This page gathers the 93 dictionary entries belonging to the domain “Folklore”, as labelled by Wiktionary. Each word leads to its full entry: definitions, etymology, pronunciation, examples.
- agropelter noun A mythical monster of the United States, said to inhabit hollow tree trunks and hurl wooden splinters and branches at passers-by.
- axhandle hound noun A folkloric dog-like animal with a somewhat ax-shaped body, supposed to subsist on a diet of the handles of axes left unattended.
- ball-tailed cat noun A fictional animal said to resemble a mountain lion, but with a long tail ending in a solid ball with which it strikes its prey.
- banshee noun A female spirit, usually taking the form of a woman whose mournful wailing warns of an impending death.
- basilisk noun A mythical snake-like dragon, so venomous that even its gaze is deadly.
- bigfoot noun An individual creature of this type.
- black lady noun A ghost of a lady in black mourning clothes.
- brownie noun A mythical creature, a helpful elf who would secretly do people's housework for them.
- bugbear noun A generic creature, often described as a large goblin, meant to inspire fear in children.
- changeling noun In pre-modern European folklore: an infant of a magical creature that was secretly exchanged for a human infant. In British, Irish and…
- clurichaun noun A mischievous, potentially malicious fairy, akin to the leprechaun, that greatly loves drinking and tends to haunt breweries, pubs and wine…
- cockatrice noun A monster with a lethal gaze or breath, originally believed to originate from a cock egg brooded over by a snake or toad, later…
- curupira noun A male supernatural being in Brazilian folklore, a protector of forests, having hair made of fire and feet turned backwards.
- cynanthropy noun A shape-shifting ability between human and canine forms.
- devil noun A man with red or orange skin and a pair of horns on his head, a pointed goatee, and a long tail, who carries a pitchfork, represents evil…
- diwata noun In Filipino folklore, a fairy, spirit, usually a lesser god or goddess, believed to guard natural features such as forests.
- drow noun “hidden people” (Faroese huldufólk, Norwegian huldrefolk), subterraneans (Norwegian underjordiske, Swedish underjordiska, Gutnish di sma…
- Earth Surface Person noun A human being, specifically in cultures like the Navajo, residing on the physical Earth, as opposed to spiritual beings or deities…
- elf noun A small, magical creature similar to a fairy, often mischievous, playful, or occasionally helpful.
- elf arrow noun A magical arrow (weapon) used by elves or other mythological beings.
- elf-bolt noun A magical bolt used by elves as a weapon.
- elf-dance noun A dance performed by elves, especially one in which humans are enticed only to find that when released years or centuries have passed.
- fachan noun A giant in Irish and Scottish folklore, which has one central leg, one hand protruding from its chest, and one eye.
- fairy dance noun A dance performed by fairies, especially one in which humans are enticed only to find that when released years or centuries have passed.
- fairy money noun Money given by the fairies, which later transforms into withered leaves or similar.
- fairy ring noun A place where fairies congregate in a ring, particularly in order to dance.
- feyness noun A ghost resembling a living person, seeing which is an omen of that person's death.
- fiery-tongued adj That breathes fire; fire-breathing.
- flying rowan noun A rowan tree growing parasitically on another tree, or from a wall, roof, etc., once believed in Scandinavia to have magical powers.
- gallitrap noun Grass growing in a circle that possesses the magical power of compelling anyone standing within it to confess their wrongdoings.
- ghost bullet noun A supernatural bullet that wounds or kills a person, especially one that is shot by a supernatural assailant.
- grindylow noun A folkloric creature, said to inhabit water and to grab children with its long sinewy arms and drown them.
- gubbins noun A half-savage race said to live in Devonshire, described by the pastoral poet William Browne, among others.
- gumberoo noun A fictional forest-dwelling animal, similar to a hairless bear but larger, with hide so tough that bullets bounce off it, but that is…
- hillfolk noun Supernatural beings, such as a dwarves, that live beneath hills.
- hillman noun A supernatural being, such as a dwarf, that lives beneath a hill.
- hugag noun A large herbivorous mammal in North American folklore, supposed to have jointless legs that prevent it from lying down.
- ignis fatuus noun A will o' the wisp.
- jackalope noun A folkloric animal, a supposed cross between a jackrabbit and an antelope, goat, or deer, usually portrayed as a rabbit with antlers.
- John Henry noun A character from American folklore.
- kabouter noun A tiny folkloric man who traditionally wears a pointy red hat, lives in harmony with nature and resides in mushrooms, similar to a gnome…
- kasha noun A yokai that steals the corpses of those who have died as a result of accumulating evil deeds.
- kobold noun A mischievous elf or goblin, or one connected (and helpful) to a family or household.
- korrigan noun A long-haired nocturnal and often malevolent Breton fairy princess; such creatures considered collectively.
- leprechaun noun A type of diminutive, solitary fairy or sprite, traditionally depicted as a small, bearded man wearing a green coat and hat, often found…
- little green man noun A type of diminutive sprite or fairy that wears green clothing.
