Wiktionary

Elfenbein

See also: elfenbein

Czech

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Etymology

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(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

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Proper noun

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Elfenbein m anim (female equivalent Elfenbeinová)

  1. a male surname

Declension

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Declension of Elfenbein (hard masculine animate)
singular plural
nominative Elfenbein Elfenbeinové
genitive Elfenbeina Elfenbeinů
dative Elfenbeinovi Elfenbeinům
accusative Elfenbeina Elfenbeiny
vocative Elfenbeine Elfenbeinové
locative Elfenbeinovi Elfenbeinech
instrumental Elfenbeinem Elfenbeiny

German

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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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

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

Noun

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

  1. ivory (material)

Declension

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Declension of Elfenbein [neuter, strong]
singular plural
indef. def. noun def. noun
nominative ein das Elfenbein die Elfenbeine
genitive eines des Elfenbeines, Elfenbeins der Elfenbeine
dative einem dem Elfenbein, Elfenbeine1 den Elfenbeinen
accusative ein das Elfenbein die Elfenbeine

1Now rare, see notes.

Derived terms

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Descendants

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

Further reading

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