"Elfe" meaning in German

See Elfe in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

IPA: /ˈɛlfə/ Audio: De-Elfe.ogg
Etymology: Borrowed in the 18th century from English elf, from Old English ælf (“incubus, elf”), from Proto-West Germanic *albi, from Proto-Germanic *albiz. Compare German Alb (“two-faced spirit”). Etymology templates: {{der|de|en|elf}} English elf, {{der|de|ang|ælf||incubus, elf}} Old English ælf (“incubus, elf”), {{der|de|gmw-pro|*albi}} Proto-West Germanic *albi, {{der|de|gem-pro|*albiz}} Proto-Germanic *albiz, {{cog|de|Alb||two-faced spirit}} German Alb (“two-faced spirit”) Head templates: {{de-noun|m.weak}} Elfe m (weak, genitive Elfen, plural Elfen) Inflection templates: {{de-ndecl|m.weak}} Forms: Elfen [genitive], Elfen [plural], weak [table-tags], Elfe [nominative, singular], Elfen [definite, nominative, plural], Elfen [genitive, singular], Elfen [definite, genitive, plural], Elfen [dative, singular], Elfen [dative, definite, plural], Elfen [accusative, singular], Elfen [accusative, definite, plural]
  1. alternative form of Elf (“elf”) Tags: alt-of, alternative, masculine, weak Alternative form of: Elf (extra: elf) Related terms: Elfenkönig, elfenhaft
    Sense id: en-Elfe-de-noun-H5buj2zb

Noun

IPA: /ˈɛlfə/ Audio: De-Elfe.ogg
Etymology: Borrowed in the 18th century from English elf, from Old English ælf (“incubus, elf”), from Proto-West Germanic *albi, from Proto-Germanic *albiz. Compare German Alb (“two-faced spirit”). Etymology templates: {{der|de|en|elf}} English elf, {{der|de|ang|ælf||incubus, elf}} Old English ælf (“incubus, elf”), {{der|de|gmw-pro|*albi}} Proto-West Germanic *albi, {{der|de|gem-pro|*albiz}} Proto-Germanic *albiz, {{cog|de|Alb||two-faced spirit}} German Alb (“two-faced spirit”) Head templates: {{de-noun|f}} Elfe f (genitive Elfe, plural Elfen) Inflection templates: {{de-ndecl|f}} Forms: Elfe [genitive], Elfen [plural], no-table-tags [table-tags], Elfe [nominative, singular], Elfen [definite, nominative, plural], Elfe [genitive, singular], Elfen [definite, genitive, plural], Elfe [dative, singular], Elfen [dative, definite, plural], Elfe [accusative, singular], Elfen [accusative, definite, plural]
  1. female elf Tags: feminine Synonyms: Elfin
    Sense id: en-Elfe-de-noun-sM3OYJ8x
  2. fairy, sprite Tags: feminine
    Sense id: en-Elfe-de-noun-pSOuMzcV Categories (other): German entries with incorrect language header, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Mythological creatures Disambiguation of German entries with incorrect language header: 13 5 56 26 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 17 15 52 17 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 9 8 73 10 Disambiguation of Mythological creatures: 13 9 63 15
  3. pixie Tags: feminine
    Sense id: en-Elfe-de-noun-n3PNfIFK Categories (other): Fantasy Disambiguation of Fantasy: 11 4 25 60

