See also: elfenbein

German edit

Alternative forms edit

Etymology edit

From Middle High German elfenbein, from Old High German elfantbein, from Proto-West Germanic *elpandabain. Equivalent to Elefant +‎ Bein. The loss of initial h- in early modern German was due to the influence of Latin elephās. Since the 19th century the word has been remotivated, somewhat meaningfully (with regard to the pure white colour of ivory), as Elfe (elf) +‎ Bein (bone).

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /ˈɛl.fənˌbaɪ̯n/, [ˈʔɛl.fm̩ˌbaɪ̯n], [ˈʔɛl.fən-]
  • (file)
  • Rhymes: -aɪ̯n

Noun edit

Elfenbein n (strong, genitive Elfenbeines or Elfenbeins, plural Elfenbeine)

  1. ivory (material)

Declension edit

Derived terms edit

Related terms edit

Descendants edit

  • Danish: elfenben
  • Norwegian Bokmål: elfenben, elfenbein
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: elfenbein
  • Swedish: elfenben

Further reading edit