leprechaun

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈlɛpɹəkɔːn/ (UK); /ˈlɛpɹəˌkɔn/, /ˈlɛpɹəˌkɑn/ (US)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Irish leipreachán,^[2][3][4] earlier lupracán,^[4][5][6] from Middle Irish luchrupán,^[6][3] a metathesis of Old Irish luchorpán,^[6][4][5][3] traditionally explained as lú “small” and corp “body” (borrowed from Latin corpus) with a diminutive suffix.^[6][4][5][3] Etymonline reports more recent research connecting the word instead with the Roman Luperci, through a medieval Irish misreading of St Augustine.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

In Irish folklore, a pygmy sprite (1604).^[7][2][4] Barnhart's earliest form is lubrican.^[4]

Semantic evolution

The word is old in Irish but fairly new in English;^[6] the spelling leprechaun appeared in 1860.^[4] The figure became a conventional little old man who will reveal a hidden crock of gold to anyone who catches him.^[3][6][2]

Timeline

• 1604 – lubrican, a pygmy sprite of Irish folklore.^[7][2][4]
• 1860 – the spelling leprechaun.^[4]

Modern meaning

Noun

1. In Irish folklore, a mischievous elf or sprite, usually a little old man, who will reveal hidden treasure to anyone who catches him.

Word family

• leprechaunish

Related words

• corpse
• corpus

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
3. ^ a b c d e Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
5. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
6. ^ a b c d e f The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
7. ^ a b Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press