elf

1 of 2

noun

plural elves ˈelvz How to pronounce elf (audio)
1
: a small often mischievous fairy
2
: a small lively creature
also : a usually lively mischievous or malicious person
elfish adjective
elfishly adverb

ELF

2 of 2

abbreviation

extremely low frequency

Examples of elf in a Sentence

Noun elves are often portrayed as rather mischievous
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Building a Fairy Kingdom in Britain Around the fourteenth century, folk and literary traditions concerning elves, demons, and other creatures coalesced into a unified fairy kingdom. JSTOR Daily, 24 June 2024 The many iterations of the games usually revolve around the heroic elf Link, who spends most of his adventures trying to save Princess Zelda who, more often than not, has been kidnapped or mysteriously disappeared. Jerome Taylor, CNN, 19 June 2024 This offbeat fantasy road movie centers on two elf brothers (Chris Pratt and Tom Holland) traveling with their dead dad's sentient legs – and learning to say goodbye to him in the process. Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 14 June 2024 Don’t forget about the storied elves — prominent in local advertisements and in the deli’s window displays, the company touts them as the invisible makers of its beloved sausage. David Clarey, Journal Sentinel, 23 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for elf 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'elf.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English ælf; akin to Old Norse alfr elf & perhaps to Latin albus white — more at alb

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of elf was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near elf

Cite this Entry

“Elf.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elf. Accessed 2 Jul. 2024.

Kids Definition

elf

noun
plural elves ˈelvz How to pronounce elf (audio)
: a small and often mischievous fairy
elfish adjective
elfishly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on elf

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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