was wotd|2007|June|1
wikipedia
English
Etymology
First attested in 1657. From NL. sylphes#Latin|sylphes, coined by w:Paracelsus|Paracelsus in the 16th century. The coinage may derive from sylva#Latin|sylva and nympha#Latin|nympha.
Pronunciation
IPA|/sɪlf/
audio|en-us-sylph.ogg|Audio (US)
rhymes|ɪlf
Noun
en-noun
- A wood nymph.
- The elemental being of air, usually female.
- A slender girl, usually graceful and sometimes with the implication of sublime station over everyday people.
#:*"Her heart fluttered with expectation---her step was buoyant with hope, and she sprung into the carriage with the lightness of a sylph." — Mary Brunton (1778-1818), Self-Control: A Novel
Translations
trans-top|The elemental being of air
German: Sylphe f, Luftgeist m
trans-mid
trans-bottom
trans-top|A slender girl
German: Sylphide f (archaic)
trans-mid
trans-bottom
Category:Girls
Category:Mythology
io:sylph
ru:sylph
te:sylph
vi:sylph
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