sylph

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

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Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Noun 1.3.1 Translations

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

First attested in 1657. From New Latin sylphes, coined by Paracelsus in the 16th century. The coinage may derive from sylva and nympha.

[edit] Pronunciation

• IPA: /sɪlf/
•  Audio (US)^{help, file}
• Rhymes: -ɪlf

[edit] Noun

sylph (plural sylphs)

1. A wood nymph.
2. The elemental being of air, usually female.
3. A slender woman or girl, usually graceful and sometimes with the implication of sublime station over everyday people.

   • "Her heart fluttered with expectation---her step was buoyant with hope, and she sprung into the carriage with the lightness of a sylph." — Mary Brunton (1778-1818), Self-Control: A Novel

[edit] Translations