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Webster 1913 Edition

Elf

Elf

(ĕlf)
,
Noun.
;
pl.
Elves
(ĕlvz)
.
[AS.
ælf
,
ylf
; akin to MHG.
alp
, G.
alp
nightmare, incubus, Icel.
ālfr
elf, Sw.
alf
,
elfva
; cf. Skr.
ṛbhu
skillful, artful,
rabh
to grasp. Cf.
Auf
,
Oaf
.]
1.
An imaginary supernatural being, commonly a little sprite, much like a fairy; a mythological diminutive spirit, supposed to haunt hills and wild places, and generally represented as delighting in mischievous tricks.
Every
elf
, and fairy sprite,
Hop as light as bird from brier.
Shakespeare
2.
A very diminutive person; a dwarf.
Elf arrow
,
a flint arrowhead; – so called by the English rural folk who often find these objects of prehistoric make in the fields and formerly attributed them to fairies; – called also
elf bolt
,
elf dart
, and
elf shot
.
–
Elf child
,
a child supposed to be left by elves, in room of one they had stolen. See
Changeling
.
–
Elf fire
,
the ignis fatuus.
Brewer.
–
Elf owl
(Zoöl.)
,
a small owl (
Micrathene Whitneyi
) of Southern California and Arizona.

Elf

,
Verb.
T.
To entangle mischievously, as an elf might do.
Elf
all my hair in knots.
Shakespeare

Webster 1828 Edition

Elf

ELF

,
Noun.
plu.
elves.
1.
A wandering spirit; a fairy; a hobgoblin; an imaginary being which our rude ancestors supposed to inhabit unfrequented places, and in various ways to affect mankind. Hence in Scottish, elf-shot is an elf-arrow; an arrow-head of flint, supposed to be shot by elfs; and it signifies also a disease supposed to be produced by the agency of spirits.
Every elf, and fairy sprite,
Hope as light as bird from brier.
2.
An evil spirit; a devil.
3.
A diminutive person.

ELF

,
Verb.
T.
To entangle hair in so intricate a manner, that it cannot be disentangled. This work was formerly ascribed to elves.

Definition 2025

Elf

Elf

See also: elf and ELF

German

Noun

Elf f ‎(genitive Elf, no plural)

  1. football team (so called because eleven is the number of players on such a team)
Inflection
Hyponyms
  • Nationalelf

Etymology 2

Borrowed from English elf in 18th century literature, from Old English ælf, from Proto-Germanic *albiz.

Alternative forms

Noun

Elf m ‎(genitive Elfen, plural Elfen)

  1. elf
Inflection
Synonyms
Derived terms
  • Elfe, Elfin (female forms)
  • elfisch

References

  • Marshall Jones Company (1930). Mythology of All Races Series, Volume 2 Eddic, Great Britain: Marshall Jones Company, 1930, pp. 220.

elf

elf

See also: Elf and ELF

English

An elf drawn by Piedachu Peris

Alternative forms

Noun

elf ‎(plural elves)

  1. (Norse mythology) A luminous spirit presiding over nature and fertility and dwelling in the world of Álfheim (Elfland). Compare angel, nymph, fairy.
    • Shakespeare
      Every elf, and fairy sprite, / Hop as light as bird from brier.
  2. Any from a race of mythical, supernatural beings resembling but seen as distinct from human beings. Usually skilled in magic or spellcrafting; sometimes depicted as clashing with dwarves, especially in modern fantasy literature.
  3. (fantasy) Any of the magical, typically forest-guarding races bearing some similarities to the Norse álfar (through Tolkien's Eldar)
  4. A very diminutive person; a dwarf.

Hyponyms

Synonyms

  • (supernatural creature): See goblin (hostile); fairy (small, mischievous)

Derived terms

Translations

See also

References

  • Marshall Jones Company (1930). Mythology of All Races Series, Volume 2 Eddic, Great Britain: Marshall Jones Company, 1930, pp. 220-221.

Anagrams

Afrikaans

Afrikaans cardinal numbers
 <  10 11 12  > 
    Cardinal : elf
    Ordinal : elfde

Etymology

From Dutch elf, from Middle Dutch ellef, elf, from Old Dutch *ellef, from Proto-Germanic *ainalif.

Numeral

elf

  1. (cardinal) eleven

Catalan

Noun

elf m ‎(plural elfs)

  1. elf

Czech

Noun

elf m

  1. elf

Declension

Dutch

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɛl(ə)f/

Etymology 1

From Middle Dutch ellef, elf, from Old Dutch *ellef, from Proto-Germanic *ainalif, a compound of *ainaz and *lif-. Compare German elf, West Frisian alve, English eleven, Danish elleve.

Numeral

Dutch cardinal numbers
 <  10 11 12  > 
    Cardinal : elf
    Ordinal : elfde

elf

  1. (cardinal) eleven

Noun

elf f ‎(plural elven, diminutive elfje n)

  1. The number eleven, or a representation thereof.

Etymology 2

Borrowing from German Elf, itself borrowed from English elf, from Old English ælf, from Proto-Germanic *albiz. Displaced native alf, from the same Germanic source.

Noun

elf m ‎(plural elfen, diminutive elfje n, feminine elve)

  1. elf (mythical creature)
  2. brownie

Anagrams

Dutch Low Saxon

Etymology

Ultimately cognate to German elf.

Numeral

elf

  1. eleven (11)

German

German cardinal numbers
 <  10 11 12  > 
    Cardinal : elf
    Ordinal : elfte
See also Elf

Etymology

From Old High German einlif, from Proto-Germanic *ainalif, a compound of *ainaz and *lif-. Compare Dutch elf, West Frisian alve, English eleven, Danish elleve.

Alternative forms

  • eilf, eilff, eylff (dated/obsolete)

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ʔɛlf/

Numeral

elf

  1. (cardinal) eleven

Coordinate terms

German Low German

Etymology

Ultimately cognate to German elf.

Numeral

elf

  1. eleven (11)

Maltese

Etymology

From Arabic أَلْف ‎(ʾalf).

Numeral

elf m, f ‎(pl elef)

  1. thousand

Related terms

Polish

Pronunciation

Noun

elf m anim (plural elfy)

  1. elf, mythical or fantasy creature

Usage notes

The plural for the Tolkien creatures is usually elfowie.

Etymology

From elf ‎(“eleven”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ʔɛlf/

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