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Shifter vs Changeling - What's the difference?

shifter | changeling |

As nouns the difference between shifter and changeling

is that shifter is one who, or that which, shifts or changes while changeling is in British, Irish and Scandinavian mythology, an infant of a fairy, sprite or troll that the creature has secretly exchanged for a human infant.

shifter

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • One who, or that which, shifts or changes.
  • (dated) One who plays tricks or practices artifice; a cozener.
  • 'Twas such a shifter that, if truth were known, Death was half glad when he had got him down. — Milton.
  • (nautical) An assistant to the ship's cook in washing, steeping, and shifting the salt provisions.
  • (engineering) An arrangement for shifting a belt sidewise from one pulley to another.
  • (engineering, textiles) A wire for changing a loop from one needle to another, as in narrowing, etc.
  • (cycling) A component used by the rider to control the gearing mechanisms and select the desired gear ratio, usually connected to the derailleur by a mechanical actuation cable.
  • A spanner with an adjustable jaw size.
  • (Webster 1913) English agent nouns

    changeling

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (mythology) In British, Irish and Scandinavian mythology, an infant of a fairy, sprite or troll that the creature has secretly exchanged for a human infant.
  • (informal, rare) An infant secretly exchanged with another infant; swapling.
  • (science fiction, and, fantasy) An organism which can change shape to mimic others.
  • (obsolete) A simpleton; an idiot.
  • (Macaulay)
  • * Dryden
  • Changelings and fools of heaven, and thence shut out.
  • (obsolete) One apt to change; a waverer.
  • * Shakespeare
  • Fickle changelings .

    Synonyms

    * (sense, fairy's child) oaf (obsolete) * (being that can change shape) shape-shifter * (a child exchanged for another)