Elf

See also: elf and ELF

German

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʔɛlf/

Etymology 1

From elf (“eleven”).

Noun

Elf f (genitive Elf, plural Elfen)

1. (a group of) eleven
2. football team, XI (so called because eleven is the number of players on such a team)

Declension

Declension of Elf [feminine]

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	eine	die	Elf	die	Elfen
genitive	einer	der	Elf	der	Elfen
dative	einer	der	Elf	den	Elfen
accusative	eine	die	Elf	die	Elfen

Hyponyms

• Nationalelf

Etymology 2

Borrowed from English elf in 18th century literature, from Old English ælf, from Proto-West Germanic *albi, from Proto-Germanic *albiz. Doublet of Alb.

Alternative forms

• Elfe

Noun

Elf m (weak, genitive Elfen, plural Elfen)

1. elf
   • 1762, Christoph Martin Wieland, transl., Ein St. Johannis Nachts-Traum, translation of A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare, Act 2, Scene 1:

     So heftig ist ihr Zwist, daß alle ihre Elfen / Vor Angst in Ahorn-Becher sich verkriechen.

     But they do square, that all their Elues for feare / Creepe into Acorne cups and hide them there.

Declension

Declension of Elf [masculine, weak]

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	ein	der	Elf	die	Elfen
genitive	eines	des	Elfen	der	Elfen
dative	einem	dem	Elfen	den	Elfen
accusative	einen	den	Elfen	die	Elfen

Synonyms

• Alb (Alp)
• Elb (Elbe)

Derived terms

• Elfe, Elfin (female forms)
• elfisch

Related terms

Terms derived from Elf or Elfe:

• Elfenkönig
• elfenhaft

References

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