spriggan means in Cornish folklore, a malicious spirit in the form of a wizened old man. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 87 out of 100.
spriggan is pronounced /ˈspɹɪɡən/.
Why “spriggan” is a great word
SPRIGGAN — [Noun] A malicious guardian spirit from Cornish folklore, appearing as a wizened old man and associated with buried treasure and ancient monuments. Its name grows from the Cornish spyrysyon, the plural of spyrys, meaning “spirit” or “fairy.” Unlike a sprite, which suggests a small, elusive, and often playful being, or a goblin, a broader category of ugly mischief, the spriggan is a localized malevolence, a gnarled custodian of hoards. It is the gale that whips across a tor to blind the trespasser, the sudden landslide that seals a tin mine’s entrance, and the hunched shadow that is not a stump of furze at dusk—the landscape itself grown old and cruel in its vigilance.
Etymology
Borrowed from Cornish spyrysyon (“spirits; fairies”).
noun
- In Cornish folklore, a malicious spirit in the form of a wizened old man.