Background for changeling

changeling

/ˈt͡ʃeɪnd͡ʒlɪŋ/

Illustration changeling - Image 1

noun

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.)

Examples :

"Old wives told stories of a neighbor's child being a changeling, claiming that the baby, sickly and strange, had been swapped with a fairy child in the cradle. "

mythology religion supernatural story tradition culture inhuman

Illustration changeling - Image 1

noun

An infant secretly exchanged with another infant by mistake or by human doing; swapling.

Examples :

"Rumors spread through the village that the sickly baby found on the doorstep was a changeling, swapped for the family's healthy newborn. "

mythology literature religion family culture supernatural

Illustration changeling - Image 1

noun

An organism which can change shape to mimic others.

Examples :

"In the science fiction story, the alien was a changeling, able to perfectly copy the appearance of anyone it met. "

organism mythology biology supernatural being inhuman literature character animal nature story

Illustration changeling - Image 1

noun

A simpleton; an idiot.

Examples :

"He acted like a complete changeling, staring blankly when asked simple questions. "

character person mind human being

Illustration changeling - Image 1

noun

One apt to change; a waverer.

Examples :

"Because Sarah couldn't commit to a major, her advisor jokingly called her a changeling, always switching between art, history, and biology. "

character person tendency attitude mind