Inflected forms

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "en",
        "3": "elf"
      },
      "expansion": "English elf",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "ælf",
        "4": "",
        "5": "incubus, elf"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English ælf (“incubus, elf”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "gmw-pro",
        "3": "*albi"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *albi",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*albiz"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *albiz",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "Alb",
        "3": "",
        "4": "two-faced spirit"
      },
      "expansion": "German Alb (“two-faced spirit”)",
      "name": "cog"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Borrowed in the 18th century from English elf, from Old English ælf (“incubus, elf”), from Proto-West Germanic *albi, from Proto-Germanic *albiz. Compare German Alb (“two-faced spirit”).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "Elfen",
      "tags": [
        "genitive"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Elfen",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "weak",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "table-tags"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "de-ndecl",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "inflection-template"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Elfe",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "nominative",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Elfen",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "definite",
        "nominative",
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Elfen",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "genitive",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Elfen",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "definite",
        "genitive",
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Elfen",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "dative",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Elfen",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "dative",
        "definite",
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Elfen",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "accusative",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Elfen",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "accusative",
        "definite",
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "m.weak"
      },
      "expansion": "Elfe m (weak, genitive Elfen, plural Elfen)",
      "name": "de-noun"
    }
  ],
  "inflection_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "m.weak"
      },
      "name": "de-ndecl"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "German",
  "lang_code": "de",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "alt_of": [
        {
          "extra": "elf",
          "word": "Elf"
        }
      ],
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              30,
              34
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "1855, William Shakespeare, translated by Carl Abel, Ein Sommernachtstraum, Leipzig, page 45:",
          "text": "Unsterblich sollst du und ein Elfe sein!",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              24,
              28
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "1874, Heinrich Heine's sämmtliche Werke. Siebenter Band. Über Deutschland. Dritter Theil. Elementargeister und Dämonen., Hamburg, page 50:",
          "text": "War er ein Nix oder ein Elfe?",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "alternative form of Elf (“elf”)"
      ],
      "id": "en-Elfe-de-noun-H5buj2zb",
      "links": [
        [
          "Elf",
          "Elf#German"
        ]
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "word": "Elfenkönig"
        },
        {
          "word": "elfenhaft"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "alt-of",
        "alternative",
        "masculine",
        "weak"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈɛlfə/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "De-Elfe.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/d/db/De-Elfe.ogg/De-Elfe.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/db/De-Elfe.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "word": "Elfe"
}

