sylph

[ silf ]

noun

1. a slender, graceful woman or girl.
2. (in folklore) one of a race of supernatural beings supposed to inhabit the air.

sylph

/ sɪlf /

noun

1. a slender graceful girl or young woman
2. any of a class of imaginary beings assumed to inhabit the air

Derived Forms

• ˈsylphˌlike, adjective

Other Words From

• sylphic adjective
• sylphlike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sylph¹

1650–60; from New Latin sylphēs (plural), coined by Paracelsus; apparently blend of sylva (variant spelling of Latin silva “forest”) and Greek nýmphē nymph

Word History and Origins

Origin of sylph¹

C17: from New Latin sylphus, probably coined from Latin silva wood + Greek numphē nymph

Synonym Study

Sylph, salamander, undine ( nymph ), gnome were imaginary beings inhabiting the four elements once believed to make up the physical world. All except the gnomes were female. Sylphs dwelt in the air and were light, dainty, and airy beings. Salamanders dwelt in fire: “a salamander that … lives in the midst of flames” (Addison). Undines were water spirits: By marrying a man, an undine could acquire a mortal soul. (They were also called nymphs, though nymphs were ordinarily minor divinities of nature who dwelt in woods, hills, and meadows as well as in waters.) Gnomes were little old men or dwarfs, dwelling in the earth: ugly enough to be king of the gnomes.

Example Sentences

This Galadriel is not the cosmically attuned sylph we know from the films.

From Salon

Ballet upholds narrow ideals for everyone: for men, the archetype of the chivalrous prince; for women, the elusive swan or sylph.

From New York Times

His talk was to be about sylphs, and, needless to say, I didn’t want to go with you, but she insisted.

From New York Times

“It’s definitely weird,” said Josh Burnham, whose fluid, swooping performance as the poet surrounded by swirling sylphs en blanc ended without the thunderous applause that a good performance of “Les Sylphides” usually gets.

From Washington Post

And with her voluminous arms and lush sense of suspense, Ms. Phelan floated across the stage in dreamlike walks that made her seem more sylph than woman.

From New York Times

Related Words

• gnome
• goblin
• imp
• leprechaun