duende

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish duende and (especially in reference to Portuguese or Brazilian folklore) Portuguese duende. Doublet of duwende.

Why this word is great

DUENDE — [Noun] A small, mischievous humanoid creature in Iberian, Latin American, and Philippine folklore; also, heightened inspiration or passion, especially in flamenco, or personal charm. From Spanish and Portuguese duende, originally a contraction of dueño de casa ("master of the house"), from dueño ("owner, master") + casa ("house"), with roots in Proto-Indo-European *dem- ("house, household"). Unlike "imp" (which connotes petty mischief) or "muse" (which suggests detached inspiration), duende is a force both visceral and sublime—the whisper that stirs the dancer’s heels, the sudden hush in a crowded room when a singer’s voice breaks, the flicker of candlelight that reveals a grinning face in the shadows. It is the household spirit that refuses to be tamed.

noun

  1. A small, mischievous humanoid creature in Iberian (Spanish/Portuguese), Latin American, and Philippine folklore/mythology; an imp.“For quotations using this term, see Citations:duende.”
  2. Heightened inspiration or passion, especially in flamenco.“The duende is a momentary burst of inspiration, the blush of all that is truly alive, all that the performer is creating at a certain moment.”
  3. Personal charm.