100 Elvish Words and Phrases from The Lord of the Rings
100 Elvish Words and Phrases from The Lord of the Rings
A living glossary of Tolkien's Elvish vocabulary — organized by category for easy learning.
Greetings and Farewells
| Elvish | Language | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mae govannen | Sindarin | Well met / Hello | Standard greeting |
| Aiya | Quenya | Hail / Hello | Exclamation of greeting |
| Namárië | Quenya | Farewell | Title of Galadriel's lament |
| Navaer | Sindarin | Farewell | Everyday farewell |
| Le hannon | Sindarin | Thank you | "I thank thee" |
| Hantanyel | Quenya | Thank you | From hanta- (to thank) |
| Galu | Sindarin | Blessings | Short farewell blessing |
| Mara mesta | Quenya | Good journey | Traveler's farewell |
Nature and the World
| Elvish | Language | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elen / Êl | Q / S | Star | Elendil = "Star-friend" |
| Alda / Galadh | Q / S | Tree | Galadriel = "Tree-radiance" |
| Nen | Both | Water | Nen Hithoel = Misty Water |
| Anar / Anor | Q / S | Sun | Minas Anor = Tower of the Sun |
| Isil / Ithil | Q / S | Moon | Minas Ithil = Tower of the Moon |
| Lótë / Loth | Q / S | Flower | Lothlórien = Dream-flower Land |
| Ondo / Gond | Q / S | Stone | Gondor = Land of Stone |
| Menel | Both | Sky, Heavens | Same in both languages |
| Lómë / Dú | Q / S | Night | Dúnedain = Men of the West |
| Aur / Aurë | S / Q | Day | Utúlie'n aurë! = The day has come! |
| Nén / Hith | Sindarin | Mist | Hithaeglin = Misty Mountains |
| Morë / Morn | Q / S | Dark, Black | Mordor = Black Land |
| Calma / Galad | Q / S | Light | Galadriel = Lady of Light |
| Oron / Ered | S | Mountain | Ered Luin = Blue Mountains |
| Sírë / Sîr | Q / S | River | Sirion = Great River |
People and Titles
| Elvish | Language | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aran | Sindarin | King | Aran Moria = King of Moria |
| Arwen | Sindarin | Noble Maiden | ar (noble) + wen (maiden) |
| Elrond | Sindarin | Star-dome | elen (star) + rond (vault/dome) |
| Legolas | Sindarin | Greenleaf | laeg (green) + golas (leaves) |
| Aragorn | Sindarin | Noble Valor | ara (noble) + gorn (valor) |
| Celeborn | Sindarin | Silver Tree | celeb (silver) + orn (tree) |
| Galadriel | Sindarin | Maiden Crowned in Radiance | galad (radiance) + riel (garlanded maiden) |
| Gandalf | Old Norse | Elf-wand (name given by Men) | Not Elvish |
| Mithrandir | Sindarin | Grey Pilgrim | Gandalf's Elvish name |
| Glorfindel | Sindarin | Golden-haired | glaur (gold) + findel (hair) |
| Círdan | Sindarin | Shipwright | cair (ship) + dân (maker) |
Famous Places Decoded
| Place | Language | Literal Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Gondor | Sindarin | Land of Stone |
| Mordor | Sindarin | Black Land |
| Moria / Khazad-dûm | Sindarin / Khuzdul | Black Pit |
| Rivendell / Imladris | English / Sindarin | Deep Valley of the Cleft |
| Lothlórien | Sindarin | Land of Blossoms in Dreaming |
| Mirkwood / Taur-e-Ndaedelos | English / Sindarin | Forest of the Great Fear |
| Rohan | Sindarin | Land of Horses |
| Ithilien | Sindarin | Land of the Moon |
| Dúnedain | Sindarin | Men of the West |
| Númenor | Quenya | Land of the West |
| Valinor | Quenya | Land of the Valar |
| Aman | Quenya | The Blessed Realm |
Colors
| English | Quenya | Sindarin |
|---|---|---|
| White | Nindë / Fána | Nim / Fanui |
| Black | Morë | Morn |
| Red | Carnë | Caran |
| Gold/Yellow | Laurë | Glaur |
| Green | Laiquë | Laeg |
| Blue | Lúnë | Luin |
| Silver/Grey | Mithë | Mith |
| Brown | Varnë | Baran |
Numbers
| Number | Quenya | Sindarin |
|---|---|---|
| One | Minë | Min |
| Two | Atta | Tad |
| Three | Neldë | Neled |
| Four | Canta | Canad |
| Five | Lempë | Leben |
| Seven | Otso | Odog |
| Ten | Quain | Pae |
Famous Phrases in Context
"Speak, friend, and enter"
Pedo mellon a minno (Sindarin)
The inscription on the Doors of Durin. Pedo = speak, mellon = friend, a = and, minno = enter.
