definitions

bogeyman

or bo·gy·man, boog·er·man, boog·ey·man, boog·ie·man

[ boo g-ee-man, boh-gee-, boo- ]
/ ˈbʊg iˌmæn, ˈboʊ gi-, ˈbu- /
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noun, plural bo·gey·men.

an imaginary evil character of supernatural powers, especially a mythical hobgoblin supposed to carry off naughty children.

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RELATED WORDS

phantom, hobgoblin, monster, bugbear, visitant, apparition, bugaboo, specter, goblin, phantasma, spook, bogey, phantasm, spirit, wraith, boogeyman, boggle, bogle, bogyman, boogieman

Nearby words

bogart, humphrey, bogbean, bogey, bogey hole, bogey-hole, bogeyman, boggart, bogger, bogging, boggle, boggle the mind

Origin of bogeyman

1885–90; bogey1 (variant of bogy1, in the sense “a hobgoblin, evil spirit”) + man1
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for bogeyman

British Dictionary definitions for bogeyman

bogeyman

/ (ˈbəʊɡɪˌmæn) /

noun plural -men

a person, real or imaginary, used as a threat, esp to children
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012