An adjectival form of li(n)-, translated “(not) a few, several” and appearing in Demonstrative, Relative, and Correlative Stems (DRC) from 1948 (PE23/106). Tolkien said “this is rare, since this notion is expressed by the ‘long plural’ in –li: Eldali, Elves, some Elves, several Elves”. In drafts Tolkien said it could also mean “lines (straight or string)” (PE23/106 note #80), probably an allusion to ᴹQ. lia² “fine thread, spider filament” from The Etymologies (Ety/SLIG).

Conceptual Development: The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had ᴱQ. lia(r) “many” based on the early root ᴱ√LĪ (QL/53).

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would use the adjective lia for an indefinite but moderately sized number = “several”, but not a large number for which I use rimba “*many” or a very small one for which I use sempa “few”. As noted above, it can usually be replaced by the partitive plural suffix -li.