changeants

Changeant (plural changeants) is a term used in French-language folklore and fantasy to describe beings that can alter their physical form. The word derives from changer, "to change." In many folk traditions, changeants are capable of shifting between human and animal shapes or between different human appearances, often at will or under specific conditions. Their metamorphosis may be temporary or permanent, with limits set by magical rules or social norms within a story.

In literature and media, changeants are commonly presented as shapeshifters who blur identity and mislead opponents, though they can also serve as benevolent guardians or tricksters depending on the tale. In some translations of English-language works, the term changeant is used to translate "changeling" or "shapeshifter," particularly when the creature is embedded in a francophone setting.

In role-playing games and fantasy fiction, changeants may be described as a race or faction with innate shapechanging abilities, sometimes with constraints based on mood, age, or exposure to magic. The concept overlaps with broader categories such as shapeshifters and metamorphs and is often discussed in comparisons with changelings in folklore.

See also: shapeshifter, changeling, metamorph.