leprechaun

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a small solitary supernatural being in Irish folklore, traditionally portrayed as a shoemaker who guards hidden treasure

   In the folktale, the leprechaun tried to distract the farmer from the buried gold.

2. 2
   noun

   a representation or costume of this folkloric figure

   A painted leprechaun stood beside the festival entrance.

From Irish leipreachan or luchorpán, through Middle Irish luchrupán and Old Irish luchorpán. Its deeper analysis is disputed; a traditional explanation connects Old Irish lu, 'small,' with corp, 'body,' from Latin corpus.

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