English Explanatory Dictionary

changeling

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. In pre-modern European folklore: an infant of a magical creature that was secretly exchanged for a human infant. In British, Irish and Scandinavian mythology the exchanged infants were thought to be those of fairies, sprites or trolls; in other places, they were ascribed to demons, devils, or witches.
  2. A person or object (especially when regarded as inferior) secretly exchanged for something else.
  3. An infant secretly exchanged with another infant deliberately or by mistake; a swapling.
  4. An organism which can change shape to mimic others; a shape-shifter.
  5. A person apt to change their loyalty or thinking; a waverer.
  6. An idiot, a simpleton.
adj
  1. Changeable, fickle, inconstant, wavering.

Pronunciation

/ˈtʃeɪn(d)ʒlɪŋ/ /ˈt͡ʃeɪnd͡ʒlɪŋ/ En-us-changeling.oga

Word forms

changeling changelings more changeling most changeling

Etymology

The noun is derived from change + -ling (suffix with the sense ‘immature; small’). Sense 6 (“idiot, simpleton”) is from the idea that foolish children had been left by magical creatures (sense 1). The adjective is derived from the noun.

Synonyms

auf oaf swapling changeling shape-shifter shapeshifter shifter turncoat withersake apostate balimbing butterfly defector runagate traitor transfuge turncloak turntippet addle-brain addlehead addle pate airhead baboon beanbrain beetlebrain beetlehead berk bimbo birdbrain blockhead blubberbrain bonehead Boeotian boob bozo brainlet brickhead bubblehead bubble brain bufflehead buffoon Charlie chowderhead chucklehead chump cittern-head clod clodpate clot clown crackhead cretin cuckoo deadhead dimbo dim bulb dimbus dimwit dingbat ding dong

Related words

foundling
This entry uses open data from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA/GFDL). Word forms are used for search and are not indexed as separate pages.
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