Where does “elf” come from?

elf (Polish) comes from German Elf, from English elf, from Middle English elf, from Old English ielf, from Proto-West Germanic albi, from Proto-Germanic albī, from Latin Albis, from Latin Albeus.

elf (Polish): elf, mythical or fantasy creature

Definitions

  1. elf, mythical or fantasy creature

Ancestry of “elf”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanElfeleven; football team, XI; elf
2EnglishelfA luminous spirit presiding over nature and...
3Middle Englishelfelf, fairy; spirit, shade
4Old Englishielfelf
5Proto-West Germanicalbielf, fairy
6Proto-Germanicalbīriver
7LatinAlbis—
8LatinAlbeus—

Words derived from “elf”

Every word from Latin Albeus →Every word from Proto-Germanic albī →Every word from Latin Albis →