erlking

[ url-king ]

/ ˈɜrlˌkɪŋ /

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noun (in German and Scandinavian mythology)

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

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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

Words nearby erlking

Erlander, erlang, Erlangen, Erlanger, Erlenmeyer flask, erlking, ERM, Erma, Ermanaric, ermine, ermine moth

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use erlking in a sentence

The voice of the Erlking is a continuous, soft, uninterrupted stream of tone, upon which the whispered words are hung.
How to Sing|Lilli Lehmann
Erlking invites the boy to play with his daughters, who shall dance with him and rock him and sing to him.
How to Sing|Lilli Lehmann
“The Erlking” of Schubert is especially hinted at, just as the first movement was prophetic of Beethoven.
Critical & Historical Essays|Edward MacDowell
Angela was left crying over the beauty of "The Erlking," the last song rendered.
The "Genius"|Theodore Dreiser

Herr Schubert puffed and blew, and "The Erlking" pranced and thumped.
Unfinished Portraits|Jennette Lee

British Dictionary definitions for erlking

erlking

/ (ˈɜːlˌkɪŋ) /

noun

German myth a malevolent spirit who carries children off to death

Word Origin for erlking

C18: from German Erlkönig, literally: alder king, coined in 1778 by Herder, a mistranslation of Danish ellerkonge king of the elves

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