elves

American

[elvz] / ɛlvz /

noun

plural of elf.

elves British

/ ɛlvz /

noun

the plural of elf

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

elves Cultural

Often small, mischievous creatures thought to have magical powers. Although some elves are friendly to humans, others are spiteful and destructive. Elves have long been a staple of folklore, from Germanic mythology to J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, in which the elves speak a special language called Elvish.

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.

Elves, hired to usher children through grottos, typically earn less, but have seen a slight bump in average pay compared to last year.

From BBC • Dec. 17, 2025

Ms Peggie's junior counsel Charlotte Elves said at the time that the statement caused "some concern" and was "irresponsible and potentially unsafe".

From BBC • Sep. 3, 2025

Technically they are Scout Elves, and theoretically their job is to watch over children and report back on naughty or nice behavior.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 22, 2024

At the end of the First Age of Middle-earth, the evil Morgoth/Melkor is defeated by an alliance of Elves and Men.

From Washington Post • Nov. 21, 2022

For, why he did not know, his thought sprang back suddenly to the Elves in the Shire, and the song that drove away the Black Rider in the trees.

From "The Return of the King" by J.R.R. Tolkien

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023