elf
English[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]
- elve (obsolete)
Etymology[edit]
From Middle English elf, from Old English ielf, ælf, from Proto-West Germanic *albi, from Proto-Germanic *albiz. Ultimately probably derived from Proto-Indo-European *h₂elbʰós (“white”). Doublet of oaf.
Pronunciation[edit]
Noun[edit]
elf (plural elves)
- (Norse mythology) A luminous spirit presiding over nature and fertility and dwelling in the world of Álfheim (Elfland). Compare angel, nymph, fairy.
- c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “A Midsommer Nights Dreame”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii]:
- Every elf, and fairy sprite, / Hop as light as bird from brier.
- Any from a race of mythical, supernatural beings resembling but seen as distinct from human beings. They are usually delicate-featured and skilled in magic or spellcrafting; sometimes depicted as clashing with dwarves, especially in modern fantasy literature.
- 1886, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, H.L. Brækstad, transl., Folk and Fairy Tales, page 281:
- All the fairy tales of my childhood were conjured up before my startled imagination, and appeared to be realised in the forms which surrounded me; I saw the whole forest filled with trolls, elves, and sporting dwarfs.
- (fantasy) Any of the magical, typically forest-guarding races bearing some similarities to the Norse álfar (through Tolkien's Eldar).
- A very diminutive person; a dwarf[1].
- (South Africa) The bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix).
Synonyms[edit]
Hyponyms[edit]
Derived terms[edit]
Related terms[edit]
Descendants[edit]
- → Arabic: إِلْف (ʔilf)
- → Dutch: elf
- → French: elfe
- → German: Elf, Elfe
- → Japanese: エルフ (erufu)
- → Korean: 엘프 (elpeu)
Translations[edit]
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|
Verb[edit]
elf (third-person singular simple present elfs, present participle elfing, simple past and past participle elfed)
- (now rare) To twist into elflocks (of hair); to mat.
- c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
- My face I'll grime with filth, blanket my loins, elf all my hairs in knots, and with presented nakedness outface the winds and persecutions of the sky.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ elf in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
- Marshall Jones Company (1930). Mythology of All Races Series, Volume 2 Eddic, Great Britain: Marshall Jones Company, 1930, pp. 220-221.
Anagrams[edit]
Afrikaans[edit]
< 10 | 11 | 12 > |
---|---|---|
Cardinal : elf Ordinal : elfde | ||
Etymology[edit]
From Dutch elf, from Middle Dutch ellef, elf, from Old Dutch *ellef, from Proto-Germanic *ainalif.
Pronunciation[edit]
Numeral[edit]
elf
Bavarian[edit]
← 10 | 11 | 12 → |
---|---|---|
Cardinal: elf |
Alternative forms[edit]
Pronunciation[edit]
- IPA(key): (Northern) /œlf/
- IPA(key): (West-Central) /ei̯f/
Audio (file)
- IPA(key): (East-Central) /œːf/
Numeral[edit]
elf
Catalan[edit]
Noun[edit]
elf m (plural elfs)
Czech[edit]
Pronunciation[edit]
Noun[edit]
elf m
Declension[edit]
Derived terms[edit]
Further reading[edit]
- elf in Příruční slovník jazyka českého, 1935–1957
- elf in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého, 1960–1971, 1989
Dutch[edit]
Pronunciation[edit]
Etymology 1[edit]
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[edit]
← 10 | 11 | 12 → |
---|---|---|
Cardinal: elf Ordinal: elfde |
elf
Noun[edit]
elf f (plural elven, diminutive elfje n)
- The number eleven, or a representation thereof.
Descendants[edit]
- Afrikaans: elf
- Berbice Creole Dutch: alfu, elfu
- Jersey Dutch: ālf
- Negerhollands: elf, elef
- Skepi Creole Dutch: elk
- → Sranan Tongo: erfu
Etymology 2[edit]
Borrowed from German Elf, itself borrowed from English elf, from Old English ælf, from Proto-West Germanic *albi, from Proto-Germanic *albiz. Displaced native alf, from the same Germanic source.
Noun[edit]
elf m (plural elfen or elven, diminutive elfje n, feminine elve or elfin)
Synonyms[edit]
- (mythical being): alf
Derived terms[edit]
Descendants[edit]
- → Papiamentu: èlfye (from the diminutive)
Anagrams[edit]
Dutch Low Saxon[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From Low German, from Middle Low German elvene, from Old Saxon ellevan. Related to German elf.
Numeral[edit]
elf
- eleven (11)
German[edit]
← 10 | 11 | 12 → |
---|---|---|
Cardinal: elf Ordinal: elfte Sequence adverb: elftens Ordinal abbreviation: 11. Adverbial: elfmal Adverbial abbreviation: 11-mal Multiplier: elffach Multiplier abbreviation: 11-fach Fractional: Elftel Polygon: Elfeck Polygon abbreviation: 11-Eck Polygonal adjective: elfeckig Polygonal adjective abbreviation: 11-eckig | ||
German Wikipedia article on 11 |
Alternative forms[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From Middle High German eilf, eilef, einlif, from Old High German einlif, from Proto-Germanic *ainalif, a compound of *ainaz and *-lif. Until the 19th century usually written eilf; the monophthongal form is of Central and Low German origin (Middle Low German elf). Compare Dutch elf, West Frisian alve, English eleven, Danish elleve.
