1 sylph | Definition of sylph
Logo
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

sylph

noun
\ ˈsilf How to pronounce sylph (audio) \

Definition of sylph

1 : an elemental being in the theory of Paracelsus that inhabits air
2 : a slender graceful woman or girl
Other Words from sylph Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about sylph

Keep scrolling for more

Other Words from sylph

sylphlike \ ˈsil-​ËŒflÄ«k How to pronounce sylphlike (audio) \ adjective

Did You Know?

Paracelsus was a man with a vivid imagination. He concocted an elaborate theory of ruling "elemental spirits": gnomes controlled the earth, salamanders fire, undines water, and sylphs (graceful beings whose name in English is from New Latin sylphus) the air. You would hardly believe this 16th-century German-Swiss physician had his feet on the ground, but those fantastic ideas were balanced with an impressive array of solid medical discoveries. In fact, many of his scientific contributions are still highly respected, but his sylph idea has long since been discounted as fairy-tale fantasy. The creatures remain only as romantic figures of literature, art, and ballet, where diaphanous woodland sylphs are often depicted enchanting unwary males.

Examples of sylph in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

 My mother sculpted this elegant and serene sylph in the 1940s while attending the Yale School of Art. — Hadley Keller, House Beautiful, "How Interior Designers Decorate with Items from Their Mothers," 8 May 2019 From afar, thanks to her class privilege and sheer force of personality, Lavinia succeeds in looking like an effortless sylph. — Hannah Orenstein, Vox, "How do you choose an outfit for a fictional character? 5 authors explain.," 12 Sep. 2018 The war was over, the world was coming back to life, and Hollywood was enchanted by a new ideal, the otherworldly sylph as embodied by Caron and Audrey Hepburn. — David Downton, HWD, "In Portrait: Leslie Caron, Hollywood’s French Golden Girl," 14 Mar. 2017 Halley, a tough-talking sylph with a robust scattering of tattoos and cellophane-blue hair, is practically a kid herself. — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, "Review: The Florida Project Is a Magical Ode to Childhood," 5 Oct. 2017 The war was over, the world was coming back to life, and Hollywood was enchanted by a new ideal, the otherworldly sylph as embodied by Caron and Audrey Hepburn. — David Downton, HWD, "In Portrait: Leslie Caron, Hollywood’s French Golden Girl," 15 Mar. 2017 The war was over, the world was coming back to life, and Hollywood was enchanted by a new ideal, the otherworldly sylph as embodied by Caron and Audrey Hepburn. — Laura Jacobs, vanityfair.com, "In Portrait: Leslie Caron, Hollywood’s French Golden Girl," 15 Mar. 2017 Prince the raunchy sylph eventually became a Jehovah’s Witness who would bowdlerize his more explicit material in concert. — John Williams, New York Times, "A Still-Grieving Prince Fan Looks Back on the Purple One," 11 Apr. 2017 The war was over, the world was coming back to life, and Hollywood was enchanted by a new ideal, the otherworldly sylph as embodied by Caron and Audrey Hepburn. — David Downton, VanityFair.com, "In Portrait: Leslie Caron, Hollywood’s French Golden Girl," 19 Mar. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sylph.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

See More

First Known Use of sylph

1657, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for sylph

New Latin sylphus

Keep scrolling for more

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for sylph

sylph

noun
How to pronounce sylph (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of sylph

literary : a thin and graceful woman or girl

See the full definition for sylph in the English Language Learners Dictionary

More from Merriam-Webster on sylph

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sylph

WORD OF THE DAY

See Definitions and Examples

Get Word of the Day daily email!