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Elfen vs Elfin - What's the difference?

elfen | elfin |

Elfin is a descendant of elfen.



As adjectives the difference between elfen and elfin

is that elfen is belonging to, or relating to, elves while elfin is relating to or resembling an elf, especially in its tiny size or features.

As a noun elfin is

an elf; an inhabitant of fairy-land.

elfen

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Belonging to, or relating to, elves.
  • * 1857 , Olaf Liliekrans, A Play in Three Acts :
  • ALFHILD. Were I an elfen' maid, then truly, say I, it would fare with you ill! / OLAF. Forsooth, then are you the ' elfen maid!
  • * 2008', Diane Fürch, caption to '''''Elfen Scout :
  • Everyday she patrols the borders of the elfen realm to make sure that humans stay out.
    ----

    elfin

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) elven, from (etyl) elfen, .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An elf; an inhabitant of fairy-land.
  • A little urchin or child.
  • Etymology 2

    Partly from attributive use of Etymology 1, but reanalysed by Spenser as if equivalent to .

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Relating to or resembling an elf, especially in its tiny size or features.
  • *
  • *:Three chairs of the steamer type, all maimed, comprised the furniture of this roof-garden, withon one of the copings a row of four red clay flower-pots filled with sun-baked dust from which gnarled and rusty stalks thrust themselves up like withered elfin limbs.
  • *{{quote-news, year=2012, date=May 24, author=Nathan Rabin, work=The Onion AV Club
  • , title= Film: Reviews: Men In Black 3 , passage=He’s forced to travel back to 1969 to prevent an evil alien (a shockingly effective, nearly unrecognizable Jemaine Clement of Flight Of The Conchords, playing sort of a psychotic extraterrestrial-biker serial killer) from destroying the world by killing Brolin. Smith is aided in his quest by an elfin , time-jumping alien with psychic powers played by another Coen brothers veteran, A Serious Man star Michael Stuhlbarg. }}
    Synonyms
    * elvish