Q. Elessar (Elessarn-) m. “Elfstone”
A name of Aragorn (LotR/375), a compound of elen “star” and sar “stone”. The final -n of elen was assimilated to the s, which also happened in the name Elestirnë. The name was glossed “Elfstone”, no doubt due to the association of the words elen “star” and Elda “Elf”. A similar confusion is seen in the name Elendil “Elf-friend” (properly “Star-lover”).
Conceptual Development: As a name for Aragon, this name first appeared in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s as ᴹQ. Eldamir with the variant Qendemir (TI/276). It was soon changed to ᴹQ. Elessar (TI/294) and kept that form thereafter. Tolkien also considered using Elessar for the name of the last king of Gondor, before changing that name to Eärnur (WR/153).
References ✧ LotR/375; LotRI/Aragorn II, Elessar, Elfstone; PE22/158; PMI; UTI; VT49/27-28; WJI
Glosses
Variations
Inflections
| Elesarno | genitive | “of A[ragorn]” | ✧ PE22/158; VT49/28 |
Elements
| elen | “star” | assimilated | |
| #sar | “stone (small)” | ✧ LotR/375 (#sar) |
Element In
Cognates
ᴹQ. Elessar m. “Elfstone”
References ✧ PE22/125; SDI1/Elessar; TI/294, 392; TII; WR/153; WRI
Glosses
Elements
| elen | “star” | assimilated |
| sar | “stone (small)” |
Element In
ᴹQ. Eldamir m. “Elfstone”
A precursor to Q. Elessar, a compound of Elda “Elf” and míre “jewel” (LR/276), with an early variant Qendemir using Qende “Elf” instead (LR/276).
See Q. Elessar for further discussion.
References ✧ TI/276, 294, 366; TII
Glosses
Variations
Changes
Elements
| Elda | “Elf” |
| míre | “jewel, precious thing, treasure” |