hobgoblin
|hob-gob-lin|
🇺🇸
/ˈhɑbɡɑblɪn/
🇬🇧
/ˈhɒbɡɒblɪn/
mischievous goblin
Etymology
'hobgoblin' originates from Middle English, specifically the word 'hobgobelin', where 'hob' was a nickname or rustic sprite (later used for small domestic elves) and 'gobelin' came from Old French 'gobelin' meaning 'goblin'.
'hobgoblin' changed from Middle English 'hobgobelin' (a compound of 'hob' + 'gobelin') and eventually became the modern English word 'hobgoblin' through regular spelling and pronunciation shifts.
Initially, it referred chiefly to a small domestic or mischievous spirit in folk belief; over time it broadened to mean any mischievous goblin and, figuratively, an object of fear or obsession.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a mischievous or grotesque supernatural creature; a type of goblin or imp in folklore.
In the old folktale a hobgoblin played tricks on the villagers until they learned to appease it.
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Noun 2
a household spirit (in some regional traditions) that may help with chores or cause harmless mischief.
They left out bread and milk for the hobgoblin who was said to bless the household.
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Noun 3
figuratively, an object of obsessive fear or a persistent but often irrational worry.
For many politicians, inflation becomes a hobgoblin that shapes every policy decision.
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Last updated: 2025/11/01 19:48