plural elves
ˈelvz 
1
: a small often mischievous fairy
2
: a small lively creature
also
: a usually lively mischievous or malicious person
elfishly
adverb
extremely low frequency
Examples of elf in a Sentence
Noun
elves are often portrayed as rather mischievous
Recent Examples on the Web
Todd Anderson, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2025
Before 10 Things, the young actor gained attention as Bernard, the sarcastic head elf in The Santa Clause (1994).
—Danny Horn, EW.com, 31 Mar. 2025
Likewise, the option to use your own photos as prompts is a fun way to, say, turn yourself into a Tolkien-esque elf, like below.
—PCMAG, 11 Mar. 2025
The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community helped Santa’s elves during the recent holiday season in collecting nearly 1,700 toys and bikes that were then donated to local organizations for distribution to families in need in the Twin Cities metro area.
—Jacqueline Devine, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for elf
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
Perhaps to offset her severe personality, the ride adds a new character, a house elf named Higgledy.
—Todd Anderson, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2025
Before 10 Things, the young actor gained attention as Bernard, the sarcastic head elf in The Santa Clause (1994).
—Danny Horn, EW.com, 31 Mar. 2025
Likewise, the option to use your own photos as prompts is a fun way to, say, turn yourself into a Tolkien-esque elf, like below.
—PCMAG, 11 Mar. 2025
The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community helped Santa’s elves during the recent holiday season in collecting nearly 1,700 toys and bikes that were then donated to local organizations for distribution to families in need in the Twin Cities metro area.
—Jacqueline Devine, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for elf
Cite this Entry
“Elf.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elf. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.
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