English Dictionary

changeling

IPA（発音記号）

/ˈtʃeɪn(d)ʒlɪŋ/

名詞

欧州 未分類 比喩的用法 広義 くだけた表現 稀用 古語 廃用

(European folklore, also figuratively) In pre-modern European folklore: an infant of a magical creature that was secretly exchanged for a human infant. 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 demons, devils, or witches.

日本語の意味

妖精や他の魔法的・伝説的存在が人間の赤ん坊とすり替えた（交換した）子供、すなわち、民間伝承における「交換児」を指す。

The villagers were convinced the frail newborn was a changeling left by the fairies, and they summoned the wise woman to undo the curse.

村人たちは、その虚弱な新生児が妖精の取り替え子だと確信し、呪いを解くために知恵者を呼んだ。

意味（1）

(European folklore, also figuratively) In pre-modern European folklore: an infant of a magical creature that was secretly exchanged for a human infant. 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 demons, devils, or witches.

[S]he, as her attendant, hath / A louely boy ſtollen, from an Indian king: / She neuer had ſo ſweete a changeling. Used here to refer to the human infant taken by the magical creature, rather than the infant left behind.]

意味（2）

(by extension) A person or object (especially when regarded as inferior) secretly exchanged for something else.

When I firſt read Mr. Walker’s Circular Letter to the Arch-deacons, I fancied he intended to give us an Account of thoſe worthy Men, … But after about ten Years going with this Work, and that the Time of its Birth was come, I ſoon found it to be a perfect Changeling. Inſtead of what I expected it to be, I ſaw a huge Heap of the moſt Heterogeneous Characters, … a great many of them much more deſerving to have their Names blotted out, than their Memory to be preſerved.

意味（3）

(by extension, informal, rare) An infant secretly exchanged with another infant deliberately or by mistake; a swapling.

意味（4）

(fantasy, science fiction) An organism which can change shape to mimic others; a shape-shifter.

意味（5）

(archaic, also figuratively) A person apt to change their loyalty or thinking; a waverer.

To face the garment of rebellion / With ſome fine colour that may pleaſe the eye / Of fickle changlings and poore diſcontents, / Which gape and rub the elbow at the newes / Of hurly-burly innouation, …

意味（6）

(obsolete) An idiot, a simpleton.

They alſo obſerue Lunaticks and changelings, and the Coniurer writeth downe their ſayings in a booke, groueling on the ground, as if he whiſperd to the Deuill to tell him the truth, and ſo expoundeth the letter, as it were by inſpiration.

changelings （ plural ）