noun
goblin
GAHB-lin/ˈɡɑːblɪn/
A mischievous or grotesque supernatural creature in folklore or fantasy.
The mischievous goblin ties together the laces of two unattended boots.
Etymology
Gobelin already named a supernatural spirit, and early English uses included a mischievous, ugly fairy. The modern folklore creature continues that sense; the ancestor’s deeper origin is uncertain.
In context
the boggle follows the time-honored tradition of the mischief makers such as the IMP goblin kobold gremlin boggart boogey brownies
More examples
- In the fairy tale, goblins steal food from the village.
- She dresses as a goblin for Halloween.
- The goblin guards a chest of gold in the cave.
Forms
goblin · goblins