did tolkien invent elves

While J.R.R. Tolkien certainly popularized the concept of elves in modern times, he was not the first to use the term "elf" in literature. The word "elf" comes from the Old English word "ealf," which meant a small, supernatural being. Many ancient texts from various cultures, such as the Norse and Germanic mythologies, feature elves as beings of nature and magic. Tolkien drew from these sources, as well as other folktales and legends, to create his detailed and richly imagined world of Middle-earth.