Rumpelstiltskin

American  

[ruhm-puhl-stilt-skin] / ˌrʌm pəlˈstɪlt skɪn /

noun

1. a dwarf in a German folktale who spins flax into gold for a young woman to meet the demands of the prince she has married, on the condition that she give him her first child or else guess his name: she guesses his name and he vanishes or destroys himself in a rage.

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Rumpelstiltskin British  

/ ˌrʌmpəlˈstɪltskɪn /

noun

1. a dwarf in a German folktale who aids the king's bride on condition that she give him her first child or guess the dwarf's name. She guesses correctly and in his rage he destroys himself

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“Rumpelstiltskin” Cultural  

1. A fairy tale from the collection of the brothers Grimm. The title character, a dwarf, tells a woman who has promised him her first-born child that he will not hold her to her promise if she can guess his name. She finds it out, and Rumpelstiltskin, furious, destroys himself.

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Example Sentences

It’s hard to recall what she said, but her face was unforgettable – she wore the countenance of someone ready to go full Rumpelstiltskin and check out for a century.

From Salon • Jan. 23, 2025

One mystery is what Cal is short for, which Maggie keeps trying to guess, like the miller’s daughter and Rumpelstiltskin.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 4, 2023

He adds: “It’s like a bouquet. It’s like Rumpelstiltskin, weaving golden garments out of common straw.”

From Washington Post • Sep. 20, 2021

“He didn’t fire Jeff Sessions. He just said Rumpelstiltskin and then the curse was broken.”

From The Guardian • Nov. 8, 2018

And from Rumpelstiltskin it graduated to the Scarlet Pimpernel.

From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy