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Elfin vs Elven - What's the difference?

elfin | elven |

As nouns the difference between elven and elfin

is that elven is a female elf, a fairy, nymph while elfin is an elf; an inhabitant of fairy-land.

As adjectives the difference between elven and elfin

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

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

    elven

    English

    Etymology 1

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

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • (obsolete) A female elf, a fairy, nymph
  • * 2011 , Everron, drawing caption
    • work on nude elven''

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • belonging to, or relating to, elves.
    • References
    * MED, elf, elve(n) * Wikipedia, elf

    Etymology 2

    From a corruption of (m).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (lb) An elm.
    • English adjectives ending in -en ----