changeling

noun

change·​ling ˈchānj-liŋ How to pronounce changeling (audio)
1
archaic : turncoat
2
: a child secretly exchanged for another in infancy
3
archaic : imbecile
changeling adjective

Examples of changeling in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
The story of the changeling that Alice A referenced earlier in the series focused on a family putting a baby into a fire to bring their mother back. Erin Qualey, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2024 Where to watch Krampus: Peacock 08 of 15 A Christmas Horror Story (2015) What do the Krampus, a horde of undead elves, bloodthirsty changelings, and William Shatner have in common? Huntley Woods, EW.com, 20 Oct. 2023 Their first four children are appropriately adorable, but their fifth child is a violent oddball and possibly a changeling. Washington Post Staff, Washington Post, 14 Dec. 2023 Goblins steal a mother’s child and replace it with a ravenous changeling. Rivka Galchen, The New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2023 See all Example Sentences for changeling 

Word History

First Known Use

1534, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of changeling was in 1534

Dictionary Entries Near changeling

Cite this Entry

“Changeling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/changeling. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

changeling

noun
change·​ling ˈchānj-liŋ How to pronounce changeling (audio)
: a child secretly exchanged for another in infancy

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