Elf

elf, Elf, Elves, n., Elven, Elvish, elfish, elfen, elven, adj. 1. in common usage, a small often mischievous fairy; from Old English ælf; akin to Old Norse alfr. 2. in Old Norse mythology, a mysterious race of sylvan beings, often associated with the agrarian gods, the Vanir. 3. in the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien, a race of quasi-divine beings who dwell separately from other races, and figure prominently in the history of Middle Earth. 4. in fantasy literature and role-playing milieux, a race of beings patterned to various degrees after the Elves of Tolkien; usu. tall, fair, magical, and having pointy ears. See Deedlit, Fëanor, Legolas. [GJ1]
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Addendum: In the less creative books and RPGs, elves are always tall, peaceful, bow-using cracker-munching forest-dwellers with Vulcan ears. They bear little resemblance to (a) the diminutive elves of Anglo lore, (b) the elves of Norse mythology, upon which Tolkien based his Elves, and about which very little knowlege has survived, or (c) Tolkien's own Elves, or Eldar, who were quasi-divine, quasi-immortal, and who lived simultaneously on two planes of existence. Note that elves are traditionally the enemies of dwarves; this is also from Tolkien. [GJ1]