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Added 9 October 2026

sylph

/sɪlf/ noun

Latin root: sylphes Coined: 16th century Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about sylph at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A slender graceful young woman.
An elemental being believed to inhabit the air.

Origin

First attested in 1657. From New Latin sylphes, coined by Paracelsus in the 16th century. The coinage may derive from Latin sylvestris (“of the woods”) and nympha (“nymph”). Ultimately from the root silva (“woods, forest”). Related to sylvan. More at Wikipedia.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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