Where does “elf” come from?

elf (Romanian) comes from French elfe, from Swedish älf, from Old Norse Álfr, from Proto-Germanic albiz, from Proto-Indo-European albʰós — white.

elf (Romanian): elf

Definitions

  1. elf

Ancestry of “elf”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchelfeelf
2SwedishälfObsolete spelling of älv
3Old NorseÁlfr—
4Proto-Germanicalbizelf, fairy
5Proto-Indo-Europeanalbʰóswhite

Words derived from “elf”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European albʰós →Every word from Proto-Germanic albiz →Every word from Old Norse Álfr →