elven

See also: Elven

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɛlvən/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛlvən

Etymology 1

Middle English elven, from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Old English elfen, ælfen (“nymph, spirit, fairy”), feminine of elf, ælf (“elf”), equivalent to elf +‎ -en. Cognate with Middle High German elbinne (“a fairy, nymph”).

Noun

elven (plural elvens)

1. (obsolete) A female elf, a fairy, nymph; (by extension) any elf.
   • 2007, Derric Euperio, The Adventures of Ryushin, Derric Euperio (→ISBN), page 122:

     “In order for the elvens to stay in hiding, they live under the great vines rather above them,” Aida answered. [...] An elven walked over to Rhyona and nodded to her, then entered the thick wood alone.

   • 2010, Kathryne Kennedy, The Fire Lord's Lover, Sourcebooks, Inc. (→ISBN), page 30:

     Although Cass vaguely remembered her trials, she knew her father had been disappointed when she hadn't possessed enough magic to be sent to the elvens' home world, the fabled Elfhame.

Etymology 2

Apparently derived from attributive use of Middle English elven (“elf”), like also English elfin, re-interpreted as an adjective with the adjectival suffix -en +‎ [Term?]. See elfin for more.

Adjective

elven (comparative more elven, superlative most elven)

1. Belonging or relating to elves; elfin.

   Synonyms: elfin, elfish, elvish, elvan

Translations

of or having to do with elves — see also elflike

• Czech: elfí
• Esperanto: elfa
• French: elfique (fr)
• German: elbisch

  Middle High German: elbisch

• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Norwegian: alvisk
• Polish: elfi (pl) m
• Russian: эльфи́йский (ru) m (elʹfíjskij)
• Spanish: élfico (es) m

References

• MED, elf, elve(n)

Etymology 3

From a corruption of elmen.

Noun

elven (plural elvens)

1. (dialectal) An elm.

Anagrams

• Leven, Nevel, leven

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Dutch

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛlvən

Noun

elven

1. (deprecated template usage) (archaic) Dative singular form of elf

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Hungarian

Etymology

elv +‎ -en

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈɛlvɛn]
• Hyphenation: el‧ven

Noun

elven

1. superessive singular of elv

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Middle English

Alternative forms

• alven, alve, elfe

Etymology

From Old English elfen, ælfen (“nymph, spirit, fairy”), feminine of elf, ælf (“elf”); in turn from Proto-Germanic *albinjō, feminine of *albiz. Equivalent to elf +‎ -en; cognate with Middle High German elbinne (“a fairy, nymph”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɛlvən/, /ˈalvən/

Noun

elven (plural elvene)

1. A (especially female) elf, a fairy, nymph
   • 1300, South English Legendary

     Ofte in fourme of wommane In many derne weye grete compaygnie men i-seoth of heom boþe hoppie and pleiᵹe, þat Eluene beoth i-cleopede

     (Oft in the form of women, in very stealthy ways, great numbers of men see fallen angels both happy and playful, that Elvene are embraced,)

   • 1300, The Metrical Chronicle of Robert of Gloucester

     & ofte in wimmen fourme hii comeþ to men al so, Þat men clupeþ eluene. —

     (& oft in women form come hither to men, so that men lay with the elvene.)

Descendants

• English: elven, elfe (obsolete)

References

• “elve(n (n.)”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-04-05.

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Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology 1

Alternative forms

• elva

Noun

elven m or f

1. definite masculine singular of elv

Etymology 2

Noun

elven m

1. definite singular of elv

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Norwegian Nynorsk

Noun

elven m

1. definite singular of elv (Etymology 2)