyan num twelve