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Wiktionary:Word of the day/2020/December 15

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Word of the day
for December 15
changeling n
  1. (European folklore, also figurative) 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 troll; in other places, they were ascribed to demons, devils, or witches.
  2. (by extension) A person or object (especially when regarded as inferior) secretly exchanged for something else.
  3. (by extension, informal, rare) An infant secretly exchanged with another infant deliberately or by mistake; a swapling.
  4. (fantasy, science fiction) An organism which can change shape to mimic others; a shape-shifter.
  5. (archaic, also figurative) A person apt to change their loyalty or thinking; a waverer.
  6. (obsolete) An idiot, a simpleton.

changeling adj

  1. (archaic, rare) Changeable, fickle, inconstant, wavering.
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