erlking

American

[url-king] / ˈɜrlˌkɪŋ /

noun

a spirit or personified natural power that works mischief, especially to children.

erlking British

/ ˈɜːlˌkɪŋ /

noun

German myth a malevolent spirit who carries children off to death

"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

Etymology

Origin of erlking

1790–1800; < German Erlkönig alder (tree) king, J. G. von Herder's mistrans. of Danish ellerkonge, variant of elverkonge king of the elves

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