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

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