# changeling

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈtʃeɪn(d)ʒlɪŋ/ · frequency rank #48,130

## Definitions
1. 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.
2. A person or object (especially when regarded as inferior) secretly exchanged for something else.
3. An infant secretly exchanged with another infant deliberately or by mistake; a swapling.
4. An organism which can change shape to mimic others; a shape-shifter.
5. A person apt to change their loyalty or thinking; a waverer.
6. An idiot, a simpleton.

## Etymology
The noun is derived from change + -ling (suffix with the sense ‘immature; small’). Sense 6 (“idiot, simpleton”) is from the idea that foolish children had been left by magical creatures (sense 1).
The adjective is derived from the noun.

## Easily confused with
- **changing** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/changeling-vs-changing)

## Common misspellings (16)
`cahngeling`, `cchangeling`, `chagneling`, `chanegling`, `changeilng`, `changelign`, `changelingg`, `changelinng`, `changelling`, `changelnig`, `changgeling`, `changleing`, `channgeling`, `chhangeling`, `chnageling`, `hcangeling`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/changeling