kobold means an ambivalent, sometimes vindictive, spirit that is capable of materialising as an object or human, often a child; a sprite. It carries an Arena rating of 1697, earned across 7 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, kobold ranks #1,805 of 17,126 for Most Satisfying to Say, #2,214 of 17,127 for Words That Escaped Their Books, #2,285 of 17,134 for Most Malleable Words, #2,470 of 17,163 for Funniest Words.
Why “kobold” is a great word
A spirit of ambivalent and capricious nature in German folklore, manifesting as a domestic helper, a subterranean miner, or a malevolent trickster. Borrowed from German Kobold, from Middle High German kobolt, likely a compound of kobe ("hut, shed") and a derivative related to hold ("spirit, friendly being"), a euphemistic term for a supernatural entity; first attested in English 1625–35. Unlike a "goblin," which implies uniform malice and ugliness, or a "gnome," a benevolent guardian of earth and treasure, the kobold is a creature of shifting allegiance and locale. It is the unseen hand that tidies the workshop for a bowl of cream, the pick-stroke echoing from a played-out vein, and the cold spot in the cellar where the cheese ripens too fast—a reminder that the spaces we inhabit are never truly empty, only waiting to announce their terms.
Etymology
Borrowed from German Kobold. Doublet of cobalt.
noun
- An ambivalent, sometimes vindictive, spirit that is capable of materialising as an object or human, often a child; a sprite.
- A mischievous elf or goblin, or one connected (and helpful) to a family or household.e.g.“When the Kobold is about coming into any place, he first, in this way, makes trial of the disposition of the family.” — 1828, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology, volume II, London: William Harrison Ainsworth, page 41:
- One of a diminutive and usually malevolent race of beings, often with a reptilian or dog-like appearance.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Words closest in meaning
By meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.
- goblin 69% match — Traditionally, a supernatural being of folklore, typically small and grotesque or misshapen, that commonly haunts dark places, often mischievous or malevolent; a type of evil elf, sprite, or demon. vs kobold →
- spriggan 63% match — In Cornish folklore, a malicious spirit in the form of a wizened old man. vs kobold →
- hoblin 62% match — A goblin or hobgoblin-like creature. vs kobold →
- bugan 61% match — hobgoblin, evil spirit vs kobold →
- ouphe 61% match — A small, often mischievous sprite; a fairy; a goblin; an elf. vs kobold →
- tokoloshe 60% match — In Zulu mythology, a mischievous dwarf-like spirit man that can become invisible by drinking water or swallowing a stone. vs kobold →
- korred 60% match — A long-haired nocturnal and often malevolent mythological creature of Breton and Welsh tradition. vs kobold →
- spiritling 60% match — A small, young, or inferior spirit; a ghostling. vs kobold →