Hylians

The term “Hylian” generally refers to a member of the Hylian race, who are capable of using magical abilities. They have pointed pixie-like ears, and resemble Tolkien-esque elves.

It is believed that these ears allow them to hear the gods and that they were created to tell the other races their message. According to the A Link to the Past manual, “with their magic infused blood, the Hylian people were endowed with psychic powers and skill in wizardry. It was also said that they were held in high esteem by many people in Hyrule due to these special powers. Their descendants settled in various parts of the world and passed on their knowledge and magical lore to all people. The Royal Family of Hyrule is traditionally Hylian.

“Hyrulean”, on the other hand, means from or related to the mythical land of Hyrule. Note that not all inhabitants of Hyrule are Hylian: only those with pointed-ears, such as Link, are Hylian. Unlike Hylians, Hyruleans are sometimes not granted with magical abilities, and they do not have pointed ears. The spelling “Hyrulian” was used interchangeably for “Hyrulean” by fans until Nintendo announced that the latter is the official and correct spelling.