"Not all those who wander are lost" (Quenya version)
Tolkien wrote much of Aragorn's riddle in Quenya in his notes, though the published version appears in English.
Galadriel's Mirror speech
"I amar prestar aen... han mathon ne nen, han mathon ne chae a han noston ned 'wilith." "The world is changed... I feel it in the water, I feel it in the earth, I smell it in the air."
(Opening of the Fellowship of the Ring film — Peter Jackson's Sindarin composition.)
Elbereth Gilthoniel (the Elvish hymn)
"A Elbereth Gilthoniel, silivren penna míriel o menel aglar elenath!" "O Elbereth Star-kindler, the glory of the star-host slants down gleaming like jewels from heaven!"
The Elves' hymn to Varda, Star-Queen of the Valar. Frodo calls on this in Rivendell when wounded.
Food and Objects
| Elvish | Language | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Lembas | Sindarin | Waybread (journey-bread) |
| Miruvor | Quenya | Cordial of Imladris (reviving drink) |
| Ithildin | Sindarin | Moonstar (the door-metal) |
| Mithril | Sindarin | Grey-brilliance (the metal) |
| Palantír | Quenya | Far-seer (the seeing stones) |
| Tengwar | Quenya | Letters (the writing system) |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 'mellon' mean in Elvish?
Mellon means "friend" in Sindarin — the password to the Doors of Durin.
What does 'Mithrandir' mean?
Mithrandir is Gandalf's Sindarin name meaning "Grey Pilgrim" — mith (grey) + randir (wanderer).
What does 'Mordor' mean in Elvish?
Mordor is Sindarin for "Black Land" — mor (black/dark) + dor (land).
Related Articles
- Elvish Words in Lord of the Rings Movies: Complete Glossary
- 20 Famous Elvish Quotes from Tolkien's Works
- 50 Essential Elvish Words — Quenya & Sindarin Vocabulary Guide
Practice all this vocabulary with interactive lessons on Tengwar.
Related Reading
- Lord of the Rings Elvish Phrases: 15 Famous Lines with Translations
- 50 Essential Elvish Words — Quenya & Sindarin Vocabulary Guide
- Elvish Words for Colors: Complete Quenya & Sindarin Color Vocabulary
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What does 'mellon' mean in Elvish?
'Mellon' means 'friend' in Sindarin. It is famously the password to the Doors of Durin — the inscription reads 'pedo mellon a minno' (speak, friend, and enter). The word shares the root 'mel-' with Elvish words for love.
What does 'Mithrandir' mean?
'Mithrandir' is Gandalf's Elvish name in Sindarin. It means 'Grey Pilgrim' — 'mith' (grey) + 'randir' (wanderer, pilgrim). The Elves of Middle-earth knew him by this name, not Gandalf (which is a Norse name given by Men).
What does 'Lembas' mean in Elvish?
'Lembas' is a Sindarin word meaning 'waybread' or 'journey-bread' — from 'lenn' (journey) + 'mbas' (bread). It is the Elvish waybread that sustains travelers. The Quenya name is 'Coimas' meaning 'life-bread'.
What does 'Mordor' mean in Elvish?
'Mordor' is Sindarin for 'Black Land' or 'Dark Land' — 'mor' (black, dark) + 'dor' (land). The prefix 'mor-' appears in many Tolkien names: Moria (Black Pit), Morgoth (Black Enemy), Morwen (Dark Maiden).
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