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noun

hobgoblin

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Hobgoblin (noun) means a small, unpleasant-looking goblin that causes mischief for people.

noun
1
A small, unpleasant-looking goblin that causes mischief for people.
"The monster goes unrecognized because he looks like a harmless, pudgy nobody rather than like a hobgoblin. But he reveals his hobgoblin nature through music." — “Introduction: Phonoplay: Recasting Film Music”, Introduction: Phonoplay: Recasting Film Music (2007)
"The eyes blinked out and he heard a faint grunt, followed by the sounds of the Hobgoblin scrambling further back into the tunnel, away from the faint sunlight and the Ur'hunglav's domain." — Scott Harper, Winter's Rite (2005)
2
Something that causes worry or fear, especially without good reason.
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Etymology

Made up of hob (“elf”, from Hob, a variant of Rob, short for Robin Goodfellow, an elf in Germanic folklore) plus goblin.

Related words

Frequently asked questions

What is the meaning of hobgoblin?
"hobgoblin" (noun) means a small, unpleasant-looking goblin that causes mischief for people.
What is another word for hobgoblin?
Other words for "hobgoblin" include bugbear, hob, goblin.
What are the different meanings of hobgoblin?
"hobgoblin" has 2 main meanings: 1. A small, unpleasant-looking goblin that causes mischief for people; 2. Something that causes worry or fear, especially without good reason.

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