Wordul · all words

adjective · 2 syllables · /'ɛl.fɪn/

ELFIN

What does "ELFIN" mean?

Small, delicate, and charming in a way suggesting an elf or fairy.

Meanings

  1. Having a small, dainty, mischievous, or otherworldly charm. She had an elfin face with wide eyes and a pointed chin.
  2. Relating to elves or the world of fairies. The story was full of elfin magic and hidden doors in tree roots. formal

Word origin

From 'elf' (Old English 'aelf', a supernatural being of Germanic folklore) plus the suffix '-in'; the modern form was popularized in the 18th and 19th centuries through fantasy and Romantic poetry.

Remember it

ELFIN = 'elf' + 'in': an elf-IN look is being a little bit elf inside.

A little poem

Small face, pointed chin-
she grins like she knows a door
behind the oak's roots.

haiku

Wordplay

  • What's the difference between elfin and elephant? About four hundred kilos and one very small chin.

What it teaches

Charm is often a matter of scale: small and deliberate outshines large and careless.

Quick facts

What does ELFIN mean?

Small, delicate, and charming in a way suggesting an elf or fairy.

Is ELFIN a valid word?

Yes — ELFIN is one of the answer words in Wordul, the daily word game.

How many letters is ELFIN?

ELFIN has 5 letters and 2 syllables.

Where does ELFIN come from?

From 'elf' (Old English 'aelf', a supernatural being of Germanic folklore) plus the suffix '-in'; the modern form was popularized in the 18th and 19th centuries through fantasy and Romantic poetry.

What can ELFIN teach us?

Charm is often a matter of scale: small and deliberate outshines large and careless.

How players do

Be the first to solve it.

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