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Pointy ears or pointed ears are a characteristic of many animals, a genetic condition in humans, as well as a cliché in popular culture, particularly in the fantasy genre. They are commonly known as elf ears for their depiction in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings film series.
Author Holly Black and others have worn latex pointy ears in public and some people modify their ears surgically.
Pointy ears are a common characteristic of many creatures in the fantasy genre such as elves, faeries, , , and orcs, among others. They are also a characteristic of creatures from the horror genre, such as .
This characteristic has been adopted into the Japanese anime and manga art style, where pointy ears are also a common trope of fantasy characters. Manga and anime elves in particular are distinguished by very prominently displayed pointed ears, often drawn larger and more distinctly visible, as well as more angled, than in the Western works.
Pointy ears have become associated with elves in Victorian literature of the 19th century. Popularization of the pointed ears as an attribute of elves has been attributed to the works of J. R. R. Tolkien and their more recent big screen interpretation, although the status of elvish ears as canon is not universally accepted by the Tolkien fandom.
Pointy ears are often found in the science fiction genre, as well, such as among the Vulcan and Romulan races of the Star Trek universe, or the Nightcrawler character from the X-Men universe.
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