Etymograph

English

goblin

Goblin comes from Old Northern French gobelin.

  1. Old Northern Frenchc. 842–1400gobelin
  2. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500gobelyn
  3. Englishearliest quotation c. 1620goblin

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Old Northern Frenchc. 842–1400gobelin
  2. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500gobelyn
  3. Englishearliest quotation c. 1620goblin

Earliest quotation: c. 1620, anonymous, Tom o’ Bedlam’s Song: “From yͤ hagg & hungry Goblin, yͭ into raggs…”

The story

From Middle English gobelyn, from Old Northern French gobelin (compare Norman goubelin, Walloon gobelin), possibly a blend of Old Dutch *kobeholdo (‘goblin’) (compare Dutch kabouter, German Kobold) and Late Latin cobalus (‘mountain sprite’), from Ancient Greek κόβαλος (kóbalos, “rogue, knave; goblin”).

Every English word from Old Northern French gobelin

Today it means

noun Traditionally, a supernatural being of folklore, typically small and grotesque or misshapen, that commonly haunts dark places, often mischievous or malevolent; a type of evil elf, sprite, or demon.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Old Northern French gobelin / goblin

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