leprechaun

American  

[lep-ruh-kawn, -kon] / ˈlɛp rəˌkɔn, -ˌkɒn /

noun

Irish Folklore.

1. a dwarf or sprite.

2. a conventionalized literary representation of this figure as a little old man who will reveal the location of a hidden crock of gold to anyone who catches him.

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leprechaun British  

/ ˈlɛprəˌkɔːn /

noun

1. (in Irish folklore) a mischievous elf, often believed to have a treasure hoard

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Etymology

Origin of leprechaun

1595–1605; < Irish leipreachán, lucharachán, MIr luchrapán, lupra ( c ) cán, metathesized forms of Old Irish lúchorp ( án ), equivalent to lú- small + corp body (< Latin corpus ) + -án diminutive suffix

Explanation

A leprechaun is a character in Irish folklore, a small fairy or sprite who wears green and has a sly sense of humor. A leprechaun is typically described as a short old man with a beard, usually wearing a green coat and hat. In Celtic or Irish mythology, leprechauns are shoemakers who store gold coins at the ends of rainbows and love practical jokes. The root of the word leprechaun is the Irish leipreachán, which comes from the Old Irish luchorpan, literally "a very small body."

Example Sentences

As Fintan O'Toole quipped recently in the Irish Times, his country "found the crock of gold at the end of the rainbow without even trying to catch the leprechaun."

From Salon • Dec. 2, 2024

There’s probably a little leprechaun one for St. Patrick’s Day.

From Slate • May 30, 2024

Maybe he was the lucky leprechaun I let slip away.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 17, 2023

A clock still hung on the wall, but most everything else lay in tatters on the sodden grass: a flower pot, socks, a festive tinsel leprechaun.

From New York Times • Sep. 29, 2022

He was cutting out the leprechaun even though that wasn’t the point of the project.

From "Please Ignore Vera Dietz" by A.S. King

Related Words

• fairy
• gnome
• pixie