Quenya is the Elvish language used by many High Elves in J.R.R. Tolkien’s mythology.
Tolkien developed Quenya as one of his constructed languages, drawing much of its sound and structure from Finnish, Latin, and other languages. In the fictional history of Middle-earth, Quenya originated among the Elves of Valinor and was associated especially with the Noldor and other Eldarin groups.
Quenya often functions as a formal, literary, or ceremonial language in Tolkien’s stories. Names such as Elessar, meaning “Elfstone,” and many Elvish phrases are based on Tolkien’s linguistic inventions. The language has grammar and vocabulary, although Tolkien’s surviving materials do not amount to a complete everyday language in the modern sense.
Sindarin is the most important neighboring term and a frequent mix-up. Sindarin was another major Elvish language, widely spoken in Middle-earth. Quenya and Sindarin are related, but they are distinct languages with different histories and forms.