- little person noun A small magical humanoid creature, such as an elf, leprechaun, or fairy.
- mabouya noun A kind of evil spirit in Caribbean folklore.
- mandragora noun A kind of tiny supernatural being, sometimes described as a demon.
- mandrake noun A kind of tiny demon immune to fire.
- mara noun A nightmare; a spectre or wraith-like creature in Germanic and particularly Scandinavian folklore; a female demon who torments people in…
- memorate noun an oral narrative from memory relating a personal experience, especially the precursor of a legend.
- menk noun An animal described by the Mansi as a "forest giant", with anatomical features similar to a yeti, said to live in the area of…
- messenger of death noun A figure or entity that presages death.
- nasnas noun A monstrous creature related to the jinn, said to resemble the left or right half of a human being (with half a head, half a body, one arm…
- neck noun A shapeshifting water spirit in Germanic mythology and folklore; a nix.
- Not-Deer noun A fictional deer-like creature with unusual or supernatural characteristics, commonly depicted as walking on two legs, being intelligent…
- ogre noun A large, grotesque, brutish humanoid monster, typically marked by great strength and a propensity to kill or devour humans.
- pishtaco noun A mythical white male demon in South American folklore, who steals and eats the bodyfat of indigenous South Americans, or cuts up their…
- pixy-led adj Having been led astray by pixies, fairies, or similar supernatural beings.
- pygmy noun A member of various legendary races of dwarfs, or supernatural peoples of diminutive stature.
- redcap noun A type of evil goblin or imp.
- rougarou noun A werewolf or werewolf-like creature said to inhabit the swamps in Louisiana (and sometimes French-Canadian) folklore.
- sandman noun A figure that brings sleep and dreams by sprinkling magical sand into people's eyes.
- santilmo noun A floating flame or fire ball, similar to a will o' the wisp, that stalk or chase people at night, believed to be the ignited blood of a…
- sea monk noun A sea creature in European folklore (in the 16th century), a sort of fish that resembled (and was sometimes robed or tonsured like) a…
- Seelie noun A benevolent or beneficially-inclined fairy.
- shojo noun A creature in Japanese folklore, often depicted as a sea spirit with red hair and a fondness for alcohol.
- shuck noun A supernatural and generally malevolent black dog in English folklore.
- silver bullet noun A bullet made of silver, usually with reference to the folkloric belief that such bullets are the only weapons which can kill a werewolf…
- skinwalking noun In certain Native American mythologies, the ability to transform into any animal when wearing its pelt.
- snow snake noun A fictional creature, a snake that is only active during winter months.
- sorcerer noun A magician or wizard. Sometimes specifically male.
- soul noun The spirit or essence of a person usually thought to consist of one's thoughts and personality, often believed to live on after the…
- splintercat noun A fictional cat-like animal of the Pacific Northwest said to run into trees, knocking the branches off and withering the trunks.
- spring-heeled Jack noun A terrifying man of bizarre appearance and able to make extraordinary leaps, the subject of English folklore of the Victorian era.
- stock noun A piece of wood magically made to be just like a real baby and substituted for it by magical beings.
- stork noun The mythical bringer of babies to families, or good news.
- sword letter noun in Nordic folklore: an amulet, a type of "galder letter" (worn written spell), which protects against damage in war, especially sword wounds
- tommyknocker noun A mythical creature, like a brownie or leprechaun, believed to live in underground tunnels; later associated with dead miners.
- troll noun a giant supernatural being, especially a grotesque humanoid creature living in caves or hills or under bridges.
- troll cat noun In Scandinavian folklore, a witch's familiar made from hair, wood shavings, etc. that would suck milk from cows and steal cream from…
- underground people noun Any of the fairy folk, trolls, dwarfs, or other supernatural beings, that primarily live underground.
- Unseelie noun A malevolent or malicious fairy.
- Water Baby noun A kind of spirit in Native American folklore, inhabiting bodies of water and often appearing as an infant whose cries are an omen of…
- water sprite noun A general term for an elemental spirit associated with water, said to be able to breathe water or air and sometimes is able to fly.
- white lady noun A female ghost dressed in white, who is associated with local legends of tragedy.
- Wild Hunt noun A spectral hunting party of riders and hounds, often led by a supernatural huntsman, that sweeps noisily through the sky or countryside at…
- wild man noun A mythic or legendary primitive man inhabiting forests or wilderness regions, typically depicted as hairy all over and unclothed.
- wild woman noun A type of female sprite, strikingly beautiful, with long, flowing hair, that live under hills and mounds.
- will o' the wisp noun A flickering light or lantern, especially over bogs, swamps or marshes, held by a supernatural creature who uses it to lure travelers at…
- wood-child noun A fairy or elf that inhabits the woods.
- woodwoman noun A female elf, nature spirit, or the like, that inhabits the woods.