changeling
Americannoun
-
a child surreptitiously or unintentionally substituted for another.
-
(in folklore) an ugly, stupid, or strange child left by fairies in place of a pretty, charming child.
-
Philately. a postage stamp that, by accident or intention, has been chemically changed in color.
-
Archaic.
-
a renegade or turncoat.
-
an imbecile.
-
noun
-
a child believed to have been exchanged by fairies for the parents' true child
-
archaic
-
an idiot
-
a fickle or changeable person
-
Etymology
Origin of changeling
Explanation
A changeling is a child who is suspected to not be a couple’s real child. As the myth goes, a changeling was substituted by fairies. Do you ever feel like your parents might not be your real parents? Then maybe you’re a changeling. A changeling is part of a switcheroo by fairies who switch out a couple’s real baby with another baby. The new baby is the changeling. Fortunately, fairies are mythical creatures, so the concept of a changeling is also fanciful. The -ling part appears in many other Middle and Old English words: underling, hireling, duckling, and yearling, to name a few.
Vocabulary lists containing changeling
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Wuthering Heights
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Road
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
She won best supporting actress in 2000 for Girl, Interrupted and was nominated for best actress in 2009 for Changeling.
From BBC • Aug. 30, 2024
The limited series drama “The Changeling: Season 1,” based on the novel by Victor LaValle, is a contemporary fantasy by way of a horror story set in New York City and starring LaKeith Stanfield.
From Seattle Times • Aug. 23, 2023
And for sci-fi fans of the 1990s and convention-goers ever since, he was Odo, the shape-shifting Changeling and head of space-station security on “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.”
From Washington Times • Dec. 8, 2019
J. Michael Straczynski also wrote the 2008 film "The Changeling" which starred Angelina Jolie and was directed by Clint Eastwood.
From Salon • Jul. 25, 2019
“She is young,” Ash said, remembering the story of Eilis and the Changeling.
From "Ash" by Malinda Lo
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
