noun

changeling

CHAYNZH-lihng

noun

In folklore, a fairy or troll child secretly swapped for a human baby.

"The old village legend claimed the sickly infant was a changeling left by the fairies."

A shape-shifting creature able to take on the appearance of others.

"In the fantasy novel, the changeling infiltrated the court disguised as a nobleman."

How to Use Changeling

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA folklore creature swapped for a human child, or more broadly, a shape-shifter.

more changeling comparative, changelings plural, most changeling superlative

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The old village legend claimed the sickly infant was a _____ left by the fairies.

From change + the suffix -ling, which often denotes something small or immature.

feeling peeling reeling fueling dueling kneeling modeling wheeling yodeling labeling traveling unfeeling