Quenya is the language Tolkien created for the Vanyar and Ñoldor, two Elvish peoples in his mythology. It is one of the best-developed languages of Tolkien’s invented linguistic families and is often described as a classical or ceremonial language among many Elves of Middle-earth.
Tolkien modeled aspects of Quenya’s sound and structure on Finnish, while also drawing on his knowledge of historical linguistics and other languages. He continued changing its vocabulary, grammar, and fictional history throughout his life, so published texts do not represent one completely fixed final version.
Quenya is distinct from Sindarin, another major Elvish language. Sindarin became the everyday Elvish language of much of Beleriand and later Middle-earth, whereas Quenya carried associations of antiquity, learning, ceremony, and the Elves who had lived in Valinor. Tolkien’s language invention was central to the mythology rather than an afterthought.