Menel

Menel was an Elvish (both Quenya and Sindarin) name for the regions of air above Arda, a name which is generally meant as "firmament, heaven" or "the heavens". Sometimes the word is simply synonymous with the sky, but in other uses it is meant as a more sublime reference to the domain of the stars and heavenly bodies.

Menel is a physical place, although arguably a sacred one as it is the location of the stars.

Etymology

The word is understood as men "towards" + el "star" meaning "the Direction of the Stars".

The loremaster Quennar is attributed as having devised the word Menel ("heavens, firmament").

Examples

Menel is seen in numerous personal and place-names, including Meneltarma (the "Pillar of Heaven"), Meneldil, Tar-Meneldur, Armenelos and Meneldor.

It also appears in A Elbereth Gilthoniel "o menel aglar elenath" ("from the glories of the star-host of heaven").

Sam used it in his invocation from Cirith Ungol: "o menel palan-diriel" ("from heaven gazing afar").

Derivatives

It already existed in Avarin, and survived as such in Adûnaic minal.

See also

• Tarmenel