kobold
Americannoun
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a spirit or goblin, often mischievous, that haunts houses.
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a spirit that haunts mines or other underground places.
noun
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a mischievous household sprite
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a spirit that haunts subterranean places, such as mines
Etymology
Origin of kobold
Borrowed into English from German in 1625–35
Explanation
A kobold is a mischievous spirit or gnome from German folklore. In children's books kobolds are usually pictured wearing pointy red hats. As household spirits, kobolds are said to perform chores, like tidying or cleaning up. But because they're pranksters, they are also famous for hiding things, tripping people, or otherwise being naughty. They're a little bit scary, too, resorting to cruelty or violence when crossed. The word kobald means "household gremlin" in German, from kob, "house or chamber."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In a typical game, online or off, the game master will present the players with a situation — an encounter with a kobold, say.
From New York Times • Mar. 6, 2021
Who taught you that look--the look of an angel imprisoned by some evil magician in the body of a kobold?
From Only a Girl: or, A Physician for the Soul. by Hillern, Wilhelmine von
When a vessel is doomed the kobold appears smoking a short pipe, dressed in yellow, and wearing a night-cap.
From Character Sketches of Romance, Fiction and the Drama, Vol. 1 A Revised American Edition of the Reader's Handbook by Brewer, Ebenezer Cobham
By the magic of the moon, When Diana from her dome Wakes from slumber, woos from swoon All the folk who fear the noon, Dwarf and kobold, witch and gnome— I conjure thee, maiden, come!
From The Proud Prince by McCarthy, Justin H. (Justin Huntly)
To see this abhorred sneak, this mocking kobold, step between me and my beloved, two torn and bleeding hearts, revolted my innermost feeling.
From The German Classics of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries, Volume 05 Masterpieces of German Literature Translated into English by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
