goblin

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a small, grotesque, supernatural, and folkloric creature that makes trouble for human beings

   The goblin in the story hid in the woods, waiting for unsuspecting travelers.

Simplified etymology

Goblin comes from Old French gobelin, from Gobelinus, said to be the name of a mischievous spirit that haunted the Évreux region of northern France in the 12th century. It may be related to German Kobold, although that relationship is unclear; its apparent ultimate source is Greek kobalos, “rogue” or “knave,” and kobaloi, mischievous sprites invoked by rogues.

From Middle English gobelyn, from Old Northern French gobelin (compare Norman goubelin, Walloon gobelin), possibly a blend of Old Dutch *kobeholdo (“goblin”) (compare Dutch kabouter, German Kobold) and Late Latin cobalus (“mountain sprite”), from Ancient Greek κόβαλος (kóbalos, “rogue, knave; goblin”). Displaced native Old English pūca from Proto-Germanic *pūkô (“a goblin, spook”), whence English puck.

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