knife-ear

English

Alternative forms

• knife ear

Etymology

From an allusion to the pointed ears common in fantasy depictions of elves. Popularised by Dragon Age: Origins (2009) and its subsequent use in the Dragon Age franchise. Possibly influenced by the earlier round-ear.

Noun

knife-ear (plural knife-ears)

1. (fantasy, slang, derogatory) An elf.
   • 2009 November 3, BioWare (developer), David Gaider (lead writer), Dragon Age: Origins, →OCLC, scene: wedding cutscene in the City Elf origin:

     You've a lot of nerve, knife-ears. This'll go badly for you.

   • 2020, 616th Special Information Battalion (trans. ZackZeal), Her Majesty's Swarm: Volume 1, unnumbered page:

     "Hard to believe the elves wiped out the Knights of Saint Augustine. Their captain was capable of summoning the angel, you know? How did a couple of knife-ears stand up to the Kingdom's strongest knights and an angel?”

   • 2022, O. C. Presley, Shadowrun: Kings of the Street, unnumbered pages:

     "Get your ass in here. It's time you started acting like the chicano ork you are and not some pansy elf listening to Americano music by yourself all the time. That's what knife-ears do! Now get in here!"

   • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:knife-ear.

Coordinate terms

• round-ear