kitsune · noun — A Japanese fox spirit, often but not exclusively female, said to have powers such as shape-shifting, and whose power is symbolized by increase in number of tails.
Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
kitsune is pronounced /kɪtˈsuː.neɪ/.
Why “kitsune” is a great word
A Japanese fox spirit, often possessing supernatural powers such as shape-shifting, symbolized by an increase in the number of its tails. From Japanese 狐 (kitsune, 'fox'). Unlike “yōkai,” a broad and formless category for all uncanny creatures, or the Korean “kumiho”—a figure of explicit malevolence—the kitsune occupies a mercurial middle ground, capable of mischief, wisdom, or profound devotion. It is the shadow that detaches itself from the animal to slip through a moonlit screen, the flicker of candlelight revealing a woman’s face where a fox’s snout should be, the silent, growing weight of an extra tail in the dark. Each tail marks a century of accumulated cunning: one for the farmer deceived, one for the monk seduced, one for the child led astray and one for the child led home. It is the quiet, flickering presence of something ancient choosing, for now, to let you believe you're in control.
❧ Essay by Lexicurio’s AI · definition, etymology & citations from published sources
Etymology
From Japanese 狐 (kitsune, “fox”).
noun
- A Japanese fox spirit, often but not exclusively female, said to have powers such as shape-shifting, and whose power is symbolized by increase in number of tails.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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