The Encyclopedia of Arda - an interactive guide to the world of J.R.R. Tolkien
Dates
Dated back to the First Age
Origins
Originated in Doriath with Melian the Maia
Races
Maiar, and later Elves
Cultures
Associated particularly with Melian of Doriath and later Galadriel of Lórien
Pronunciation
le'mbas
Meaning
Uncertain; perhaps 'travel-bread'1
Other names
Elf-cake, Lembas in·Eildh, Waybread

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 5 July 1998
  • Updates planned: 6

Lembas

The waybread of the Elves

The waybread of the Elves. The secret of its making was held, at least in Middle-earth during the later First Age, by Melian of Doriath, but this secret was passed on to Galadriel and possibly others.


Notes

1

The last syllable of lembas is clearly from (m)bas, 'bread'. The origin of the initial lem- is a little harder to pin down, but it probably derives from a root le(n)d-, 'go, travel', and so lembas is almost directly translated by the familiar 'waybread'.

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 5 July 1998
  • Updates planned: 6

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