Pronunciation[edit]
Numeral[edit]
elf
Coordinate terms[edit]
- 100: hundert, einhundert
- 103: tausend, eintausend
- 104: zehntausend (Myriade)
- 106: Million (tausendmaltausend, tausendtausend)
- 109: Milliarde
- 1012: Billion
- 1015: Billiarde
- 1018: Trillion
- 1021: Trilliarde
- 1024: Quadrillion
- 1027: Quadrilliarde
- 1030: Quintillion
- 1033: Quintilliarde
- 1036: Sextillion
- 1039: Sextilliarde
- 1042: Septillion
- 1045: Septilliarde
- 1048: Oktillion
- 1051: Oktilliarde
- 1054: Nonillion
- 1057: Nonilliarde
- 1060: Dezillion
- 1063: Dezilliarde
- 1066: Undezillion
- 1069: Undezilliarde
- 1072: Duodezillion
- 1075: Duodezilliarde
- 1078: Tredezillion
- 1081: Tredezilliarde
- 1084: Quattuordezillion
- 1087: Quattuordezilliarde
…
- 10100: Googol
…
- 10120: Vigintillion
- 10123: Vigintilliarde
…
Derived terms[edit]
Further reading[edit]
- “elf” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
- “elf” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
- “elf” in Duden online
elf on the German Wikipedia.Wikipedia de
German Low German[edit]
Alternative forms[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From Middle Low German elvene, from Old Saxon ellevan.
Numeral[edit]
elf
Lombard[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Pronunciation[edit]
Noun[edit]
elf m (masculine plural elf, feminine singular elfa, feminine plural elfe) (New Lombard Orthography)
Derived terms[edit]
Maltese[edit]
10,000 | ||||
← 100 | ← 900 | 1,000 | 2,000 → | 10,000 → |
---|---|---|---|---|
100 | ||||
Cardinal: elf |
Etymology[edit]
Pronunciation[edit]
Numeral[edit]
elf m or f (dual elfejn, plural eluf or elufijiet, paucal elef)
Middle English[edit]
Alternative forms[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From Old English elf, Anglian form of ælf, from Proto-West Germanic *albi, from Proto-Germanic *albiz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂elbʰós (“white”).
Pronunciation[edit]
Noun[edit]
elf (plural elves)
- elf, fairy
- c. 1450, Wars of Alexander[1], Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse, passus 24, line 5258:
- Scho was so faire & so fresche · as faucon hire semed, / An elfe out of an-othire erde · or ellis an Aungell
- She was so fair and beautiful; her elegance seemed like / An elf out of another world, or else an angel.
- c. 1450, “The Second Shepherds' Play”, in The Towneley Plays[2], Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse, line 616:
- he was takyn with an elfe / I saw it myself / when the clok stroke twelf / was he forshapyn
- He was taken by an elf; I saw it myself. / When the clock struck twelve, he was transfigured.
- spirit, shade
Related terms[edit]
Descendants[edit]
References[edit]
- “elf, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-04-12.
Pennsylvania German[edit]
< 10 | 11 | 12 > |
---|---|---|
Cardinal : elf Ordinal : elft | ||
Etymology[edit]
From Rhine Franconian, from Old High German einlif. Compare German elf, Dutch elf, English eleven.
Pronunciation[edit]
Numeral[edit]
elf
Polish[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Pronunciation[edit]
Noun[edit]
elf m anim (diminutive elfik)
- elf (mythical or fantasy creature)
Usage notes[edit]
The plural for the Tolkien creatures is usually elfowie.
Declension[edit]
Derived terms[edit]
Further reading[edit]
- elf in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
- elf in Polish dictionaries at PWN
Romanian[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Noun[edit]
elf m (plural elfi)
Declension[edit]
Yola[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From Middle English elf, from Old English ielf, from Proto-West Germanic *albi.
