[ad. mod.L. (pl.) sylphes, G. sylphen (Paracelsus, De Nymphis, etc.), mod.L. sylphi (Ibid., Wks. 1658, II. 391). Cf. F. sylphe, Sp. silfo, Pg. sylpho, etc.
Littré conjectures a Gaulish origin, citing svlfis dat. pl. from Inscr. Helvet. no. 117 of Orelli, who connects the form with suleviæ female tutelary spirits venerated in Gaul (see Holder, Altcelt. Sprachschatz, s.v.). But Paracelsus’s word may be an arbitrary coinage, perh. a blending of sylvestris SYLVESTER sb.1 1 and nympha NYMPH.]
1. One of a race of beings or spirits supposed to inhabit the air (orig. in the system of Paracelsus).
1657. H. Pinnell, Philos. Reformed, I. i. 26 (from Paracelsus). To the Earth doe belong Gnoms, Lemurs, Sylphs.
1680. A. L[ovell], trans. Montfaucon de Villars’ Cnt. of Gabalis, 29. The Sylphs are composed of the purest atomes of air.
1699. Dryden, Lett. to Mrs. Eliz. Thomas, 12 Nov., Wks. 1800, I. II. 97. Whether Sylph or Nymph, I know not: those fine creatures … have a mind to be christen’d.
1712. [see SALAMANDER sb. 2 b].
1714. Pope, Rape Lock, I. 65. The light Coquettes in Sylphs aloft repair, And sport and flutter in the fields of Air.
1812. Sir H. Davy, Chem. Philos., 17. The Rosicrucian philosophy, in which gnomes, sylphs, salamanders, and nymphs were the spiritual agents, supposed capable of being governed or enslaved by man.
1830. Scott, Demonol., x. 347. They affirmed that they could bind to their service and imprison in a ring, a mirror, or a stone, some fairy, sylph or salamander.
1856. Miss Mulock, J. Halifax, x. Though this lady did not look like a sylph or a wood-nymph—being neither very small nor very slight.
b. Applied to a graceful woman or girl; usually with implication of slender figure and light airy movement. (Cf. NYMPH 2.)
1835. Evening Post, 13 Aug., 2/3. At his side, with graceful mien and placid brow, knelt a Sardinian sylph, looking more like an angel interceding for the prostrate wretch, than a being of kindred nature asking mercy for herself.
1838. Dickens, Nich. Nick., xxv. She’s the only sylph I ever saw, who could stand upon one leg, and play the tambourine on her other knee, like a sylph.
1847. Disraeli, Tancred, IV. xi. The mother … seemed a sylph or a sultana.
2. Gould’s name for various humming-birds with long forked tails.
1861. Gould, Monogr. Trochilidæ, III. Pl. 172. Cynanthus cyanurus. Blue-Tailed Sylph. Ibid., 173. Cynanthus smaragdicaudus. Green-Tailed Sylph.
3. Comb., as sylph-like adj. and adv., sylph-looking adj.
1818. Scott, Br. Lamm., xviii. The sylph-like form, disencumbered of her heavy riding-skirt and mantled in azure silk.
1825. T. Hook, Sayings, Ser. II. Passion & Princ., vii. III. 82. A sylph-like gracefulness in their figures and actions. Ibid. (1833), Parson’s Dau., III. ix. Lady Catherine … gliding sylph-like across the room, seated herself by his side.
1834. H. Miller, Scenes & Leg., xx. (1857), 289. There tripped lightly along a sylph-looking creature.
Hence Sylphic, Sylphish, Sylphy adjs., pertaining to, resembling, of the nature of, or characteristic of a sylph; sylph-like; Sylphize v., trans. to give a sylphish character to.
1821. New Monthly Mag., II. 361. This … cannot but be considered as an improvement even by the most prejudiced of the *sylphic race.
1825. C. M. Westmacott, Engl. Spy, I. 227. The sylphic daughters of Terpsichore.
1754. Adventurer, No. 93. II. 136. The images, customs, and employments of his [sc. Pope’s] sylphs are exactly adapted to their natures…; are all, if I may be allowed the expression, *Sylphish.
1834. Medwin, Angler in Wales, II. 233. She was of a slender, delicate, and sylphish form.
1802. Anna Seward, Lett. (1811), VI. 27. The Gothic mythology, demonized by the elder Lards of Caledonia, *sylphized by Shakespeare, and the British poets.
1836. T. Hook, G. Gurney, I. vii. 283. There was a swan-like swimmingness about her air and gait—a sort of *sylphy something that rivetted the attention.
1842. United Service Mag., I. 383. Her chaplet of bright flowers and expanded sylphy wing.
