/ sɪlf; NAmE / noun
1.
an imaginary spirit
2.
a girl or woman who is thin and attractive
••
WORD ORIGIN
mid 17th cent.: from modern Latin sylphes , sylphi and the German plural Sylphen , perhaps based on Latin sylvestris of the woods + nympha nymph.
/ sɪlf; NAmE / noun
1.
an imaginary spirit
2.
a girl or woman who is thin and attractive
••
WORD ORIGIN
mid 17th cent.: from modern Latin sylphes , sylphi and the German plural Sylphen , perhaps based on Latin sylvestris of the woods + nympha nymph.
Oxford Advanced Learner's English Dictionary. Оксфордский английский словарь для изучающик язык на продвинутом уровне. 2005