hobgoblin

A hobgoblin is a household spirit, appearing in English folklore, once considered helpful, but which since the spread of Christianity has often been considered mischievous. Shakespeare identifies the character of Puck in his A Midsummer Night's Dream as a hobgoblin. Etymology The term "hobgoblin" comes from "hob" ("elf"). The earliest known use of the word can be traced to about 1530, although it was likely in use for some time prior to that. Folklore