name · noun · verb · 15 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
/ɛlf/
rhymes with -ɛlf
ĕlf
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:EH1 L F
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
name
Meaning 1
Initialism of Earth Liberation Front, a radical environmentalism group.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: abbreviation, alt-of, initialism
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
name
Meaning 2
Initialism of Elvish Linguistic Fellowship, an organization that studies the invented languages of J. R. R. Tolkien.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: abbreviation, alt-of, initialism
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
name
Meaning 3
Initialism of Endangered Language Fund, a non-profit organization.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: abbreviation, alt-of, initialism
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
A supernatural being or spirit associated with illness, mischief, and harmful or dangerous magical influence; in later Norse sources, sometimes divided into benevolent light elves (inhabiting Álfheimr) and malevolent dark elves.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
A member of a race of tall, slender, graceful beings with pointed ears, typically immortal or very long-lived and possessing wisdom and magical abilities.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: fantasy
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
Ellipsis of Christmas elf.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: abbreviation, alt-of, broadly, ellipsis
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
noun
Meaning 8
A very diminutive person; a dwarf.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
noun
Meaning 9
Bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: South-Africa
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
10
noun
Meaning 10
Acronym of Executable and Linking Format, a common object file format for Unix.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: abbreviation, acronym, alt-of, uncountable
Qualifier: file format
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
11
noun
Meaning 11
Initialism of extremely low frequency.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
12
noun
Meaning 12
Acronym of English as a lingua franca (“English used by non-native speakers”).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: abbreviation, acronym, alt-of, uncountable
Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
13
verb
Meaning 13
To twist into elflocks (of hair); to mat.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
14
noun
Meaning 14
below 3 kilohertz
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: extremely low frequency
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: radio frequency
15
noun
Meaning 15
(folklore) fairies that are somewhat mischievous
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: hob, gremlin, pixie, pixy, brownie, imp
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: fairy, faery, faerie, fay, sprite
Narrower terms: leprechaun, sandman
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *albhósder. Proto-Germanic *albiz Proto-West Germanic *albi Old English ielf Middle English elf English elf 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 alf, awf, and oaf. The modern fantasy literature sense was popularised by the works of J.R.R. Tolkien.
Across languages
Translations
138 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Afrikaans:
elf
— Norse mythology: luminous spirit dwelling in Álfheim
Catalan:
elf
— Norse mythology: luminous spirit dwelling in Álfheim
Chinese Mandarin:
精靈 /精灵
(jīnglíng)
— Norse mythology: luminous spirit dwelling in Álfheim
Czech:
álf
— Norse mythology: luminous spirit dwelling in Álfheim
Danish:
elver
— Norse mythology: luminous spirit dwelling in Álfheim
Finnish:
valohaltia
— Norse mythology: luminous spirit dwelling in Álfheim
French:
elfe
— Norse mythology: luminous spirit dwelling in Álfheim
Galician:
elfo
— Norse mythology: luminous spirit dwelling in Álfheim
Italian:
elfo
— Norse mythology: luminous spirit dwelling in Álfheim
Latin:
alfus
— Norse mythology: luminous spirit dwelling in Álfheim
