US /ˈboʊ.ɡəl/ UK /ˈbəʊ.ɡəl/
noun Freq #110562

Meanings

  1. 1
    noun

    a goblin, specter, or other frightening supernatural being in northern British and Scots folklore

    The children believed that a bogle haunted the ruined mill.

  2. 2
    noun

    a scarecrow or any object treated as a source of fear or loathing

    In the dusk, the ragged bogle in the field looked almost alive.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
1 noun · a goblin, specter, or other... goblinspecterbogey
2 noun · a scarecrow or any object... scarecrowbugbear
Word family
Forms bogles
Derived forms bogledom
Related forms bogeybogeymanboggleboggart

Etymology

A Scots and northern English word attested around 1500. Its origin is uncertain, but it is probably related to the bug, bogey, and boggart family of words for frightening apparitions; boggle originally described starting in fear.

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