leprechaun English · revision 2177

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈlɛpɹəkɔːn/ ''(UK)''; /ˈlɛpɹəˌkɔn/, /ˈlɛpɹəˌkɑn/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|ga|leipreachán]],^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Barnhart 1995) earlier ''lupracán'',^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(AHD) from Middle Irish ''luchrupán'',^(AHD)^(RHWU) a metathesis of Old Irish ''luchorpán'',^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) traditionally explained as ''lú'' “small” and ''corp'' “body” (borrowed from Latin ''corpus'') with a diminutive suffix.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) Etymonline reports more recent research connecting the word instead with the Roman ''Luperci'', through a medieval Irish misreading of St Augustine.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In Irish folklore, a pygmy sprite (1604).^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995) Barnhart's earliest form is ''lubrican''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The word is old in Irish but fairly new in English;^(AHD) the spelling ''leprechaun'' appeared in 1860.^(Barnhart 1995) The figure became a conventional little old man who will reveal a hidden crock of gold to anyone who catches him.^(RHWU)^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1604 – ''lubrican'', a pygmy sprite of Irish folklore.^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1860 – the spelling ''leprechaun''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # In Irish folklore, a mischievous elf or sprite, usually a little old man, who will reveal hidden treasure to anyone who catches him.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

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+ ==Word family==

+ * [[leprechaunish]]

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+ ==Related words==

+ * [[corpse]]

+ * [[corpus]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}