Noun[edit]
elf (plural elvès)
References[edit]
- Jacob Poole (1867), William Barnes, editor, A Glossary, With some Pieces of Verse, of the old Dialect of the English Colony in the Baronies of Forth and Bargy, County of Wexford, Ireland, London: J. Russell Smith, page 38
- English terms inherited from Middle English
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms inherited from Old English
- English terms derived from Old English
- English terms inherited from Proto-West Germanic
- English terms derived from Proto-West Germanic
- English terms inherited from Proto-Germanic
- English terms derived from Proto-Germanic
- English terms inherited from Proto-Indo-European
- English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European
- English doublets
- English 1-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio links
- Rhymes:English/ɛlf
- Rhymes:English/ɛlf/1 syllable
- English lemmas
- English nouns
- English countable nouns
- English nouns with irregular plurals
- en:Norse mythology
- English terms with quotations
- en:Fantasy
- South African English
- English verbs
- English terms with rare senses
- en:Mythological creatures
- en:Percoid fish
- Afrikaans terms inherited from Dutch
- Afrikaans terms derived from Dutch
- Afrikaans terms inherited from Middle Dutch
- Afrikaans terms derived from Middle Dutch
- Afrikaans terms inherited from Old Dutch
- Afrikaans terms derived from Old Dutch
- Afrikaans terms inherited from Proto-Germanic
- Afrikaans terms derived from Proto-Germanic
- Afrikaans terms with IPA pronunciation
- Afrikaans terms with audio links
- Afrikaans lemmas
- Afrikaans numerals
- Afrikaans cardinal numbers
- Bavarian terms with IPA pronunciation
- Bavarian terms with audio links
- Bavarian lemmas
- Bavarian numerals
- Bavarian cardinal numbers
- Catalan lemmas
- Catalan nouns
- Catalan masculine nouns
- Czech terms with IPA pronunciation
- Czech lemmas
- Czech nouns
- Czech masculine nouns
- cs:Mythological creatures
- Dutch terms with IPA pronunciation
- Dutch terms with audio links
- Rhymes:Dutch/ɛlf
- Rhymes:Dutch/ɛlf/1 syllable
- Dutch terms inherited from Middle Dutch
- Dutch terms derived from Middle Dutch
- Dutch terms inherited from Old Dutch
- Dutch terms derived from Old Dutch
- Dutch terms inherited from Proto-Germanic
- Dutch terms derived from Proto-Germanic
- Dutch lemmas
- Dutch numerals
- Dutch cardinal numbers
- Dutch nouns
- Dutch nouns with plural in -en
- Dutch feminine nouns
- Dutch terms borrowed from German
- Dutch terms derived from German
- Dutch terms derived from English
- Dutch terms derived from Old English
- Dutch terms derived from Proto-West Germanic
- Dutch masculine nouns
- nl:Fantasy
- nl:Eleven
- nl:One
- Dutch Low Saxon terms inherited from Low German
- Dutch Low Saxon terms derived from Low German
- Dutch Low Saxon terms inherited from Middle Low German
- Dutch Low Saxon terms derived from Middle Low German
- Dutch Low Saxon terms inherited from Old Saxon
- Dutch Low Saxon terms derived from Old Saxon
- Dutch Low Saxon lemmas
- Dutch Low Saxon numerals
- Dutch Low Saxon cardinal numbers
- German terms inherited from Middle High German
- German terms derived from Middle High German
- German terms inherited from Old High German
- German terms derived from Old High German
- German terms inherited from Proto-Germanic
- German terms derived from Proto-Germanic
- German terms derived from Middle Low German
- German 1-syllable words
- German terms with IPA pronunciation
- German terms with audio links
- German lemmas
- German numerals
- German cardinal numbers
- German Low German terms inherited from Middle Low German
- German Low German terms derived from Middle Low German
- German Low German terms inherited from Old Saxon
- German Low German terms derived from Old Saxon
- German Low German lemmas
- German Low German numerals
- German Low German cardinal numbers
- Lombard terms derived from English
- Lombard terms with IPA pronunciation
- Lombard lemmas
- Lombard nouns
- Lombard masculine nouns
- lmo:Norse mythology
- lmo:Fantasy
- Maltese terms inherited from Arabic
- Maltese terms derived from Arabic
- Maltese 1-syllable words
- Maltese terms with IPA pronunciation
- Maltese lemmas
- Maltese numerals
- Maltese cardinal numbers
- Middle English terms inherited from Old English
- Middle English terms derived from Old English
- Middle English terms inherited from Proto-West Germanic
- Middle English terms derived from Proto-West Germanic
- Middle English terms inherited from Proto-Germanic
- Middle English terms derived from Proto-Germanic
- Middle English terms inherited from Proto-Indo-European
- Middle English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European
- Middle English terms with IPA pronunciation
- Middle English lemmas
- Middle English nouns
- Middle English terms with quotations
- enm:Mythological creatures
- Pennsylvania German terms inherited from Rhine Franconian
- Pennsylvania German terms derived from Rhine Franconian
- Pennsylvania German terms inherited from Old High German
- Pennsylvania German terms derived from Old High German
- Pennsylvania German terms with IPA pronunciation
- Pennsylvania German lemmas
- Pennsylvania German numerals
- Pennsylvania German cardinal numbers
- Polish terms borrowed from German
- Polish terms derived from German
- Polish 1-syllable words
- Polish terms with IPA pronunciation
- Polish terms with audio links
- Rhymes:Polish/ɛlf
- Rhymes:Polish/ɛlf/1 syllable
- Polish lemmas
- Polish nouns
- Polish masculine nouns
- Polish animate nouns
- pl:J. R. R. Tolkien
- pl:Mythological creatures
- Romanian terms borrowed from French
- Romanian terms derived from French
- Romanian lemmas
- Romanian nouns
- Romanian countable nouns
- Romanian masculine nouns
- Yola terms inherited from Middle English
- Yola terms derived from Middle English
- Yola terms inherited from Old English
- Yola terms derived from Old English
- Yola terms inherited from Proto-West Germanic
- Yola terms derived from Proto-West Germanic
- Yola lemmas
- Yola nouns