CHANGELING

changeling

(noun) a child secretly exchanged for another in infancy

idiot, imbecile, cretin, moron, changeling, half-wit, retard

(noun) a person of subnormal intelligence

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Noun

changeling (plural changelings)

(mythology) In pre-modern European mythology, an infant that was secretly exchanged for a mother's own baby by an evil creature. (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 witches, devils, or demons.)

(informal, rare) An infant secretly exchanged with another infant by mistake or by human doing; swapling.

(science fiction and fantasy) An organism which can change shape to mimic others.

(obsolete) A simpleton; an idiot.

(obsolete) One apt to change; a waverer.

Synonyms

• (fairy's child): auf (obsolete), oaf (obsolete)

• (being that can change shape): shape-shifter

• (a child exchanged for another): swapling

Source: Wiktionary


Change"ling, n. Etym: [Change + -ling.]

1. One who, or that which, is left or taken in the place of another, as a child exchanged by fairies. Such, men do changelings call, so changed by fairies' theft. Spenser. The changeling [a substituted writing] never known. Shak.

2. A simpleton; an idiot. Macaulay. Changelings and fools of heaven, and thence shut out. Wildly we roam in discontent about. Dryden.

3. One apt to change; a waverer. "Fickle changelings." Shak.

Change"ling, a.

1. Taken or left in place of another; changed. "A little changeling boy." Shak.

2. Given to change; inconstant. [Obs.] Some are so studiously changeling. Boyle.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



RESET




Word of the Day

25 June 2025

DETENTION

(noun) a state of being confined (usually for a short time); “his detention was politically motivated”; “the prisoner is on hold”; “he is in the custody of police”


coffee icon

Coffee Trivia

According to WorldAtlas, Finland is the biggest coffee consumer in the entire world. The average Finn will consume 12 kg of coffee each year.

coffee icon