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "en",
        "3": "elf"
      },
      "expansion": "English elf",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "ælf",
        "4": "",
        "5": "incubus, elf"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English ælf (“incubus, elf”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "gmw-pro",
        "3": "*albi"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *albi",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*albiz"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *albiz",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "Alb",
        "3": "",
        "4": "two-faced spirit"
      },
      "expansion": "German Alb (“two-faced spirit”)",
      "name": "cog"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Borrowed in the 18th century from English elf, from Old English ælf (“incubus, elf”), from Proto-West Germanic *albi, from Proto-Germanic *albiz. Compare German Alb (“two-faced spirit”).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "Elfe",
      "tags": [
        "genitive"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Elfen",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "no-table-tags",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "table-tags"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "de-ndecl",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "inflection-template"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Elfe",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "nominative",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Elfen",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "definite",
        "nominative",
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Elfe",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "genitive",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Elfen",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "definite",
        "genitive",
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Elfe",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "dative",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Elfen",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "dative",
        "definite",
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Elfe",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "accusative",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Elfen",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "accusative",
        "definite",
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "f"
      },
      "expansion": "Elfe f (genitive Elfe, plural Elfen)",
      "name": "de-noun"
    }
  ],
  "inflection_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "f"
      },
      "name": "de-ndecl"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "German",
  "lang_code": "de",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "glosses": [
        "female elf"
      ],
      "id": "en-Elfe-de-noun-sM3OYJ8x",
      "links": [
        [
          "elf",
          "elf"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "_dis1": "66 18 16",
          "word": "Elfin"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "13 5 56 26",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "German entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "17 15 52 17",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "9 8 73 10",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "13 9 63 15",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "de",
          "name": "Mythological creatures",
          "orig": "de:Mythological creatures",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "fairy, sprite"
      ],
      "id": "en-Elfe-de-noun-pSOuMzcV",
      "links": [
        [
          "fairy",
          "fairy"
        ],
        [
          "sprite",
          "sprite"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "11 4 25 60",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "de",
          "name": "Fantasy",
          "orig": "de:Fantasy",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "pixie"
      ],
      "id": "en-Elfe-de-noun-n3PNfIFK",
      "links": [
        [
          "pixie",
          "pixie"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈɛlfə/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "De-Elfe.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/d/db/De-Elfe.ogg/De-Elfe.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/db/De-Elfe.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "word": "Elfe"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "German entries with incorrect language header",
    "German feminine nouns",
    "German lemmas",
    "German masculine nouns",
    "German nouns",
    "German terms derived from English",
    "German terms derived from Old English",
    "German terms derived from Proto-Germanic",
    "German terms derived from Proto-West Germanic",
    "German weak nouns",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "de:Fantasy",
    "de:Mythological creatures"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "en",
        "3": "elf"
      },
      "expansion": "English elf",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "ælf",
        "4": "",
        "5": "incubus, elf"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English ælf (“incubus, elf”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "gmw-pro",
        "3": "*albi"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *albi",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*albiz"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *albiz",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "Alb",
        "3": "",
        "4": "two-faced spirit"
      },
      "expansion": "German Alb (“two-faced spirit”)",
      "name": "cog"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Borrowed in the 18th century from English elf, from Old English ælf (“incubus, elf”), from Proto-West Germanic *albi, from Proto-Germanic *albiz. Compare German Alb (“two-faced spirit”).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "Elfen",
      "tags": [
        "genitive"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Elfen",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "weak",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "table-tags"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "de-ndecl",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "inflection-template"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Elfe",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "nominative",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Elfen",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "definite",
        "nominative",
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Elfen",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "genitive",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Elfen",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "definite",
        "genitive",
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Elfen",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "dative",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Elfen",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "dative",
        "definite",
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Elfen",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "accusative",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Elfen",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "accusative",
        "definite",
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "m.weak"
      },
      "expansion": "Elfe m (weak, genitive Elfen, plural Elfen)",
      "name": "de-noun"
    }
  ],
  "inflection_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "m.weak"
      },
      "name": "de-ndecl"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "German",
  "lang_code": "de",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "Elfenkönig"
    },
    {
      "word": "elfenhaft"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "alt_of": [
        {
          "extra": "elf",
          "word": "Elf"
        }
      ],
      "categories": [
        "German terms with quotations",
        "Quotation templates to be cleaned",
        "Requests for translations of German quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              30,
              34
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "1855, William Shakespeare, translated by Carl Abel, Ein Sommernachtstraum, Leipzig, page 45:",
          "text": "Unsterblich sollst du und ein Elfe sein!",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              24,
              28
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "1874, Heinrich Heine's sämmtliche Werke. Siebenter Band. Über Deutschland. Dritter Theil. Elementargeister und Dämonen., Hamburg, page 50:",
          "text": "War er ein Nix oder ein Elfe?",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "alternative form of Elf (“elf”)"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Elf",
          "Elf#German"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "alt-of",
        "alternative",
        "masculine",
        "weak"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈɛlfə/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "De-Elfe.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/d/db/De-Elfe.ogg/De-Elfe.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/db/De-Elfe.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "word": "Elfe"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "German entries with incorrect language header",
    "German feminine nouns",
    "German lemmas",
    "German masculine nouns",
    "German nouns",
    "German terms derived from English",
    "German terms derived from Old English",
    "German terms derived from Proto-Germanic",
    "German terms derived from Proto-West Germanic",
    "German weak nouns",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "de:Fantasy",
    "de:Mythological creatures"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "en",
        "3": "elf"
      },
      "expansion": "English elf",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "ælf",
        "4": "",
        "5": "incubus, elf"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English ælf (“incubus, elf”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "gmw-pro",
        "3": "*albi"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *albi",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*albiz"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *albiz",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "Alb",
        "3": "",
        "4": "two-faced spirit"
      },
      "expansion": "German Alb (“two-faced spirit”)",
      "name": "cog"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Borrowed in the 18th century from English elf, from Old English ælf (“incubus, elf”), from Proto-West Germanic *albi, from Proto-Germanic *albiz. Compare German Alb (“two-faced spirit”).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "Elfe",
      "tags": [
        "genitive"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Elfen",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "no-table-tags",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "table-tags"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "de-ndecl",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "inflection-template"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Elfe",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "nominative",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Elfen",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "definite",
        "nominative",
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Elfe",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "genitive",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Elfen",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "definite",
        "genitive",
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Elfe",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "dative",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Elfen",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "dative",
        "definite",
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Elfe",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "accusative",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Elfen",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "accusative",
        "definite",
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "f"
      },
      "expansion": "Elfe f (genitive Elfe, plural Elfen)",
      "name": "de-noun"
    }
  ],
  "inflection_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "f"
      },
      "name": "de-ndecl"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "German",
  "lang_code": "de",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "glosses": [
        "female elf"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "elf",
          "elf"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "fairy, sprite"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "fairy",
          "fairy"
        ],
        [
          "sprite",
          "sprite"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "pixie"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "pixie",
          "pixie"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈɛlfə/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "De-Elfe.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/d/db/De-Elfe.ogg/De-Elfe.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/db/De-Elfe.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "word": "Elfin"
    }
  ],
  "word": "Elfe"
}

Download raw JSONL data for Elfe meaning in German (6.3kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable German dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2025-12-23 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2025-12-02 using wiktextract (6fdc867 and 9905b1f). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.