goblin
Americannoun
noun
Related Words
Goblin, gnome, gremlin refer to supernatural beings thought to be malevolent to people. Goblins are demons of any size, usually in human or animal form, that are supposed to assail, afflict, and even torture human beings: “Be thou a spirit of health or goblin damn'd, …” (Shakespeare, Hamlet I, iv ). Gnomes are small beings, like ugly little old men, who live in the earth, guarding mines, treasures, etc. They are mysteriously malevolent and terrify human beings by causing dreadful mishaps to occur. Gremlins are thought to disrupt machinery and are active in modern folklore.
Etymology
Origin of goblin
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English gobelin, from Middle French, from Middle High German kobold “goblin”; kobold
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.
The movie opens with her reciting lines from a story that casts her as a brave royal determined to reclaim a baby from a goblin king.
From Salon • Jan. 24, 2026
It is the fourth consecutive year that the public have played a part in picking Oxford's word of the year, after an inaugural public vote in 2022 saw "goblin mode" prevail.
From Barron's • Dec. 1, 2025
Previous Oxford words of the year have included selfie, goblin mode and rizz.
From BBC • Nov. 30, 2025
“That’s all great, but now you can smell like a dirty pond goblin if you want. And that’s cool.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2025
He whispered to a goblin page boy in a ruff, “Start pedaling the motor for the champagne fountain.”
From "The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge" by M.T. Anderson and Eugene Yelchin
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.
