elf

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See also: Elf and ELF

English[edit]

English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia
An elf drawn by Piedachu Peris

Alternative forms[edit]

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]

  • enPR: ĕlf, IPA(key): /ɛlf/
  • Audio (US)(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɛlf

Noun[edit]

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.
  2. 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.
  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[1].
  5. (South Africa) The bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix).

Synonyms[edit]

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

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]

very diminutive person — see dwarf

Verb[edit]

elf (third-person singular simple present elfs, present participle elfing, simple past and past participle elfed)

  1. (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]

  1. ^ 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]

Afrikaans cardinal numbers
<  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

  1. eleven

Bavarian[edit]

Bavarian numbers (edit)
←  10 11 12  →
    Cardinal: elf

Alternative forms[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Numeral[edit]

elf

  1. eleven

Catalan[edit]

Noun[edit]

elf m (plural elfs)

  1. elf

Czech[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

elf m

  1. elf

Declension[edit]

Declension of elf
singular plural
nominative elf elfové
genitive elfa elfů
dative elfu, elfovi elfům
accusative elfa elfy
vocative elfe elfové
locative elfu, elfovi elfech
instrumental elfem elfy

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]

Dutch numbers (edit)
←  10 11 12  →
    Cardinal: elf
    Ordinal: elfde

elf

  1. eleven

Noun[edit]

elf f (plural elven, diminutive elfje n)

  1. The number eleven, or a representation thereof.
Descendants[edit]

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)

  1. elf, brownie (small folkloric creature)
  2. (fantasy) elf (humanoid pointy-eared creature in fantasy)
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

  1. eleven (11)

German[edit]

German numbers (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

  1. (cardinal number) eleven

Coordinate terms[edit]

German cardinal numbers from 0 to 99
—0 —1 —2 —3 —4 —5 —6 —7 —8 —9
0— null eins, (before a noun) ein zwei drei vier fünf sechs sieben acht neun
1— zehn elf zwölf dreizehn vierzehn fünfzehn sechzehn siebzehn achtzehn neunzehn
2— zwanzig einundzwanzig zweiundzwanzig dreiundzwanzig vierundzwanzig fünfundzwanzig sechsundzwanzig siebenundzwanzig achtundzwanzig neunundzwanzig
3— Germany, Austria: dreißig
Switzerland, Liechtenstein: dreissig		 Germany, Austria: einunddreißig
Switzerland, Liechtenstein: einunddreissig		 Germany, Austria: zweiunddreißig
Switzerland, Liechtenstein: zweiunddreissig		 Germany, Austria: dreiunddreißig
Switzerland, Liechtenstein: dreiunddreissig		 Germany, Austria: vierunddreißig
Switzerland, Liechtenstein: vierunddreissig		 Germany, Austria: fünfunddreißig
Switzerland, Liechtenstein: fünfunddreissig		 Germany, Austria: sechsunddreißig
Switzerland, Liechtenstein: sechsunddreissig		 Germany, Austria: siebenunddreißig
Switzerland, Liechtenstein: siebenunddreissig		 Germany, Austria: achtunddreißig
Switzerland, Liechtenstein: achtunddreissig		 Germany, Austria: neununddreißig
Switzerland, Liechtenstein: neununddreissig
4— vierzig einundvierzig zweiundvierzig dreiundvierzig vierundvierzig fünfundvierzig sechsundvierzig siebenundvierzig achtundvierzig neunundvierzig
5— fünfzig einundfünfzig zweiundfünfzig dreiundfünfzig vierundfünfzig fünfundfünfzig sechsundfünfzig siebenundfünfzig achtundfünfzig neunundfünfzig
6— sechzig einundsechzig zweiundsechzig dreiundsechzig vierundsechzig fünfundsechzig sechsundsechzig siebenundsechzig achtundsechzig neunundsechzig
7— siebzig einundsiebzig zweiundsiebzig dreiundsiebzig vierundsiebzig fünfundsiebzig sechsundsiebzig siebenundsiebzig achtundsiebzig neunundsiebzig
8— achtzig einundachtzig zweiundachtzig dreiundachtzig vierundachtzig fünfundachtzig sechsundachtzig siebenundachtzig achtundachtzig neunundachtzig
9— neunzig einundneunzig zweiundneunzig dreiundneunzig vierundneunzig fünfundneunzig sechsundneunzig siebenundneunzig achtundneunzig neunundneunzig
German cardinal numbers from 100 onward

…

…

…

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

  1. eleven

Lombard[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From English elf.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /ɛlf/
  • Hyphenation: elf

Noun[edit]

elf m (masculine plural elf, feminine singular elfa, feminine plural elfe) (New Lombard Orthography)

  1. (Norse mythology) elf
  2. (fantasy) elf

Derived terms[edit]

Maltese[edit]

Maltese numbers (edit)
10,000
←  100 ←  900 1,000 2,000  → 10,000  →
100
    Cardinal: elf

Etymology[edit]

From Arabic أَلْف‎ (ʔalf).

Pronunciation[edit]

Numeral[edit]

elf m or f (dual elfejn, plural eluf or elufijiet, paucal elef)

  1. thousand

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)

  1. 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.
  2. spirit, shade

Related terms[edit]

Descendants[edit]

  • English: elf (see there for further descendants)
  • Scots: elf
  • Yola: elf

References[edit]

Pennsylvania German[edit]

Pennsylvania German cardinal numbers
<  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

  1. eleven

Polish[edit]

Polish Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia pl

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from German Elf.

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

elf m anim (diminutive elfik)

  1. elf (mythical or fantasy creature)

Usage notes[edit]

The plural for the Tolkien creatures is usually elfowie.

Declension of elf
singular plural
nominative elf elfowie
genitive elfa elfów
dative elfowi elfom
accusative elfa elfów
instrumental elfem elfami
locative elfie elfach
vocative elfie elfowie

Declension[edit]

Declension of elf
singular plural
nominative elf elfy
genitive elfa elfów
dative elfowi elfom
accusative elfa elfy
instrumental elfem elfami
locative elfie elfach
vocative elfie elfy

Derived terms[edit]

adjective

Further reading[edit]

  • elf in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
  • elf in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Romanian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From French elfe.

Noun[edit]

elf m (plural elfi)

  1. elf

Declension[edit]

Declension of elf
singular plural
indefinite articulation definite articulation indefinite articulation definite articulation
nominative/accusative (un) elf elful (niște) elfi elfii
genitive/dative (unui) elf elfului (unor) elfi elfilor
vocative elfule elfilor

Yola[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Middle English elf, from Old English ielf, from Proto-West Germanic *albi.

Noun[edit]

elf (plural elvès)

  1. fairy

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
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