Quenya is the invented language that J.R.R. Tolkien based largely on Finnish while developing his mythology.
Tolkien was a professional philologist and created languages with detailed sound systems, grammar, vocabulary, and histories. Quenya, also called High-elven, was influenced especially by Finnish, as well as by Latin and Greek. It became the ceremonial and literary language of the Elves known as the Ñoldor and other groups in Tolkien’s legendarium.
Quenya is different from Sindarin, another major Elvish language. Sindarin was more commonly spoken by Elves in Middle-earth during the period of The Lord of the Rings and was influenced partly by Welsh. The languages are related within Tolkien’s fictional history but are not interchangeable.
The language name is often spelled Quenya, and Tolkien also used related forms in his notes. It appears in names, songs, titles, and phrases rather than as a fully spoken language throughout the novels.